What can we say about Bernie or is it Bernard? I feel it may be too formal to use the Nard when the Nie is just below the hip. I have always filed guy under the musical category: Bow-tie wearing Django Bongo Love Boat Beat.
However, he is as talented as he is diverse in his interests. One site calls his Trio music as "original acoustic music evocative of 60’s British Folk (Nick Drake) and 50’s bossa nova (Joao Gilberto) in the singer/songwriter style." They describe his playing style as " sparkling finger-style guitar, Chet Baker-esque vocals and soaring harmonies combined with strong and varied original songs produces a soft bittersweet nostalgia, innocent, yet cynical."
We are no closer to knowing the real Bernie Boulanger. Some say he now adheres to a roots country esthetic. He was once the dashing foil to Lindsay Davis (now Lily Frost) in the Colorifics. Now they have a new vocalist (another one) and will be playing June 17 at the Media club. Tom Harrison calls them "Always entertaining, often riveting, the Colorifics combine the best elements of strong catchy song writing, flawless musicianship and energetic stage presence to deliver engaging performances unparalleled by an other band."
Frankly, I love the guy, and have always thought him one of the great talents of the Vancouver music scene. Like the rest of the Holy Hardstock!!! lineup, this is a personal choice of some of Vancouver's most interesting and diverse performers. Don't miss Holy Hardstock!!! and don't miss Bernie Boulanger.
Update: check out and listen here
"Perhaps best known for his songwriting and guitar work with Vancouver’s swing latin ensemble The Colorifics, Bernard’s first and foremost love has always been the acoustic guitar. Along with the idiosyncratic originality of the self-taught artist, Bernard’s guitar playing resounds with the flavours of his musical heros, from Jaoa Gilberto to Nick Drake. Using alternate tunings, melodic fingerstyle, bossa and jazz stylings with vocals reminiscent of a young Chet Baker or Paul Simon, Bernard explores and mixes many genres into interesting new ones. As a solo artist with a career spanning over 10 years Bernard has been involved in a variety of musical endevours. Including the Rattled Roosters, Clam (with his sister Annette Boulanger and the Brothers’ Creegan), The Widdershins (with members of the Colorifcs, The Paperboys, and the Bare Naked Ladies) Bernard has recorded over 14 original albums, 4 videos, toured across North America countless times, and played over 1000 shows.
Bernard has written 5 soundtracks for film, radio and circus, and 15 songs used in different films and TV shows (Boy Meets Girl, Better Than Chocolate, Madisons, etc). He has recorded and performed music for live circus performances, written and recorded the score for the CBC radio play “Stanley Park”, and contributed a song to the Douglas Coupland film “Souvenir of Canada”. Most recently he collaborated with his circus performer brother, Peter Boulanger, in the Underground Circus‘s production The Necklace. This theatrical/ circus/ live music event was conceived around Bernard’s music and performed live with The Colorifcs and Bernard’s solo act. Presently he’s finished a new album and is performing live about town solo, with a small trio, and with the Colorifics. "
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