Eric Chenaux

NEWS


BIO

Eric Chenaux is a Canadian guitarist, songwriter, singer and sound sculptor. He has released seven solo albums of experimental song on the Montréal-based imprint Constellation, charting an adventurous and uncompromising path through avant-folk, out-jazz and pop composition, increasingly rooted in a unique and elemental juxtaposition of fried, frazzled, semi-improvised guitar and smooth, clear tenor balladry. He has been called “a musician like no other” by Tiny Mix Tapes; his solo albums praised by The Quietus as “stunningly beautiful, genuinely inimitable, whose reputation will only grow with time.” Gracing the cover of The Wire magazine in 2017, the feature article declared: “Chenaux succeeds in generating an astonishing array of timbres. A singer and songwriter possessed of angelic sweetness and clarity accompanying himself with largely improvised, visceral guitar textures that seem intent on undermining and obscuring his own songs. It’s the need to communicate tussling with the urge to obfuscate; lucidity versus opacity; form against chaos.” 

Though based in France for the past decade, Chenaux was a key figure in Toronto’s fertile indie and avant/improv music scenes throughout the 1990s and 2000s, releasing a first solo album of instrumental improv guitar in 1999 and co-founding the experimental music label Rat-drifting in 2001, which documented a dynamic cross-section of iconoclastic Toronto experimental music projects over the ensuing decade, including several ensembles in which Chenaux also figured as a member: The Draperies, The Reveries, The Guayaveras, The Marmots, Allison Cameron Band, Drumheller and Nightjars. Previously he was a core member of the cult Toronto postpunk/math-rock group Phleg Camp and the related duo Lifelikeweeds.

Chenaux’s first album as a singer-songwriter was Dull Lights’, released on Constellation in 2006, and an acclaimed, highly original solo discography has unfolded since then: Sloppy Ground’ (2008); Warm Weather With Ryan Driver’ (2010); Guitar & Voice’ (2012); Skullsplitter’ (2015); Slowly Paradise’ (2018) and Say Laura’ (2022). He has featured on a range of collaborative records issued by other labels through this same span, including Okraïna, Avatar, Grapefruit and Three:four. He has performed and recorded with countless artists, including Ryan Driver, Sandro Perri, Eloïse Decazes, Michelle McAdorey, Nick Fraser, Martin Arnold, Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, Pauline Oliveros, John Oswald, Michael Snow, Brodie West, Han Bennink, Christine Abdelnour, Michael Moore, Josephine Foster, Martin Tetrault, Wilbert De Joode, Gareth Davis, Jacob Wren, Norberto Lobo, Nathaniel Mann and many more. Chenaux also composes for film and contemporary dance, including a long-standing association with conceptual filmmaker Eric Cazdyn for his solo music, and in recurring collaboration with multi-media and sound installation artist Marla Hlady.

Eric Chenaux lives at Le Pouget in the commune of Condat-sur-Ganaveix in central France with his partner and their dog, tending to a field of wild horses.

LINE-UP
Eric Chenaux : Guitar, Vocals


LINKS


PRESS


CONTACT

Booking : François Montjosieu
Promo : Varvara Papaspanopoulou

DISCOGRAPHIE

  • Say Laura

    Constellation Records / Murailles Music2022
    LP / CD / Digital
    Buy
  • Hello Eyes

    ULYSSA2022
    K7, Digital
  • Slowly Paradise

    Constellation Records2018
    CD / LP / digital
  • Skullsplitter

    Constellation Records2015
    CD / LP / digital
  • Your Victorian Breasts (V/A)

    three:four records2013
    LP + digital (limited)
  • Guitar & Voice

    Constellation Records2012
    CD / LP / digital
  • The Sentimental Moves (with Radwan Ghazi Moumneh)

    Grapefruit Records2012
    LP limited edition
  • Eloïse Decazes et Eric Chenaux

    Okraïna Records2012
    LP
  • Warm Weather With Ryan Driver

    Constellation Records2010
    CD / LP / Digital
  • Sloppy Ground

    Constellation Records2008
    CD / LP

Past shows

Click on "date", "city" or "venue" to change the list display
  • DateCountryCityVenuewith 
  • 29/11/2023FranceSurvilliers (95)Théâtre des Bergeries (orga. Espace Germinal)infos event
  • 28/11/2023FrancePuiseux-en-France (95)Salle Maurice Béjart (orga. Espace Germinal)infos event
  • 09/11/2023FranceTulle (19)Des Lendemains Qui Chantentinfos event
  • 07/10/2023FranceNembro (IT)Santuario della Madonna dello Zuccarelloinfos
  • 06/10/2023ItalieSan Zenone degli Ezzelini (IT)Villa Albrizzi Marini event
  • 01/10/2023ItalieBari (IT)Times Zone Festival - Officina degli Esordiinfos
  • 26/07/2023FranceSégur-le-château (19)La Ruelleinfos
  • 22/07/2023DanemarkFano (DK)Fano Free Folk Festivalinfos event
  • 22/06/2023FranceLyon (69)Le Périscopeinfos event
  • 20/06/2023ItalieCervia (IT)Lupo 340infos event
  • 18/06/2023ItalieBrescia (IT)Ground Music Festivalinfos event
  • 23/05/2023FranceMarseille (13)L'EmbobineuseJosef Van Wisseminfos event
  • 20/04/2023France Paris (75)Le ConsulatFrance Sauvageinfos event
  • 26/03/2023ItalieTerni (IT)Caos (Degustazioni Musicali)infos
  • 25/03/2023ItalieFlorence (IT)Sala Vanniinfos
  • 23/03/2023ItalieNapoli (IT)Sala Assoliinfos event
  • 18/02/2023FranceLa Réole (33)La Petite Populaireinfos event
  • 17/02/2023FranceParis (75)Chapelle XIV (Orga. Pieg) (ANNULÉ)Léonore Boulanger event
  • 16/02/2023FranceSaints-en-Puisaye (89) La Maison Composer infos
  • 09/12/2022Grande-BretagneLondon (UK)West Hampstead Arts Clubinfos event
  • 06/12/2022Grande-BretagneSheffield (UK)Bishops HouseJames Greeninfos event
  • 03/12/2022Grande-BretagneGlasgow (UK)The Old HairdressersAilie Ormston, Josh Thorpeinfos event
  • 02/12/2022Grande-BretagneEdinbourg (UK)Summerhallinfos event
  • 23/11/2022SuisseLausanne (CH)Standard / Deluxe (orga. L'association du Salopard)Gilles Poizatinfos event
  • 19/11/2022BelgiqueBruxelles (BE)Le Botanique - Rotondeinfos event
  • 02/11/2022ItalieMilano (IT)Spazio TeatroMary Lattimoreinfos event
  • 01/11/2022ItalieParme (IT)Borgo Santa Brigida 5/Ainfos
  • 30/10/2022ItalieRome (IT)Teatro Studio BorgnaBen Lamar Gay Ensemble
  • 16/10/2022FranceRodez (12)Musée Denys Puechinfos
  • 09/10/2022EspagneVic (ES)La Jazz Cavainfos event
  • 08/10/2022EspagneBarcelone (ES)Casa Montjuic (ex Sala Hiroshima)infos
  • 16/09/2022CanadaGuelph (CA)Guelph Jazz Festival, Heritage HallMusic & Dance duo with Aimée Dawn Robinsoninfos
  • 15/09/2022CanadaGuelph (CA)Guelph Jazz Festival, Royal City Missioninfos
  • 14/09/2022CanadaToronto (CA)Tranzac Southern Cross LoungeDrumheller
  • 13/09/2022CanadaToronto (CA)Tranzac Main HallRyan Driver, Phil Melanson
  • 09/09/2022CanadaMontréal (CA)Centre PHI, Espace Ainfos
  • 30/08/2022République TchèquePrague (CZ) Punctuminfos event
  • 29/08/2022AllemagneBerlin (DE) CassiopeiaMeagre Martininfos event
  • 30/07/2022PortugalCaldas da Rainha (PT) OSSO
  • 29/07/2022PortugalLisbon (PT) Festival Appleton, Terraço do Centro Cultural
  • 27/07/2022PortugalBragança (PT) Convento De São Franciso (orga. Dedos Bionicos) - Bragança (PT) event
  • 17/07/2022ItaliePanicale (IT) Effeto 48 [sunrise set]infos event
  • 17/07/2022ItalieL'Aquila (IT) Paesaggi Sonori [sunset set]infos event
  • 08/07/2022FranceRennes (35)Ferme de Quincéinfos event
  • 04/06/2022FranceNiort (79)Concert en appartement, orga La Dynamo event
  • 26/05/2022FranceNantes (44)Festival Wine Nat White Heat, Ateliers de BitcheJulián Mayorga, Kee Avil, Marion Cousin et Kaumwaldinfos event
  • 27/04/2022FranceLille (59)L'Aéronef (COMPLET)Hania Raniinfos event
  • 26/04/2022FranceFeyzin (69)L'Épicerie Moderne (COMPLET)Hania Raniinfos event
  • 24/04/2022FranceThiers (63)TBA
  • 13/04/2022FranceMontreuil (93)Les Instants ChavirésAshley Paul + RAY, James Stilton & Le Petit Ménestrel (DJ set)infos event
  • 01/04/2022FranceOrléans (45)« ça tricote au théâtre #3 » - Théâtre d'Orléans, salle Vitez (orga. Tricollectif)Furinfos event
  • 25/02/2022FranceErquery (60)La Grange ErqueryMood, Golem Mécaniqueinfos event
  • 23/10/2021FranceAlbi (81)Centre d'art Le Laitinfos event
  • 22/10/2021FranceTarnos (40)Eglise des ForgesAntoine Bellangerinfos event
  • 21/10/2021FranceBordeaux (33)Lieu secret
  • 19/09/2021FranceParis (75)Festival Vaille que Vaille, le Café de Paris (orga. collectif Pieg) (ANNULÉ)Fantôme event
  • 17/09/2021FranceToulouse (31)Le Printemps de Septembre, isdaTZombie Zombieinfos event
  • 04/09/2021SuisseNyon (CH)Festival Jazz au Peuple, Les Marchandisesinfos event
  • 20/06/2021FranceAlbi (81)Centre d'art le Laitinfos
  • 19/06/2021FranceDie (26)Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Die (ANNULÉ)infos
  • 12/12/2020FranceMontreuil (93)Webradio "Ça sent le sapin" (live streaming)infos
  • 15/10/2020FranceParis (75)Centre Culturel Canadieninfos event
  • 15/02/2020FranceLe Petit-Quevilly (76)Bibilothèque François Truffautinfos event
  • 08/02/2020FranceParisFestival 'Au Fond De l'Hiver', Petit BainRichard Dawsoninfos event
  • 05/02/2020FranceMetzLes TrinitairesRichard Dawsoninfos event
  • 23/01/2020BelgiqueBruxellesLe Palaceinfos event
  • 08/01/2020FranceDijonGalerie Interfaceinfos event
  • 13/12/2019FranceParisLe Café de ParisJean-Luc Guionnetinfos
  • 09/12/2019FranceStrasbourgPaye ton noël, place Grimeissen event
  • 08/12/2019SuisseVevey (CH)Le Bout du Mondeinfos event
  • 07/12/2019SuisseBâle (CH)PlattfonManuel Troller event
  • 01/12/2019SuisseGenève (CH)Face Z Festival, salon d'hiverOrlando, Azur 3000infos event
  • 26/09/2019FranceNantesMusée d'arts de Nantesinfos
  • 14/09/2019FranceAulus-les-Bains (09)CAMP Festival (ANNULÉ)L'ocelle mare, Phill Niblock, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Felicia Atkinsoninfos
  • 22/08/2019Grande-BretagneGlasgowThe Old HairdressersRichard Youngsinfos event
  • 10/04/2019FranceMarseilleMontevideoinfos event
  • 29/03/2019FrancePantinFestival Banlieues Bleues, La DynamoMhysainfos event
  • 12/12/2018FrancePantin (93)La Dynamo de Banlieues Bleues& Christine Abdelnour, Fantazio & Théo Ceccali infos event
  • 18/10/2018FranceClissonLa Petite Maison Utopique event
  • 17/10/2018FranceAllonnes (72)La Peniche ExcelsiorJason Sharpinfos event
  • 13/10/2018FranceBrestAtlantique Jazz FestivalJason Sharpinfos event
  • 29/09/2018FranceMontpellierInternationales de la guitare, les 24h démentesinfos event
  • 05/07/2018FranceParis (75)Point ÉphémèreOrgue Agnèsinfos event
  • 30/06/2018FrancePoitiersFestival Bruisme - Le Confort Moderneinfos event
  • 23/06/2018FranceParisLe Zorba event
  • 03/06/2018FranceLabège (31)Maison Salvaninfos
  • 02/06/2018FranceTarbesCeltic Pubinfos
  • 01/06/2018FranceTarbesCeltic Pubinfos event
  • 19/05/2018FranceSarregueminesLe Terminus
  • 13/05/2018FranceToulouseLe Taquininfos event
  • 12/05/2018FranceAllemans (24)Café l'ArsenicL'Ocelle Mareinfos
  • 11/05/2018FrancePérigueuxEspace Culturel François MitterrandL'Ocelle Mareinfos
  • 29/04/2018FranceRennesAlaska brocanteRyan Driverinfos event
  • 05/04/2018FranceMontreuilLes Instants ChavirésBass Clefinfos event
  • 30/03/2018FranceLyonLe Bal des Fringantsinfos event
  • 29/03/2018FranceMetzThéâtre du Saulcy - espace Bernard Marie Koltès (orga. Fragment)Angle, Ethiopian Voiceinfos event
  • 15/03/2018FranceJoué-les-ToursLe Temps MachineYacht Clubinfos event
  • 12/03/2018FranceBiarritzLibraire Le Festin Nuinfos event
  • 14/02/2018FranceAngersMusée Jean Lurçatinfos event
  • 16/03/2017FranceParisParis Music Festival , FGO BarbaraLukas Koening, Ar Kerinfos event
  • 12/01/2017FranceParisLe BalChristine Abdelnourinfos event
  • 04/10/2016FranceParisEspace en CoursKa Baird event
  • 02/10/2016FranceLyonQuirky Festival, Le Bal des Fringantsinfos event
  • 03/07/2016FranceRennesLes Tombées de la Nuit, Chapelle de l’Hôtel Dieuinfos
  • 02/07/2016FranceToursLa Guinguette event
  • 01/07/2016FranceMettray (37)Festival Intergalactique, La Barreinfos
  • 28/05/2016FranceRouenFestival Rush, Presqu'île RolletKaterine, The Limiñanas, Eddy Crampes, Arlt, Nord, Thee Verduns...infos event
  • 26/05/2016FranceParisL'Olympic CaféSourdure event
  • 25/03/2016FranceReimsLa Villa DouceHelved Rum, Maxime Petit
  • 19/11/2015Pays-BasUtrecht (Nl)Le Guess Who, TivoliVredenburginfos
  • 10/11/2015FranceJoué-lès-ToursLe Temps MachineArltinfos event
  • 17/10/2015FranceGrenobleLe CielOdessey & Oracleinfos event
  • 10/10/2015FrancePoitiersFestival le Circuit, Auditorium Saint-Germaininfos event
  • 28/09/2015FranceParisL'ArchipelJozef Van Wisseminfos event
  • 25/09/2015FranceLyonHumanist S.K. Festival, Le PériscopeChicaloyoh, Vitas Guerulaïtisinfos event
  • 19/09/2015BelgiqueSchærbeek (Be)La Carotteinfos
  • 18/09/2015Pays-BasTilburg (Nl)Incubate Festival, Factoriuminfos
  • 13/09/2015FranceRivières (81)Festival Baignade Interdite, Piscine d'AiguelèzeRafael Toral, Cantenac Dagar, Odessey & Oracle, Loupinfos event
  • 18/07/2015FranceSaint-NazaireFarniente Festival, Plage de Monsieur HulotHan Bennink, Jean-François Pauvros & Mount Analogue, Zsuzsanne Varkonyiinfos event
  • 17/07/2015FranceSaint-NazaireFarniente Festival, Plage de Monsieur Hulotinfos event
  • 05/07/2015FranceParisFestival les Siestes Electroniques, Musée du Quai BranlyAïsha Deviinfos event
  • 26/06/2015FranceDijonLe Consortiuminfos event
  • 05/06/2015NorvègeOslo (No)Only Connect Festivalinfos
  • 28/05/2015Grande-BretagneLondon (Uk)Cafe OtoOscilanzinfos
  • 30/04/2015FranceParisLa Péniche AntipodeDidier Petitinfos event
  • 23/04/2015FranceColmarFestival Supersounds, Atelier ARNinfos
  • 18/04/2015FranceRennesFestival Roulements de Tambour, Antipode MJCForever Pavot + Le Groupe Obscur + Get Your Guninfos event
  • 02/04/2015FranceToulouseFestival Beausoleil, Musée d'art Les AbattoirsFuturoscope, Ela Orleansinfos event
  • 27/03/2015FranceParisPenny Lane event
  • 01/03/2015FranceClermont-FerrandMusée d'Art Roger Quilliot, Fac'Tory au MARQinfos
  • 20/11/2014FranceAnglet (64)Les Ecuries de BarojaMicro-Chorale event
  • 27/05/2014FranceParisLa Machine du Moulin RougeLee Ranaldo & The Dustinfos event
  • 17/04/2014FranceBrestLa CarèneElysian Fieldsinfos event
  • 03/04/2014FranceMetzLes TrinitairesRamona Cordovainfos event
  • 15/03/2014SuisseGenève (Ch)Festival DAF14, Centre d'Expression Numérique et Corporelleinfos event
  • 14/03/2014FranceMontreuilMaison PopulaireJacob Wreninfos
  • 10/03/2014Pays-BasAmsterdam (Nl)ParadisoThee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestrainfos event
  • 08/03/2014FranceParisGalerie Treizeinfos event
  • 05/03/2014BelgiqueLeuven (Be)StukAme Henderson / Public Recordingsinfos
  • 27/02/2014FranceBruxelles (Be)BotaniqueThee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestrainfos event
  • 19/02/2014FranceLimogesCCM John LennonThee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestrainfos
  • 18/02/2014FranceFeyzinL'Epicerie ModerneThee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestrainfos event
  • 12/01/2014FranceParisGalerie TreizeRichard Youngsinfos event
  • 11/01/2014Grande-BretagneLondres (UK)Cafe OtoRichard Youngsinfos event

NEWS

BIO

Eric Chenaux is a Canadian guitarist, songwriter, singer and sound sculptor. He has released seven solo albums of experimental song on the Montréal-based imprint Constellation, charting an adventurous and uncompromising path through avant-folk, out-jazz and pop composition, increasingly rooted in a unique and elemental juxtaposition of fried, frazzled, semi-improvised guitar and smooth, clear tenor balladry. He has been called “a musician like no other” by Tiny Mix Tapes; his solo albums praised by The Quietus as “stunningly beautiful, genuinely inimitable, whose reputation will only grow with time.” Gracing the cover of The Wire magazine in 2017, the feature article declared: “Chenaux succeeds in generating an astonishing array of timbres. A singer and songwriter possessed of angelic sweetness and clarity accompanying himself with largely improvised, visceral guitar textures that seem intent on undermining and obscuring his own songs. It’s the need to communicate tussling with the urge to obfuscate; lucidity versus opacity; form against chaos.” 

Though based in France for the past decade, Chenaux was a key figure in Toronto’s fertile indie and avant/improv music scenes throughout the 1990s and 2000s, releasing a first solo album of instrumental improv guitar in 1999 and co-founding the experimental music label Rat-drifting in 2001, which documented a dynamic cross-section of iconoclastic Toronto experimental music projects over the ensuing decade, including several ensembles in which Chenaux also figured as a member: The Draperies, The Reveries, The Guayaveras, The Marmots, Allison Cameron Band, Drumheller and Nightjars. Previously he was a core member of the cult Toronto postpunk/math-rock group Phleg Camp and the related duo Lifelikeweeds.

Chenaux’s first album as a singer-songwriter was Dull Lights’, released on Constellation in 2006, and an acclaimed, highly original solo discography has unfolded since then: Sloppy Ground’ (2008); Warm Weather With Ryan Driver’ (2010); Guitar & Voice’ (2012); Skullsplitter’ (2015); Slowly Paradise’ (2018) and Say Laura’ (2022). He has featured on a range of collaborative records issued by other labels through this same span, including Okraïna, Avatar, Grapefruit and Three:four. He has performed and recorded with countless artists, including Ryan Driver, Sandro Perri, Eloïse Decazes, Michelle McAdorey, Nick Fraser, Martin Arnold, Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, Pauline Oliveros, John Oswald, Michael Snow, Brodie West, Han Bennink, Christine Abdelnour, Michael Moore, Josephine Foster, Martin Tetrault, Wilbert De Joode, Gareth Davis, Jacob Wren, Norberto Lobo, Nathaniel Mann and many more. Chenaux also composes for film and contemporary dance, including a long-standing association with conceptual filmmaker Eric Cazdyn for his solo music, and in recurring collaboration with multi-media and sound installation artist Marla Hlady.

Eric Chenaux lives at Le Pouget in the commune of Condat-sur-Ganaveix in central France with his partner and their dog, tending to a field of wild horses.

LINE-UP
Eric Chenaux : Guitar, Vocals

LINKS

PRESS

DISCOGRAPHIE

  • Say Laura

    Constellation Records / Murailles Music2022
    LP / CD / Digital
    Buy
  • Hello Eyes

    ULYSSA2022
    K7, Digital
  • Slowly Paradise

    Constellation Records2018
    CD / LP / digital
  • Skullsplitter

    Constellation Records2015
    CD / LP / digital
  • Your Victorian Breasts (V/A)

    three:four records2013
    LP + digital (limited)
  • Guitar & Voice

    Constellation Records2012
    CD / LP / digital
  • The Sentimental Moves (with Radwan Ghazi Moumneh)

    Grapefruit Records2012
    LP limited edition
  • Eloïse Decazes et Eric Chenaux

    Okraïna Records2012
    LP
  • Warm Weather With Ryan Driver

    Constellation Records2010
    CD / LP / Digital
  • Sloppy Ground

    Constellation Records2008
    CD / LP

CONTACT