LA PLUS BELLE SAISON
With La plus belle saison, her 15th album released under her independent label Empress Music Group, Toronto-based jazz artist, producer, and arranger Emilie-Claire Barlow delivers a work that is both luminous and deeply heartfelt, a true love letter to Québec music and the French language. Co-produced with pianist and arranger François Richard (Michel Rivard, Alexandre Désilets), the album was entirely recorded in Montréal at Le Hublot and Studio PM.
The 11 tracks on La plus belle saison are sonically rich, moving with elegance from jazz to folk to samba, all tinged with lush orchestral pop. It's a musical journey filled with a nostalgic warmth, yet firmly rooted in the realm of contemporary jazz.
The 11 tracks on La plus belle saison are sonically rich, moving with elegance from jazz to folk to samba, all tinged with lush orchestral pop. It's a musical journey filled with a nostalgic warmth, yet firmly rooted in the realm of contemporary jazz.
The album opens with “Dans les rues de Québec”, (Charles Trenet). Guitar, double bass and trumpet breathe vibrant energy into the track, evoking the joy of a lively stroll through Old Québec. Next is “Quelles sont les chances”, performed as a duet with Damien Robitaille. Flirtatious and playful, their voices intertwine gently over a lush arrangement, bathed in the hazy glow of a late summer afternoon.
Diane Tell’s iconic “Je suis en amour” stays true to the original arrangement but with a more contemporary sound. Emilie-Claire showcases her ability to seamlessly float between jazz and pop, blending effortlessly with the backup vocalists and horns on this funky hommage. The breezy, elegant samba version of “J’ai rencontré l’homme de ma vie” (Luc Plamondon, François Cousineau) enchants with its airy percussion and playful trumpet.
Harmonium’s “Si doucement” pays a creative and thoughtful tribute to Serge Fiori’s poetic spirit, whose legacy continues to inspire introspective, luminous music. “Comment t’aimer encore” (Anne-Sophie Doré-Coulombe/Belle Grand Fille) introduces a moving and melancholic dialogue between Emilie-Claire’s clear voice, a mournful trumpet, and lush swells of strings.
Daniel Bélanger’s “Les deux printemps”, whose refrain inspired the album’s title, is delivered as a passionate jazz waltz, woven with lively exchanges between scat vocals and saxophone. The album’s lead single, “D’la bière au ciel” by Jim Corcoran, brings Emilie-Claire into bluegrass territory. Flourishes of mandolin and trumpet delight, as the band breezes through this lighthearted romp. Punctuating this unexpected choice, Jim Corcoran joins Emilie-Claire for a charmingly subtle last call.
With Anique Granger’s “Jerrycan,” the album steps into stripped-down pop territory, featuring near-spoken vocals, saxophone, and a funky woodwind section. Then comes “Le vent m’appelle par mon prénom,” composed by Louis-Jean Cormier and Michel Rivard, a suspended moment, like a prayer carried by hope.
To crown the journey, the album closes with “Pendant que,” a beloved classic by Gilles Vigneault, who graciously lends his voice to a verse. His presence gives this intimate and poetic rendition a poignant depth, bringing this beautiful musical voyage to a graceful and emotional conclusion.
BIO
Emilie-Claire Barlow is one of the most distinctive voices in Canadian jazz. A seasoned singer, arranger and producer, she has built an international career anchored by fourteen albums, including La plus belle saison (to be released on February 6, 2026), a heartfelt tribute to the Québec repertoire, co-produced with pianist and arranger François Richard. The recipient of a Félix and two JUNO Awards, Emilie-Claire Barlow has garnered over 500 million streams and performed on stages around the world. Joyful and passionate, with a charming sense of humour, she brings to her music a sense of playfulness, sophistication, a love of language, and a voice of unforgettable beauty.
Emilie-Claire Barlow est l’une des voix les plus singulières du jazz canadien. Chanteuse, arrangeuse, réalisatrice, doubleuse et productrice aguerrie, elle possède une carrière internationale marquée par quatorze albums, dont La plus belle saison (sortie prévue le 6 février 2026), une lettre d’amour au répertoire québécois qu’elle co-réalise avec le pianiste et arrangeur François Richard. Lauréate d’un Félix et de deux JUNO, Emilie-Claire Barlow cumule plus de 500 millions d’écoutes en ligne et a offert des concerts partout à travers le monde. Pétillante et passionnée, dotée d’un charmant sens de l’humour, elle insuffle à ses prestations une touche de légèreté, de sophistication, ainsi qu’une voix d’une beauté inoubliable.
LA PLUS BELLE SAISON
Avec La plus belle saison, son 15ᵉ album en carrière, Emilie-Claire Barlow signe un hommage vibrant à la chanson québécoise dans toute sa richesse et sa poésie. Entièrement en français, ce nouvel opus enregistré à Montréal, coréalisé avec François Richard (Michel Rivard, Alexandre Désilets), embrasse avec finesse le jazz manouche, la samba et la pop orchestrale. De Harmonium à Diane Tell, en passant par Jim Corcoran, Daniel Bélanger et Gilles Vigneault, chaque pièce ravive un pan du répertoire francophone avec sensibilité. La voix limpide et nuancée d’Emilie-Claire tisse un fil émouvant entre les époques, portée par des arrangements somptueux et une esthétique sonore d’une grande élégance.