Artist description Kornog is a four man group composed of the most respected traditional musicians from Brittany (NW France). Breton instrumental music is an intriguing combination of Celtic and European styles, and Kornog's elaborate arrangements bring out all its lyrical, haunting beauty. Their repertoire also includes Scottish ballads, as well as original instrumental pieces written in the Breton tradition.

Music Style Celtic

Musical Influences Breton and Scottish Traditions

Similar Artists Pennou Skoulm, Gwerz, Barzaz, Battlefield Band, Storvan

Artist History Formed in 1981 by Jamie McMenemy, Christian Lemaître and Soïg Séberil. Jean-Michel Veillon added in 1982. Disbanded in 1987 and reformed in 2000 with Nicolas Kemener replacing Soïg.

Group Members JAMIE McMENEMY (Vocals, Bouzouki) is hailed as one of Scotland's finest singers of traditional material; he is renowned for his backing arrangements on the bouzouki.Jamie was born in the Irish community in Glasgow, Scotland. While a student at Glasgow School of Art, he started playing and singing in several local traditional folk bands, before turning professional in 1976, and touring for three years with the Battlefield Band.On his first tour, Jamie discovered Brittany, its music and its people, and moved there in 1979, where he was immediately adopted by the traditional musicians; it is now his permanent home.In 1981, he recorded a solo album and formed Kornog. When the group stopped in 1987, he took a break - until 1993.He has since been playing in various line-ups from duos to 6 piece outfits, Breton dance bands, or Irish/Scottish bands where he sings, and regularly gigging with other Kornog members. At the moment he concentrates on his singing repertoire.NICOLAS QUEMENER (Guitar, Vocals, Flutes) is the most popular of the new generation of Breton open-tuning guitarists. He is an excellent soloist, but has the rare gift of creative and subtle accompaniment, cultivated by years of experience playing and living in Ireland. Nicolas grew up in Angers, France, where he studied percussion in the National School of Music. In 1990 he emigrated to Ireland, where he was asked to join Arcady, with whom he did 8 USA tours. Back to Brittany in 1993, he co-founded the Breton traditional music group Skeduz.In 1994, he left Arcady, joined the Belgian-based Orion, then two years later became a member of the international Héritage des Celtes (50 musicians on stage, including Capercaillie, Donal Lunny).Presently, he plays in a duo with uillean piper Ronan Le Bars, in the backing band (with Christian Lemaître) of the Celtic superstar Gilles Servat, and of course, Kornog.CHRISTIAN LEMAÎTRE (Fiddle) is the international ambassador of Breton fiddling. He is the creator of a style that adapts the traditional music played on reed instruments for the fiddle.Christian started the fiddle in his teens in Paris, and when he moved down to Brittany, his father's birthplace, he was already sought after for his talents on the fiddle and guitar.He joined Kornog in 1981, and later on formed Pennou Skoulm, the Breton dance band, along with Jean-Michel Veillon.From 1984 on, he played with concert groups like Archetype (7 fiddles and a cello), Kemia (with Soïg Siberil), and Tantad (ensemble of traditional music teachers), but decided to concentrate on playing for the festou-noz, the Breton dance nights, mostly with the group, Storvan. These years of experience matured his unique style into a fine art. In 1992 he became a stalwart of the famous Celtic Fiddle Festival.Today, he takes part in various cultural creations, backs the Celtic star singer Gilles Servat, and plays in a duo with Jamie McMenemy.JEAN-MICHEL VEILLON (Wooden Flute, Bombarde) is one of the leading musicians in Brittany, and has almost single-handedly adapted and crated the current Breton repertoire for the wooden flute.Jean-Michel started on the bombarde at 14 and then took on the wooden transverse flute from 1977, as an autodidact.He joined Kornog in 1981, and toured Europe and the USA. To keep in touch with the Breton dance music, he co-founded Pennou Skolm a few years later. From 1988 onwards, he took part in several musical experiences outside of the traditional idiom, including Barzaz and Den, and from the 1996 Alain Gentry Group, Flûtes de Traverses.Jean-Michel is above all a soloist, with two records under his name ('E koat Nizon (1993) was the first record ever dedicated to Breton music on the wooden transverse Flute). He is often invited to prestigious international festivals. A large part of his activity today is the duo with Breton guitarist Yvon Riou (CD 1995).

Instruments Guitar, Mandolin, Bouzouki, Fiddle, Flute and Bombarde

Albums Kornog, Première, Ar Seizh Avel, IV, Korong

Location Cavan, Brittany - France

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