Eight-piece klezmer group Oktopus offers an upbeat-yet-melancholic twist on tradition, in concert October 21

Octet seamlessly blends Jewish folk music with classical, Quebecois, and jazz influences at the Massey Theatre

By emily lyth

Oktopus. Photo by Emmanuel Crombez

Massey Theatre presents Oktopus on October 21 from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, as part of the Massey Presents season

OKTOPUS, AN ECLECTIC OCTET hailing from Quebec whose musical prowess is rooted in klezmer tradition, is bringing their high-energy style to the Massey Theatre in concert.

Working much as the limbs of an octopus might, each member wields their instrument of choice, playing in unison to produce a cohesive, full-bodied sound. Weaving together Eastern European Jewish folk music with repertoires from the classical, Quebecois, and jazz worlds, the group offers a listening experience that sets humour and melancholy side by side.

The eight-piece act was founded in 2010 by clarinetist Gabriel Paquin-Buki. Full-time members include bass trombonist Matthieu Bourget, tenor trombonist Madeleine Doyon-Robitaille, trumpeter Francis Pigeon, violinist Veronica Ungureanu, pianist Guillaume Martineau, and flutist Noémie Caron-Marcotte.

Paquin-Buki creates Oktopus’s arrangements, having also contributed several original compositions to their repertoire. The group’s sonic synthesis pulls inspiration from composers Bartók, Brahms, Prokofiev, and Enescu. Hints of influence from French-Canadian songwriters Félix Leclerc and Gilles Vigneault diversify the octet’s distinctive brand of fusion.

Oktopus’s debut album Lever l’encre, French for “Lifting the ink”, came out in 2014. The title plays on the nautical phrase lever l’ancre, or “weighing anchor”, a term for lifting up a boat’s anchor before departing on a journey.

Much in the same way, the group began lifting compositions off pages, breathing them to life in their discography. They set out on a musical trek that saw their subsequent releases gain serious momentum. 2017’s Hapax earned them a nomination for Instrumental Album of the Year at the Juno Awards, and then for World Music Group of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. Their latest album, 2021’s Créature, secured the octet nominations for both Instrumental Group of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and World Music Album of the Year at the Opus Awards.

Audiences might expect to hear tracks off that new release, including a catchy cover of Vigneault’s “Le grand cerf-volant”, as they tour their world music to the West Coast.  

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