Biography
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Born
17 February 1966 (age 58)
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Born In
Santec, Finistère, Bretagne, France
Denez Prigent was born in Santec (north Finistère) at the end of the sixties. He learnt Breton from his grandparents, as well as gwerz (in Breton: an a capella narrative song with a dramatic, tragic, legendary, epic basis).
At the age of fourteen Denez Prigent got to know Alain Leclere & the Caravanserai ha diskan (a special art of singing, where one singer joins in the song at the last verse (word or syllable), delivered by another singer) & made an appearance at the Fest Noz (night festival in Brittany). In 1987, he gained first prize in the Caravanserai ar Pobl, one of the most prestigious singing competitions in Brittany. Composition of his own songs brought him two other prizes in the category of traditional song and new song in Breton in 1989 and 1990.
In 1988, Denez Prigent became a professor of Breton in Carhaix, but resigned 3 years later to dedicate himself to music. For a while he was a presenter of cultural broadcasts for Radio-France Armorique in Breton.
He considers, as Alan Stivell also does, that the Breton music can not survive within the strict confines of pure tradition. Although his songs remain gwerz and caravanserai ha diskan stylistically, Denez is interested in improvised, electronic, rock & rap music as well. In 1993 he participated in a tour with Louise Ebrel Eugenie Goadec & also collaborated with Arnaud Maisonneuve from Deep Forest.
About 1996 Denez Prigent published his first a capella album, partially arranged by Kristen Nogues. This album was a new revelation of his talent. Ar Gouriz Koar ( The Wax belt) had great commercial success. Following this, Denez Prigent took part in numerous festivals in Montreux, Poland & Wales.
All his lyrics are gwerziou. They tell us about the horrible Ebola virus epidemic in Zaire (Year Droug-Reg), the factory of Copsa Mica in Romania, prostitution in the Philippines (Ur Fulenn Aour), infanticide in India (Ar Wezenn-Dar) and other disturbing historical events, for example the massacre in Nyarubuye, Rwanda, which took place on April 17, 1994.
After his first a capella disc, packed with traditional songs, and a second one with musical accompaniment, Irvi, the 3rd CD, takes us into a musical world with no boundaries. Irvi is a symbol: in Breton this word indicates the roads which connect an island with the continent or with other islands during high and low tide. Denez is accompanied by Davy Spillane, king of uilleann-pipe, Louis Sclavis, great jazzman, Valentin Clastrier with his electroacoustic hurdy-gurdy, Lisa Gerrard from Dead Can Dance and Bernard Cantat, singer of Noir Desire… They all come from different musical islands, but Denez Prigent's true emotion and indescribable vocals reunite them in an archipelago of genuine music.
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