Gentiane mg trio
\\ EPK //
"The three musicians share a deep bond and a poised approach beyond their years, although think the calibre of Michaud-Gagnon’s playing and composing would be a mighty rallying point for the band as a collective." -Peter hum
"Through the piano, Gentiane MG transcends emotions and plumbs the unknown."
- Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen
"Gentiane’s music is mysteriously intriguing, with the enchanting deep influences of the great impressionistic French composers like Ravel and Debussy from cultural roots lying deep within her sublime approach."
- Kerilie McDowall, Award Winning Rythm'n'ing Radio Host
​
“…has such depth and talent that it is undoubtedly a significant testimony of an ever-evolving prodigy.” - Tony Tremblay, CBC/Radio-Canada
Gentiane Michaud-Gagnon was born in Jonquière, a small town in northern Quebec, Canada. This region was often referred to as the boundary between wilderness and civilization. On one hand, there was the raw beauty and vastness of nature surrounding the town — fjords, rivers, lakes, fields, and endless forests. On the other hand, it was a rough place to grow up during the 1990s.
Gentiane began piano lessons at the age of five. Music quickly became her way of relating to the world. At eleven years old, she entered the local music conservatory and began regularly performing pieces from the Romantic, Baroque, Classical, and Impressionist repertoires. Early on, her first teacher taught her important lessons about phrasing, sound production, and hearing harmony. It was during this period that Gentiane developed many of her core musical values — and most importantly, her love for music.
While still studying classical music, Gentiane developed an interest in composition, which led her to explore jazz and improvisation. At 16, she moved away from home to attend college and study at McGill University in Montreal, one of Canada’s major cities. It was there that she completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in jazz performance, deepening her knowledge of jazz music and its rich tradition.
She founded her trio in 2014, with which she began to perform at local jazz clubs. She released her first album in 2017, Eternal Cycle, which was named one of the 10 best Canadian releases of 2017 by CBC Music. The album also earned her the Révélation Radio-Canada Award, a prestigious award in the province of Quebec. This album marked the beginning of her international career as a bandleader, taking her across Canada and to Mexico. She then released Wonderland in 2019, which earned her the OPUS Award for Discovery of the Year and the François-Marcaurelle Award from the GMMQ.
Her latest release, Walls Made of Glass, brought her across Europe and Canada for over 50 concerts. The album won the OPUS Award for Best Jazz Album of the Year in Quebec and was nominated at the ADISQ Awards and at the prestigious JUNO Awards. In parallel to her solo career, Gentiane works as an accompanist. She has collaborated in Canada and China with saxophonist Yannick Rieu. In 2020, she co-produced a duo album, Convergence, with Montreal saxophonist Frank Lozano, and performed in Africa and South Korea.
