Gwendal

Originating in Brittany, France, during 1973, the folk ensemble issued acoustic recordings devoted to Celtic material prior to Gwendal 3, after which it adopted an electrified configuration. That roster comprised Bruno Barre on violin, Youenn Le Berre on flute, Jean-Marie Renard on guitar, Roger Schaub on bass, Ricky Caust on guitar, and Arnaud Rogers on drums. With Gwendal 4 the musicians fused Celtic melodies to rock, jazz, and reggae. Ongoing membership fluctuations led, in 1982, to the addition of Robert Le Gall on fiddle and guitar. Thereafter Le Gall and Le Berre anchored the ensemble, jointly composing material and shaping its artistic course. The group’s 1990s album Glen River emerged as an appealing, buoyant set that carried the flavor of a traditional folk jig.