Biography
The eighth child in a family of eleven children, I was introduced to music at a very young age by my father who played accordeon and my brother, the guitar. At the age of 11, I knew for shure that I wanted to become a musician after being impressed by a drummer's performance.
At St. Stanislas High School, I had my first music lessons with the best teacher in that subject, Mr. Miville Bois. His enthusiasm and teaching method played a great role throughout my high school years and even in my music career.
I belonged to the school's marching band, Les Ritmiks de Montreal. The first year, I held a flag. The following year, I played the baritone or euphonium. I was also part of the concert band, led by Miville Bois. I then played the trombone for three years. The last year, I played first chair in the school stage band and the third chair at Cégep St-Laurent.
It was at the age of 13 that I started to play drums. Two years later, a group of schoolmates and I formed the band, Screeming Blue, which became Relax afterwards. We played Beatles, CCR and a few originals. Then there was the group L’ Index, to which belonged the renowned saxophone player, Jean-Pierre Zanella.
When I entered College, I took courses in classical percussion. I played the drums in the big band and also in a concert band. In 1975 I secured my first professional contracts as a drummer:
-Performance on the soundtrack for theater graduates at Cégep Lionel-Groulx. The music was composed by the actor Robert Marien.
-Promotional tour of the drink, Pernod, with the group, Nolisé.
Since 1977, I have played for various Quebec artists and also participated in many events including the following:
-Performances and recordings with André Lejeune, singer and producer (8 albums), tour with Michèle Richard, Renée Martel, Pierre Lalonde, Michel Louvain.
-Studio album contracts and commercials for TV and radio.
-Telethons with the Jerry DeVilliers Big Band and Quebec City's Le Noël du Bonheur
-Corporate Big Band contracts in Montreal hotels and in James Bay with the Régis Bélanger's Big band.
1980: Tour with René and Nathalie Simard. Recorded two albums.
1980: Recorded a single and made ​​appearances on TV with the new wave group The Leotards.
1983: With the big band Gerry DeVilliers: Festival just for law with the french singer Charles Trenet, toured with singer Al Martino, Telethon of Stars, and an album.
1984 TV show Laprade, Pop, Pop et Pop, Canada Day show and an album with the Montreal Pop, a classical pop orchestra.
1985 Tour in Quebec and France with Edith Butler.
1985 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal with the Sweet Dixie Group (30 shows).
1985: Joined Bob Harrison, former drummer of the band Offenbach. Bob is regarded as the king of blues shuffle; he taught me that style.
1988-1992: TV show, De Bonne Humeur, hosted by Michel Louvain, with Robert Rail as a musical director. Artists like Michel Legrand, Céline Dion, Rock Voisine, Véronique samson, Claude Barzotti, Gerry Boulet and many more participated to that show.
1993: Started playing with bluesmen: Carl Tremblay, Bob Harrisson, Jimmy James, Jim Zeller, Jean Millaire and finally, Bob Walsh.
1994 Montreal Forum with singer Luba.
1996 Quebec Tour with Shawn Phillips.
1996 Blues tour with Marjo. That led me to play for Johnnie Johnson, the Chck Berry's piano player.
1997: Chuck Berry at Rockfest in Montreal.
1997: Started playing at Jewish weddings in Montreal and Toronto with the group, Zemer.
1999 I have joined the great bluesman, Bob Walsh, with whom I'm still doing shows at jazz and blues festivals in the Bob Walsh Blues Band and recorded six albums.
2003: Participated as a musician extra appearing in the film, Gaz Bar Blues and on the soundtrack.
2006: Mini Tour for Air Canada VIP clients with Celine Dion and Bob Walsh in a blues repertoire in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
Festivals with guests such as Nanette Workman, Angel Forrest, Breen Leboeuf, Kim Richardson, Martin Deschamps, Melissa Bel and others.
2007 to 2011: Recordings of several albums and DVDs, the Bell Center with Michel Louvain and Richard Abel (40 musicians), under the musical direction of Daniel Piché, the corps and judge at Jazzfest du Québec, Stage band competition for secondary schools, CEGEPs and universities.
2012 to 2015: Musical director for the benefit show Blues without the rain and the Swiss singer Bastian Baker at the Festiblues International in Montreal. Musical participation and as a chorister with the group Les Pickups in the play Un homme, deux patrons at the Monument National as part of the Just for Laughs Festival.
2016: Barbara Diab and The Smoked Meat Blues Band. Tour of sixty years of Michel Louvain's career, the tours and albums of Bob Walsh, until his death, the tour with Brian Tyler, Jim Zeller, Le Noël des Idoles, among others.
For 2023: Jannard album release. Unchained and The Mad Dog (Tribute to Joe Cocker). Brian Tyler (The History of the Blues), Tribute to Michel Louvain (A Certain Memory), Jim Zeller, Paul Deslauriers & Annika Chambers. Other freelance contracts.
Others : For 15 years, I was hired as a drum specialist and rhythm section, in secondary schools and gave private drum lessons. Since 1999, I have teamed up with Alan Rhéaume, (La Drumerie, Dupont Musique) in the field of percussion instrument repair. Over sixty albums recorded since 1977.
I was the recipient of five “Lys Blues” trophies (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014) in the musical performance category, given to supporting musicians.