Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few

Renée Sutton | Published: 9/30/08

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Media Credit: markberube.com

After years of composing independently, pianist and singer/songwriter Mark Berube has spent the better part of this year working with four other musicians, playing together under the band name Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few. As they prepare to play at Pop Montreal, Berube seems very satisfied with the group's innovative new sounds. Born in small-town Manitoba, Berube has been a world traveller from a very young age. Constantly on the move around the world, from Manitoba to South Africa, Berube possesses a worldliness that greatly contributes to his unique musical talents. Montrealers have praised his work for a long time now; he is not only a respected pianist, but a talented songwriter. His lyrics are fairly enigmatic, and he doesn't tend to write about himself in any overt way. "For the most part I tell stories, and try to put them together in a way that sounds kind of poetic," he says.

The piecing together of the Patriotic Few last year was essentially Berube's doing, but despite being the frontman, he never ceases to express great fondness for the band members. Ultimately he hopes to continue jamming with them, and is confident that they have a bright future ahead.

"Working with these guys has been very rewarding, and we're all in this for the long haul," he said.

Accompanying Berube's prominent piano melodies, the Patriotic Few use their instruments to craft exceptional harmonies where individual tunes intertwine in a soothing manner. The band has a folksy edge, and their style is unconventional. The Patriotic Few has no guitar player, but is instead comprised of just bass, drums, cello and accordion.

"I would tend to call us a kind of 'modern folk' band", says Berube. "Our particular choices in instruments take us out of a more traditional folk category. There are also generally five vocals going on, and we each add our own distinct harmony in the songs."

The group was ecstatic to be selected to play at Pop Montreal. Their show is scheduled for October 2 at Le Cagibi, and the timing could not be better, as they have just released a new album, What the Boat Gave the River. Berube sees the upcoming show as a great way to introduce his new album to the public and is confident that it will be well received by his fans. Judging from his recent Western Canadian Music Awards nomination, this assumption is not unfounded. Still, Berube looks beyond what is produced in the studio and emphasizes the importance of live performance. The group strongly believes that their tunes intensify at the sight of a good audience.

"We don't get too fancy on stage, so it's essentially just about the band and our music," says Berube. "But we definitely do our best to be entertaining and show everyone a great time."

Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few play October 1 at 9:30 p.m. at Le Cagibi (5490 St. Laurent).

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