Live in the 1629 Club
Bébé La La features singer-songwriter, guitarist, and violist Alicia Ultan and vocalist-accordionist Maryse Lapierre, who is originally from Quebec, Canada. Combining Maryse’s French influences with Alicia’s original folk-Americana inspired ‘art’ songs, Bébé La La boasts a unique and lovely repertoire that highlights their signature “stunning” harmonies, rhythmic lilts and rich melodies accompanied by Alicia on viola and guitar, and Maryse on accordion and harmonium.
Formed in 2010, the duo has performed throughout Albuquerque and surrounding areas, including at the Outpost Performance Space, Albuquerque Old Town, the Corrales Harvest Festival, AMP Concerts’ library series, for the Regional Arts Council in Truth or Consequences, for the Hillsboro Music Series in Hillsboro NM, and at many other venues. Their first full length CD, High Wire, recorded at Wall of Sound Studios in Albuquerque, is a collection of nine original songs by Ultan plus one French ballad by Catherine Le Forestier. The album features renowned special guests, including trumpeter, Bobby Shew; and saxophonist, Javon Jackson; as well other special guests.
David Steinberg of the Albuquerque Journal called Bébé La La “a breath of fresh air” with vocal harmonies that are “bright and inviting” and songs that are “crisp and compelling.” Writer, Mel Minter of Musically Speaking writes, “Beautifully produced by John Wall and Bébé La La, and recorded and engineered by Wall at his Wall of Sound Studio, the tunes on High Wire face down a variety of difficult situations—from income inequality on the political front to trying love affairs on the personal front—on the strength of mesmeric harmonies and a spunky equilibrium.
