Erik Marchand

Erik Marchand, formerly of the group Gwerz, was a powerful singer of Breton songs. His trio came into being when accompanist Thierry Robin discovered that the oud, or Middle Eastern lute, could reproduce the unusual intervals of traditional Breton vocal music. Soon, the duo had recruited Hameed Khan, a tabla player, to round out their Breton-Arabic fusion. Erik Marchand died on October 30, 2025; he was 70 years of age. ~ Steve Winick