Djiboudjep

Djiboudjep was a celebrated French group performing sea songs, created in Lorient in 1970 and active until 2020.

From the revival of Breton music in the 1970s, Djiboudjep popularised songs by traditional sailors but also wrote songs with lyrics by Michel Tonnerre, including Quinze Marins and Mon P’tit Garçon.

The group was founded in 1970 by Lorient singers Mikaël Yaouank and Michel Tonnerre. It was on the island of Groix, in the Ti Beudeff tavern, that the group performed in its early days, (djiboudjep is a nickname and slang word, meaning “a little bit of Joseph”). The group’s repertoire was enriched by compositions, such as the song Quinze marins and Satanicles, written by Michel Tonnerre, which becomes popular and renewed the genre.

From its beginnings and the arrival of the bagpipe festival in Lorient, the group participated in each Lorient Interceltic Festival, 49 in total, generally headlining a concert at the end of the festivities. The great Breton festivals of Paimpol, Brest or Douarnenez regularly hosted the group

The group became the main proponent responsible for of the resurgence of sea songs. They recorded a number of albums in their forty years of existence and their songs are represented in many compilations. 

Around Mikaël Yaouank and Patrick Le Garrec, the two pillars of the group, other musicians participated in Djiboudjep: Philippe Berthonneau on the violin (1975 to 1979 then from 1990 to 2008), Gérard Bono on the banjo (1975 to 1979) Jamie McMenemy on the bouzouki (1979 to 1981), Étienne Grandjean on the diatonic accordion (from 1980 to 1985)11, Pierrick Lemou on violin and bass (1981 to 1985), Gilles Beuzet on the chromatic accordion (from 1985 to 1989), Dik Banovich on guitar (2010-2013).

Alain Pennec (bombard and flute) participated in the recording of the first 33 rpm and guitarist Serge Danet, leader of the group Soldat Louis, participated in the recording of two albums (33 rpm Arfolk and CD in 1994).

In May 2007, Djiboudjep organised two special concerts in Larmor-Plage to celebrate their “37th stopover”. Michel Tonnerre, Etienne Grandjean and Pierrick Lemou joined the group for the occasion and were accompanied by other invited musicians: Franck Yhuel, Patrick Goyat and Sylvère Morisson… Many friends were on stage, including Gérard Bono, Alain Beudeff. A DVD and a CD was recorded for the occasion.

The group performed in many countries: Quebec, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Sicily, Spain, Holland, Guyana, etc.

The final lineup of the group was made up of Mikaël Yaouank, Nicolas Le Rallic and Guillaume Yaouank.

In 2010 they participated in the Fête de l’Huma in Brittany. The group was preparing to celebrate its 50th birthday, Étienne Grandjean and Pierrick Lemou had joined the crew again and Djiboudjep had performed at the largest fest-noz in Brittany for the Yaouank festival in November 2019 in front of 2,000 dancers1. On the occasion of the 50th edition of the Lorient 2020 Interceltic Festival, the party was intended to be a beautiful “retrospective” concert. Sadly, the death of Mikaël Yaouank did not make it possible to celebrate this last reunion