Mouez Port Rhu

MOUEZ PORT-RHU is a sea shanty group born in Douarnenez in 1992 during the major maritime festivals of Douarnenez and Brest.

Made up of around twenty brave fellows, accompanied by an accordionist, a guitarist, a banjoist, a flutist. This crew performs songs by authors, their own compositions and traditional sea shanties which evoke the sea, its beauty, its difficulties

Its crew, composed of 15 singers, 2 musicians and a sound engineer, is quickly identifiable: Embroidered dark blue marine shirt or sweater and brick red canvas pants. The group intends to contribute to the promotion and renewal of sailors’ songs, drawing both from tradition but also from creation, interpreting original compositions. For them, sailors’ songs are not only folklore but are an integral part of their lives.

Defender of regional maritime heritage, its reputation is well established. The crew is mainly made up of former sailors, fishermen or navigators who know how to sing about the sea and its good or bad fortunes but also about bistros and their atmosphere.

Since its creation, Mouez Port-Rhu has crisscrossed stages and quays in Brittany during major maritime festivals, such as Paimpol, Morbihan Golf Week, Brest, Douarnenez and various summer events in France and beyond our borders: English Cornwall , Switzerland etc…

Over the years, awards and distinctions have come to recognize the know-how and singing skills of the group:

• The Silver Capstan during the International Sea Songs Festival in Paimpol in 1999,
• The Armand Hayet Trophy,
• First Prize in its category at the International Chants de Marins competition in Douarnenez in 2000,
• The Stan Hugill Trophy.

Since its creation, the group has volunteered in favour of organisations of a social or humanitarian nature: schools or hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes, Croix d’Or and especially SNSM

A privileged partner, the SNSM has just expressed its gratitude to the group by submitting a letter of thanks for services rendered to the cause of Rescue at Sea, letter signed in May 2013 by Admiral LAGANE.

The Mouez outings are quickly spotted: sailor sweater or dark blue embroidered shirt and brick red canvas pants. Their ambition is to contribute to a typical cultural event by communicating to the public their pleasure of singing together. The sea shanty brings the virtues of gathering and conviviality, inviting everyone to dream or travel. The Mouez’s motto: please and please yourself and, as they say in Douarnenez… nothing but PLIJADUR (pleasure) in PENN-SARDIN fashion for all ears.

Every three/four years the group releases a new album (+5000 copies on average) that are available from their website.

Discography

• 2020 : Embardées océanes (En live)
• 2015 : force 9. Dans le sillage des chants de marins
• 2012 : 20 ans de chants de marins
• 2009 : Bro Gozh Ma Zadou (single)
• 2009 : Le Kouign Amann (single)1
• 2008 : Mouez Port Rhu chante Douarnenez (single)
• 2008 : Les hommes et la mer
• 2006 : Chante la mer et les sauveteurs
• 2004 : La mer en Bretagne
• 2001 : Légendes marines
• 1998 : Moi, je dis que la mer