One of the big intimidating things for me as a newbie to Quebec tunes is that there are so! goddamn! many! of them–a problem equally applicable to Irish/Celtic tunes in general, but I’m growing to appreciate the sheer number of tunes available to an interested student!
And thanks to being pointed recently at this beautiful repository of tunes goodness and a few other fine links as well, I’ve now happily ID’d an initial lineup of tunes I can focus on. These are ones that I have confirmed recordings for, mostly–a LOT of La Bottine Souriante, but also some Genticorum, some De Temps Antan, and even Le Vent du Nord!
These tunes are:

• Gigue a Trois–this is a Le Vent du Nord tune, by M. Demers! \0/
• Gigue André Alain–a.k.a. 6/8 de André Alain, this is the first of the two that Alexandre of Genticorum taught me! Including it here for completeness
• Gigue du Diamante Bleu–Alexandre mentioned this one when he was trying to remember what Gigue du Père Mathias was called. So clearly I must investigate whether it’s similar!
• Gigue du Père Mathias–And this is the other one that Alexandre taught me! This one’s fun! Also including for completeness since I’ve played with this one already.
• Hommage à Philippe Bruneau–La Bottine recorded this one! But I’ve found two different PDFs of this, and they appear to be two different tunes. I need to determine which one is actually the one that La Bottine recorded.
• Jigue/Gigue de Salon–on the grounds that Pascale Gemme of Genticorum wrote it! Don’t have a recording, I think, unless it’s uncredited in one of the instrumental sets on the Genticorum albums.
• Le brandy–La Bottine recorded this one, and if the mighty La Bottine recorded it, it requires my undivided attention.
• Le Chat Noir–This has Andre Brunet and Éric Beaudry’s names on it on the Montreal Session site, to wit, category Highly Relevant to My Interests!
• Le pommeau 1–Alexandre wrote this one! Genticorum recorded it on La Bibournoise.
• Le reel des menteries–Written by Normand Miron, who I know of course from the Charbonniers. I have a couple different recordings which should have this tune in them.
• Les Patins de Pauline–By Andre Marchand, recorded by La Bottine Souriante recorded on Chic & Swell. And, well, you don’t get more venerable than M. Marchand, I think…
• Nuit sauvage–… unless perhaps you are Michel Bordeleau! Again, recorded by La Bottine!
• Reel au relenti–By the aforementioned M. Brunet! No recording, but for M. Brunet, I make an exception.
• Reel de Caribou–We’ve played this in session! Though I need to determine which of the conflicting PDFs I have is more like what we’ve played.
• Reel de la tuque bleue–Recorded by Les Frères Labri.
• Reel de Siamois–Again, Andre Marchand! Recording on Le Bruit Court dans la ville.
• Reel des vieux garçons–Must check this against the same recording as Reel de Siamois; same as first tune on that recording?
• Sheepskin and Beeswax–BEST LA BOTTINE EVER! \0/ This gets played in our session crowd, and it was played when Genticorum was here last year, and oh gods this one is awesome. Recorded on La Mistrine as well as the opening “Ouverture” track on La Bottine’s live album En spectacle.
• The Woodchopper’s Reel–I think this is in our session repertoire!
• Valse Bernadette–Another La Bottine, on Tout comme au jour de l’an.
• Valse d’hiver–Yet another La Bottine, on La traversée de l’Atlantique.
• Violon guérisseur–Genticorum! \0/ This is on the most excellent Nagez Rameurs.
• Reel du Pendu–The last of the La Bottines I’m targeting! Again, conflicting PDFs, must match up against my recordings!

This, I think, should keep me happily occupied for months. SO EXCITING! And hopefully also stomp-inducing, because oh my yes I’m going to see if I can get footwork going on these things while I’m playing!