The Lost Fingers

Initially an acoustic trio and now a quartet with a full-time vocalist, the Lost Fingers are based in Quebec City, Canada, and are known for their love of classic gypsy jazz, bluegrass, and ’80s pop hits. Their live shows and recordings meld these seemingly disparate styles by exercising keen musicianship, lush vocals, and quirky, creative arrangements — along with a keen sense of humor and eccentric fashion. The quartet transform pop/rock music classics performed in a gypsy-jazz style with a hint of classic bluegrass for flavor. Their virtuosity allows them to take the listener on an entertaining musical journey through everything from AC/DC to Django Reinhardt, from Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to Deee-Lite and George Michael. The Lost Fingers have sold over 400,000 albums worldwide including their debut, the Canadian double-platinum-certified Lost in the 80's and their gold-selling sophomore outing Rendez-Vous Rose. They’ve toured Canada from coast to coast, and have performed in over 22 countries, including the U.S., Russia, France, Lithuania, the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Colombia. The Lost Fingers were formed in 2006 by Byron Mikaloff (voice, guitar), Christian Roberge (voice, guitar), and Alex Morrissette (voice, double bass). Roberge and Mikaloff had been playing gypsy jazz together for some years at weddings, parties, and specialized gatherings, and developed a sound based on their mutual love of ’80s pop. The classically trained Morrissette joined a year later and by 2008 they had signed to the Tandem.mu label to issue Lost in the 80's. The novelty in their sound attracted Canadian and U.S. public radio, and their live shows gained traction in the national Canadian press. The album was selected by many of Canada’s jazz critics as one of the best jazz albums of the year, and it hit number four on the charts. After a brief tour, they re-entered a Montreal recording studio to cut Rendez-Vous Rose. While not quite as successful as its predecessor, it did sell exceptionally well, charted, and served to spread their reputation across the Atlantic and south into the U.S. Gypsy Kameleon followed in 2010, and placing at number five, cemented their place as a stage headliner at the Montreal Jazz Festival, where they had hosted cabaret and salon tents during their previous appearances. 2012′s La Marquise marked a change of pace and focused on originals and works by French composers such as Alain Bashung (“Vertige de L’Amour”), Etienne Dahou and Arnold Turboust (“Épaule Tattoo”), and Axel Bauer and Michel Eli (“Cargo de Nuit’). The set also included “1990” that offered the turntablism of DJ Nerve. It charted in France, Turkey, and Quebec. 2014′s Wonders of the World offered the group a new beginning with the addition of lead vocalist Valerie Amyot (a finalist on La Voix, Quebec’s version of the popular American TV show The Voice). Produced by John Jorgenson and featuring the additional talents of jazz guitarist Dr. François “La Mitraille” Rioux, the set was performed entirely in English and included radically re-imagined readings of Ram Jam’s “Black Betty,” Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” Gloria Estefan’s “Turn the Beat Around,” and the traditional “Cotton-Eyed Joe.” While it charted at home and in France, it also won a Juno Award and provided the group the opportunity to perform a ten-night stand at the Montreal Jazz Festival. The Lost Fingers shifted gears in 2016, releasing Christmas Caravan, their first holiday album. Again produced by Jorgenson, the group collaborated with 16 musicians and vocalists from around the globe including Bireli Lagrene, Amir Amiri, Kattam Tam, and German Lopez in a world music-influenced portrait of the holiday season. They followed it in 2017 with another holiday collection entitled Coconut Christmas. This album transported listeners to sunshine paradises such as Jamaica, Mexico, India, etc. to complete the global Christmas concept. Appearing on the date were vocalist Cyrille Aimée, tabla master Hindole Majumdar, sitarist Guy Bernier, drummer Tony Albino, and the gypsy-jazz guitar virtuoso Robin Nolan, in 13 holiday favorites in different styles, origins, and times. ~ Thom Jurek