Tri Yann

Formed in 1971 in Nantes, Tri Yann was part of the revival of folk and Breton music in France, founded by Jean‑Louis Jossic, Jean Chocun and Jean‑Paul Corbineau; the Breton name Tri Yann an Naoned means “the three Jeans of Nantes.” The group developed a repertoire drawn from traditional Breton airs, historical ballads and sailors’ songs, which they blended with French‑language chanson and rock influences, giving significant weight to choral singing and collective arrangements. With the album “Tri Yann an Naoned” (1972) they established themselves on fest‑noz stages, the folk circuit and major festivals, later expanding the lineup and producing conceptual works around Celtic myths, the sea and regional history. Through the 1980s and 1990s Tri Yann intensified the theatrical aspect of their concerts and explored occasional collaborations with classical ensembles, while alternating original compositions with reinterpretations of older material. The 2000s saw thematic releases such as “Marines” (2003), “Rummadoù” (2011) and “La Belle enchantée” (2016), where the band continued to work on Breton and Celtic memory in French and Breton. After a final farewell tour begun in the late 2010s, Tri Yann ended its stage activities in the early 2020s, leaving an extensive discography documenting several decades of evolution in amplified Breton music.