Cindy Doire, Kelly Sloan next up in Folkus series Jan. 21

Posted Jan 12, 2012 By Barbara Carroll

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EMC Entertainment - Almonte's Folkus Concert Series continues its 11th season on Saturday, Jan. 21 with a double bill featuring Cindy Doire and Kelly Sloan.

The show at the Almonte Old Town Hall (AOTH) begins at 8 p.m.

Born in Timmins and based in Toronto, Doire has a wandering soul that has taken her to Mexico, Cuba, Brussels and Spain. As a result, she is a multi-lingual musician who is just at home in a chansonniers' bistro in Paris as she is in clubs and coffee houses across Canada.

A slim, petite presence, Doire has an evocative voice that can be both gentle and huge. Using her fluency in four languages, she has toured in Europe, and has a large fan base on both sides of the Atlantic.

Her songs are inventive and thoughtful, and her stage presence is dynamic and lively.

She has three CDs to her credit. The first, Le Vie en Bleu, released in 2007, was a striking debut that blended southern blues with the romanticism of Europe. To European audiences it was brilliantly French but with a difference.

At home it earned her Music in Film and Motions nominations for best album, best songwriter and best vocal performance.

Her second album, Chapeau de Pluie, was released in 2009 to critical acclaim in Quebec and Europe. Each year it accumulates awards. Last year alone it won major awards at Quebec's prestigious Festival International de Granby and was nominated for three awards at the Gala des Prix Trille Or.

Building on this success, Doire has just released her first English CD, Sticks and Mud. Featuring an inspiring French jazz/folk sound, it is a varied, reflective collection of songs that range from intimate to rollicking, to downright gritty.

Fittingly, the collection is dedicated to "all the troubadours, vagabonds and bandits with whom I've crossed paths."

The second half of Folkus's January double bill features Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-based artist Kelly Sloan.

Sloan needs very little introduction locally. She grew up in Almonte and has a large and loyal fan base in the area.

However, she is more than a local favorite. She is a much sought-after performer in the Maritimes and beyond.

Sloan was asked to launch Anne Murray's 2009 autobiography, is featured in the compilation Atlantic Voices - A Collection of Women Singer-Songwriters, and has performed with Irish singing legends Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers.

Her songs have emotional depth. They are painstakingly crafted and reveal a rich inner world. Onstage, though, Sloan is witty and has an easy and clever banter that serves to soften the edges of loss.

Sloan's new album, Kelly Sloan, is a follow-up to her debut record, Always Changes. It is a confident, sophisticated and rewarding CD that has the flavor of country folk, infused with soul.

The songs lay bare a concern for the particular that leaves enough interpretive room for listeners to find their own points of connection. The evidence is they work as she resonates with diverse audiences.

Single tickets to the show are available in advance or at the door. They cost $27 or $12 for students. Series passes sold well and the AOTH is already half full for each concert. Single tickets for other concerts are selling quickly.

For ticket orders and information, call Mill Street Books at 613-256-9090 or visit www.folkusalmonte.ca.




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