Normand and Freynet to play Village Guitars on Friday, Mar 7
Fransaskois folk-jazz singer-songwriter Alexis Normand and Franco-Albertan rock-folk singer-songwriter Raphaël Freynet have announced a double-bill tour through Quebec and Canada’s east coast.
The duo kick off their second show together tonight at Saskatoon’s Village Guitars.
Having met at an artist residency in Banff, Normand and Freynet quickly found common ground through their music.
“Alexis approached me and asked if I wanted to come up with a show and take it on tour. And I said of course,” says Freynet. “But it’s funny because sometimes after one of these late night jams you have these bright ideas in the middle of the night and they don’t come to fruition. But we were both really stoked on it and made it happen.”
“The intention was to tour out there but it made sense to do some shows in our home provinces,” says Normand. “We are hoping to meet some new audiences out there. Neither of us have toured out in the Maritimes much before.”
Normand was recently nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award and Western Canadian Music Award for her debut album MIRADOR. Freynet’s debut album Le Monde a Voir won Francophone Album of the Year at the WCMAs in 2011.
Joined by percussionist Ivan Burke, Normand says that both musicians accompany each other, adding new musical flourishes to their respective songs.
While neither Normand of Freynet expect to write an album together any time soon, Normand says the tour is only the first step in their collaboration.
“We are excited to explore some new ideas. Who knows where this could take us,” says Freynet.
Check out Alexis Normand and Raphaël Freynet on tour:
Mar 7 – Saskatoon, SK – Village Guitars
Mar 9 – Montréal, QC – Verre Bouteille
Mar 11 – Edmundston, NB – Le Vieux Poele Pub
Mar 12 – Moncton, NB – Plan B
Mar 13 – Halifax, NS – Company House
Mar 14 – Caraquet, NB – Grains de Folie
Mar 15 – Petit Rocher, NB – Bistro Coeur d’Artishow
Mar 16 – Saint Quentin, NB – The Karma Cafe
Mar 18 – Québec city, QB – Studio P