www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 15-21, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 29 MUSIC Have you ever been intrigued by Quebec? This little island of French culture in North America has a lot to offer when it comes to music. Home of such stars as Céline Dion and the legendary Leonard Cohen, Quebec conquers the music world without the world realizing it. Musician and storyteller Sylvain Poirier comes to Monterey with an ambition to tell the story of Montreal and Quebec and the culture that produces such talent. He begins in 1926, “And very fast moving on to the 1950s,” he says, “when I will talk about Félix Leclerc, our great poet and songwriter. Do you know him? No? See, we are neighbors, but people don’t know exactly what’s happening here in Quebec. I’m going to play the best songs from Quebec from the last 60 years.” Leclerc played a major role in revitalizing the Quebec folk song (“chanson”) tradition, an important equivalent of the classic French folk song, but with its own flavor and musical, lyrical expectations. Most of the songs will be in French, but Poirier’s storytelling will be in English. The audience will learn about the parallels between Leclerc and Johnny Cash, and gain insight into singer-songwriter Gilles Vigneault, still alive at 97 and a towering figure in Quebec’s national identity. “I will play songs from Quebec and I will tell a story, but also I will play many songs that you know,” Poirier says. He picks up a guitar and launches into “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode—although his voice is closer to Johnny Cash, which works rather well. “We play and we create different kinds of music than the rest of Canada because our rules…are more French,” Poirier explains. “The roots are different, so our style is different—and without a doubt Quebec music and fashion has influenced trends in France and around the world.” Poirier doesn’t limit himself to covers. He has some original compositions, too. Perhaps his signature piece in the program is “I’m a Traveller,” a song he recorded both in French and English. It expressed his personality and experience, gathered through decades of living and playing in Quebec, where he was born and raised. He comes to Monterey at the invitation of Alliance Francaise Monterey and Monterey History and Art Association. Sylvain Poirier performs at 7pm Saturday, Oct. 17. Monterey History and Art Museum at Stanton Center, 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. $20-$30. (831) 655-8070, afmonterey.org. COURTESY OF SYLVAIN POIRIER ’Bec Call Sylvain Poirier shares the musical importance of Quebec through stories and song. By Agata Popęda Quebec is so much more than a a strategic global reserve of maple syrup. Learn about and hear the songs of Quebec with musician Sylvain Poirier on Saturday, Oct. 17. SEASON OPENING
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