Presented in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Modern Languages, this concert celebrates the release of Montréal Encore. The album is a collaborative international project of Pittsburgh singer-songwriter Christopher Mark Jones and Montreal poet Bernard Pozier.

Christopher and Bernard met during the Quebec Festival in Pittsburgh in 2007. When it turned out that Christopher’s customary summer rental in Montreal was around the corner from Bernard’s place, the two made a tradition of meeting for a meal, exchanging their latest creative productions, and catching up. Along the way they collaborated on one song and in 2019 determined that a full-length recording project was a possibility. The resulting 12-track album, Montréal Encore, includes six songs with Bernard’s lyrics put to music by Christopher, two lyric co-writes, three French songs previously written by Christopher, and a poem recorded by Bernard. The musical styles include jazz, chanson, country, and cajun, with lyrics ranging from contemplative to satirical and humorous (all of which will be available in translation). The work echoes both Christopher’s song “Montreal Again” and Bernard’s poem “Montréal Encore,” and it evokes a city that seems to be in constant renaissance for them both.

Christopher Mark Jones (he/him) is a researcher in francophone music, former university professor of French, and singer-songwriter with 8 albums to his credit, including most recently Looking for the Light.

Bernard Pozier (he/him) is a poet, writer, former college professor, and literary director at Les Écrits des Forges in Trois-Rivières (Quebec), with 18 books of poetry, in addition to translations, anthologies, and several hundred publications as an editor.

Brad Yoder: vocals, saxophones, guitars, glockenspiel

Music & Memories of Montreal with Christopher Mark Jones & Bernard Pozier