Michèle Choinière

Raised with French as her first language, Vermont-based Michèle Choinière drew from the music of her childhood as well as 1950s and ’60s French-Canadian recordings for her self-produced album. Featuring traditional French folk music with contemporary arrangements and employing the harmonica, fiddle and at times the percussion of stomping feet, La Violette offers all the charm of a porch concert. Highlights include "Fue à de lou,"a regional song from northern Vermont, and the flirtatious "Brind’amour," a 1920s French cafe song. (Michèle Choinière)

By RACHELBEAMER