With local bands releasing new albums at CD-release gigs seemingly every weekend, these events have become, to a certain extent, routine.

Local singer/songwriter Marcel Soulodre is unleashing his latest work, Sur le chemin des rencontres, tonight, and rather than the evening being yet one more excuse to get bums in seats, sell copious amounts of liquor and shift some plastic musical units to friends and family, he's decided to really celebrate his 25th anniversary as an authentic Manitoba "chansonneur" by having something of a celebration.

Soulodre is not a household name in these parts by any stretch. The man with the rich baritone has kept his career simmering in a rather humble, low-profile kind of way, releasing a handful of fine albums and woodshedding in places such as New Orleans, Paris and Quebec for inspiration.

His roots are a mixed bag, too. His mother was an anglophone and his dad is from France, which means the French he speaks (and sings) is of the high-falutin' Parisian variety. That sometimes causes some, let's say, indifference from those who speak the more glottal Canadian version of the language, but nevertheless, Soulodre has overcome the stigma - feted with songwriting awards in Quebec and Manitoba, including a Western Canadian Music Award for his excellent 1999 francophone album Que je recommence.

"My father was a very musical guy and at our family home it was typical for my parents to invite a few friends and relatives over to socialize and play live music around the piano on the weekends," Soulodre says. "I had some friends that I was listening to old blues, soul and generally weird music with, and soon enough we acquired instruments and started learning some basic riffs and started to jam."

It wasn't long before Soulodre started hearing songs in his head - and they weren't coming from a radio in the next room. Luckily, this inspirational muse continued and there has been virtually no stopping the guy since those early days.

Just to keep things interesting, the congenial, somewhat shy artist also conceived and continues to perform a tribute show to the late Johnny Cash (Wanted Man) that wins him fans wherever he and his band lay out vetted Cash classics such as I Walk The Line, The Man In Black and Get Rhythm.

Tonight's performance promises to be filled with wonderful stories and even better songs from a gifted, somewhat unassuming local musical personality who deserves greater notoriety.