The Gentry Espresso and Wine Bar will be welcoming Canadian musician Mattie Leon to its venue on Aug. 22, Leon's first time performing in Cochrane. Hailing from Toronto, Mattie Leon is a singer and songwriter whose music strikes a beautiful balance between Folk/R&B and Pop. 2017 saw the release of his latest offering, Signal Hill; a seven-song collection of rhythmic Canadiana that Canadian Beats says is "Full of emotion and passion" and that "Mattie Leon is onto something brilliant".
Since embarking on his solo career in 2015, Leon has been busy producing and releasing music, playing throughout Ontario and touring to the far reaches of Eastern Canada. His soulful debut extended play (EP), Terrace, included the song Just You that received airplay on CBC Radio 1 and garnered accolades from then host Talia Schlanger. He followed up Terrace with two small releases in 2016 that included standout track Alabama, which was his first foray into historical material. The song is about Clifford Durr, civil rights lawyer in the 1950s and 60s, who assisted in bailing Rosa Parks out of jail after the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Signal Hill has been gaining traction on Canadian College Radio since its release and in the last few years Mattie has had three songs receive national radio play (Boy, So Much More with Me, Just You). He has opened for national acts like Jared and The Mill and Scenic Route To Alaska, played showcases at Canadian Music Week, received an Arts Acclaim Award from The City of Brampton, toured to the East Coast (Summer of 2017) and has been featured and interviewed on CBC Radio 1's Fresh Air and Humble and Fred.
With the momentum building off of his shows around Ontario and Quebec Leon is quickly becoming an artist with promise on the Canadian musical landscape.
The 7 p.m. show to see Leon's performance will be free and open to the public.
