Whether composing and playing fiddle tunes, flat picking fiddle tunes on the guitar, or singing his own songs, Cape Breton's J.P. Cormier is one of Canada's most talented musicians. Cormier started playing guitar at age five to accompany his dad, who played fiddle. At age twelve, he took up bluegrass and, two years later, released an all-instrumental album. At age sixteen he took up fiddle. Shortly afterwards he moved to the southern U.S. and started a successful career as a country sideman, sharing the stage with some of country music's most respected names, including Travis Tritt, Hal Ketchum, Pam Tillis, and Mark O'Connor.

While living in Nashville, Cormier and his wife, noted traditional piano player Hilda Chiasson-Cormier, recorded Return to the Cape an album of Cape Breton fiddle music. This need to express who he is musically led to J.P. and Hilda moving back to Cape Breton. Returning to the Cape enabled Cormier to further his own songwriting and concentrate on the music he grew up with.

Since his return, Cormier has been a staple on the East coast music scene. In between gigs and recording, he has written a number of songs that reflect his Cape Breton roots. In 1998 he won the coveted "Instrumental Artist of the Year" at the East Coast Music Awards.

Cormier ranges freely and easily from the traditional Cape Breton repertoire to contemporary folk/country. Nowhere is this more evident than on his second CD, Another Morning. A beautifully produced album that features Cormier the singer-songwriter, Another Morning is a recommended purchase. The dazzling guitar licks and the spirited fiddle playing are interspersed in and among original Cormier songs. Cormier received the 1996 Lennie Breau Porcupine Award for his outstanding contribution to music.

Produced by Paul Mills and Bill Garrett, additional musicians on Another Morning include Hilda Chiasson-Cormier on keyboards, Stewart MacNeil on flute and accordion, and Curly Boy Stubbs on guitar. Guest vocalists include Sylvia Tyson and Caitlin Hanford.

Return to the Cape
1994 Borealis (BCD003)

The Haggis/Caber Feidth; Cowie's Clog/Winston Tune; Jerry Sullivan's Strathspey/Tammy Sullivan's Reel; Flannigan's Favourite/Ole French Reel/Kelly's Reel; Slow Air/Moving Cloud; Horseshoe Reel/Winter Carnival Reel/Pigeon on the Gate; Hilda Chiasson-Cormier's Reel/Temperance Reel; Shetland Hornpipe/The E-Flat Tune; Holland Wedding Reel/Stool of Repentance/Sleepy Maggie; Niel Gow's Lament for Dr. Moray of Abernathy/ Niel Gow March/Slieveman's Clog; Highland Dream; Reel Made with Hilda/Miss Watson's/Return to the Cape 39:04

Another Morning *
1997 Borealis (BCD004)

Another Morning; Kelly's Mountain; Highland Dream; Gone; The Island; Fiddle Set; You Saw Me; Hell Freezin' Over; Blackbird; Molly May; My Life Is Over ... Again; The Mathematician/Sleepy Maggie; Long for the Sea; Gilgarry's Glen 57:09