Circuit 10/2017: Ian Foster

IAN FOSTER (CAN)
www.ianfoster.ca
Canadian Ian Foster comes from a place of stories, and he knows how to tell them. He’s a road worn troubadour who has been described as having a keen poetic sense and a searcher’s infinite wisdom in his writing, and yet can make you laugh between songs. He writes in a modern folk style and exudes a love of storytelling. CBC’s Bob Mersereau described him as being “a fine example of what a 21st century folk performer should be doing.”
Often likened to Canadian songwriting icon Bruce Cockburn in both writing and guitar style, Ian’s music has been described as thoughtful, introspective, cinematic, hopeful, atmospheric, and cathartic by critics and fans alike. He has numerous awards, nominations and co-writes to his credit, including SOCAN Songwriter of the year nominations, Lyric finalist for the International Songwriting Competition (Nashville, TN), and a co-write with Canadian songwriting legend Ron Hynes. His latest album, Sleeper Years, just received 5 MusicNL Award Nominations
Ian has toured in Canada, the U.S., Germany, The Netherlands, Austria, and Italy, and has had his music played on radio internationally. He has performed his music for audiences of all ages – from school workshops to seniors’ homes; festivals in Canada, U.S., and Italy; soft seat theatres, churches, pubs and house concerts.
Ian is also a music producer, composer for film, and filmmaker, with various accolades and awards associated with projects he has worked on over the last several years. His latest short film, Keystone, was called one of the ten best short films of the year by the Calgary International Film Festival.

“Ian Foster has steadfastly become one of the premier singer-songwriters of his generation in our province and in our country…on Sleeper Years, Ian has never sounded better, at ease and exuding confidence throughout an 8 song set as diverse as it is pleasing…In “You Left A Song…” Ian asks Ron Hynes, ‘how did you make them all shine?’ Evidently Ron answered for Ian brightly shines on SLEEPER YEARS.” – Tony Ploughman, Fred’s Records
“Some of the most effective modern folk of the region. [Foster is] not a traditionalist or a roots music performer, this is firmly in the now, with a little rock, some ballads, blues and jazz, whatever works. The message is in the words, with some pretty sharp observations about the human condition.” - Bob Mersereau, CBC/Top 100 Canadian Blog, New Brunswick