Tuesday night from 8-10:30 PM Arlene’s Grocery on the Lower East Side will feature a great bill with musical acts visiting NYC from the Canadian province of Manitoba. It’ll be the second year in a row that ManitobaMusic.com is hosting this showcase. Last year I had the good fortune to discover two of the acts who are returning tomorrow night, along with two new acts I’m eager to hear for the first time.

The two acts making return visits are Chic Gamine (pictured above) a five piece outfit composed of four female singer/instrumentalists from Winnipeg, and the lone guy, the drummer, from Montreal. With great verve and stage presence, they perform an energetic melange of anglophone, francophone, and First-Nation tinged rootsy pop. Songs like “Closer,” on video here from their website show their tremendous talent and inspired songwriting.

I love their sound, their style, their great look, and am eager to hear them and meet them once more, and their outgoing manager Jeff Horowitz, who made sure I knew about this gig.

The other artist I’m eager to hear again is singer/songwriter JP Hoe (pictured below) also from Winnipeg. A year ago he gave me a demo of his forthcoming album, “Mannequin,” with terrific songs such as “Bingo Palace” and Do I Know You?, and I’m glad to see it’s since been released and he’s been touring North America in support of it, including dates in Los Angeles, Portland, OR, and NYC, as well all over Canada.

Their are two other acts tomorrow night, The Magnificent 7s and Greg MacPherson. I’m eager to hear them too, since ManitobaMusic.com has shown themselves to be so adept at presenting great talent to New Yorkers. If you’re eager to hear some great music, I suggest you come out to Arlene’s Grocery on Stanton St. to hear these talented musicians from Manitoba. The cover is just $5. Here’s the line-up: