You may not know Eric Vincent, especially if you don’t typically listen to French music. Perhaps you’ve heard of James Taylor, an American singer that Vincent has collaborated with in the past. Or perhaps Eric Vincent does sound somewhat familiar, maybe from his globetrotting adventures to the United States every year since 1979. On Oct. 26, Vincent visited Boston and performed at UMB. The concert was sponsored by the Office of International and Transnational Affairs.

Accompanied on stage by his guitar, Eric Vincent gave a performance that transcended mere language barriers. His voice, with its particular grain, took the audience on a rhythmical journey through the French language, tinged with inspiration from Brazil, the Caribbean and Africa. Vincent played “Haiti kimbé fô,” extremely well known in Haiti, “Mexico,” a James Taylor song he has adapted in French, and “Les bosses du jardin,” inspired by Italian writer Dino Buzzati.

Vincent grew up in a small village in Mayenne, France. At the age of seven, he received his first instrument, a banjo. He then studied violin, but inevitably fell in love with the guitar. After a short stint with a band, he began a solo career that has garnered him much praise since. With the exception of a few covers, Eric Vincent writes his own songs. He draws inspiration from stories of his travels, or from tall tales and myths. Though he primarily sings in French, he is world-acclaimed, and popular from Haiti to Vietnam.

Vincent recently finished recording his newest album, “Gold of the Moment.”