Caron

Critics of funky, R&B-flavored jazz and fusion argue that electric jazz cannot swing, but in fact, electric bassist Alain Caron swings hard on the electric Play. Backed by his Montreal-based outfit Le Band, the French-Canadian improviser brings a lot of passion to this CD. A diverse effort that emphasizes Caron's own compositions, Play ranges from groove-oriented soul-jazz ("P.A.C. Man," "D-CODE") to fusion pieces that can be abstract ("In & Out," "B 12") or sentimental ("Apres la pluie," "Ton Jardin"). The only songs on the album that Caron didn't write himself are Leni Stern's cerebral "Trouble" and John Coltrane's often-recorded "Impressions," which gets an unusual funk-jazz treatment.

This CD is a bass lover's dream, for it features bass duets by Alain Caron and Michel Donato, with occasional percussion. Caron contributed six songs, Donato brought in two, and the duo also plays "Django" and "A Child Is Born." The interplay between the two bassists (Caron usually plays electric while Donato is mostly on acoustic bass) is the main reason to acquire this disc. Their styles are complementary, they constantly react to each other's ideas, and the results hold one's interest throughout.

Canadian bassist Alain Caron has proven that he's a clear equal amongst contemporaries including Miller, Matthew Garrison and Victor Wooten. When he first emerged in the early 1980s with Quebecois fusion group UZEB, it was all about chops. But gradually UZEB evolved into a mature band more comfortable with its talents.

Since the release in 2010 of his Felix award winning album Sep7entrion, Alain Caron has been quite busy touring the world. For this new album Multiple Faces, his eighth solo album to date, the bassist, composer calls on the same core musicians that shined on Sep7entrion. The quartet is also joined by a brilliant five piece brass section on two cuts: HURRY UP & WAIT & SFING.

A professional musician at a very early age, Alain Caron is a considerably accomplished bass player. He attended the Berklee College of Music. One of his first excursions into jazz was playing with the Vic Vogel Big Band during the 1970s. In 1977 he co-founded the group UZEB. Their first album, Live in Bracknell, was released in 1981. The following year saw the group putting out Fast Emotion. The next album was 1984's You Be Easy. 1985 saw them release Between the Lines. Two more live albums, Live a l'Olympia and Absolutely Live came out in 1986. The group released Noisy Nights and Live in Europe in 1988. The following year saw the release of UZEB Club. World Tour '90 was released in 1990. In 1992, Caron formed his own group, le Band and released the first album by that group, Alain Caron – le Band.

"There are two things on which listeners can invariably rely with Paul Van Nevel: whatever he unearths, it is without exception wonderful music; and what he offers with his Huelgas Ensemble is always on the very highest level” (BR Klassik). For more than forty years the Huelgas Ensemble has been one of the world’s finest vocal ensembles.

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