Alain Caron
Canadian bassist Alain Caron began playing professionally at the age of 11. In the early 1970's, he moved to Montreal and started doing extensive studio work and played in every jazz club around town. The self-taught musician took correspondence courses and also attended Berklee College of Music. While in Boston, he was quickly introduced to some outstanding young musicians, co-students, and well-established professional jazzman including David Kikovsky, Tom Harrell, Sal Nestico, Frank Tiberi, Jerry Bergonzi, and Bob Moses with whom he began performing alongside nightly in the Boston area.
In 1977, Caron met guitarist Michel Cusson and formed the group known as UZEB. With UZEB, Caron recorded ten projects which sold nearly 500,000 copies, toured 20 countries, and developed a reputation as a virtuoso on the 6-string bass guitar. Recognized by Down Beat magazine as one of the best electric jazz bands of the decade, the group received a total of nine Felix Awards for Best Jazz Album, Best Group, and Most Recognized Artist Abroad, along with a Gemini Award For Best Original Score, a SOCAN Award, and the Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award which is presented annually by the Montreal International Jazz Festival. In July 1992, UZEB made its farewell performance at an outdoor concert in front of 96,000 people.
After UZEB disbanded, Caron began his solo recording career and founded a group he called Le Band. In 1993, Caron produced, Le Band (Felix award winner for Jazz Album of the Year), the first of his numerous solo recordings to date. In 1995, Caron released his second project as a leader, Rhythm 'n Jazz, followed by Play in 1997, Call Me Al in 2000, 5 in 2003, 5 Live in 2006, and Conversations in 2007.
Since 1993, Caron has toured extensively with his band in Canada and Europe. He has led electric bass workshops around the world and has been acknowledged numerous times as the "Best Bass Player" in reader's polls. Caron has also played with Mike Stern, Leni Stern, Dennis Chambers, Bireli Lagrene, Wayne Krantz, Tiger Okoshi, Don Alias, Alex Acuna, Billy Cobham, Gil Goldstein, Frank Gambale, Gino Vanelli, and Didier Lockwood.
In 1977, Caron met guitarist Michel Cusson and formed the group known as UZEB. With UZEB, Caron recorded ten projects which sold nearly 500,000 copies, toured 20 countries, and developed a reputation as a virtuoso on the 6-string bass guitar. Recognized by Down Beat magazine as one of the best electric jazz bands of the decade, the group received a total of nine Felix Awards for Best Jazz Album, Best Group, and Most Recognized Artist Abroad, along with a Gemini Award For Best Original Score, a SOCAN Award, and the Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award which is presented annually by the Montreal International Jazz Festival. In July 1992, UZEB made its farewell performance at an outdoor concert in front of 96,000 people.
After UZEB disbanded, Caron began his solo recording career and founded a group he called Le Band. In 1993, Caron produced, Le Band (Felix award winner for Jazz Album of the Year), the first of his numerous solo recordings to date. In 1995, Caron released his second project as a leader, Rhythm 'n Jazz, followed by Play in 1997, Call Me Al in 2000, 5 in 2003, 5 Live in 2006, and Conversations in 2007.
Since 1993, Caron has toured extensively with his band in Canada and Europe. He has led electric bass workshops around the world and has been acknowledged numerous times as the "Best Bass Player" in reader's polls. Caron has also played with Mike Stern, Leni Stern, Dennis Chambers, Bireli Lagrene, Wayne Krantz, Tiger Okoshi, Don Alias, Alex Acuna, Billy Cobham, Gil Goldstein, Frank Gambale, Gino Vanelli, and Didier Lockwood.
Selected Discography
Alain Caron - Acoustic Bass Guitar; Francois Bourassa; Lorraine Desmarais; Oliver Jones; Otmaro Ruiz; Jean St-Jacques
Release Date - 2007
Record Label - Norac Records
Release Date - 2007
Record Label - Norac Records
5 Live on DVD features the Alain Caron Band in a live concert at the Cabaret de Montreal. With Alain Caron on fretless and fretted basses, Jean St-Jacques on keyboards and malletkat, David Bellemare on saxophone, Simon Langlois on drums, Francois Blouin on keyboards, tracks include "Ocean Of Trees," "Double Agent," "Signal," "Ink Illusion," "Show Of Hands," "No Left Turn On Tuesday," "Slam The Clown," "Turkey Loose On The Kit," "Baby Step," "Solitude," "Black Paws," and "D-Code." This live concert is also available on a double-CD collection.
Alain Caron - Fretless and Fretted Basses, Drum Loops, V-Bass, Keyboards; Jean St-Jacques; Francois D'Amours; Tony Albino; Johnny Rabb; Aldo Mazza; Bob Franceschini; Daniel Thouin; Jocelyn Tellier; Jerome Miniere; Luc Boivin
Release Date - 2003
Record Label - Norac Records
Release Date - 2003
Record Label - Norac Records
Alain Caron - Basses, Keyboards, Programming; Paul Brochu; Tiger Okoshi; Jorane; Otmaro Ruiz; Marco Luciani; Francois D'Amours; Richard Beaudet; Pat Veter; Mohamed Abdul Alkaabyr; Andre Verreault; Maxime Morin; Alain Labrosse; Guy Tourville
Release Date - 2000
Record Label - Norac Records
Release Date - 2000
Record Label - Norac Records
Alain Caron - Fretted and Fretless Basses; Paul Brochu; Otmaro Ruiz; Phil Dwyer; Francois D'Amours; Andre Leroux; Benoit Glaze; Jocelyn Couture; Luc Boivin
Release Date - 1997
Record Label - Norac Records
Release Date - 1997
Record Label - Norac Records
Alain Caron - Fretted, Fretless, and Piccolo Basses, Sequence Programming, Keyboards, Drum Programming; Dennis Chambers; Magella Cormier; Guy Dubuc; Jerry De Villiers Jr.; Benoit Charest; Luc Boivin; El Extasis; James Gelfand; Benoit Glazer;
Release Date - 1995
Record Label - Avant-Garde Records
Release Date - 1995
Record Label - Avant-Garde Records
Alain Caron - Fretted, Fretless, and Piccolo Basses, Sequence Programming, Keyboards, Drum Programming; Jerry De Villiers Jr.; Magella Cormier; Gerry Etkins; Pierre Verville
Release Date - 1993
Record Label - Avant-Garde Records
Release Date - 1993
Record Label - Avant-Garde Records
The complete scores, parts, and master tracks from Play. The play-along CD contains the exact tracks that appear on Play minus the bass so you can play with some of the greatest jazz-fusion musicians around. Songs include: "P.A.C. Man," "In & Out," "D-Code," "Ton Jardin," "Pole Position," "Grand Cafe," "Impressions," "Apres la pluie...," "B 12," and "Trouble."
The complete scores, parts, and master tracks from Rhythm 'n Jazz. The play-along CD contains the exact tracks that appear on Rhythm 'n Jazz minus the bass so you can play with some of the greatest jazz-fusion musicians around. Songs include: "The Bump," "Fat Cat," "District 6," "Slam The Clown," "Little Miss Match," "I.C.U.," "Cherokee Drive," "Flight Of The Bumble Bee," "Donna Lee," and "Intuitions."
