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Canadian bassist Alain Caron’s musical career began at the early age of 11 when he won an amateur contest, he soon joined some top 40 bands
performing American, south-American and French standards. AT the age of 14 he discovered the music which would become his life’s passion -
jazz.
Opportunity knocked in 1977 when he met the Michel Cusson Group. Caron found himself in the company of like-minded musicians - who could
appreciate jazz and its origins, as well as looking ahead to the future; they emerged in the early 1980s with super fusion group UZEB.
After moving to Montreal, ...read more
Canadian bassist Alain Caron’s musical career began at the early age of 11 when he won an amateur contest, he soon joined some top 40 bands
performing American, south-American and French standards. AT the age of 14 he discovered the music which would become his life’s passion -
jazz.
Opportunity knocked in 1977 when he met the Michel Cusson Group. Caron found himself in the company of like-minded musicians - who could
appreciate jazz and its origins, as well as looking ahead to the future; they emerged in the early 1980s with super fusion group UZEB.
After moving to Montreal, still playing with UZEB, he started extensive studio work and also started playing quite a bit in jazz clubs in and around
town. The self-taught musician took correspondence courses, and eventually, journeyed south to attend Berkley College of Music. While in Boston,
he was quickly introduced to some outstanding young musicians, co-students, as well as, seasoned well established professional jazzman. Soon
performing nightly, in the Boston area, with David Kikovsky, Tom Harrell, Sal Nestico, Frank Tiberi, Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Moses, to name a few.
Back in Montreal, he decided to focus mainly on the group UZEB, gradually they evolved into a mature outfit, interested in intelligent fusion—
impressive but always musical. Between 1981 and 1990 UZEB had recorded ten albums and sold over 400,000 copies, performing concerts in more
than 20 countries.
Caron soon took off on his solo career, launching his own imprint NORAC RECORDS; In 1993, he produced the first of his 7 solo albums to date ¨Le
Band¨ who won a Félix award for best album of the year then toured in Canada and Europe. ¨Rhythm And Jazz¨ ¨ was released in 1995 followed
with ¨Play in 1997 and Call Me Al in 2000.
He also toured world-wide with friends Mike Stern, Frank Gambale, Biréli Lagrène, Didier Lockwood, Tiger Okoshi, Billy Cobham, Horacio “El Negro”
Hernandez, Dennis Chambers, Alex Acuna, Don Alias and Gino Vannelli performing concerts in more than 30 countries
Along the way, recording numerous albums with friends. ¨5¨ was released in 2003, and nominated for a Juno in the category best
"CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR"
In April 2005, Alain Caron was invited by the prestigious WDR big band in Cologne, Germany to perform a series of concerts and recording directed
by Michael Abene from New-York.
The DVD and double CD entitled "Live au Cabaret de Montréal" was released in 2006 and to commemorate UZEB`s 25th anniversary, CARON
released on his NORAC LABEL the DVD UZEB ¨THE LAST CONCERT¨. The only official live concert footage ever released or to ever be released by
UZEB. Featuring special guest TIGER OKOSHI on trumpet. CONVERSATIONS was released in 2007. a beautiful collection of duets with Oliver Jones,
Lorraine Desmarais, François Bourassa, Jean St-Jacques and Otmaro Ruiz.
In 2007 The University of Quebec, under the aegis of the University of Quebec in Rimouski, decreed an honorary doctorate to the internationally
acclaimed bassist. Important to note, he is the only musician to have ever received this honor.
In 2010, he releases his seventh solo record, Sep7entrion. The city of Rivière-du-Loup announced that it would be building a music school and
naming it “École de musique Alain-Caron”. The school will be inaugurated in 2011.
Caron soon developed a reputation as a master electric bass player, a virtuoso on the 6-string bass guitar. Not surprisingly, as he became
increasingly well known, Caron taught master classes in most of the world’s major cities, including Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, New-York,
Boston, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Geneva, Frankfurt Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bogota and Mexico.
To this day, Alain Caron has released more than 20 records, solo or with the group UZEB and in collaboration or as a guest artist on more than 25
recordings. Winners of numerous prices including, 10 Felix, 1 Gemeaux, 1 Oscar-Peterson award. Alain Caron was ranked Best Bass player for 10
years in the row by magazine The Jazz Report. « hide |
Contributors: Lazarvs,
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