François Bourassa and Alain Caron, two important figures in jazz in Quebec and pillars of the Festival international de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM), will perform with their respective ensembles on Friday and Saturday respectively at the beginning of the evening.
Francois Bourassa Quartet
The François Bourassa Quartet Photo Mathieu Rivard
Back home after a stopover in London, where he gave a series of concerts, François Bourassa will present Onze Swirl, his 11th album of compositions, during his concert at the Dièse jazz club on Friday night.
He is accompanied on double bass, drums and saxophone by members of his quartet, with whom he has been playing for years. “There’s really a strong interaction in the group. We have a lot of fun playing together and I think that shows in the music,” warned François Bourassa on the phone on Thursday morning.
The new album was recorded at Studio Piccolo in Montreal last summer and was not made in response to any particular moment, the composer explained. “When it comes to composition, I try to venture out of my comfort zone. Take risks,” he explained.
“I don’t have an exact source of inspiration, but it’s a bit of my musical baggage of the last few years, the development and the things that push me forward. “It’s a constant challenge,” he continued with a smile.
He also describes this project as energetic and complicit.
François Bourassa, incidentally the son of former Quebec Prime Minister Robert Bourassa, is still lucky enough to be able to perform in Montreal. He, too, has been part of the program almost every year since winning the 1985 jazz competition.
Alain Caron in a nine-piece ensemble
Alain Caron Photo courtesy of Alain Caron
Bassist Alain Caron will perform at the Gesù on Saturday at his initiative in an ensemble of nine musicians.
“It’s a special project for the summer,” he advised.
“I had an idea that had been floating around in my head for a while: to revise arrangements for pieces from my repertoire, albeit with a brass section, including two trumpets and three saxophones, plus a four-musician rhythm section, for a total of nine musicians on the Stage,” described the bassist, who has been working on this program since January.
“In the last few years I’ve had two or three pieces with brass on my records. “It’s something I’ve always been interested in and I’ve played in a lot of big bands, but touring with nine musicians doesn’t always come naturally, especially these days,” he said afterwards. For logistical reasons, he therefore always recommends duos, trios and quartets.
Alain Caron can also be proud to have played at the very first edition of the FIJM in 1980 with his jazz fusion group UZEB. He performs there every two years, mainly indoors.
“The pandemic has changed many things in the jazz music landscape in Montreal. There are diffusion sites that have disappeared, others that tend to reappear. It’s always on the move. But I think there is a good musical succession happening. “There’s really incredible talent here,” said the bassist, who also teaches jazz at the University of Montreal.
After his concert at the Gesù, Alain Caron will fly to Italy, where he will perform a series of concerts before returning to the provinces for his concerts scheduled for August at the Festi Jazz de Mont-Tremblant and the Festi Jazz de Rimouski. , in September.