ALAIN CARON

The overall sound is virtuotic, lively, energetic and meaty, due to a large ensemble (keys, guitars, trumpet, percussion, drums), and Caron's bass is very much upfront. So if you're fond of the instrument and jazz/fusion emphasizing its role, you certainly can't go very wrong with Alain Caron. Now some words on chosen pieces.

'The Bump' is a nice upbeat opener with a happy, laid back feeling. With all the shiny solos, this music would be cool to experience live in a warm summer breeze. 'Fat Cat' indeed has a cat-like coolness. For the rather restricted melodies it's mostly sort of a dialogue between trumpet/cornet and keyboards, leaving plenty of room for bass soloing. 'Little Miss Match' -- with a witty wordplay on the title -- is in a relatively calm tempo. Sounds like the main melody is played by saxophone (not mentioned in the album info here), but again it's the bass solo that steals the show. But boy it really sounds good! Only on some Pekka Pohjola compositions I remember being equally impressed by the instrument.

'I.C.U.' has a happy groove typical for this entire album. While most of the tracks are approximately 6-7 minutes long, the funky 'Cherokee Drive' stretches to 8½, despite being perhaps among the least interesting ones as a composition. On 'Flight of the Bebop Bee' the nicest solo is for an electric guitar which could have had a bigger status on the album, as well as keyboards. 'Donna Lee' is the most electrified and the most bass-centred piece. Virtuosity as a pure self- indulgence. I'm glad that the closing piece 'Intuitions' is beautifully serene, melancholic and introspective (mostly just piano and bass), because the album whole leans heavily on the outgoing funkiness and remains rather mediocre when it comes to songwriting itself. But perhaps because of the great closing piece I'm generous enough to round my 3½ stars upwards.

What makes this stand out from other modern fusion albums is the great compositional talent from Caron. The music progresses, and goes through an array of moods. I never heard of Damien Schmitt before, but he is so in the pocket behind the drum kit, that I sometimes think he's the star of the show. Very talented musician.

The grooves on this album are what make me keep coming back to this album. All the technical proficiency from everyone involved is great and all, but they really know how to make your body move. This a fusion album I recommend anyone into the genre to check out. You won't be disappointed. This would be a 5 star album if not for the fact that the energy level drops a bit on the last 2 tracks, but otherwise, this is a fantastic album.