Frédéric Alarie avec Basse Section Vision
(DSM)
Reviewed by Mark Chodan (1997)

Bassist Frédéric Alarie is a man with a vision. Before listening to this recording, the configuration of the ensemble struck my curiosity. With Frédéric Alarie on bass, Michel Ouellet on trombone, Christopher Smith on tuba, euphonium and bass trombone and Claude Lavergne on drums, it promised to be an interesting date, and Alarie’s first recording as a leader at that. I wondered whether the ‘Section would sound too bottom heavy. It takes an imaginative group of improvisers to be able to play in the same register and not sound like molasses (in the case of the lower registers). No problem here. While the recording is primarily a blowing date, the arrangements for the whole ensemble are clean and open.

Of the eight pieces, all are Alarie originals, except for Interplay by Bill Evans and Gloria's Step by Scott LaFaro. Alarie's own music has a similarity of mood throughout the set which gives it a nice sense of continuity but sometimes could use a little more punch. The group's ability to hold my attention during some of the very quiet moments is commendable. Drummer Claude Lavergne does a very tasteful job of keeping the sometimes sparse arrangements buoyant. His sense of understatement is impressive at his age. Definitely a case of less is more.

Recorded at Maison de la culture Frontenac last year, it comes as no surprise that this is Alarie's date in terms of the very up-front bass sound on the CD. The recording quality is very good, but you'll have to crank up the volume if your sound system is anything like mine. It's worth cranking up.

More about: Christopher B. J. Smith; Frédéric Alarie; Michel Ouellet; Vision