October 24th would see Disques BG release a trilogy of albums celebrating Montreal’s long tradition of jazz innovation. A project going by the name of the Montreal Jazz Series, the label has produced three separate full-length albums by three musicians whose work, while appreciated in Montreal, has largely gone unsung on the world stage. In other words, these three albums serve to give these jazz veterans their flowers and celebrate their lengthy careers. One of the three musicians in question is, of course, saxophonist André Leroux whose album Échanges Synaptiques, is the first volume in the series.
Leroux here quite solidly interprets the compositions of, among others, Wayne Shorter, Frédérc Alarie, and John Hollenbeck. He also does his best Coltrane impression on the opening track, “Night Has A Thousand Eyes.” Broadly speaking, (perhaps too broadly for the satisfaction of the most ardent jazz heads), this album is an exploration of the many facets of “modern jazz.” From electric bass and Fender rhodes tunes like “Up and Up” by Rémi-Jean Leblanc, to the palm-muted piano and pointillistic percussion moments of “Last Minute” by François Bourassa, this album goes in many directions across the sixty-six minute run time. Moments of quartal harmony (à la Mccoy Tyner), and straight 8th medium tempo songs with swirling soprano sax are all contained within as well. (The title track fits the latter description and opens with a beautiful bass intro by Alarie and a great solo by Leroux himself). Don’t let this fool you into thinking there are no moments of swing, however. André White lays down a mean feel at many points in the album.
Just like the radio stations were fond of saying twenty years ago, this album has many elements of the “80s, 90s, and now”. Though it is perhaps more helpful in the case of “modern” jazz to speak of the “60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and now.” I admit that it’s not nearly as catchy, and almost feels like cheating to cite four decades worth of music, but it certainly feels more accurate in summarizing this more than solid album.
