Jean Cyr – Car tu existes

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, bassist Jean Cyr whose album Car tu existes, is the second volume in the series.

Car tu existes is, majorly, a “straight ahead” album with all the orchestration and formal conventions you would expect. The opening tune, “Type Top” is a rhythm change with the melody being played by a trumpet and tenor sax an octave apart and accompanied by piano, drums, and, it goes without saying, bass. Of course, being such a large categorization, “straight ahead” also leaves room for the inclusion of hard bop, jazz waltzes, ballads, and shuffle; all of which Cyr makes use of on this album. Some moments that depart from the typical “straight ahead” sounds are songs like “Moni” which is essentially a tango interpreted by a jazz quintet. 

The compositions are nothing I would call particularly groundbreaking but they are extremely well executed and performed; not to mention cleanly recorded. As such, I wouldn’t find these recordings out of place on a playlist featuring the more prolific beboppers. Jean Cyr definitely knows his stuff and his instrument.