Alain Caron

Alain Caron (born 1955 in Saint-Éloi, Quebec) is a French Canadian jazz bassist.

The youngest of 11 children, Caron started playing bass at age 11 and began pursuing jazz at age 15. His musical skills were formalised by correspondence lessons with the jazz improvisation teacher, Charlie Banacos, and by attending a summer session at Berklee College of Music.

He is a former member of Uzeb (with Michel Cusson on guitar and Paul Brochu on drums) that was active from 1976 to 1992.

In 1993, Caron began releasing concept albums as Le Band

He has also been a session musician with Leni Stern and with Gino Vannelli.

Discography

 * Le Band - 1993
 * Rhythm ´n Jazz - 1995
 * Play - 1997
 * Call Me Al - 2000
 * 5 - 2003
 * 5 Live - 2006
 * 5 Live (DVD) - 2006
 * Conversations - 2007
 * Sep7entrion - 2010

Books

 * Rhythm 'n Jazz - Ultimate Play-Along for Bass: Jam With Alain Caron and His Band Le Band (1998) ISBN 0-9684633-1-2 ISBN 978-0-9684633-1-4
 * Play - Ultimate Play-Along for Bass: Jam With Alain Caron and His Band Le Band (1999) ISBN 0-9684633-1-2 ISBN 978-0-9684633-1-4

Instrument
Luthier George Furlanetto of F Bass in Hamilton, Ontario, has built basses for Alain for 20 years. Furlanetto worked together with Caron to develop the F Bass Alain Caron model (AC6), which has the tone of a solidbody fretless with the dynamic characteristics of an acoustic guitar.

Awards and distinctions

 * Felix awards for both "Group of the Year" and "Jazz Album of the Year".
 * With Uzeb, the Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award, presented at the 1991 Montreal International Jazz Festival.
 * On August 30, 2007, the University of Quebec at Rimouski (UQAR), decreed an honorary doctorate to Alain Caron.