Alain Caron

• Name — Alain Caron • Landscape — yes • Born — 5 May 1955 • Birthplace — Saint-Éloi, Quebec, Canada • Genre — Jazz, jazz fusion • Occupation — Musician • Instrument — Bass guitar • Current Member Of — Uzeb • Website — alaincaron.com

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.

In 1976, Caron co-founded the jazz fusion band UZEB and played with the group until its breakup in 1992. The group has sold over 400,000 albums, an unprecedented number for a Canadian jazz fusion group.

In 1993, Caron embarked on a solo career, releasing albums as Le Band. He has performed with Billy Cobham, Mike Stern, Dennis Chambers, Tom Harrell and many others, as well as recording with Leni Stern, Celine Dion, and Gino Vannelli. In 2007 he was given an honorary doctorate by the University of Quebec and received the Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award by the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 1991.

Luthier George Furlanetto of F Bass in Hamilton, Ontario, has built basses for Caron since the eighties. Furlanetto worked with Caron to develop the F Bass Alain Caron model (AC6), which has the tone of a solid body fretless with the dynamic characteristics of an acoustic guitar.

Alain Caron is recorded as bassist, composer, jazz guitarist and musician.