Claude Allaire

Rare Quebec jazz from obscure pianist-saxophonist Claude Allaire, perhaps one of Quebec's lesser-known jazzmen of the 50's & 60's, and arguably one of the province's best- kept secrets. Although he's played with several well-known musicians over the years, he's recorded just one solo album ("Vol. 1" also known as "Jazz En Province" in a standard hard cover with different art work). With no promotion or distribution, the LP vanished quickly (rendering it quite rare today)....yet this is a superb recording that deserves much more credit, and hopefully one day a proper CD re-issue. Though un-credited on the "Vol. 1" the jacket, Claude Allaire (piano) is joined here (forming a quartet showcasing a solid North American jazz vibe) by Gaston Jutras (bass), Raymond Nadeau (vibraphone) and Pierre Nadeau (drums, percussion) running through 2 of his own compositions and 5 re-arranged covers. All top-notch, they span from the soft jazz take of Gershwin's classic "Summertime", the excellent light bossa-jazz "Have You Met Miss Jones", to what is arguably the album's highlight, the outstanding gem, "Jazz en Province".