Alexis French | The Cut - CD

About

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Recorded at McGill University and Studio A in Montreal, Canada, The Cut features some of Montreal's finest young lions. The project began as a part of Alexis' Master's Degree at McGill University's Schulich School of Music. His studies began in September, 2012. Having barely written a blues previously, 18 months later he has this exceptional album to show for it. "Composition has always been elusive for me, so writing for this album was a long road of creative investigation to find the sounds I wanted. The musicians I collaborated with on this album were as influential as my composition lecturers when it came to crafting and subsequently refining the arrangements, both in the studio and on stage."

The compositions on The Cut were also influenced by Alexis' teacher (and superb alto sax player), Remi Bolduc, whose refined compositional techniques enabled Alexis to articulate what he was hearing. Many of the tunes were inspired by places and people in Montrea. “Aylmer”, for example, came to Alexis during a conversation over scotch with his good friend Chris Doyle. "I tried to re-create the conversational interweaving of voices by writing unisons for both horns, and counter-melodies that were intertwined. They have a darkness to them, which stems from being separated from loved ones while enduring a cold, dark, seemingly endless winter. Many of the pieces on this album reflect how I was feeling at the time, and what I was hearing musically."

Track listing:

1. The Schoon 05:14
2. Metro 10:36
   
3. Parc La Fontaine Blues and Greens 09:38
   
4. Aylmer 08:19
5. The Second Fall 06:22
   
6. The Cut 07:04
   
7. Up 05:38
8. Shakshuka 07:46