Levi Dover Sextet - Imaginary Structures (Friday, October 8th 2021 on Three Pines Records)

It is only through the lens of the imagination that we construct the world around us and give it meaning. The real is without intention or significance, appearing as a collage of seemingly unrelated elements. But as we weave together our perceptions, we create an an inner world populated by emotions, stories, dreams, remembered pasts and projected futures. These are the Imaginary Structures in which we live.

Imaginary Structures is the debut album from Montreal based composer and double bassist Levi Dover. This singular recording consists of eight original compositions for sextet, brought to life by an ensemble of musicians with an individualistic and contemporary approach. The album as a whole establishes a stylized vision of improvised music, fusing jazz with elements of progressive rock and 20th century classical music, brought together in a post-bop setting.

The music is set against the backdrop of an impressionistic landscape which at times recalls the influence of composers such as Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson, and Andrew Hill. The improvisations are tightly woven into the structure of the pieces, giving the musicians the freedom to explore the universe that the compositions reveal. Throughout the album, a dreamy atmosphere and contemplative mood is balanced against a tight rhythmic undercurrent that propels the music forward, creating a narrative that unfolds gradually over the course of these eight pieces, exposing different facets of the composer’s imagination.

1. First Impression 4:14

2. In Hindsight 6:02

3. L’Appel du Vide 4:26

4. MK 6:51

5. Galapagos 7:24

6. How the Light Gets In 5:27

7. The Fox and The Cat 5:46

8. Imaginary Structures 6:14

Lex French - Trumpet

Erik Hove - Alto Saxophone

Olivier Salazar - Vibraphone

Andrew Boudreau - Piano

Levi Dover - Double Bass, Compositions

Kyle Hutchins - Drums

Imaginary Structures will be released worldwide on Friday, October 8th 2021 on Three Pines Records.

Three Pines Records

Alex Lefaivre Quartet - Naufragés (Friday, August 27th 2021 on Multiple Chord Music)

Alex Lefaivre is a bassist, composer and educator based in Montreal. He is a founding member of Parc X Trio, winners of the 2010 TD Grand Prix de Jazz at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. He is also a founding member of Multiple Chord Music (MCM), a jazz label that has released over fifty recordings by many of Quebec’s top jazz artists including Gentiane MG & Frank Lozano, Benjamin Deschamps, Rachel Therrien, Rémi-Jean LeBlanc, Joel Miller, François Jalbert & Jérôme Beaulieu.

On his new album Naufragés (“Castaways”), Lefaivre presents a mix of five original compositions and three covers that reflect his contemporary aesthetic and visceral sound. After many failed attempts at scheduling the recording during to the COVID 19 pandemic, the group finally managed to assemble at Montreal’s Studio Madame Wood on April 5th 2021. Recorded over the course of two spontaneous sets of music, the listener can feel the urgency and sheer joy erupting out of Alex and his bandmates Erik Hove, Nicolas Ferron and Alain Bourgeois. The session was recorded and mixed by Simon l’Espérance and was mastered by LeFaivre himself.

Naufragés’ eclectic and cinematic contemporary jazz style features echoes of punk, disco, Film Noir and even reggae, giving the music a biting energy that oscillates freely between raw, rough textures and moments of refined grace, all the  while leaving lots of room for these brilliant musicians to stretch out.

Naufragés will be released worldwide on Friday, August 27th 2021 on Multiple Chord Music.

1. Time of the Barracudas 5:34

2. Boiler Room 7:43

3. Sneaked 6:09

4. Hommage jazz à “Passe Partout” 3:55

5. Reset 7:39

6. Sly 6:42

7. Sin City 6:21

8. Immigrant Song 4:48

Erik Hove - Alto Saxophone

Nicolas Ferron - Guitar

Alex Lefaivre - Bass

Alain Bourgeois - Drums

Alex Lefaivre Website   Facebook   Instagram

Pre-order

Alex Lefaivre Quartet - YUL (Friday August 3, 2018)

New release from Montreal: Alex Lefaivre Quartet - YUL

AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE AUGUST 3rd 2018

Drawing his inspiration from Montreal’s distinct urban energy, bass player Alex Lefaivre presents a series of modern jazz compositions written for some of his home town’s most original musicians, notably Erik Hove on alto saxophone, Nicolas Ferron on guitar as well as Mark Nelson on drums. The lyrical, song-like melodies develop over interesting forms that leave a lot of room for the group to interact and showcase their conversational improvisations.  

Taking its name from Montreal's airport code, YUL takes the listener on a cinematic trip through the city, where dreamy, hazy summer vibes are intertwined with a gritty, metropolitan edge. A highlight of this set is a surprising cover of John Carpenter's theme to his cult-classic 1978 horror movie, Halloween.  

Alex Lefaivre is a founding member of Montreal's Parc X Trio, one of Canada’s premier jazz groups. Parc X Trio have released 7 recordings, the latest of which, Dream, is released through Challenge Records International. They have toured across Canada, Mexico, the USA and Europe. Alex is also a founding member of Multiple Chord Music (MCM), an independent jazz  label that currently holds 19 artists on its roster and has released over 30 recordings.  

For more information including sound clips and photos please visit alexlefaivre.com

Puisant son inspiration dans l’énergie urbaine distincte de Montréal, le bassiste Alex Lefaivre présente une série de compositions jazz mettant en vedette certains des musiciens les plus originaux de sa ville natale, notamment Erik Hove au saxophone alto, Nicolas Ferron à la guitare et Mark Nelson à la batterie. Les thèmes mélodiques et chantants se développent sur des formes atypiques qui laissent énormément de place pour l’interaction musicale du groupe durant leurs improvisations. 

Tirant son nom du code de l'aéroport de Montréal, YUL nous amène sur un voyage cinématographique à travers la ville où l'atmosphère rêveuse des chaudes  nuits d'été se mélange à l'attitude explosive de la métropole. Parmi les huit pièces de l'album se trouve une reprise surprenante du theme de Halloween (1978), le film d'horreur culte de John Carpenter.  

Alex Lefaivre est membre fondateur du Parc X trio, un des groupes de jazz Québécois les plus reconnus de leur génération. À ce jour, Parc X Trio a lancé 7 albums, dont le dernier, Dream, est distribué par le label néerlandais Challenge Records International. Ils ont tourné au Canada, au Mexique, aux États- Unis et en Europe. Ils ont également remporté plusieurs prix et distinctions dont le Grand Prix de Jazz TD au Festival International de Jazz de Montréal en 2010 et l’album Jazz de l’année 2017 au GAMIQ.  

Alex Lefaivre est également membre fondateur de la maison de disques jazz Multiple Chord Music (MCM), qui compte plus de 30 sorties avec une vingtaine d’artistes dont Benjamin Deschamps, Rachel Therrien, François Jalbert & Jérôme Beaulieu, Frédéric Alarie et Rémi-Jean LeBlanc.  

Pour plus d'information, incluant des extraits sonores et des photos, s'il vous plaît consulter alexlefaivre.com

1 - The Righteous (7:00)

2 - Halloween (7:48)

3 - Estelle (6:23)

4 - The Juggernaut (7:47)

5 - Nostalgia (6:28)

6 - Skyline (6:53)

7 - Cascade (7:09)

8 - YUL (8:23)

Erik Hove: Alto Saxophone

Nicolas Ferron: Guitar

Mark Nelson: Drums

Alex Lefaivre: Electric Bass and Compositions

alexlefaivre.com

Alex Lefaivre Quartet - YUL (Friday August 3, 2018)

New release from Montreal: Alex Lefaivre Quartet - YUL

AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE AUGUST 3rd 2018

Drawing his inspiration from Montreal’s distinct urban energy, bass player Alex Lefaivre presents a series of modern jazz compositions written for some of his home town’s most original musicians, notably Erik Hove on alto saxophone, Nicolas Ferron on guitar as well as Mark Nelson on drums. The lyrical, song-like melodies develop over interesting forms that leave a lot of room for the group to interact and showcase their conversational improvisations.  

Taking its name from Montreal's airport code, YUL takes the listener on a cinematic trip through the city, where dreamy, hazy summer vibes are intertwined with a gritty, metropolitan edge. A highlight of this set is a surprising cover of John Carpenter's theme to his cult-classic 1978 horror movie, Halloween.  

Alex Lefaivre is a founding member of Montreal's Parc X Trio, one of Canada’s premier jazz groups. Parc X Trio have released 7 recordings, the latest of which, Dream, is released through Challenge Records International. They have toured across Canada, Mexico, the USA and Europe. Alex is also a founding member of Multiple Chord Music (MCM), an independent jazz  label that currently holds 19 artists on its roster and has released over 30 recordings.  

For more information including sound clips and photos please visit alexlefaivre.com

Puisant son inspiration dans l’énergie urbaine distincte de Montréal, le bassiste Alex Lefaivre présente une série de compositions jazz mettant en vedette certains des musiciens les plus originaux de sa ville natale, notamment Erik Hove au saxophone alto, Nicolas Ferron à la guitare et Mark Nelson à la batterie. Les thèmes mélodiques et chantants se développent sur des formes atypiques qui laissent énormément de place pour l’interaction musicale du groupe durant leurs improvisations. 

Tirant son nom du code de l'aéroport de Montréal, YUL nous amène sur un voyage cinématographique à travers la ville où l'atmosphère rêveuse des chaudes  nuits d'été se mélange à l'attitude explosive de la métropole. Parmi les huit pièces de l'album se trouve une reprise surprenante du theme de Halloween (1978), le film d'horreur culte de John Carpenter.  

Alex Lefaivre est membre fondateur du Parc X trio, un des groupes de jazz Québécois les plus reconnus de leur génération. À ce jour, Parc X Trio a lancé 7 albums, dont le dernier, Dream, est distribué par le label néerlandais Challenge Records International. Ils ont tourné au Canada, au Mexique, aux États- Unis et en Europe. Ils ont également remporté plusieurs prix et distinctions dont le Grand Prix de Jazz TD au Festival International de Jazz de Montréal en 2010 et l’album Jazz de l’année 2017 au GAMIQ.  

Alex Lefaivre est également membre fondateur de la maison de disques jazz Multiple Chord Music (MCM), qui compte plus de 30 sorties avec une vingtaine d’artistes dont Benjamin Deschamps, Rachel Therrien, François Jalbert & Jérôme Beaulieu, Frédéric Alarie et Rémi-Jean LeBlanc.  

Pour plus d'information, incluant des extraits sonores et des photos, s'il vous plaît consulter alexlefaivre.com

1 - The Righteous (7:00)

2 - Halloween (7:48)

3 - Estelle (6:23)

4 - The Juggernaut (7:47)

5 - Nostalgia (6:28)

6 - Skyline (6:53)

7 - Cascade (7:09)

8 - YUL (8:23)

Erik Hove: Alto Saxophone

Nicolas Ferron: Guitar

Mark Nelson: Drums

Alex Lefaivre: Electric Bass and Compositions

alexlefaivre.com

Alex Bellegarde Quartet - Caminando (2018)

"Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar" Antonio Machado 

"I love the freedom of jazz and the joy of Cuban rhythms. I wanted to write music that reflects this and makes the best of each musician’s unique style: Cuban-born pianist Yoël Diaz, alto saxophonist Erik Hove, and drummer Yvon Plouffe. Guest percussionist, Cuban-born Orlando Lavielle on congas, joins us on the album which was cut in a single session at Studio Karisma, Montreal. My idea - to have a sound as close to ‘live’ as possible with the sort of playing which is spontaneous yet structured." Alex Bellegarde

1. Caminando 07:26

2. Got Lip 06:14

3. Native 06:54

4. Timba Tune 07:05

5. Brown's Groove 06:39

6. A Blues or Not ! 05:16

7. La Vaca 05:55

8. Desert 06:54

9. En moins de deux 01:42

10. Driving on a rainy night 05:38

Alex Bellegarde - double bass

Yoel Diaz - piano

Erik Hove - alto sax

Yvon Plouffe - drums

Special guest

Orlando Lavielle - congas

Eave - Eave (ASTRAL SPIRITS 2018)

A mix of New York and Canadian players, "Eave" is the quartet of Anna Webber and Erik Hove on saxophones, Vicky Mettler on guitar and Evan Tighe on drums, a collective abstract improvising band that uses its instruments as much for effect as for conventional playing, with commanding skill in all approaches as they surprise, bemuse and mesmerize the listener.

Evan Tighe (drums). Unique and interesting playing, outstanding and innovative improvising - all these elements are heard in all four musicians musical language. Their compositions have effective and specific sound - musicians for the most of the time are improvising together. Many different playing techniques, contrasting and unique styles and manners are marvelously combined together. Free and fascinating musical experiments are mostly dedicated for sound experiments, special effects, interesting and unusual combinations of timbres, instruments, chords and other musical language elements. The improvisations by these four musicians have effective, specific, original and vibrant sound.

The compositions of this album have soft and dynamic sound. The collective improvisations are full of different playing manners, original and unpredictable stylistic waves, sudden turns of moods, contrasting characters and episodes. The main aim of these improvisations is to create and extract unusual and extraordinary sound. Musicians try to expand the technical abilities of the instruments, using innovative and experimental ways of playing and create rich and expressive musical language. The compositions have solid and vibrant melodic section and dynamic rhythmic. Along with these two elements, colorful, illustrative and effective background is also very important part of musical pattern.

Saxophones and flutes melodies are based on musical experiments - Anna Weber and Eric Hove are individual and original improvisers. Both of them have their own playing style and are using specific methods of playing. Soft, light and colorful flutes solos are effectively illustrated with unusual timbres, glissando, virtuosic passages, trills, arpeggios and many other traditiona; playing techniques. Along with these elements, both musicians masterfully connect hhuge amount of experimental ways of playing and extended playing techniques.

Soft, gentle and joyful flutes are connected with other instruments. Saxophones solos are expressive and dynamic. Loud, fast, full of trills, tremolos, wild fast and furious passages, vibrant and intense blow-outs, expressive and spontaneous solos are softly and organically connected together with abstract, subtle, silent and lyric episodes. With gentle, light and expressive flutes, spontaneous and effective saxophones solos, rich, bright and modern musical language is created. The huge amount of different playing techniques, original and innovative playing manners, inventive decisions, unusual timbres and strange noises create solid, memorable and interesting sound. Viccy Metler guitar melodies are full of different and original playing techniques - musician masterfully uses and connects together traditional and experimental playing techniques, switch between different moods, characters and ways of playing. His improvisations are free, spontaneous, based on contrasting musical patterns and forms - abstract and concrete musical patterns are gently connected together.

The improvisations have expressive and dynamic melodies, innovative improvising manner, interesting harmony, solid bass line and are effectively illustrated by strange noises and special effects. Evan Tighe drums improvisations are contained by especially huge variety of different rhythms and sounds of percussion instruments - improviser masterfully combines together static and dynamic, slow and very fast, memorable or abstract rhythms. Loud drum rolls, trills, tremolos, arepeggios and many different playing techniques create effective, dynamic and solid sound and independent rhythmical section. All improvisations have effective, bright and innovative sound.

1. Meriwether 04:25

2. Liver-Eating 05:54

3. Gold Fever 04:19

4. Axe or Chisel 07:46

5. Denver Bob 04:33

6. The Night of the Burning River 03:02

7. A Well-Worn Path 03:57

8. Owyhee 04:05

9. Yakima 06:01

10. Memorandum 04:07

Anna Webber - saxophone

Erik Hove - saxophone

Vicky Mettler - guitar

Evan Tighe - drums

Erik Hove Chamber Ensemble - Polygon (2017)

This album builds on the sounds and concepts of our previous album, Saturated Colour. The goal in writing was to expand upon ideas already in play, in addition to adding a layer of electronics to many of the tracks in order to fuse the timbres and broaden the sonic palette of the ensemble.

1. Tessellation 4:54

2. Fractured 6:07

3. Polygon 5:58

4. Morse Code 4:44

5. Metal Clouds 4:22

6. Inversions 5:52

7. Tetrahedron 5:25

8. Drift (re:synthesis II) 6:51

9. Octagon 2:33

Erik Hove alto sax, clarinet, flute, electronics

Anna Webber flute, alto flute

Krisjana Thorsteinson oboe

Krista Martynes clarinet, bass clarinet

Andy King trumpet

Kate Bevan-Baker violin

Jean René viola

Jane Chan cello

Rémi-Jean Leblanc bass

Evan Tighe drums