François Carrier Trio
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**** Alto sax improviser François Carrier strips away the frills and delivers the essence in this collection of eight pieces. Most were recorded, with intermittent applause, during a recent Canadian tour. Six of the cuts are improvisations, from the clean slate to evocative creations, which rarely repeat or reference knon phrases. With Carrier are his longtime partner - the thoroughly modern Michel Lambert on drums and Pierre Côté on bass. These two players are totally in sync with Carrier's sensibility and musical vocabulary. Carrier likes to sing as he explores modes with a modestly sweet tone. We await more challenging endeavours for the five-star effort to come.

Erwin Block
The Gazette, Montreal, july 14, 2005