Artist Residency: Alain Bédard

By Emilie Gosselin

Alain Bédard

Double Bassist

From his beginnings in the 1980s, joining various Quebec groups, to collaborating with international artists, double bassist Alain Bédard has left a mark on the jazz scene in Quebec. As the artistic director of the Auguste Quartet and the founder of the Effendi label, Alain has also led the Jazzlab Orchestra for over 19 years, recording eight albums and receiving accolades, including the “Héron d’Or” from the Rimouski Festijazz in 2015 for his exceptional contribution to Quebec jazz.

“There’s a style that we are trying to preserve,” says Alain Bédard, who recently concluded an artist residency at Orford Music from October 2 to 6 with his group Jazzlab Orchestra. The eight-member ensemble dedicated its days to working on eight pieces of original music, each contributed by one of the group’s eight members. Two of these compositions were even created on site.

“We had an incredible week at Orford Music. We were well accommodated, the people were impeccable, and on top of that, the food was incredible. It’s easy when you don’t have to worry about practicing. We worked full days on the new repertoire. It was the perfect place for us.” -Alain Bédard

After an intensive week of rehearsals, the Jazzlab Orchestra has already presented its new repertoire in concerts at the Palais Montcalm, among others. They also hope to record their 9th album in 2024, with Alain Bédard as the producer under his label. Finally, the Jazzlab Orchestra is exploring opportunities for a tour in Europe and performances in South Korea and Japan.