Antoine Fafard - Occultus Tramitis [Digipak]

Powerful and exciting music featuring jazz-rock legends Occultus Tramitis the second solo album by composer and bass player Antoine Fafard, featuring the contributions of a number of jazz-rock legends including Terry Bozzio (Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Gavin Harrison (King Crimson, Porcupine Tree), Scott Henderson (Tribal Tech), Simon Phillips (Jeff Beck, Toto), Chad Wackerman (Allan Holdsworth, Frank Zappa) and Dave Weckl (Chick Corea, Mike Stern). Occultus Tramitis encompasses 11 tracks presenting almost an hour of exciting new music. Antoine Fafard's recording career began in his band Spaced Out, who released their first album in 2000. By 2008 Spaced Out had recorded five studio albums, one live album and two DVDs, and had performed on international stages including Nearfest, USA in 2002 and Crescendo, France in 2006. In 2010, Antoine decided to begin recording under his own name, without the limitations of the band format. His first solo album, Solus Operandi, released in August 2011, features more than an hour of original instrumental music by Antoine working with a total of 13 collaborators, including world-class performers such as Dave Weckl (Chick Corea, Mike Stern), guitarist Jerry De Villiers Jr and drummer Magella Cormier. Solus Operandi was composed on electric fretless bass and classical guitar, after Antoine reacquainted himself with the guitar following many years focusing on the bass. 2013 sees Antoine present a new solo album, Occultus Tramitis. Occultus Tramitis features a number of legendary musicians, including Terry Bozzio (Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Gavin Harrison (King Crimson, Porcupine Tree), Scott Henderson (Tribal Tech), Simon Phillips (Jeff Beck, Toto), Chad Wackerman (Allan Holdsworth, Frank Zappa) and Dave Weckl (Chick Corea, Mike Stern). The fretless bass and classical guitar were again central elements in Antoine's composition process. The music on Occultus Tramitis differs between the tracks, and the fusion of influences that characterises Antoine's music means it doesn't fall easily into a single style or genre. However, the album was composed as a complete work. Melodic aspects are beautifully realised by Jerry Goodman, who features on more than half of the tracks among odd time signatures, multiple modulations and rhythmical illusions. There are exceptional performances from all Antoine's collaborators, including spectacular solos. Occultus Tramitis is an independent release presenting exciting and powerful new music for any fan of instrumental jazz-rock, progressive and fusion music.