RK 50: Uzeb

9-9-08 RK 50: Uzeb

Quebecois jazz / rock fusion – they’re better than that sounds – really! Vraiment!

CD BEST OF NORAC CAN NORCD 2501

1999 12 TRK Collection

LP BETWEEN THE LINES IOU US WL-027

1986 8 TRKS

CD ENTRE CIEL ET TERRE CREAM FR JMS 18684.2

1996 11 TRKS

CD FAST EMOTION SELECT CAN PEM CD-010

1982 9 TRKS

LP LIVE IN BRACKNELL (ENGLAND) CREAM FR CREAM 100

1984 7 TRKS Live, 1981

CD LIVE IN EUROPE BCCL CAN PEM-CD-050

1986? 9 TRKS Live

CD NOISY NIGHTS NOVA US 8919.2

1989 10 TRKS (04/89)

CD UZEB CLUB NORAC CAN BCCL-CD-060

1989 8 TRKS

CD YOU BE EASY CREAM CAN CR 088.2

1989 10 TRKS

I first heard of Uzeb on MuchMusic, the Canadian MTV. In the mid-80’s – my brother & dad installed a satellite dish / receiver at home. Anik D6 satellite – MuchMusic! We got it right – tuned in the video and audio (both manually, I might add) – and I was busy aircheckin’ from about mid-’85 until I left for England at the beginning of 1990.

I probably first saw a clip for the track “Noisy Nights” on “City Limits”, which was hosted by Christopher Ward. I always did like instrumentals! It seemed to me that the clip for “Noisy Nights” was carrying on from the fine tradition of groovy music videos for instrumentals – from “Rockit”, the massive Herbie Hancock clip of a few years earlier.

It was fairly easy to find a cheap CD of “Noisy Nights” – it actually received a U.S. release! But in a pre-internet world, it took a while to figure out that there was more Uzeb products to find. I remember going to Paris, France towards the end of the 80’s – and seeing 6 or 7 Uzeb CD’s! What? Mr. Internet comes along and – bang! Oh, man – there are still a few I’ve never found (Sheesh! Even there’s even a ‘double live’ CD set!).

I went to Toronto in ’05 and found a few more pieces of the puzzle (notably “Uzeb Club” at “Sam The Record Man” on Yonge Street, alas – a fine store, now long gone). I’ve mail-ordered a few Uzeb items whenever I’ve encountered them but…not an easy band to collect!

Also in Toronto, I found a film soundtrack CD by Michel Cusson of Uzeb, “Monica La Mitraille” (2004).