He might not be as well-known in the US today, yet the jazz-fusion guitarist that goes by the single name Albare strikes a chord for global unity through the power of music with his 2025 album release entitled Eclecticity. With the word eclectic featured in the album title, the ten-track, 68-minute CD is an entertaining and diverse romp into the world of urban and urbane instrumental jazz.

Connecting the expertise of two different musical lineups, including The Jazz Alchemists and The Harmonix Experience, Eclecticity features the Australian-based Albare doing what he does best; making easy on the ears, guitar-centric instrumental music that skillfully bridges the gap between smooth jazz and a more serious form of mainstream jazz that honors its historic roots.

Keyboardist Phil Turcio has done an admirable job, not only on the keys but serving as well as executive producer. The Eclecticity album also features tasteful contributions from a wide range of musicians supporting Albare, performing here on both the guitar and the guitar synth, including Phil Rex (bass), Salva Persico (percussion), Mat Jodrell (trumpet and flugelhorn), Felix Bloxom (drums) and Phil Noy (tenor saxophone). Also here from The Harmonix Experience are Jake Mason (Hammond B-3) and Paul Williamson (tenor saxophone).

Born in Morocco and based in Australia for many decades, Albare is truly a guitarist of the world. His original compositions and deft skills as a fretboard master and band leader enables these musicians to present their proficiency in a wide range of musical settings. Born as Albert Dudon, Albare scores another hit with his 16^th album Eclecticity. Jazz guitar fans will tune into and enjoy this latest masterpiece from Albare.

RMR speaks to Albare

RMR: You were born in Morocco and haved lived in other countries including France and Israel, so how did you choose to live and record in Australia? What part of Australia do you live and record in and what is the music scene there like? It is all the way around the world yet, is music the connecting force between all nations and cultures? Music and food too.

Albare: I moved to Australia in the mid-1980s after meeting my ex-wife, who is Australian. We built our family here in Melbourne, where I still live. I record in my own studio, which I built on my farm on the outskirts of Melbourne. From the beginning, I was deeply involved in the local jazz community—first as chairman and later as artistic director of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. I also founded the Australian Jazz Bell Awards, which are the equivalent of the Grammys for jazz in Australia, and I own Bird’s Basement, which has become one of the most prestigious jazz clubs in the world. Music—and food—are universal connectors. They transcend borders and bring people together around shared emotion and experience.

RMR: Your 16th album is called Eclecticity. Why did you title it Eclecticity? Seems to combine the words Eclectic and Electricity. Are those the two primary forces that connect all great music? And how would you compare Eclecticity with your other albums, both stylistically and compositionally? How has your music grown and changed over time?

Albare: Eclecticity is my 16th album, and the name reflects its nature—it’s eclectic, plain and simple. While it might sound like it includes the word “electricity,” that wasn’t the intention, although I’ll admit there’s a lot of energy on this recording. My first album Acid Love came out in 1992—it was an ‘Acid Jazz’ project, combining jazz, funk, and soul. From my second album on, I moved more into fusion and progressive jazz-rock. Over the years, I’ve never stopped mixing genres and blending influences. It’s just who I am. All the compositions on Eclecticity are my own, and as with all my work—apart from the Jobim tributes—I compose first and foremost for the guitar.

RMR: You combine the talents of two ensembles you lead in Australia called The Jazz Alchemists and The Harmonix Experience. Does that also make the album more eclectic and how would you compare the sound and styles both ensembles bring to the Eclecticity album?

Albare: Absolutely. The Jazz Alchemists were formed about five years ago and have been performing regularly for the last two. They’re rooted in modern jazz with a traditional edge—think The Jazz Messengers and The Jazz Crusaders. That group includes Mat Jodrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Phil Noy on tenor sax. The Harmonix Experience, which is two years old, has a funk-jazz flavour built around the Hammond organ. Paul Williamson and Jake Mason are veterans of that sound. Both bands share the same rhythm section—Phil Rex on bass, Salva Persico on percussion, and Andrew Swann on drums for the live shows. I’m not just part of the rhythm section—I’m also the front person. My guitar is the primary voice of the compositions.

RMR: How would you describe the chemistry between you and these great musicians on the Eclecticity album? Have you recorded with them before and do they also perform in a live setting with you?

Albare: The chemistry is the result of years of playing together, especially through our regular gigs at Bird’s Basement. All the musicians recorded live together on this album, except for the drums—Felix Bloxom filled in for Andrew Swann, who plays all our live shows and will be on the next recording. The shared language we’ve developed as a group allows us to be spontaneous, responsive, and creative as a unit.

RMR: What guitars are you primarily playing and recording on Eclecticity and what other guitars are you fond of playing these days? Has your choice of guitars to record with and perform with changed over the years and what amps do you record and play live with?

Albare: Over the years I’ve built up a significant collection of guitars, but for Eclecticity I primarily used my Les Paul Supreme and my vintage Gibson L5. For effects, I used the Yamaha SPX90 for reverb, various distortion pedals including the Boss Blues Driver and several Eventide processors for spatial and tonal texture. I run everything through two Fender Twin Reverb 1965 reissue amps and a Mesa Boogie Dual Road King Rectifier, both live and in the studio. To capture the sound accurately, I use a Royer R-121 ribbon mic on the amps and an AEA R88 stereo ribbon mic for the room.

While these were my choices for Eclecticity, I also play several Spanish nylon-string guitars, including custom models made for me by Ramirez himself in Spain. They’ve featured on many of my previous recordings, although not on this one. I’m fond of Godin’s nylon guitars from Canada as well. For live performances, I often play the George Benson GB10 by Ibanez—it’s incredibly comfortable on stage. I’ve got many more guitars, each with its own story… but that would take a whole other article to cover properly.

RMR: What other plans do you have for 2025 and where will you be performing live this year and into 2026?

Albare: We perform regularly at Bird’s Basement, which keeps the creative energy alive and flowing. I have enough material for at least three more albums, and the writing never stops. In September this year, I’ll be performing with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra as part of my Jobim project—I’ve released two albums dedicated to Jobim’s music (Albare Plays Jobim Vol. 1 and 2). We’ll also play some club shows in Tel Aviv during that time. In 2026, I’m planning to tour the United States.