There is a certain category of people involved in the Music Industry that are overall covered by the ability - or should we insist on "charisma? - of "moving easily and sometimes rapidly between several duties: composing music, writing lyrics, studio session-performing, producing, touring etc etc etc. One weird thing is that most of them seem to succeed in all partial "obligations. But, isn't it more weird for some of these "some above that sometimes they deal with irrelevant, not to say completely different, music styles-genres but still make it up quite well?
Well, Jean Beauvoir's music CV surely places him on a high position on this list and gives his new CD undoubtedly the most appropriate title!  "Chameleon ... You said it!!!
A little history lesson (for all of us): Born in Chicago, Illinois, Jean began to play the drums at the age of 11. Turning to bass and guitar afterwards, he started building his topic career by participating in his High School's rock band, resulting in playing in dances and clubs throughout the New York area. Soon his was recruited for the vacant position of lead singer of The Flamingos, owners of the I Only Have Eyes For You fame. Gaining solid experience by jamming with people four times his age, Jean moved to the Big Apple two years later to meet his fate predicted. By replying to a topic ad, he filled the now-bassist vacant position in a newly-formed NY downtown punk rock group called The Plasmatics, fronted by the mighty infamous rock lady Wendy O' Williams (R.I.P.). Wendy's and the band's exorbitant stage antics shocked millions gaining huge success in such a short time throughout not only the US but - in a respective level - to the whole globe.
That time was Jean's right time for a solo career. To cut a long story short: Jean collaborated with Little Steven Van Zandt (axeman and producer of Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band), co-produced and co-written ventures with groups and artists such as Kiss, The Ramones, John Waite, Deborah Harry, Lionel Ritchie, Desmond Child and Jim Valance. In addition, he lent the "Feel The Heat track to Sylvester Stalone's "Cobra movie campaign, he released some great solo efforts, all written-produced-conducted by himself, often featuring starry guests such as Mick Jones (Foreigner) and Pat Buchanan (Hall & Oates), he formed Voodoo X who released a bunch of great hard rock albums, peaking with The Awakening album. He still found time to produce the title track for Stephen King's hit film Pet Cemetery, to write the title track for Wes Craven's blockbuster Shocker - which also included a Voodoo X track - and to form his new band, Crown of Thorns. The band released 5 albums with contributions from Little Steven, Paul Stanley (Kiss), Max Norman and Jim Valance (Aerosmith, Bryan Adams). Phew... That's enough! You got the idea!!!
So, by historically proving what "Chameleon stands for, his newly released CD seems to musically sum up all his heterogeneous influences and likes. Dance rhythms alternating with soft rock tunes, pop ballads mixed with soul groovy lines, this set of songs - all generally "arranged by Jean himself - seems the logical move for a musician of this specific music experience. The drum machine used is obviously a minus, partially dispossessing a potential "fraught feeling during the audition. From the opening tune of the Lionel Ritchie co-written I Wanna Know via the dance floor-heat of I Don't Need Ya, the rocking Something To Believe In (Jean's personal tribute to The Ramones), to the grand-finale of Angel, Chameleon definitely lives up to it's name.
I have to admit though that the general "vibe of this release is somewhat "soft - not to say "double soft - for the spirited hard rocker. As a hint, the most powerful moments nearly can get as far as the mellowest parts of Bon Jovi's late 90's releases.
 "Chameleon , you said... If you feel like loosening up a little bit from your traditional Hard Rock manifest rights... It's full summer & it's your choice.