English Book Jean-Michel Jarre

Nicolas Kern, Michael Duguay

Description

A tape recorder. It is this device that served as the first electronic instrument to Jean-Michel Jarre: « My grandfather had given me a tape recorder and with my rock band, I recorded guitar solos that I was reversing, organ parts that I was slowing down. » Passionate about sound, the young Jarre applied to the Musical Research Group in 1968: 200 candidates present themselves for 4 places. Jean-Michel Jarre passes the exam and joins the GRM, which is then the best school in the world concerning electro-acoustic music.
Trained by Pierre Henry and Pierre Schaeffer, Jean-Michel Jarre discovers an innovative approach to music at the time. Speaking of Pierre Henry, JMJ said: « He is the first, with Pierre Schaeffer, who said that the music was not only made of notes based on music theory, but sounds and that we could go out with a microphone and go record the sound of the rain, the sound of the wind, and make music out of it. »
On leaving the GRM, Jean-Michel Jarre becomes a composer, lyricist, arranger and producer. And then in 1976, in his apartment turned into a home studio, he composes a record of instrumental music that nobody wants: Oxygène. Producer Francis Dreyfus accepts to release the album and it's a revolution. Thanks to this record, « He [Jean-Michel] has made millions of people discover electronic music! » Moby
From Lyon to Equinoxe Infinity, discover the story of one of the pioneers of electronic music.

Informations

• Publié par: Coëtquen Editions
• Nombre de lectures: 8
• EAN13: 9782849933435
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Table of Contents

1. Son of Lyon 2. Le chat qui pêche 3. The arrival of rock, creation of the first bands 4. The GRM 5. Aor 6. The multifaceted 7. The first collaboration with Patrick Juvet 8. The meeting with Michel Geiss 9. Jarre’s talent is reputed 10. The second collaboration with Patrick Juvet 11. The concept « Oxygène » 12. Charlotte 13. Oxygène 14. Croissy and Équinoxe 15. The concert of the Concorde 16. From the obelisk to the Great Wall of China 17. The concerts in China 18. Music for supermarkets 19. Zoolook 20. Rendez-vous Houston 21. Rendez-vous Lyon 22. Captain Blood 23. Destination Docklands 24. Paris La Défense

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9 13 14 17 23 26 28 28 30 30 31 34 35 41 49 55 61 68 71 73 84 92 93 104

25. From Mexico to South Africa 112 26. Europe in concert 118 27. From Hong-Kong to the headquarters of Unesco 124 28. Oxygène Tour 131 29. Electronic night 135 30. Imac Night 138 31. The twelve dreams of the sun 139 32. Akropolis 146 33. Aéro 147 34. Jarre in China 151 35. Space of freedom 157 36. Water for life 160 37. Téo & Téa 161 38. Oxygène, back to the roots 165 39. The return of the phoenix: from Debrecen to Monaco 168 40. 2015-2018: the fill up of albums 191

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1.

Son of Lyon

(1) th Jean-Michel Jarre was born on August 24 , 1948 in the capital of Gauls.« I was born in Lyon, in the district of Croix-Rousse, of parents from Lyon for generations. » (Madame Figaro) Croix- Rousse, that’s the working hill, the hill of the canuts who made Lyon famous. The other hill of the city, Fourvière, is the hill praying and looking after people of Lyon with the basilica.

Jean-Michel’s father is called Maurice and is passionate about music. After having studied drums and percussions, he reaches the

(1) For a long time, Jean-Michel removed the dash in his composed first name. Most of his albums were stamped Jean Michel Jarre. In the past few years, he uses again his first name as it is registered in the Civil Registry.

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more and more, which is getting on Jean-Michel’s nerves, already taken up by the promotion ofOxygène. When Patrick records the voices ofOù sont les femmesin Paris with Jean-Pierre Janiaud, Jean- Michel takes care of the music in the United States. The album is released in June and prevails at hit-parades.

After another album with Christophe (La dolce vita) this same year, Jean-Michel decides not to write anymore for other. From now on, he wants to totally devote himself to his career.

To relax, Jean-Michel takes some rest in Saint-Tropez with Charlotte and their son David. WithOxygène, Jarre and Dreyfus are millionaires: Jamie searches a house large enough, capable likely to welcome the recomposed family and a personal studio. As for (69) Francis, he creates a record company named after him.

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14. Croissy and Équinoxe

Within Jarre-Rampling couple, that’s the lady who visits the houses close to Paris. In the apartment they occupy in the capital, Jean-Michel monopolizes a room for his studio and with young children, daily life is not easy.

Charlotte ends up finding the rare gem so much coveted:« I was looking for a house near Paris, but not too far to be able to come in

(69) Francis Dreyfus recruits his staff and organizes the record company around its main artist, which is a double or nothing strategy. This is an additional pressure on Jean-Michel’s shoulders: from now on, the employees and their families depend on the sales of his future albums. He will have to often release selling records to pay salaries and generate profit allowing to sign other artists (even fill shortfalls of those records if the success is not achieved).

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the capital every day. We wanted it big, with enough space for Jean- Michel to build his studio and for the children to feel comfortable. We also wanted to be able to have animals. In a bit more than a year, I had visited dozens of houses, but it’s by accident, walking in the surrounding area, that I saw “the” house. Immediately, I found it beautiful. And luckily, it was for sale! » (Paris Match)

The happy family therefore moves to Croissy, in a nice private mansion from the 1850s, just on the Seine riverside. Majestic, sat in a green environment, the mansion was used as an idyllic setting for the impressionist painters. Inside, a beige elevator serves the different levels of the house (Charlotte will make it painted in red, giving it the look of a British phone booth). Charlotte and Jean- Michel furnish their place in the 30s and 50s style. Outside, the dogs

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Rendez-vous Houston 1986 (Photos © Jacques de Selliers / www.deselliers.info)

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