Jean-Michel André Jarre (born
Jarre is the son of
24 August 1948 in Lyon, France) is a French composer, performer and music producer. He is highly regarded as one of the pioneers in the Electronic, Synth Pop, Experimental and New Age genres, as well as the organiser of record-breaking outdoor spectacles of his music, which feature laser displays and fireworks, linking music with the surrounding environment and architecture. Jarre has sold an estimated 80 million albums and singles over his career. [1]/>/>
Maurice Jarre, a famous composer of film music, and France Pejot, a member of the French resistance during World War II. When Jean Michel was five, however, his father departed for Hollywood and Jarre would not have much contact with him from then on [2]. But it was also at the same time that Jarre began studying classical piano, which he later abandoned. During his youth, he formed a band called Mystère IV. In the late 1960s, he started experimenting with tape loops, radios and other electronic devices, until, in 1968, he joined the Groupe de Recherche Musicale (GRM), under the direction of Pierre Schaeffer, the "father" of musique concrète, where he was introduced to synthesizers..
jeudi 13 décembre 2007, 20h37 --
PARIS (AP) - Pour fêter les 30 ans d'"Oxygène", l'album qui lui avait valu une renommée internationale, Jean-Michel Jarre convie le public à dix concerts exceptionnels au Théâtre Marigny à Paris jusqu'au 26 décembre.
Pionnier de la musique électronique, le compositeur français avait obtenu un immense succès grâce à cette oeuvre au titre visionnaire. "'Oxygène' a toujours été pour moi une musique liée à l'environnement, se situant dans un espace entre ciel et Terre, j'ai donc imaginé une scénographie qui reflète cette sensation", a expliqué Jean-Michel Jarre à propos de la production à Marigny.
Mercredi soir, le musicien âgé de 59 ans a posé ses valises dans l'enceinte du théâtre pour y jouer l'oeuvre intégrale en "live", accompagné de trois musiciens sur les instruments électroniques de l'époque, une cinquantaine de synthés analogiques.
"Oxygène", qui compte au nombre des albums fondateurs de la musique électronique, a été réalisé sur des instruments pour la plupart disparus. L'album a représenté une approche de la création sonore ayant ouvert la voie à de jeunes musiciens.
"J'ai composé 'Oxygène' sur des instruments extraordinaires qui font partie de la mythologie de la musique électronique au même titre que le "Stradivarius" pour la musique classique ou la "Finder Telecaster" pour le rock", souligne celui qui a habitué les foules à d'énormes concerts-spectacles dans le monde. "J'ai voulu les réunir sur scène pour les faire découvrir au public".
"'Oxygène' est une musique qu'on a qualifiée d'impressionniste et j'avais envie de l'interpréter dans un cadre plus intime comme celui du Théâtre Marigny", ajoute-t-il, tout en évoquant aussi son "plaisir de retrouver le public français à Paris, avant de présenter ce concert dans différentes autres capitales".
Parallèlement à cette production particulière, selon un communiqué, sortent la version originale réenregistrée en haute définition sur CD ainsi qu'une version live intitulée "Oxygene - Live in your living room" filmée en HD et en version 3D-stereoscopique sur DVD. AP
cr/com
Jean Michel Jarre is a pioneer of one of the fastest growing music trends today & electronic music.
His début album, OXYGÈNE, upon its release 30 years ago, took the world by surprise not only by its avant-garde musical genre, but also by its audacious album cover art-work (planet earth peeling away to reveal a human skull). With OXYGÈNE, Jarre's singular musical style and panoramic sound brought a breath of fresh air that captured the masses and remains today a benchmark in contemporary music history.
OXYGÈNE has sold over 12 million copies worldwide since its release in 1977.
Jean Michel Jarre has, with the international success of OXYGÈNE, gained his reputation as an environment-conscious citizen of the planet and an active militant for its safe-guard, a legacy for future generations; UNESCO invited him over 15 years ago to lend his talent to their mission in this field, a role he proudly exercises for the United Nations since.
December 2007 sees the 30th anniversary of the creation of OXYGÈNE; its avant-guard musical genre, its universally renowned signature melody and its visionary art-work have ensured the timelessness and value of this concept-album.
In these days where music has become a major player in global life-style, where music is omni-present wherever we are, where music is available at the touch of a button, where music is massively consumed and sadly sometimes short-lived, we thought it opportune and timely to celebrate OXYGÈNE with its eternal singularity and universality, with its premonitory environmental message that has become the centre of global attention only quite recently.
True to his spirit of creating an event out of all endeavours, Jarre decided to unearth his collection of vintage synthesisers and perform his original masterpiece for a new recording.
Having realised the collection of mythical instruments he had horded over the years and forgotten for some, in the depths of his garage, he decided to film his live performance of OXYGENE in HD and in stereoscopic 3D with optional 5.1 surround sound and Dolby digital.
"OXYGENE -- Live in your living room" is what Jean Michel Jarre has created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his super-hit album: the stereoscopic 3D video and surround sound give the unique impression of being right there next to Jean Michel and his instruments while seated on your living room couch. Jean Michel is accompanied by three musicians for this live performance, as the 8 track original masterpiece requires eight hands for a live performance...
This special project is not only targeted at the 12 million who have already bought the original album and who will be interested by the new recording with today's technology and the live version with the legendary instruments, but also should be addressed to the younger generation who can be attracted by the originality of the music and the trendiness of the vintage synthesisers.
All generations will be bluffed by the stereoscopic 3D which is a true première. "OXYGENE -- Live in your living room" is the first concert to be filmed in stereoscopy which is the next giant step in audiovisual entertainment: Philips have developed a new plasma screen that delivers a 3D stereoscopy image visible without glasses, the film director James Cameron (Titanic) has patented a new stereoscopic movie camera and is to release his next movie in stereoscopic 3D.
"OXYGENE -- Live in your living room" comes in a package comprised of: - CD with a new super-stereo recording of the original score.
- DVD with sensational STEREOSCOPIC 3D video of the live performance also available in 2D.
