Jean-Michel Jarre Electronic music composer Date of Birth: 24.08.1948 Country: France

Biography of Jean-Michel Jarre

Jean-Michel Jarre, a composer of electronic music, is one of the pioneers of electronic music, including ambient and new age styles. He gained fame as the creator and director of stunning music and light shows, one of which reportedly drew 3.5 million people on the Sparrow Hills in Moscow. Jean-Michel André Jarre was born on August 24, 1948, in Lyon, France. His parents, composer Maurice Jarre and French Resistance member Francine Pejot, divorced when Jean-Michel was five years old. His father moved to America, and Jean-Michel did not see him again until he reached adulthood.

From an early age, Jarre learned to play the piano and developed a love for it when his teachers changed. While attending the Lycee Michelet, Jean-Michel began taking additional lessons in harmony, counterpoint, and fugue at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1967, he played in a band called The Dustbins, experimenting with mixing electronic guitar and flute, sounds from magnetic tapes, and more. Later, Jarre became acquainted with the modular synthesizer 'Moog' and worked at the studio of influential German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in Cologne. Eventually, Jean-Michel established his own small recording studio near the Champs-Élysées.

In 1969, the composer released his first commercial record, 'La Cage/Erosmachine'. In 1971, Jean-Michel provided his electronic music for the ballet 'AOR' at the Palais Garnier in Paris. His compositions were later featured in ballets, plays, commercials, and television programs. In 1972, Jarre released the album 'Deserted Palace', followed by the budget solo album 'Oxygène' in 1976, which propelled him to international fame with its spacey synthesizer electronics. 'Oxygène' sold 12 million copies, becoming the best-selling French record of all time. The most recognizable single, 'Oxygène IV', reached the fourth spot in the UK singles chart. The album 'Équinoxe', focused on melodic development, was released in 1978. The following year, the composer attracted a million-person crowd during a 40-minute concert on Bastille Day at Place de la Concorde in Paris. Jean-Michel used light projections, images, and fireworks, which became the basis for his subsequent shows. On May 20, 1981, Jarre released the album 'Les Chants Magnétiques', by which time approximately six million copies of 'Oxygène' and 'Équinoxe' had been sold. For the new album, the composer utilized the 'Fairlight CMI' synthesizer, and digital technologies allowed him to continue his early sound experiments. In 1981, Jarre became an Honorary Fellow of the Beijing Conservatory.

In July 1983, Jarre auctioned off the only vinyl copy of the album 'Musique pour Supermarché', specifically recorded for an art exhibition called 'Supermarché'. Jean-Michel promised to burn the original tapes in the presence of a representative of authority. The auction managed to raise around 70,000 francs, and the event was positioned as a protest against the 'stupid industrialization of music'. Jarre performed a concert in Houston in 1986, attracting over 1.5 million spectators. Two years later, he released the multi-genre album 'Revolutions', followed by the release of 'En Attendant Cousteau' in 1990, inspired by the oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Techno music served as the inspiration for the album 'Chronologie', which marked a return to the concept developed during the release of 'Oxygène' and 'Équinoxe'. In 2000, Jarre presented his first vocal album, 'Métamorphoses', featuring Laurie Anderson. He stated, "Looking back, I cherish the album 'Oxygène 7-13'. But as soon as the work on it was completed, I already knew that I had to start anew. I had to turn to something completely different. 'Metamorphoses' for me is like a blank page, like a new beginning." Jean-Michel released the album 'Geometry of Love', initially in a limited edition of 2000 copies. Today, it is extremely difficult to find the album in CD format. In September 2004, the release 'AERO', a combination of DVD and CD, was introduced. This 5.1 sound system work featured re-recorded versions of some of Jarre's most famous tracks. To enhance the content on the DVD, Jean-Michel used minimalist images. On March 26, 2007, Jarre presented the conceptual album 'Téo & Téa', which told a metaphorical love story between fictional cartoon characters who meet, fall in love, and spend one day together through musical forms. The title track, 'Téo & Téa', was accompanied by a computer-animated video. The album cover was inspired by David Lynch's film 'Wild at Heart'. In October 2015, Jean-Michel introduced the album 'Electronica 1: The Time Machine' (working title 'E-Project'). The composer involved 15 different artists in the recording of 16 tracks. Following the first collaboration with techno musician Gesaffelstein, 'Conquistador', Jarre recorded 'Glory' with the group M83. The composition 'Glory' became the soundtrack for the short film 'EMIC'. The album 'Electronica 1: The Time Machine' reached the eighth position in the UK charts.

In 2016, Jarre's work with 15 other artists led to the creation of 'Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise'. This time, the French musician collaborated with Pet Shop Boys, Yello, Hans Zimmer, Gary Numan, and others. The speech of Edward Snowden, a former CIA and NSA employee, was used for the eighth track, 'Exit'. Jean-Michel Jarre has been married three times. From January 20, 1975, to 1977, his wife was Flore Guillard, with whom he had a daughter named Emilie Charlotte, who became a model. From his second marriage to actress Charlotte Rampling, he has a son named David. In 1995, photos of Jarre with his 31-year-old secretary, Odile Frume, appeared in the magazine 'Hello!'. In 1996, Jarre and Rampling divorced. In May 2005, Jean-Michel married actress Anne Parillaud. The marriage ended in November 2010. In honor of Jarre and his father, a minor planet was named '(4422) Jarre'.