One record at a time: 198. Jean Michel Jarre - In Concert - Houston / Lyon with Orchestra and Choir

In my rush to get through Jarre's enormous back catalogue I skipped this album when I first began this post. This is a little ironic as "Houston/Lyon" is probably one of the records I played most in my youth. Yet when these concerts were released on VHS in the early nineties the scales were lifted from my eyes and I began to regard this record with less reverence.

Why did I not like the album so much after I saw the videos? Because it clearly showed Jarre was miming to backing tapes. There are live drums and bass on this recording but they are playing to a click from a backing tape. I had often mused why an electronic musician had to promote the fact that their album featured 'orchestra and choir' on the sleeve, but now I know it is because they are one of few live elements on these recordings.

For some reason we are only given a small snipped of the music for "Oxygene Part V" before it moves into an audio collage of TV reports regarding the Houston concert. The first movement of "Ethnicolor" is just playback before the bass, brass and percussion join for the second movement. There is a recording of a radio broadcast of the Lyon concert where someone is clearly playing the synth parts and percussion live. It's a shame nothing so authentic seems to have made the cut here.

In the transition to the next track there is another audio montage that features so many American voices it is clear the focus is firmly on the Houston concert. Whilst it is obvious there are live elements in "Magnetic Fields Part I" it is equally clear there is a great deal of playback going on too. Similarly "Equinoxe Part V" sounds like the album version with some live drumming and a few firework noises.

There's a big subterfuge right at the end of the first side when we hear a man exclaim, "The most amazing sight ever seen by the human eye!" We assume he is talking about the concert he has just witnessed, but the video shows us that the man is actually a magician entertaining people on the streets of Houston before the concert. 

We finally hear something of the Lyon concert as the pope provides an introduction to "Third Rendez-Vous" in which there is a real choir and some real miming by Jarre on the "laser harp". "Second Rendez-Vous" does feature live drumming and, as you might imagine, the choir becomes prominent. "Last Rendez-Vous" sees Kirk Whalum playing lead saxophone and it sounds better than the album version to my ears. This record goes out with a bang as "Fourth Rendez-Vous" receives some horrendous fretless bass and a sax solo laid over the top. I hate the bass playing on this song; always have. Still, the album is entertaining enough if you can forgive the fact it is a largely fabricated and sterile version of these concerts. 2.5/5

One record at a time: 197. Jean Michel Jarre - Rendez-Vous

I'm pretty sure "Rendez-Vous" was the first album I ever bought. Whilst the copy I own today is the same UK pressing, it isn't the same record I acquired in 1987. This is largely because I ruined my original through a combination of carelessness and abrasive cleaning solutions to the point where only the sleeve survives.

"First Rendez-Vous" is a highly atmospheric opening piece featuring a menacing growl that gives way to a beautiful languid melody. Wihtout further ado, we launch straight into the first movement of "Second-Rendez Vous". Bombastic horns beat out the melody as we are showered with effects derived from an AKS synthesizer. A new horn melody emerges for the second movement as Jarre cunningly develops the themes and melodies.

Part three of the "Second Rendez-Vous" sees the mighty Elka Synthex play an irresistible melody over a beat box. This is the piece Jarre will mime to with his famous Laser Harp in concerts such as Houston and Lyon. The final movement sees the opening theme restored and then elevated to a fitting crescendo. Original CD releases merely used index marks (remember those white elephants?) to differentiate between the movements but newer CDs and digital releases splice them into individual tracks.

I've mentioned before that a lot of what Jarre does is smoke and mirrors, and in my youth I was led to believe so much that turned out to be a lie. I don't care what the credits tell you; there was no "Laser Harp" involved in the recording of "Third Rendez-Vous". The reality was that Jarre pulled out his Elka Synthex, dialled up a preset and played a tune he had written 11 years before for Gérard Lenorman. As good as this track is, that is what it amounts to. No cool shades, no asbestos gloves and definitely no lasers.

The standout piece on the record is "Fourth Rendez-Vous" which has arguably the most memorable melody Jarre had produced since "Oxygene Part IV". The Casio "BRASS ENS. 1" blasts away as a heavily disguised TR-808 pounds out the beat. Until I began this post I had no idea that there were two different album mixes issued for this track. I haven't knowingly heard both versions, but I can't imagine they are vastly different. 

"Fifth Rendez-Vous" is less melody driven and moves through three movements. The fist movement is in triple time and has a stirring melody that sounds like it was played on shimmering glass. There is a cameo appearance by Jarre's son who plays a couple of themes from the album on a home keyboard as effects swirl around him. Distinctive Fairlight strings underpin the final movement which recycles the music from "Music For Supermarkets Part 3". For me this is one of the best pieces on the album. I'm not a fan of "Last Rendez-Vous" as it is overly long and I don't like the sound of saxophones. Despite the drab ending this is generally a good album that remains entertaining. 4/5

One record at a time: 196. Jean MIchel Jarre - Zoolook

I bought the record on the left of this picture over thirty five years ago. Unfortunately the years haven't been kind to the disc so I recently bought another copy in better condition.

When I moved from vinyl to CD I kept my original record because it was the easiest way to hear the original versions of two tracks from the album. 

About a year after "Zoolok" was released, someone decided that the single mixes of the title track and "Zoolookologie" were superior to René Ameline's original efforts. As a result, all subsequent pressings of the CD and cassette would include these remixes. Discogs suggests there were no re-pressings of the UK LP, so until the age of the internet, this first version was the cheapest way of owning the original mixes.

When I first heard this album I was struck by how different it was to "Equinoxe", "Magnetic Fields" and "Rendez-Vous". Part of the folklore of this album is that during his travels around the world, Jarre made field recordings that were subsequently incorporated into the music. In addition French ethnologist, Xavier Bellanger contributed a large number of recordings of speech in various languages that Jarre processed and wove into the fabric of the record. Yet, like many things Jarre does, these claims don't bear much scrutiny. There are a number of vocal samples that are easily identified as belonging to the sample libraries for the Fairlight CMI and the Emu Emulator, and some recordings were of Jarre and the other musicians who contributed to the recording sessions.

The first movement of opening track "Ethnicolor" uses a distinctive reversed vocal sample over a choir and melody played on the "Tut" sample from the EMU Emulator library. This track also significant because it features the only discernable use of a Yamaha DX7 in Jarre's music. Whilst the whole world was plastering their recordings with this FM synthesiser in 1984, Jarre didn't really like it and so a small scattering of tubular bells is all you will hear in his music. After about seven minutes the second movement is ushered in by French horns and various sound effects. Soon the drums of Yogi Horton come crashing through with the distinctive slap bass of Marcus Miller rattling around under the increasingly frenetic samples and synths.

In 1983 Jarre auctioned a solitary copy of an album called "Music For Supermarkets". Rather than waste the material from that record, Jarre decided to recycle some of it here. Second track "Diva" begins as an atmospheric piece in which Laurie Anderson adds various nonsensical words that sound vaguely Gallic. Before long the track moves into a second movement that echoes "Music For Supermarkets Part VII". The principal difference in the version here is that Anderson continues with her gibberish vocals and there is some guitar courtesy of Adrian Belew.

The titicular single begins side B with a nice theme played on the "AAH" sample found in the Fairlight sample library. Various vocal snippets float in and out as the slap bass chugs along. As the lead single for the album I always feel like I should like this track, but it doesn't really excite me as much as it should.

"Wooloomooloo" is based around a looped sample (I seem to remember it is called something like "Tibet" in the Fairlight) that staggers along as Jarre adds a melody and lots of effects. The single "Zoolookologie" is an upbeat and frivolous pop song that was accompanied by a video that was so bad it might actually be good. The tune is pleasant enough and for once the slap bass is restrained sufficiently to not dominate the mix.

Once again Jarre plunders "Music For Super Markets" as "Part V" is reincarnated as "Blah Blah Cafe". Here, Emulator saxophones create funky melodies with quirky vocoder vocals soaring over pitched down drum samples. It's a heady, but effective concoction. The final track "Ethnicolor II" is another slower piece based on a looped sample. There are various effects moving in and out as a meandering melody is played out on cello samples. 

To me this album sounds a bit like Jarre fell in love with the Emulator and decided to build an album around it. By creating some themes, bringing in some new musicians and recycling bits of "Music For Supermarkets" there was just enough to hang these new sounds on. Whilst it was a valiant effort, this record is not one of his best. 3/5

One record at a time: 195. Jean MIchel Jarre - The Essential / Musik Aus Zeit Und Raum

It seems logical to look at these records together as they are essentially the same compilation. Well, I say 'essentially the same' but the fact is they were all released at different times, with different artwork and different content.

"The Essential" was first released in 1983 and presented various tracks from Jarre's first four albums. As you might expect this compilation opens with the main themes "Oxygene Part IV", "Equinoxe Part V", "Oxygene Part II" and "Magnetic Fields Part II". So far, so predictable.

Things do go slightly awry with the selection of  "Orient Express" which is a bit bombastic when held up against the smooth textures of "Oxygene" and "Equinoxe". The inclusion of "Magnetic Fields Part I" is much more understandable but it fades out after a mere three minutes. Side One finishes with an excerpt from "Fishing Junks at Sunset" which clearly illustrates there is diversity in Jarre's music even if it is not always enjoyable.

The flip side opens with a surprising selection, "The Overture". This is a good track but it is basically a rehash of a song we've already heard. The next three numbers are all appropriate choices for an "Essential" compilation, but both "Equinoxe Part IV" and "Magnetic Fields Part IV" are curtailed prematurely. Things go off the rails at the end with a jumble of tracks from "Equinoxe" and the uncomfortable "Magnetic Fields Part V".

For the German speaking market there was another compilation the following year called, "Musik Aus Zeit Und Raum". In my youth I used to see this record available as an import and was fascinated by the sleeve. One day I decided to buy it as I only owned "The Essential" on cassette and the track choices on this record seemed much better. When I got the record home and dropped the needle I was a little surprised to find new versions of "Magnetic Fields Part II", "Equinoxe Part IV" and "Magnetic Fields Part IV". I didn't know it at the time but, for whatever reason, this album features the single mixes of these tracks. It is also worth noting that the version of "Equinoxe Part V" included here is the original 1978 album mix as opposed to the more common second mix. I own the Polydor version of this record (a rare survivor from my youth) and the "Polystar" version and they both feature these different mixes - disappointingly the CD version uses the standard album versions. 

The final compilation is from France and is titled "The Essential 1976 -1986". This later release is pretty much the same as the 1983 version but swaps out "Equinoxe Part I" for the single remix of "Zoolookologie". Whilst this change is a slight improvement over the original, there was a lost opportunity to substitute some of the weaker tracks with more material from "Zoolook". So "Zeit Und Raum" remains the pick of these early compilations and the vinyl with the single mixes is a real bonus. 4/5

One record at a time: 194. Jean MIchel Jarre - The Concerts In China

"The Concerts In China" is a double album that documented (and paid for) Jarre's 1981 concerts in Beijing and Shanghai. 

This record contains live renditions of previously released tracks along with 'over 40 minutes' of new material.

Much like Japan's "Oil On Canvas", there is much debate as to just how 'live' these recordings are. Most artists edit, mix and overdub their live recording to make them sound better, but with this record I get the feeling the post production changes amounted to more than a few minor embellishments. 

There's no doubt that the coda, "Souvenir Of China" is a studio recording as it was written after the tour. Whilst "Orient Express" seems to have been played during some of the concerts, I strongly suspect the version heard on the album wasn't captured in front of a live audience. 

We get some indication of just how much post-production went into these tracks if we compare it to other sources such as the recording of the first Beijing concert that was broadcast by Dutch radio or the VHS of the album. The music on these recordings is unvarnished and comes replete with mistakes and even some different arrangements. Whilst we know the content of the shows evolved during the course of the tour, this doesn't fully account for the obvious gulf between these raw recordings and the finished product.

So there is no doubt there is a considerable amount of studio augmentation going on and this record doesn't reflect exactly what was heard in the concert halls. I guess its down to the individual to decide if that matters or not. As with many things Jarre does, you are supposed to enjoy the spectacle and ignore the details.

I own a copy of the "40th Anniversary Edition" of this album but haven't played it yet. From what I read on Discogs the audio on this version is compressed and the discs may even have issues with skipping, so I will need to investigate that at some stage. With this in mind, we will spin a copy of the original UK pressing from 1982.

The album begins with "The Overture" which is brooding piece that uses the same sequences as "Magnetic Fields Part I" at a much slower tempo. After this great opening we move on to one of the most revered tracks from this album with the stunning "Arpegiator". Yes, the title is unimaginative but the music is a sublime slice of early eighties electronica that deserves to be lauded as one of Jarre's best. The first side closes with a rendition of "Equinoxe IV" which sees Roger Rizzitelli dominate the rest of the band by enthusiastically attacking his Simmons kit.

Side two starts with an arrangement of a traditional Chinese tune "Fisherman's Song at Dusk"  but the sleeve gives the impression it was written by Jarre. At nearly ten minutes in length this can be a test of even the most ardent Jarre fans stamina, but the synthesiser driven sections are entertaining enough. There is a short rendition of "Band in the Rain" from "Equinoxe", which is only significant because it was the first time the piece was given a title. The long meandering introduction to "Equinoxe VII" builds a tension that resolves with the introduction of the songs sequenced bassline and the audience clapping along completely out of time. The ten minutes of this song pass in a blur of melody, Fairlight samples and a merciful respite from the Simmons kit of Rizzitelli.

The second disc opens with "Orient Express" which is a new composition that features a poppy melody over a disco bassline. Whilst this song is passable, it isn't exactly Jarre at his peak. The sleeve notes mislead us into thinking the next track is "Magnetic Fields Part I" but in reality it is just a sample of pong pong balls - this has always mystified and annoyed me in equal measure. Up next is a version of "Magnetic Fields Part III" which gives way to a lively and entertaining version of "Magnetic Fields Part IV" which the crowd seem to respond to enthusiastically. 

"Laser Harp" would probably have been a more entertaining spectacle when seen live and the rather tuneless piece Jarre generates with his new found toy is nothing to write home about. "Night In Shanghai" is another new track which sees Jarre sampling traditional Chinese instruments and running them through his Fairlight. After about two minutes a sequence starts up and the piece begins to gather some momentum and once it is up and running this is an entertaining piece. On this album "Magnetic Fields Part V" is rechristened "The Last Rhumba" and isn't a track I enjoy much. The finale to the concerts was always a stirring rendition of "Magnetic Fields Part II" which has the most amazing solo by Dominique Perrier. A new studio recording "Souvenir Of China" is tagged onto the end of the album and fits quite well. Personally I'm not too keen on the track as it seems very ponderous and largely devoid of melody, but it doesn't detract too much from what has gone before. 3.5/5

One record at a time: 193. Jean Michel Jarre - Magnetic Fields

I purchased my original vinyl of this record in about 1987 from the record department of a local supermarket. As I approached the till I realised the record had two price stickers with differing amounts. Unfortunately I only had enough money for the lower price and I hoped this is what I would be charged. Inevitably the lady at the till requested the higher amount and I was short to the tune of 11p. As I stood wondering what to do the person behind me in the queue said, "We can't be having that," and handed over the 11p to the shop assistant. I thanked the man profusely but couldn't quite fathom out why he would be so kind. Maybe he was a Jarre fan, maybe he was a music buff or maybe he was just someone spreading a little kindness in the world. Which ever he was, I have always vowed that if I ever come across someone in the same situation, I will help them in turn.

Having foolishly sold my original vinyl in a rush to CD in the early nineties, I now own an original UK pressing from 1981 (with picture inner that was missing from subsequent re-pressings), a mid eighties version that is similar to my original and a remastered version from 2011. There's not a lot to choose between the different pressings so I will pick one at random.

Whilst "Part I" of this album occupies the whole of the first side of the disc, it is actually split into three distinct movements. On the opening theme we hear pulsating synth bass lines, Fairlight choirs and the soaring tones of an Oberheim OB-X. The middle of the song is less rhythmical and sees Jarre scattering various Fairlight derived effects and samples across a meandering melody. In my youth I would always anticipate the sounds of a jet engine moving across the stereo image as it signals the transition into the last movement. This section of "Part I" is definitely my favourite as it has some fantastic sequenced parts along with a strong melodic element. Thanks to the Fairlight there is a much greater diversity in sound on this record and things have definitely moved on from "Oxygene" and "Equinoxe".

On the flip side, "Part II" is the most "pop" element of this album. Weird hybrid hand claps signal a frenetic run through catchy themes that build to a satisfying crescendo: Jarre now has real polysynths and he has the chords to prove it. Whilst the album version of this song is good, it sounds a little flat without the superb solo by Dominique Perrier that first appeared on the album "Concerts In China". It seems M. Jarre concours with this appraisal as this solo has been added to almost all subsequent renditions and re-recordings of the song.

A passing train signals the segue into "Part III" which is based around a looped sample from the Fairlight. To my adolescent ears this sounded like nothing more than album filler, but today I regard it as an interesting diversion that demonstrates Jarre was capable of more that trite little pop tunes. 

The pièce de résistance of this disc is undoubtedly "Part IV". This is one of my favourite Jarre tracks and I consider it a masterpiece of electronic music. I particularly like the melody on this track and the sequencer driven bassline is superb. There are smatterings of vocoder and percussion to add sonic flavouring, whilst various sequences and effects swirl around us.

The final piece on this album is a strange rhumba that sounds like it was played on a home organ. In my youth, this is the track people would point to if they wanted to deride my musical preferences. I can see Jarre was trying to create a companion piece to "Band In The Rain" from "Equinoxe" but this is overindulgent nonsense that spoils the end of an otherwise impressive album. 4/5

One record at a time: 192. Jean Michel Jarre - Equinoxe

"Equinoxe" is Jean Michel Jarre's fourth album and I own a UK pressing from the mid-eighties, a double pack that includes "Oxygene" and a repressing from 2011. Some people seem to like the 2011 version but my copy sounds dull and lifeless. So, for this review I will play the reliable eighties version.

I first started to buy Jean Michel Jarre's records around 1987. By the time I bought the cassette of "Equinoxe" I was familiar with "Zoolook", "Rendez-Vous" and "Magnetic Fields" but much of his earlier work was a mystery to me. When I first heard "Equinoxe Part I" oozing from my bright red Ferguson Escort 3T46 personal cassette player, I was a little surprised. 

Jarre starts this album with slower, atmospheric pieces that don't necessarily jump out and grab the listener. If you're looking for pop tunes and an easy ride then the first three tracks on this album may not be for you. The usual sounds of the Eminent strings are now augmented by horns from a Yamaha CS-60 and the Oberheim "Polyphonic Synthesiser". As the bass drum and sequencers of "Part 4" kick in, the mood shifts a little. Whilst this track retains the darker sounding textures, it introduces a strong melody and develops its themes into a seven minute extravaganza of VC3 effects, Mellotron choirs and a whistling ARP 2600.

Side two opens with "Part V" which is probably the best know piece from this record. There is a pleasing melody and some impressive production touches that will fulfil the casual listener. I think my over familiarity with this song means it loses some of its magic, but I still enjoy it. There are actually two mixes of this song dependent on which pressing of the album you have. The original 1978 album features a mix that was replaced on later pressings and all compact discs. You can tell the two versions apart by listening for the güiro percussion sound which is present from the start on the original but fades in after a couple of bars on the remix. I also think the VC3 type sound effects are much more prominent on the newer version. Personally I prefer the original, but the differences are relatively minor.

The sequencer driven "Part VI" is a neat diversion before the most impressive piece on the record which is predictably titled "Part VII". An ARP 2600 bassline kicks things off before the familiar Eminent strings creep in to weave an intriguing melody. As the music slowly builds new themes are woven into the fabric of the song and it develops into something almost uplifting. After five minutes or so we taken into a coda which brings us slowly back to earth in a shower of shimmering VC3 generated sound effects. As the rain starts to fall we hear a "Band in the rain" before "Part VIII" resurrects the theme from "Part V". 

In my youth I liked this album a lot more than I do today. Whilst I still regard these compositions very highly, I can't get past the fact that a large part of the first side is too languid and the ending is something of a disappointment. Today I can hear how much Jarre had moved his sound on from "Oxygene" with vocoders and sequencers, but it remains too reliant on the familiar Eminent strings and constant VC3 effects. The real revolution in Jarre's sound was to be brought about by digital technology. 4/5

POST SCRIPT: Having written about the two different mixes of "Part V", I realised I didn't own a copy of the original pressing of the album with the first mix. I do own the mix on on various other discs, but something compelled me to buy an original. The earlier pressing are easy to spot as the have red labels and a picture of Jarre's face emerging from the shadows on the rear sleeve.

In the end I won an auction that also contained an early copy of "Oxygene" which was still partially contained in its original cellophane wrapper (a sure sign a record has been looked after).  As I expected, there isn't a scratch on these records but they were very, very dirty. Once I had put them through my cleaning machine they looked and sounded great; but the cleaning solution seemed to turn a murky grey colour that I have never seen before.