Jean-Michel Jarre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean-Michel Jarre
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Jarre in 2017
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jean-Michel André Jarre |
| Born | 24 August 1948 Lyon, France |
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| Years active | 1960–present |
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| Associated acts | Gorillaz |
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Jean-Michel André Jarre (born 24 August 1948) is a French musician, composer, and record producer. He is a pioneer in electronic, ambient, and new-age music. Jarre is famous for his huge outdoor concerts. These shows feature his music along with amazing laser displays, giant projections, and fireworks.
Jarre grew up in Lyon, France, with his mother and grandparents. He started learning piano at a young age. He was inspired by many types of art, like street performers, jazz musicians, and the artist Pierre Soulages. His music style was greatly influenced by Pierre Schaeffer, who created musique concrète. This style uses recorded sounds to make music.
His first big success was the 1976 album Oxygène. He recorded it in a small studio at his home. This album sold about 18 million copies! After Oxygène, he released Équinoxe in 1978. In 1979, Jarre performed for over a million people at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. This set a world record for the largest audience at an outdoor concert. He has broken this record three more times since then. His 1979 concert became the blueprint for his future spectacular shows around the world.
By 2004, Jarre had sold around 80 million albums and singles. He was the first Western musician officially invited to perform in China. His concert in Moscow on 6 September 1997 had 3.5 million people. This set a new world record for the largest audience at an outdoor event.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Musical Journey
Jean-Michel Jarre was born in Lyon, France, on 24 August 1948. His mother, Francette Pejot, was a member of the French Resistance. His father was the famous composer Maurice Jarre. When Jean-Michel was five, his parents separated. He stayed with his mother, and his father moved to the United States. He didn't see his father again until he was 18.
For his early years, Jarre spent half of each year at his grandparents' home in Lyon. His grandfather was an oboe player, engineer, and inventor. He even designed an early audio mixer for Radio Lyon. He also gave Jean-Michel his first tape recorder. From his window, young Jarre watched street performers. This experience later inspired his art.
Jarre found classical piano lessons difficult at first. But he later changed teachers and improved his skills. He became interested in many instruments. He found a unique "trumpet violin" at a flea market. He often went with his mother to a jazz club in Paris. There, he heard famous jazz musicians like John Coltrane. These early jazz experiences showed him that music could tell a story without words.
He was also inspired by French artist Pierre Soulages. Soulages' paintings used many layers of texture. Jarre realized that "for the first time in music, you could act as a painter with frequencies and sounds." He also loved classical music. He once said that a performance of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring was a huge shock. He also loved the Arabic singer Umm Kulthum and Ray Charles's "Georgia on My Mind". He felt that Ray Charles's music was very emotional and "talked to your tummy."
As a young man, Jarre sold his paintings to earn money. He also played guitar in a band called Mystère IV. He took lessons in music theory at the Conservatoire de Paris. In 1967, he played guitar in another band, The Dustbins. He started mixing electric guitar and flute sounds with tape effects.
In 1968, he began experimenting more with tape loops and electronic devices. In 1969, he joined the Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM). This group was led by Pierre Schaeffer, who invented musique concrète. Jarre learned about the Moog modular synthesizer there. He also worked at the studio of German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in Cologne.
Jarre set up a small recording studio in his apartment kitchen. It had his first synthesizers, an EMS VCS 3 and an EMS Synthi AKS. He linked these to tape machines. In 1969, he created "Happiness Is a Sad Song" for an art show. In 1971, he released "La Cage/Erosmachine," a mix of harmony, tape effects, and synthesizers.
The 1970s: Oxygène and Big Concerts
In 1971, Jarre created music for a ballet called AOR. He also composed background music for plays, TV shows, and commercials for Pepsi-Cola and Nestlé. From 1972 to 1975, he wrote music and lyrics for other artists like Françoise Hardy. In 1972, he released his first solo album, Deserted Palace. He also composed the soundtrack for the film The Burned Barns.
Jarre's 1976 album Oxygène was recorded at his home studio with a small budget. This album made him famous worldwide. He used analog synthesizers like the EMS VCS 3 and EMS Synthi AKS. Several record companies first turned him down. But Francis Dreyfus, head of Disques Motors, decided to release it. The first 50,000 copies were promoted in hi-fi shops and clubs. By April 1977, it had sold 70,000 copies in France.
His next album, Équinoxe, came out in 1978. It sold well, but not as much as Oxygène. However, in 1979, Jarre held a huge free outdoor concert on Bastille Day at the Place de la Concorde. Over 1 million people attended, setting a new world record! This 40-minute event used lights, images, and fireworks. It became the model for Jarre's future concerts. Its popularity boosted album sales, with 800,000 more records sold in just over a month.
The 1980s: China, Houston, and London
By 1981, Oxygène and Équinoxe had sold about 6 million copies globally. On 20 May 1981, Jarre released Les Chants Magnétiques. This album used sounds from the Fairlight CMI, a new digital instrument that Jarre helped pioneer. Its digital technology allowed him to explore new sounds.
In 1981, Jarre was invited to be the first Western musician to perform in China after Mao Zedong's era. He performed five concerts, two in Beijing and three in Shanghai. The first concert in Beijing faced power issues. Chinese officials solved it by temporarily cutting power to nearby areas! To get more people to the second concert, Jarre's team bought tickets and gave them to children. In 1982, recordings of these concerts were released as a double album. They featured his famous laser harp.
Between February and May 1983, Jarre recorded a unique album called Musique pour Supermarché (Music for Supermarkets). Only one copy was made! It was later broadcast once on Radio Luxembourg, and Jarre encouraged listeners to record it.
In 1984, he released his seventh studio album, Zoolook. This album used many fragments of human voices speaking different languages from around the world. Jarre recorded these digitally and then edited them using the Fairlight CMI.
In 1985, Jarre was asked to perform a concert in Houston, Texas. It was to celebrate Texas's 150th anniversary and NASA's 25th anniversary. Jarre was impressed by Houston's skyline and agreed. He worked with astronauts, including Ronald McNair, who was a musician. McNair was supposed to play the saxophone on "Rendez-Vous VI" from space. But he tragically died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in January 1986. Jarre decided to continue the concert in memory of the crew. French saxophonist Pierre Gossez recorded McNair's part, and the song was renamed "Ron's Piece."
About 2,000 projectors lit up buildings and giant screens up to 1,200 feet high. They turned the city's skyscrapers into amazing backdrops for fireworks and lasers. Rendez-vous Houston set a new Guinness Book of Records entry with over 1.5 million people. This beat his own record from 1979. The show was so impressive that a nearby highway was closed because people stopped to watch. Months later, he performed for about a million people in his hometown of Lyon. This celebrated a visit by Pope John Paul II.
In 1988, Jarre released his ninth album, Revolutions. That same year, he planned a concert called Destination Docklands in London. The location was chosen for its unique architecture. There were some delays and safety concerns. But Jarre eventually got approval for two shows on 8 and 9 October.
The stage for Jarre and his musicians floated on four large barges. Huge display screens were built, and a building was painted white to be a backdrop. Old World War II searchlights lit up the sky. About 200,000 people watched, along with thousands in nearby streets. The weather was bad, with strong winds and rain. But the show went on, even with Diana, Princess of Wales in the audience.
The 1990s: New Records and Technologies
In 1990, Jarre released En Attendant Cousteau (Waiting for Cousteau), a tribute to the French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. On Bastille Day, he performed another record-breaking concert at La Défense in Paris. About 2.5 million people attended, setting a new world record again! He planned a concert near the Pyramids of Teotihuacan in Mexico for a solar eclipse in 1991. But equipment problems and a cargo ship sinking made it impossible.
About two years later, he released Chronologie. This album used both his old synthesizers like the ARP 2600 and Minimoog, and newer ones like the Roland JD-800. Jarre said Chronologie mixed the sounds of the 1970s with the dance beats of the 1990s.
Jarre performed three concerts in South Africa in December 1992. Over 45,000 people attended. Chronologie was also part of his Europe in Concert tour, with 16 smaller shows. These concerts featured miniature skylines, lasers, and fireworks. Locations included London, Manchester, and the Versailles Palace. In March 1994, he played a concert in Hong Kong to open the city's new stadium.
Jarre performed many of his hits at the Concert for Tolerance on Bastille Day in 1995. This celebrated the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. The Eiffel Tower was specially lit for the event. In December, he launched "A Space for Tolerance," a website with music from En Attendant Cousteau.
In 1997, Jarre went back to using analog synthesizers from the 1970s for Oxygène 7–13. He dedicated it to his mentor, Pierre Schaeffer, who had passed away. In September, he set his fourth record for the largest outdoor concert audience. He performed at Moscow State University for Moscow's 850th anniversary. About 3.5 million people watched!
On 18 September 1998, Jarre created the first 3D concert, Electronic Odyssee. This was for the 50th anniversary of electronic music and the launch of the Apple iMac computer. 6,000 people watched wearing special 3D glasses.
Another huge concert took place on 31 December 1999, in the Egyptian desert near Giza. The Twelve Dreams of the Sun celebrated the new millennium. It also gave a preview of his next album, Métamorphoses, released in 2000. The show featured over 1,000 local artists and was based on ancient Egyptian myths.
The 2000s: New Sounds and Global Performances
In 2001, Jarre released Interior Music. Only 1,000 copies were made for Bang & Olufsen stores. It had two long pieces: "Bonjour Hello" (a sound collage with voices) and "Whispers of Life" (an instrumental version).
On 7 September 2002, Jarre held a concert in Denmark. It was very rainy and muddy, causing problems for the 40,000 spectators. The Danish band Safri Duo performed with him. This concert marked a change in Jarre's live shows. Before, he had many musicians with him. But at Aalborg, he was only with Francis Rimbert and guest artists.
In 2003, he released Geometry of Love. This album was created as a soundtrack for a nightclub in France. The album cover featured a pixelated photo of his girlfriend at the time, Isabelle Adjani.
In October 2004, Jarre returned to China. He performed two concerts: one at the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City and another in Tiananmen Square. Over 15,000 people watched at the Meridian Gate. Both concerts were shown live on national TV. Jarre worked with Chinese musician Chen Lin. His shows used 600 projectors to shine colored lights and images.
In September 2004, Jarre released AERO, a DVD and CD package. It was a collection of his famous songs, re-recorded in 5.1 surround sound. The DVD showed a visual of Anne Parillaud's eyes as she listened to the album.
As a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Jarre performed a concert called Water for Life in Morocco on 16 December 2006. This celebrated the United Nations Year of Desertification. The free concert was in front of the Erg Chebbi Dunes in the Sahara desert. About 25,000 people attended. Images of water were projected onto nine vertical screens. Jarre was joined by over 60 Moroccan artists.
Jarre released Téo & Téa in 2007. This album described the different stages of a loving relationship. That same year, he released a new recording of his 1976 album, Oxygène: New Master Recording. Jarre performed 10 concerts called Oxygène Live in Paris in December 2007. In 2008, he performed more concerts in Europe to celebrate Oxygène's 30th anniversary. In 2009, he began an indoor tour across Europe.
The 2010s: Collaborations and New Projects
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On 1 March 2010, Jean-Michel Jarre started the second part of his 2009–2010 Indoors tour. On 10 June, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Mojo magazine. On 1 July 2011, Jarre performed a large concert in Monaco to celebrate the marriage of Prince Albert and Charlene. He also played a concert in Carthage in August 2013.
In June 2013, Jarre was elected president of CISAC, an international group for authors and composers. In spring 2015, Jarre released music from a new album, Electronica 1: The Time Machine. This album, released in October 2015, featured many collaborations with other artists. Some of these included Gesaffelstein, M83, Tangerine Dream, Armin van Buuren, and John Carpenter. The album became Jarre's first UK Top 10 album in over 25 years. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2016.
In June 2015, Jarre also worked on a project called Soundhunters. This project was inspired by his album Zoolook. It included a web documentary and a film. Soundhunters won an award in Biarritz.
In 2016, Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise was released. It featured 15 more collaborations, including Pet Shop Boys, Hans Zimmer, and Gary Numan. One track even included speech by Edward Snowden. Electronica 2 was also nominated for awards. In 2016, Jarre worked with the virtual band Gorillaz on their album Humanz. He also composed the soundtrack for the French news network France Info.
In 2017, he performed a concert near the fortress of Masada to raise awareness about saving the Dead Sea. He also played a special concert in Spain. Both concerts were part of his Electronica Tour. In May 2017, Jarre toured Canada and the USA for the first time.
In March 2018, Jarre performed in South America for the first time. He played in Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile. He also continued his tour in Canada and the United States. He performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. His tour ended with a concert in Riyadh to celebrate Saudi National Day. This "Green Concert" used laser projections on skyscrapers. In September 2018, a compilation album called Planet Jarre – 50 Years of Music was released. It had 41 songs in four different styles.
In January 2019, Jarre composed the new musical identity for HSBC bank. On 3 October 2019, his autobiography, Melancolique Rodeo, was published. On 7 November 2019, Jarre released an app for iOS called EōN. This app creates ever-changing graphics and music using an AI algorithm. The music is always different on every device.
2020–Present: Virtual Concerts and New Albums
On 31 December 2020, Jarre held a virtual New Year's Eve concert online. He performed from a studio in Paris, but it looked like he was at Notre Dame. The show had over 75 million viewers! It supported his new album, Welcome to the other side. The concert recording was released on CD, LP, and Blu-ray in September 2021.
On 21 June 2021, Jarre received the Commander of the Legion of Honour award from French President Emmanuel Macron. After the ceremony, he performed at the same venue for the Fête de la Musique. In March 2022, Jarre presented a live project called Oxymore in Paris.
His twenty-second studio album, Oxymore, was released on 21 October 2022. It was a tribute to Pierre Henry. Some songs came with remixes by artists like Brian Eno and Martin Gore of Depeche Mode. The OXYMORE project also included a multiformat concert in VR (virtual reality).
In July 2022, a company called BMG Rights Management bought the rights to his music catalog.
On 25 December 2023, Jarre performed a concert in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles Palace. This celebrated the palace's 400th anniversary. The concert was later released as a special "phydigital" edition. This means it came with a physical CD or vinyl, but also had unique digital content you could access with your phone. The digital content included a greeting from Jarre's avatar, behind-the-scenes photos, and AI animations.
On 8 September 2024, Jarre performed at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Paralympics.
Flying AirCar Mission
In April 2024, Jean-Michel Jarre became the first passenger to take off in Klein Vision’s flying AirCar. This was a big step for flying car technology!
Personal Life
Jarre was married to Flore Guillard from 1975 to 1977.
He met his second wife, actress Charlotte Rampling, in 1976. They married and had a son named David. They separated in 1996 and divorced in 2002.
He later had a short relationship with Isabelle Adjani. In May 2005, he married French actress Anne Parillaud. They announced their divorce in November 2010.
Jarre started dating Chinese actress Gong Li in 2016. They married in 2019 and keep their relationship private.
Jarre has a half-sister, Stéphanie Jarre, from one of his father's other marriages. His stepbrother, Kevin Jarre, passed away in 2011. Jean-Michel and his father, Maurice, were not very close. Jarre once said, "My father and I never really achieved a real relationship. We probably saw each other 20 or 25 times in our lifetime."
Large Concerts
| Date | Audience | Place | Event | Note |
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| 14 July 1979 | 1 million | Place de la Concorde | Celebrating Bastille Day | First entry in the Guinness Book of Records for largest outdoor concert crowd. |
| 5 April 1986 | 1.5 million | Houston | Celebration of Texas's 150th anniversary and NASA's 25th anniversary | Second entry in the Guinness Book of Records. |
| 5 October 1986 | 0.8 million | Lyon | To celebrate Pope John Paul II's visit to Jarre's hometown. | |
| 8, 9 October 1988 | 0.2 million | London | "Destination Docklands" concert in London's docklands. | Known for planning difficulties and bad weather. |
| 14 July 1990 | 2.5 million | Paris la Défense | Celebration of the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution | Third entry in the Guinness Book of Records. |
| 14 July 1995 | 1.25 million | Eiffel Tower | UNESCO's 50th birthday and Year of Tolerance | Originally planned for another location, changed last minute. |
| 6 September 1997 | 3.5 million | Moscow | Concert celebrating Moscow's 850th birthday | Fourth entry in the Guinness Book of Records (tied with Rod Stewart's 1994 concert). |
| 14 July 1998 | 0.8 million | Eiffel Tower | Bastille Day | "Electronic Night," featuring Jarre with many dance artists, playing remixed versions of his music. |
| 31 December 1999 | 0.1 million | Giza Plateau | New Millennium | "The Twelve Dreams of the Sun," celebrating Egypt's 7th millennium and the year 2000. |
Honours and Awards
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Discography
- 1973 – Deserted Palace
- 1973 – Les Granges Brûlées
- 1976 – Oxygène
- 1978 – Équinoxe
- 1981 – Les Chants Magnétiques
- 1982 – Les Concerts en Chine
- 1983 – Musique pour Supermarché
- 1984 – Zoolook
- 1986 – Rendez-Vous
- 1988 – Revolutions
- 1990 – En attendant Cousteau
- 1993 – Chronologie
- 1997 – Oxygène 7–13
- 2000 – Métamorphoses
- 2001 – Interior Music
- 2002 – Sessions 2000
- 2003 – Geometry of Love
- 2007 – Téo & Téa
- 2007 – Oxygène: New Master Recording
- 2015 – Electronica 1: The Time Machine
- 2016 – Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise
- 2016 – Oxygène 3
- 2018 – Equinoxe Infinity
- 2021 – Amazônia
- 2022 – Oxymore
- 2023 – Oxymoreworks
See also
- List of ambient music artists
- List of Jean-Michel Jarre compositions with multiple titles
- List of Jean-Michel Jarre concerts
Images for kids
