“From now on until the rest of my life in all my concerts I will do this and I will encourage all my colleagues to do it,” Jarre said. “One cent per ticket is nothing. But if we multiply it by the number of performers, the number of tickets sold for concerts, the seats in cinemas, the newspaper copies sold, the sports events, we will have the budget for education ready tomorrow morning”.

According to the latest UNESCO figures, some 793 millions adults worldwide do not have basic reading and writing skills, which means that one out of five adults is illiterate and 67,4 millions children are out of school. The number of children who do not attend school regularly or drop out of the educational system is even greater. According to the latest Education For All Global Monitoring Report, 16 billion US dollars would be needed by 2015 to achieve education for all.

Jean Michel Jarre is on tour until 20 November and is scheduled to perform in Serbia, Croatia, Ukraine, Russian Federation, Lithuania, Scandinavia, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Switzerland.

11.10.2011
Source: UNESCOPRESS

Find out more

Here is the official poster of the Monaco concert, which will be held on the 1st of July in Monaco. The concert can be seen worldwide on channel Euronews.

A 2 CD release from Jean Michel Jarre’s greatest hits (Essentials) and Pre-Oxygène works (Rarities) is to be released by Francis Dreyfus Music. Here is the track-list of the two items :

CD 1 – ESSENTIALS
1. Souvenir Of China 3’59
2. Oxygene 2 3’12
3. Arpegiateur 6’16
4. Oxygene 4 4’14
5. Equinoxe 4 6’42
6. Calypso 2 2’28
7. Zoolook 3’52
8. Magnetic Fields 1 5’20
9. Magnetic Fields 2 4’02
10. Equinoxe 5 3’55
11. Industrial Revolution 2 2’22
12. Rendez Vous 4 3’59
13. Gloria, Lonely Boy 5’30
14. Oxygene 6 6’21
15. Space Of Freedom 8’02

CD 2 – RARITIES
1. Happiness Is A Sad Song 5’53
2. Hypnose 3’29
3. Erosmachine 2’58
4. La Cage 3’23
5. Chanson Des Granges Brûlées 2’45
Song Of The Burnt Barns
6. Windswept Canyon 7’39
7. The Abominable Snowman 0’52
8. Deserted Palace 2’22
9. Le Pays De Rose / Roseland 2’01
10. Rain Forest Rap Session 1’40
11. Black Bird 3’06
12. Music Box Concerto 2’41
13. Iraqi Hitch-Hiker 2’25
14. Les Granges Brûlées 3’13
15. La Cage Vitalic RMX 4’16
16. Erosmachine Vitalic RMX 3’4

Source : Fairlight Jarre (Jarre Spain Fan-club)

Jean Michel Jarre will give a free outdoor concert in Monaco. He will perform as part of the celebrations for the wedding of Albert II, ruler of the Principality of Monaco.

The estimated audience is 50.000, and the stage will be frontwater. Giant screens will be displayed throughout the city for people to watch the show. The show will be broadcasted worldwide.

“It is a great honour to have been chosen by Prince Albert of Monaco and his future wife for such an event. It is also a real pleasure to be able to perform in the exceptional site of Hercules Port” states Jean Michel Jarre.

More information to come. Official news.

31/10 . . . Frankfurt/Germany
01/11 . . . Hannover/Germany
02/11 . . . Hamburg/Germany
04/11 . . . Dortmund/Germany
05/11 . . . Koln/Germany
07/11 . . . Dresden/Germany
08/11 . . . Berlin/Germany
09/11 . . . Erfurt/Germany
10/11 . . . Trier/Germany
17/11 . . . Vienna/Austria
19/11 . . . Munchen/Germany
20/11 . . . Zurich/Swiss

Source.

GeeJee, from the Netherlands, as known as the guv’nor of the Zoolook.nl jarre fan forum, has accepted to answer my routine questions.

1- Under which circumstances did you discover Jarre?

Well, that’s actually quite a sad story. I didn’t have an easy time at all when I was a kid, and I remember the horrible holidays in the UK, where my parents threw everything at me they could find. So I used to sneak into my tent and lie down in my sleeping bag while listening to this CD called “Synthesizer Greatest“, which would comfort me.

2- When since do you consider yourself as a fan?

I kept being interested in the “Synthesizer Greatest” cds (I had the first two volumes)- and always thought they were the original versions. Someday I found out they were not, and went looking for some CDs by Jarre in the local record store. I encountered “Destination Docklands” or “Revolutions” (I don’t remember) and “Odyssey trough O2″ in the record bins, neither of which really appealed to me. I then went to look for some songs on Kazaa ( ), fell in love with Chronologie 4. I don’t remember whether I first bought the Chronologie album, or the complete edition of Oxygène (the black longbox). I was hooked ever since. Must have been over a decade now.

3- What are your three favorite albums?

Hard to say, as I keep re-discovering the beauty of some of his albums. This goes hand-in-hand with moments I start do dislike certain albums. So for example I have rediscovered Zoolook and after a while I don’t like it that much anymore and try something else. This rarely happens to Oxygene 7–13, Chronologie, Métamorphoses, Destination Docklands, Waiting for Cousteau, Magnetic Fields and Geometry of Love. I would pick my favourite 3 out of that list.

4- Do you collect Jarre items and if so, which kind (discs, merchandising,…) ?

I used to do that very fanaticly, but have stopped doing so mainly for financial reasons. I used to covet every single item, every different pressing and so forth, nowadays I have a list of items that I want, a few CD singles, promos etc. I haven’t started collecting vinyl yet, but might do so in the future. As for merchandise, I don’t collect it per se, but I have quite a few posters (some of which are framed and on display in my flat).

5- Did you ever want to make your own music?

I do so on a daily basis, although for a few years this is mainly classical music.

6- Did Jarre ever change your sight on things outside music like architecture, photograph, environment, painting?

Not necessarily, but I did find out we have some preferences in common. His own style of painting for example, but also Michel Granger and other surrealistic artists (although I’m not a fan of Dalí), and also this retro-futuristic style he has mentioned a few times. I don’t think I like for example Granger because I like Jarre.

7- Do you speak about Jarre to your fellow mates of family and what are the most usual reactions?

I used to, in the past, when we talked about music. Nowadays mainly the posters in my flat provoke reactions (there’s 3 of them on display, one of which is huge!)- like “who is this Jean Michel Jarre“, and then when I play them a song, most of them instantly recognize it. I have heard a broad range of reactions, from “totally weird” (girl about Oxygene 12 live in Moscow)
to “quite allright” (same girl about Chronologie 3 live in Paris 1995) to “stunning” (one of my best friends about Live in your living room DVD) and quite anything in between. Most people don’t like the music that much though, although some of them tell they used to listen to this music in past times.

8- What do you search by being on Jarre forums?

Nothing, I know all. No, just kidding. I like to read interviews.

9- Has there been a moment when you wanted to drop it all?

No, but there are periods I don’t listen to JMJ’s music at all without lacking interest, I just listen to something else and come back to it later.

10- If you had to describe Jarre to a person that does not know Jarre at all, what would you tell him first?

That would probably following a question like “who is he”- to which I would reply that he is a french musician making electronic music using synthesizers, in quite some different styles, which is usually relaxing to listen to.

11- If you could meet Jarre one-to-one for five minutes, what would you tell him?

I have met him face to face a few times. I asked and told him several things.

12- What other artists (electronic artists) do please you?

At the moment electronic artists I listen to are Depeche Mode and Air (I’ve not yet joined the new wave of La Roux and Little Boots), otherwise I listen a lot to Pink Floyd and Alan Parsons, but also Manfred Mann’s Earth Band with its neat jazzy synthesizer solos…

13- What is, in your opinion, the greatest concert of Jean Michel? And why?

Well, JMJ did so many different things. Visually, that would be La Défense, no doubt, although I don’t think it was musically his best. Musically I think EIC, CPLT, Moscow and 12DOTS were his best (visually not any less spectacular though, they simply can’t beat PLD) although his latest setup is very charming as well. If I would pick a favourite, that would be Moscow, Paris (’95) or Egypt.

—-

> Thanks to GeeJee for his nice answers.

1- Under which circumstances did you discover Jarre?

I discovered Jean Michel when my sister and I inherited a record player from my Uncle and Auntie. It was a present to us as they were emigrating. We had no vinyl to play on the record player to start with and my cousin gave us at the same time the Oxygene album on vinyl. I was 11 years old. It left a very big impact on me listening to the Oxygene album on vinyl. So big was the impact, that we bought the Equinoxe album on vinyl. My discovering only lasted a few years but left a long and lasting impression.

2- When since do you consider yourself as a fan?

I consider myself a hardcore fan of Jean Michel’s since 2004 onwards. Although, I did not become a dedicated fan when I was 11 years old, the reason being there were many changes happening in my life and I became influenced on other areas. I was very lucky enough to be re-introduced to him again. It happened by chance, that I came across the Oxygene in Moscow concert, which was showing, on Sky Digital on the Performance Channel. Purely by good fortune, Jean Michel returned back into my life. Since 2004 I have made up for the lost years, I hope.

3- What are your three favorite albums?

Oxygene – The first time I heard this album, I was totally impressed to what I was listening to. When you are 11 years old, you are starting to appreciate music of all walks of life. The album was a huge step ahead of this. The music is far beyond the future and ultimately very unique in producing electronic sounds by analogue synthesizers.

Oxygene 7-13 – The “continuation” of the Oxygene album is the best tribute Jean Michel could have given to the first one. This album chooses a formation like its predecessor but also manages to provide a breakthrough in exceptional sounds and rhythms.

Equinoxe – The album is tremendous and reflects the pathway to electronic genius. This album is a masterpiece of sounds and melodies.

4- Do you collect Jarre items and if so, which kind (discs, merchandising,…) ?

Yes, I do collect Jean Michel’s merchandise. I have all his albums on CD, 98% of his concert books, all his official DVDs to date, various posters and t-shirts. My pride and joy is Oxygene and Oxygene 7-13 CD covers signed by him. Also, signed by Jean Michel is my two concert programmes from 2008 and 2009.

5- Did you ever want to make your own music?

Yes, I would dearly like to make my own music due to Jean Michel’s influence. I would like to compose similar music that Jean Michel produces. Maybe, even to begin with covering or remixing Oxygene 13. My favourite track to date!

6- Did Jarre ever change your sight on things outside music like architecture, photograph, environment, painting?

Yes, I look at things differently with Jean Michel’s knowledge and opinion. He believes strongly for sounds and textures from various angles. This could apply to all.

7- Do you speak about Jarre to your fellow mates of family and what are the most usual reactions?

Yes, I do. Some are surprise how he looks nowadays and others like to hum Oxygene 4. Others do not know him at all. I inform them that Jean Michel Jarre is the godfather, a pioneer and a mastero of electronic music. But most do know the album Oxygene.

8- What do you search by being on Jarre forums?

The latest up to date news, gossip and any background knowledge whether it would be the past, present and future on Jean Michel. Also, to interact with fans about other topics that do not relate to Jean Michel. I am very proud that I am a Moderator on a Jean Michel forum – www.zoolook.nl . A privilege to serve the Jean Michel Jarre community there and other related forums.

9- Has there been a moment when you wanted to drop it all?

No, not drop it all but take a little time away. Sometimes, a good thing can control you too much.

10- If you had to describe Jarre to a person that does not know Jarre at all, what would you tell him first?

Jean Michel is a unique French composer and pioneer of electronic music. His music and concerts have created the utmost highest level of musical talent to a point where he is the leader that influences the future musical generation.

11- If you could meet Jarre one-to-one for five minutes, what would you tell him?

Firstly, I would mention that his music has given me numerous amount of hours of enjoyment and thank him from my heart for this. That I admire and respect him as an artist. For all the good things he has achieved for electronic music through his work. Including, his valuable contribution work for UNESCO. How I have learnt so much from him by being his fan. That he is a true inspiration to all his fans and I hope the best for more to come. Another opportunity to do the friendship handshake, as well.

12- What other artists (electronic artists) do please you?

I listen to many types of music depending on the mood, Beethoven to Cheryl Cole. My most favorite artists are Madonna, Kraftwerk, Röyksopp, David Guetta, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Enigma, Lady GaGa etc. To name just a few as the list is quite long. I also enjoy listening to Jean Michel’s fans who compose music. They are very talented in their own right making Jean Michel’s covers, remixes or composing their own music. I have such admiration for them.

13- What is, in your opinion, the greatest concert of Jean Michel? And why?

All his concerts have been spectacular. So much time, effort and work to bring to his fans these fantastic and amazing concerts. The one I choose is very personal and special to me. It is the first concert that I had ever attended which was at Théâtre Marigny, Paris (Oxygene in Paris) in 2007. Ten concerts were played on individual nights and I was there on the first night. The feeling I had when I saw Jean Michel for the first time on stage live was truly an emotional one. I remember thinking that this is vastly different from watching him on the television. There was no television screen between us and I could not pause. It really felt like one to one.

Thanks a lot Kanta for answering my questions!

The discovery wasn’t actually my own – the first listening of Oxygene (or maybe Equinoxe, I cannot know for sure) happened when I was only a few days old, since my folks used the old Unitra reel-to-reel to soothe me into sleep.

2- When since do you consider yourself as a fan?

I think that there are 2 stages of being a fan:

1. the stage when you are not as much interested in the person but the music and you keep listening and listening, sometimes without even knowing if the composer is male or female (in the case of a more ambiguous name…). this is the stage when you simply live the music, you interpret it in your own way, it is, more or less, “yours” (one might say, a more passive stage);
2. the stage when you’ve pretty much “consumed” the music and you go deeper – discover the mind behind the music and try to guess the way that music was intended/created/thought out (a more active stage). So, having in mind these 2 stages (which are usually very much age-related, as well, and also, depend on how many years you’ve spent dwelling on the artist’s music) I think I’ve been a fan in stage 1 (not counting the early years, when I was simply a child responding to nice music) since around 1991 or 1992, when the La Defense concert was aired on Romanian TV. That’s the time when I actually got to hear new music of JMJ (I had only listened to Oxygene and Equinoxe until then) and I judged for myself (or rather felt) whether I like it or not. And then, for stage 2 – last year, 2008, when JMJ suddenly “popped out” in the Romanian media and I got the bright idea to start looking for news on the internet. There had been 0 news about him in RO since 2000 and his Giza concert, so I simply lingered in a passive “stage 1″ attitude.

3- What are your three favorite albums?

Oxygene, Equinoxe and Metamorphoses.

4- Do you collect Jarre items and if so, which kind (discs, merchandising,…)?

I suppose I collect media interviews, pictures, articles, videos – anything I can find.

5- Did you ever want to make your own music?

No, never. I am not musically inclined.

6- Did Jarre ever change your sight on things outside music like architecture, photograph, environment, painting?

Yes, actually in architecture – I took a Scenography class and the final project asked us to “design” a concert (sets, coregraphy, costumes, images, anything we thought appropriate) for a musical artist of our choice and preference. I chose JMJ, of course, and during the first stage of the project, I studied his concerts closely from a visual point of view and I must say I’ve learned quite a lot.

7- Do you speak about Jarre to your fellow mates of family and what are the most usual reactions?

My family – the highest degree of complicity on the subject was between me and my father. Mother simply enjoys the music (stage 1 fan ). Friends? None of my close friends have any real liking for his kind of music, but he is known to them, just not their cup of tea. I have made some new acquaintances lately (through the official forum), who share the same liking for their music, and they all have similar stories to mine – having been introduced to his Oxygene at an early age and then growing into liking his music in general when they got old enough to pass judgement.

8- What do you search by being on Jarre forums?

On a subconscious level, perhaps trying to be closer to the mastermind behind the music? – I am a member of only one other musician’s forum (a band), and they are my “other great love” as a friend so nicely put it – perhaps these two names I hold (personally) as the best in my musical preferences, so there Of course, forums are great to keep updated in a nice and quite human way – by word passed from one human to another

9- Has there been a moment when you wanted to drop it all?

There is nothing exactly to drop – perhaps the situation will change now, just as my JMJ fandom has acquired brand new responsibilities – the romanian site and forum we’ve started. However, I think not, because (at least with me), such things are like friends – I never forget/drop/throw away something that I like/liked. Might become less active about administrative things on the forum and site in the distant future, might even pass the job on to someone else, but everything else still remains. It’s like I might quit my job in an architecture studio, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am an architect and that’s what I do – that’s my craft and trade.

10- If you had to describe Jarre to a person that does not know Jarre at all, what would you tell him first?

Well, to a Romanian (someone around my age): “French, electronic music, Oxygene, the concert in 91 with the big skeleton”
To a younger Romanian: “Here, watch/listen to this – that’s Jarre – he’s invented music a little, you know?”
To anybody else: “French, electronic music, Oxygene, go listen”
… And of course, would direct them to our site

11- If you could meet Jarre one-to-one for five minutes, what would you tell him?

I’ve long given up on preparing the “5-minute-speech”, merely because I’d probably load it with too much, take too long to say it and end up not saying the really important things. Therefore, I shall simply speak whatever I feel is important at that moment – hopefully, that’s the right thing to do

12- What other artists (electronic artists) do please you?

Strictly speaking of electronic artists… well, in order of preference: Depeche Mode, Daft Punk, and a bit of Kraftwerk (more out of nostalgia – de gustibus). Also, Vangelis – and I’ve set him apart because, from my point of view, he’s in a separate category in itself (just like JMJ, actually, tho they are generally viewed and referred to as electronic music artists), a separate category in both the music he creates and my level of preference.

13- What is, in your opinion, the greatest concert of Jean Michel? And why?

That is indeed very hard to tell, because there are so many factors. Some concerts were simply HUGE, others were plain beautiful, some had a very strong emotional charge, others had a big significance, and some were musically flawless, other were innovations in terms of lighting and surround… so you see, very hard to choose, so I will name the one that holds most importance to myself – Debrecen, Hungary, May 2009.

Hope these will help you and please forgive my talkativeness – I simply enjoy talking about this subject very much

—

This very confidential party was given a month after the Egyptian concert. It took place in Johnny Depp’s restaurant in Paris, the Man Ray. Jarre played almost all the tracks from the Metamorphoses album. Love, love, love and Silhouette were not performed. Very few fans were able to see this showcase. Performers were: Deirdre Dubois, Natacha Atlas, Sharon Corr, Gary Willis, Christopher Papendieck, Joachim Garraud and Francis Rimbert.