Taï Phong -

Taï Phong was a French symphonic/art-rock band that released three albums and six singles between 1975 and 1979 on Warner Bros.

Members: Khanh Maï (vocals, guitar), Taï Sinh (bass, vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards, 1972-77), Less (keyboards, 1972), John (guitar, vocals, 1972), Philippe (drums, 1972-73), Jean-Jacques Goldman (vocals, guitar, violin, 1973-80), Jean-Alain Gardet (keyboards, 1973-77), Stephan Caussarieu (drums, acoustic guitar, vocals, 1974-present), Lionel Lemarie (vocals, 1977), Marc Perrier (guitar, 1977), Michael Jones (bass, guitar, vocals, 1977-80), Pascal Wuthrich (keyboards, 1977-80)

Background

Taï Phong formed in Paris in 1972 when Vietnamese-born brothers Khanh Ho Tong and Taï Ho Tong started a new group after their earlier band, The Monsoons. The brothers had studied in England and had won an Île-de-France regional prize across four straight years with The Monsoons before family pressure ended that group. Khanh Ho Tong worked as a Paris studio engineer. Taï Ho Tong worked in record-company posts, first at Barclay and later at Philips.

The brothers placed a Melody Maker advertisement and recruited keyboardist Less and guitarist-singer John for the first lineup. The group rehearsed for a year and secured a proposed Barclay contract, but the deal collapsed before signature. New auditions brought keyboardist Jean-Alain Gardet into the band, and guitarist-singer Jean-Jacques Goldman joined after the first lineup broke apart. Gardet had classical training and an interest in jazz. Goldman, a Paris-born musician who had studied violin and piano before guitar, had earned a business degree at EDHEC in Lille.

Taï Phong reached its first stable lineup in late 1974 with drummer Stéphan Caussarieu, chosen from roughly fifteen candidates after their initial drummer failed album rehearsals. Taï Phong entered Studios I.P. in February 1975 and cut its debut album for WEA with producer Jean Mareska and mixer Andy Scott.

Taï Phong

Taï Phong released their self-titled debut album in June 1975 on Warner Bros.

The album presents six English-language originals in a symphonic art-rock setting, performed by vocalist-guitarist Khanh Maï, vocalist-bassist Taï Sinh, vocalist-guitarist Jean-Jacques Goldman, keyboardist Jean-Alain Gardet, and drummer Stéphan Caussarieu. Gardet plays piano, organ, and Moog; Taï Sinh adds acoustic guitar and Moog to his bass role.

“Goin’ Away” bounds through bright surges and hard accents. “Sister Jane” lingers at slow-dance pace while high-register vocal phrases circle the refrain. “For Years and Years (Cathy)” darkens the long-form vocal line into a misted late-section passage. “Fields of Gold” starts in serene ballad motion, then swells into a hypnotic extended passage. “Out of the Night” rises from storm noise and shadowed choral tone, then crests through a drawn-out lead line.

A1. “Goin’ Away” (5:41) – Goldman
A2. “Sister Jane” (4:04) – Maï
A3. “Crest” (3:25) – Gardet
A4. “For Years and Years (Cathy)” (8:33) – Sinh

B1. “Fields of Gold” (7:37) – Sinh
B2. “Out of the Night” (11:25) – Maï

Taï Phong recorded and mixed Taï Phong in February and March 1975 at Studios I.P. in Paris. Jean Mareska produced the album, with sound engineers Georges Blumenfeld and Jean-Pierre Pouret. Khanh Maï also engineered the sound and mixed the album with Andy Scott and Philippe Beaucamp.

Lang designed the gatefold cover, and Claude Gassian photographed the package. The front image depicts a white armored figure crossed by cables in a pale geometric field, with the Taï Phong logo above the figure.

Warner Bros. lifted “Sister Jane” as a 1975 single (b/w “Crest”).

Windows

Taï Phong released their second album, Windows, in October 1976 on Warner Bros.

The album retains the debut lineup of Khanh Maï, Taï Sinh, Goldman, Gardet, and Caussarieu. Taï Sinh plays bass, acoustic guitar, and keyboards, while Gardet holds the main keyboard role.

“When It’s the Season” charges through a faster opening section, then splits into a colder second part. “St. John’s Avenue” threads high-register vocal figures through sustained chord washes. “Circle” pivots through compact arrangement turns and glassy vocal arcs. “The Gulf of Knowledge” unfolds through broad section changes and braided lead patterns.

A1. “When It’s the Season” (8:12) – Goldman
A2. “Games” (4:07) – Maï
A3. “St. John’s Avenue” (7:44) – Maï, Sinh

B1. “Circle” (5:30) – Gardet
B2. “Last Chance” (3:45) – Sinh
B3. “The Gulf of Knowledge” (9:57) – Sinh

Taï Phong recorded Windows from January to May 1976 at Studios I.P. in Paris. Jean Mareska produced the album. Khanh Maï engineered the sound with assistant Gérald.

Lang designed the cover, and Dominique Cazenave photographed the package. The front image shows a green interior with pink trees, rainbow bands, and a white armored helmet beside the title script.

Warner Bros. lifted “Games” as a May 1976 single (b/w “The Gulf of Knowledge”).

Non-Album Singles

Taï Phong issued a run of non-album sides between Windows and Last Flight, starting with “Follow Me” in France in 1977 on Warner Bros.

“Follow Me” pairs a compact Jean-Jacques Goldman A-side with “Dance,” and the French issue appeared as Warner Bros. 16 955.

Warner Bros. followed with “Back Again” as a 1978 French single (b/w “Cherry”). The label issued “Fed Up” as a 1979 French single (b/w “Shanghaï Casino”), with both sides timed at four minutes on the release entry.

Sono issued “Rise Above the Wind” as a 1979 magazine supplement, with audio-test bands on side A and the Taï Phong track on the opposite side.

Last Flight

Taï Phong released their third album, Last Flight, in August 1979 on WEA.

The album retains Khanh Maï, Goldman, Taï Sinh, and Caussarieu from the prior lineup, with new keyboardist Pascal Wuthrich and vocalist-guitarist Michael Jones. Wuthrich plays acoustic and electric piano, Hammond organ, celesta, Minimoog, and Oberheim, while Taï Sinh remains on keyboards, acoustic guitar, and bass. Guitarist Johnny Sehlhoff and saxophonist Michel Gaucher complete the added personnel.

“End of an End” opens on a clear acoustic intro, then draws tight vocal harmonies across the first rise. “Farewell Gig In Amsterdam” floats choir-toned washes through wider section space. “Thirteenth Space” shifts toward a jazz-marked cadence with clipped keyboard motion. “Last Flight” widens into measured section turns and restrained long-form passages.

A1. “End of an End” (6:38) – Goldman
A2. “Farewell Gig in Amsterdam” (8:40) – Caussarieu
A3. “Sad Passion” (3:41) – Goldman

B1. “Thirteenth Space” (4:57) – Wuthrich, Jones
B2. “Last Flight” (10:00) – Maï
B3. “How Do You Do” (3:32) – Jones

Taï Phong recorded and mixed Last Flight between February and June 1979 at Studio Gang in Paris. Jean Mareska produced the album. Khanh Maï engineered the sessions with assistant Y. Medvesky. Jehol van Bay mixed five tracks with Medvesky, and Jean-Pierre Janiaud mixed “Sad Passion.”

Dominique Cazenave photographed the cover package. Five members stand around a white glider on the front photograph below the Taï Phong logo.

Discography: