Triode -

Triode was a French jazz-rock and folk band that released the 1971 album On n’a pas fini d’avoir tout vu on Futura. Their sound combined flute-driven psych-jazz with bluesy guitar, improvisational interplay, and brisk rhythmic undercurrents. They formed in 1970 and disbanded two years later.

Members: Michel Edelin (flute), Pierre Chérèze (guitar), Pierre-Yves Sorin (bass), Didier Hauck (drums)

Formation

Triode formed when flutist Michel Edelin teamed with guitarist Pierre Chérèze, drummer Didier Hauck, and contrabassist Pierre-Yves Sorin. The lineup had no keyboardist or vocalist, but emphasized groove and texture through flute–guitar counterpoint and syncopated rhythm work. They signed to Gérard Terronès’ label Futura, which also issued early 1970s titles by Red Noise, Jacques Thollot, Théâtre du Chêne Noir, Mahogany Brain, and Bernard Vitet.

On n’a pas fini d’avoir tout vu

Triode released On n’a pas fini d’avoir tout vu in 1971 on Futura. It features eight originals by Edelin and two (“Moulos Grimpos,” “Ibiza Flight”) by Sorin, plus an instrumental take on the Beatles evergreen “Come Together.”

The music draws comparisons to This Was-era Jethro Tull, early Traffic, and the jazzier side of the Canterbury scene. Edelin’s flute alternates between breezy melodic phrasing and rapid, modal soloing, while Chérèze layers bluesy, fuzz-toned lines and improvisational leads that hint at early Jan Akkerman. Sorin’s elastic bass and Hauck’s crisp drums keep the tempo upbeat, particularly on “Blahsha” and “Ibiza Flight.” “Magic Flower” opens the album with a nimble flute lead and subtle time shifts, while “Lilie” and “Moulos Grimpos” offer mellow, hypnotic grooves with psychedelic inflection. The eight-minute “Chimney Suite” balances atmospheric interplay and rock energy in a rising arc of flute–guitar dialogue.

A1. “Magic Flower” (4:00)
A2. “Misomaque” (2:55)
A3. “Moulos Grimpos” (4:00)
A4. “Blahsha” (4:05)
A5. “Lilie” (5:10)

B1. “Ibiza Flight” (4:45)
B2. “Adeubis” (2:45)
B3. “Come Together” (4:45)
B4. “Chimney Suite” (8:05)

They recorded the album on April 13, 1971, at Studio Europa Sonor in Paris with engineer Claude Martenot. Gérard Terronès produced the session. Olav Estienne contributed percussion.

The cover art (by René Oghia) shows a stylized drawing of a bride and groom in white silhouette under cartoonish clouds that obscure their faces, set against a sepia background. The imagery alludes to early 20th-century surrealism with modified Deco typeface.

The back cover features a whimsical line illustration of medieval-style musicians parading before a fortified village—flutist, cellist, drummer, and lute players—evoking the album’s playful tone. The sleeve design aligns with Futura’s distinctive visual identity: hand-drawn, surreal, and slightly irreverent.

Aftermath

Triode disbanded in 1972. Edelin went on to a long career in modern jazz, forming ensembles such as the Michel Edelin Trio, Quartet, and Quintet. Chérèze joined the French symph–folk act YS, recorded with Keris, and backed Renaud, Jacques Higelin, and Jean-Philippe Goude. Sorin became a jazz sideman in ensembles led by Claude Bolling, Claude Tissendier, and Jean Etève. Hauck resurfaced in the jazz–rock group Nadavati, which released Le Vent de l’esprit souffle où il veut in 1978.

Discography: