Magma are a French avant-garde rock band from Paris, formed in 1969 by drummer and keyboardist Christian Vander. During the 1970s, they released six proper studio albums and a live disc on the Philips, Vertigo, Utopia, and Eurodisc labels. Their debut, Kobaïa (1970), introduced the Kobaïan language and ritualized vocal arrangements. 1001° Centigrades (1971) and […]
Clearlight was a French space-rock ensemble that released the 1975 Virgin albums Clearlight Symphony and Forever Blowing Bubbles. Group mastermind Cyrille Verdeaux also co-led the soundtrack project Delired Cameleon Family and continued Clearlight with the 1976–78 albums Les Contes du Singe Fou and Visions. Members: Cyrille Verdeaux (piano, keyboards) Background Cyrille Verdeaux was born in […]
Zao was a French Zeuhl ensemble, active during the 1970s and later sporadic intervals. Between 1973 and 1977, they released five albums on Vertigo, Urus, and RCA, beginning with their debut Z=7L, which featured François “Faton” Cahen on keyboards, Yochk’o Seffer on saxophones, and Mauricia Platon on vocals. Their second album, Osiris (1974), saw Seffer […]
Kawana is the fourth album by French Zeuhl ensemble Zao, released in 1976 on RCA Victor. Kawana represents Zao at a stage where their sound has fully embraced jazz-rock fusion while retaining traces of the Zeuhl energy from earlier albums. With the addition of Didier Lockwood on violin, the ensemble expands its expressive range, weaving […]
Les Contes du Singe Fou is the third album by French/English symphonic/space collective Clearlight, released in 1976 on Isadora. Following Forever Blowing Bubbles, keyboardist Cyrille Verdeaux redefined Clearlight as a tighter ensemble centered on piano, violin, and rhythm section rather than the expansive, guest-filled orchestrations of earlier albums. Recorded in late 1976, Les Contes du […]
Visitors — alternately known as Force 5 — was a French space-rock studio group of library and jazz-rock musicians arranged by experimental producer Jean-Pierre Massiera (Les Maledictus Sound, Horrific Child). The project had two iterations: the first with a 1974 self-titled album on Decca; the second with a 1981 eponymous release on Montage. Members: Gerard […]
Surya was a French jazz-rock band behind a 1979 self-titled album on Cornélia; re-released in 1980 under violinist Didier Lockwood‘s own name on the Inner City label. Members: Jean My Truong (drums), Didier Lockwood (violin), Francis Lockwood (keyboards), Dominique Bertram (bass, 1977), Bunny Brunel (bass, 1977), Sylvin Marc (bass), Luc Plouton (keyboards) Backgrounds Surya formed […]
New World is an album by French jazz-rock violinist Didier Lockwood, released in 1979 on MPS. Tracklist: A1. “Vieux Pape” (5:17) A2. “Autumn Leaves” (5:23) A3. “La Manufacture de Sucre Engloutie” (3:52) A4. “New World” (5:02) B1. “The Last Blade of Grass” (4:26) B1. “My Memories of You” (5:38) B3. “Giant Steps” (2:10) B4. “Pentup […]
Dans Quel État J’erre is the fourth album by French symphonic vocalist Emmanuel Booz, released in 1979 on Polydor. Tracklist: A1. “Ode aux Rats” (16:02) B1. “La Symphonie Catastrophique” (9:48) B2. “Armoire et Persil” (8:28) Credits: Emmanuel Booz — vocal Jean-Claude d’Agostini — guitar Charlie Charrieras — bass Maurice Mathias — drums Gilles Tinayre — […]
Thank You Friends is a collaborative album between Magma/Zao alumni François Cahen and Didier Lockwood, released in 1978 on Atlantic. Tracklist: A1. “Thank You Joe” (4:30) A2. “Merci Guy” (1:00) A3. “Lettre ouverte a Mr Debussy” (8:15) A4. “Obade a Jean Sebastien” (2:35) B1. “Top Espace” (4:30) B2. “From Bella to Keith” (11:20) B3. “Rêves […]
Synthesis is an album by the French jazz-rock ensemble of the same name, released in 1976 on Arc. Tracklist: A1. “Hell” (3:08) A2. “Vane” (5:00) A3. “Sun” (4:48) A4. “City Life” (3:22) A5. “City Song” (3:00) B1. “Feeling” (4:20) B2. “We Need T” (3:25) B3. “It’s No New” (4:56) B4. “Sophie’s Gift” (5:05) Credits: Artwork – […]
Fusion was a French jazz-rock supergroup comprised of core Magma personnel Christian Vander, Benoît Widemann, Didier Lockwood, and Jannick Top. In 1981, they released the album Fusion on JMS. Their earlier live set constitutes the Utopic archival disc Paris 80. Members: Didier Lockwood (violin), Jannick Top (bass), Christian Vander (drums), Benoît Widemann (Fender Rhodes, Minimoog, […]
Didier Lockwood (Feb. 11, 1956 — Feb. 18, 2018) was a French violinist with Seventies stints in Magma, Surya, Synthesis, Visitors, and Zao. Starting with the 1976 Music-Zag release Jazz Rock, he made thirty-plus albums for MPS, JMS, and other labels. Background Didier Lockwood was born Didier André Paul Lockwood on February 11, 1956, in […]
