Spheroe was a French jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album in 1977, followed by Primadonna in 1978, both on the specialty label Cobra. Members: Gérard Maimone (piano, vibraphone, synthesizer), Michel Perez (guitar), Rido Bayonne (bass, percussion), Patrick “Cactus” Garel (drums, percussion) Spheroe formed in Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, in 1972. Drummer Patrick “Cactus” Garel was […]
Arachnoïd were a French symphonic/space-rock band that released a self-titled album on Divox in 1979. It was later reissued by archivists Musea and has since become a holy grail of the nation’s ’70s scene, alongside releases by Ange, Atoll, Carpe Diem, Mona Lisa, Pulsar, and Shylock. Members: Patrick Woindrich (bass, guitar, vocals), Michel Pilot (rhythm […]
Artcane was a French symphonic-rock band that released the album Odyssée on Philips in 1977. Members: Alain Coupel (keyboards, synthesizer, vocals), Jack Mlynski (guitar, vocals), Stanislas Belloc (bass, vocals), Daniel Locci (drums, percussion) Odyssée Artcane assembled in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, in 1973. They recorded their singular album, Odyssée, in 1976 and released it the following year […]
Carpe Diem was a French space-rock band that released two albums on Arcane/Crypto between 1975 and 1977. Members: Christian Truchi (organ, synthesizer, piano, lead vocals), Gilbert Abbenanti (guitar, 1970-77), Alain Bergé (bass, 1970-77), Claude Méchard (drums, 1970-74), Claude “Marius” David (soprano saxophone, flute, percussion, 1974-79), Alain Faraut (drums, percussion, 1974-79), Georges Ferrero (bass, 1977-79), Gérald […]
Cossi Anatz were a French contemporary jazz ensemble that released the half-live/half-studio album Jazz Afro-Occitan on Disques Vendémiaire/Palm in 1975. The band was led by multi-instrumentalist/composer Michel Marre and featured his percussionist/reedist brother Claude Marre, both fresh from the big-band Le Collectif le Temps des Cerises. Drummer René Nan had been a backing player for […]
Chalibaude were a French folk quartet of the mid-1970s. The band comprised half of the eight-piece Francis Guillon et Son Orchestre on the 1975 one-off Spécial Danse 8. Members: Christian Bonneault (Guitars, Bass, Crumhorn, Banjo, Vocals), Georges Felletin (Violin, Organ), Jean Chevalier (Drums, Percussion, Flute), Michel Lefort (Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Dulcimer, Flute, Vocals) Drummer/percussionist Jean […]
Asgard were a French folk combo that released two albums in the late-1970s. The band coalesced mid-decade around the trio of Bernard Darsch, Patrick Grandpierron, and William Lawday. Members: Patrick Grandpierron (Vocals, Flute [Irlandaise], Dulcimer, Psaltery), William Lawday, Bernard Darsh, Daniel Mantovani (Guitar), Dominique Urruty (Bass, Steel Guitar, Vocals), Dominique Labarre (Keyboards, Vocals), Umberto […]
Sourdeline are a French folk ensemble that was primarily active as a recording unit during the late 1970s. Formed in 1974, the band recorded two albums for the folk label Discovale. Members: Catherine Burban (vocals, psaltery, dulcimer, spinet), Jean-Pierre Danielsen (vocals, guitar, dulcimer, flute, crumhorn), Jean-Pierre Dalongeville (vocals, guitar, mandocello, mandolin, sitar, crumhorn, 1974-79), Jacky […]
The Chico Magnetic Band was a French psych-rock band from Lyon that released a self-titled album on Disques Vogue in 1971. Members: Mahmoud Ayari “Chico” (vocals), Bernard Lloret (guitar), Patrick Garel (drums), Alain Fabrègue (bass) The Chico Magnetic Band was led by Mahmoud Ayari, a Tunisian-born singer who moved to France with his parents at […]
Six Cylindres en V were a French avant-jazz/rock band from Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, that released the album Dernier Cri on Ayaa Disques in 1984. Members: Yves Colombain (trombone), Patrick Cuisance (saxophone, flute), Marin Favre (vocals, saxophone, violin, percussion, baryton), Yves Menut (vocals, trumpet, flügelhorn), Antoine Prawerman (clarinet, bass, vocals), Jean-Marc Sohier (tuba), Benoît Proust (drums, percussion) […]
Catharsis were a French jazz-rock/psych band that released two albums with accompanying singles on Saravah in 1971/72, followed by four further albums on assorted labels, including two on Sonopresse between 1974 and 1976. Members: Roland Bocquet (Farfisa organ, piano, vocals), Niles Brown (guitar, violin, vocals), Charlotte (vocals, violin), Yves de Roubaix (guitar, vocals), Charles Eddie […]
Frantz were a French chanson-psych band that released the album Peut-être aux yeux-silence… on Cat Records in 1970. Members: Jean-François Perrier (acoustic guitar), Gilles Papiri (bass), François Auger (drums), Yves Chouard (electric guitar), Dominique Perrier (organ), Vincent Geminiani (percussion), Alain Wisniak (piano) Discography: Peut-être aux yeux-silence… (1970)
C.O.M.A. (Clinik Organik Muzak Anatomik) were a French New Wave band that released a self-titled album on Flamingo in 1979. The band changed its name to Charles de Goal for a four-album run on New Rose between 1980 and 1986, during which time the members also moonlighted as Danse Macabre. Members: Patrick Blain (guitar, bass, […]
ADN’ Ckrystall were a French cold-wave project from Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, that released the album Jazz’ Mad on self-press ADN in 1982. The project was the brainchild of electronic musician Erick Moncollin, who resurrected the nameplate for a further round of releases during the 21st century. Members: Erickrystall Moncollin (synthesizer), Majna (percussion, 1977-78), Prakash (flute, guitar, […]
Jean-Luc Ponty is a French violinist who has been musically active since the early 1960s. Jean-Luc Ponty was born in Avranches, France, on September 29, 1942, to a pianist mother and a violinist father. At 18, he graduated with the Premier Prix from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. For the next three […]
Yochk’o Seffer (born July 10, 1939) is a Hungarian-born French saxophonist who served in Magma between 1970 and 1972, playing on the band’s first two albums. This was followed by a stint with Speed Limit and a steady gig in ZAO, with whom he played from 1973 to 1976. During the late 1970s, he released […]
Jean-Paul Prat (born Sept. 27, 1953) is a French multi-instrumentalist and composer who released the popular album-length Zeuhl epic Masal on Stand-By Records in 1984. Discography: Masal (1984)
Jean-Pascal Boffo is a French guitarist and composer who released three albums on Musea between 1986 and 1988, followed by seven further titles on that label during the subsequent three decades. Discography: Jeux de Nains (1986) Carillons (1987) Rituel (1988)
Jean-Michel Jarre is a French keyboardist and sound technician who has been active since the start of the 1970s, recording first as a soundtrack composer. He gained global prominence with his 1976 release Oxygène, which brought electronic music to a wider audience. He released more than 15 further titles over next quarter-century, mostly on Disques […]
Zoo were a French sax-rock band that released three albums with accompanying singles on Riviera between 1969 and 1972. Members: Michel Bonnecarrère (guitar), Tony Canal (trumpet), Daniel Carlet (saxophone, violin), Joël Daydé (vocals, 1968-70), Christian Devaux (drums), Pierre Fanen (guitar, 1968-70), André Hervé (keyboards), Michel Hervé (bass), Michel Ripoche (saxophone, violin, trombone), Ian Bellamy (vocals, […]
