Jean Michel Jarre

Ambient and electronic pioneer Jean Michel Jarre, the son of film score writer Maurice Jarre was born in France in 1948. He became world famous for Oxygene and its follow up Equinoxe.

Jarre spent his formative years experimenting with music and released his debut in 1973, but it was his third album that made his mark. The Oxygene album, released in 1977, saw Jarre's classical approach to the structure of the music endorsed by the record buying public who saw it as more accessible than other big electronic acts such as Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream. Its cross genre appeal was confirmed when it went on to sales of over 15 million copies worldwide. The single "Oxygene IV" would become one of the best known pieces of electronica, and it became the signature theme for space and futurism on TV. Despite the modern connotations of "Oxygene II" it was used to dramatic effect in the World War I film Galipoli.

He developed the theme with the follow up Equinoxe, which had a more dynamic sound than it predecessor. To promote the album, Jarre shut down central Paris with an enormous sound and light show, which would go on to be one of his hallmarks. The Paris gig was performed to an estimated one million people, it must have been good, as the audience and nine million others, bought the album, giving Jarre his second best seller.

These albums were the high point of Jarre's career, subsequent releases would sell well and receive largely positive reviews, but nothing would capture the public imagination in the way of Equinoxe and Oxygiene.

Jarre's music became so tied in with space, that NASA asked him to play at their 25th anniversary celebrations, closing downtown Houston with his signature show.