Jarre: Progressive Electronic or Prog Related?

Certif1ed wrote: In 1976 I thought of JMJ as Electronic Pop - nothing more or less. Now, I realise that it's fairly sophisticated Electronic Pop, but not really anything more than that - at least, in the 3 or 4 albums I own. He's not exactly Tomita, is he?

Christ almighty hahaha.. we do all see prog differently...  but pop...   sure I guess.. same as Yes I guess who are often called a 'trumped up' pop group.   Look no further than their inspirations hahhaha.  Lord knows I respect your opinion Cert but while my listens to Oxygene date back only to about 78 or so... it sure sounded like no pop I've heard.    Not that I"m an expert on E.P. or pop for that matter

I still don't understand how one could consider Jarre to be pop - the pop music of that day was A) not instrumental, B) shorter, and C) based on more verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus structures. Jarre doesn't really have any of that, as far as I can tell.

In 1976 I thought of JMJ as Electronic Pop - nothing more or less.

Now, I realise that it's fairly sophisticated Electronic Pop, but not really anything more than that - at least, in the 3 or 4 albums I own.

He's not exactly Tomita, is he?

In 1976 Oxygene set the rock industry on its ear, the British protested it was not progressive rock, because they seemed to feel they invented progressive rock, it was electronic with rock melodies.

I'm sorry, I read in a review somewhere that Michel was influenced by people like Schulze, but apparently I either misread it or the reviewer was wrong.

But that strengthens my argument - Jean-Michel Jarre was creating better music than Schulze outside of Schulze's influence.

I absolutely cannot believe people consider Jarre "popish". I've listened to Oxygene a million times and hear NO pop in this music - the "pop" of that day was disco and silly AOR-type stuff.

If you consider a better grasp of melody a sign of "pop", you're sorely mistaken. In fact, some of the best prog songs have catchy melodies - listen to "Roundabout" by Yes or "Money" by Pink Floyd.

And in my opinion, Jarre has QUITE a better grasp of melody than Schulze, Eno (well, at least, during Eno's ambient days), or Tangerine Dream. Not to mention he actually changes the chords once in while (one of my largest complaints with Schulze's "X").

And besides, even if his influences are obviously Schulze and that ilk, that doesn't mean he's merely prog-related. I think he successfully built upon their musical style and turned it into something even better. Hence, progressive electronic.

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Printemps De Bourges (has anyone bothered to hear this album? it's great and so different!). Four pieces that don't resemble anything at all from Jarre's usual, mutual, non-singular music passion. Experimental in the diffused way, of epic flavour, of a characteristic that draws parallels to Tangerine Dream sizes or to very intelligent music modelation.   That's the only one I haven't heard, but the rest IMO is popish stuff with some refinements.   Another Collaborator mentioned that his love life was more interesting than his music.   Iván

popish is slightly better.

well, Adjani is Adjani.

For me Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze are Coca Cola and JM Jarre is Coca Cola Light, the question is or Coca Cola Light still deserves to be mentioned Coca Cola

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Somebody described Jarre as a POP artist who plays with Electronic instruments and I agree with that.   Iván

I can't entirely go by that.
The classic movements of Jean Michel Jarre sound only easy, it's not a pop "refinement".
The early rubbish sound tests are even an experimental/sound manipulation thing.
The 1986-1988 is the most accurate at easyness, but you don't find it in the Rendez-Vous emotions, only in the Revolutions' stagnation.
Waiting For Cousteau the title track is an essence of ambient focused glance music; it's a great examples towards the fact that Jarre didn't do just easy stuff.
Chronologie is a very constructive electronic performance.
Metamorphoses is indeed a pop album, by the vocals and by the awfully soft illustration.
Sessions 2002 a nice jazzy-attempt electronic (technically) composition.
Geometry Of Love - a light ambient minimalism.
Printemps De Bourges (has anyone bothered to hear this album? it's great and so different!). Four pieces that don't resemble anything at all from Jarre's usual, mutual, non-singular music passion. Experimental in the diffused way, of epic flavour, of a characteristic that draws parallels to Tangerine Dream sizes or to very intelligent music modelation.

I also got trouble over the move at first, but now I conceive the situation better. 

Jean Michel Jarre has the problem of making popular sound for the mass and of having clenched long enough towards his own style. Electronic seems slightly the characteristic of technique and the mind movement that...creats them all.

Then there is the techno issue of the last years, which resemble a change even more "obscure".

I would say towards fan to don't get alarmed, as Jarre is still considered and cannot be considered anything else that an electronic musician, making electronic music within an electronic personal definition. The only thing was his progressiveness and his progressiveness by comparison with many others. Considering the entire spectrum of electronic music, Jarre is slightly but considerably isn't a prog entitled artist.

Prog Related, the best compromise, as philippe said.