Jean-Jacques Perrey

Perrey was born with the name Jean Leroy in France on 20 January 1929.[1] Perre he was studying medicine in Faculty of Medicine of Paris some sources cite Perrey studying medicine between 1949 or 1959 when he heard Jenny demonstrate ondioline, on a French radio broadcast. He called the radio station and asked for the phone number of Georges Jenny to contact him, Perrey then called Georges Jenny to get Jenny's phone number, saying he liked the sound of the ondioline but he couldn't afford to buy one. Perrey offered to promote the instrument in exchange for obtaining one from Jenny giving him one for free. After a visit to the inventor's workshop, Perrey was loaned an ondioline. For six months, Perrey practiced playing the ondioline with his right hand while simultaneously playing the piano with his left. Jenny was so impressed with Perrey that he offered her a job as a salesperson and product demonstrator. After earning significant commissions from sales made during a trip to Sweden (during which he performed on television). Perrey dropped out of medical school and devoted his entire career to electronic music, Perrey acquired so many orders for ondiolines during the 1950s that Jenny eventually had to open a factory for the mass production of Ondiolines. Perrey estimated that fewer than 700 were sold, mostly in Europe. By some estimates, fewer than two dozen Jenny-made Ondiolines exist today, "Prelude au Sommeil" was released in 1958 in the LP Vinyl format. Also was released privately in a so-called Institut Dormiphone (Procédés Dormiphone), the music was intended to induce sleep and reassure people in psychiatric hospitals. [2] In 1959 a single titled "Cadmus, Le Robot de l'Espace" was released by the Phillips record company in collaboration with the French composer and filmmaker Henri Gruel, [3] then it was re-released in 1960, both releases were in Vinyl. he came to the attention of French singer Édith Piaf who sponsored him to record a demonstration tape that later facilitated him access to work and live in the United States between 1960 and 1970. As a consequence at age 30, Perrey relocated to New York, sponsored by Caroll Bratman, who built him an experimental laboratory and recording studio. Here he invented "a new process for generating rhythms with sequences and loops", utilising the environmental sounds of "musique concrète." With scissors, splicing tape, and tape recorders, he spent weeks piecing together a uniquely comic take on the future.

In the 1960s, Perrey continued to promote the instrument, traveling, performing and recording under the playful pseudonym "Mr. Ondioline", in 1960 a single entitled "Mister Ondioline" (also known as "Mr. Ondioline"), due to its nickname. Was released by the label "Pacific" in Vinyl and EP format. Was printed by Impremeire Chaumes, and received help from engineer Raymond Verchere, the single has a total of 4 songs recorded with the Ondioline. All the songs except for "Le Siffleur et son Chien" composed by Arthur Pryor ("The Whistler and his Dog" in english), are covers of originating from Europe like "Parade des Soldats de Bois" composed by Leon Jessel and Jean Cis, The Glow-Worm renamed by Perrey like "La Gavotte des Vers Luisants" by Paul Lincke and "Nola" composed by Felix Arndt. The album cover shows a masked subject playing a Ondioline, who was presumably Jean-Jacques Perrey, the cover was photographed by Andre Sas. The album was relaunched in 2013 by "Cacophonic" in United Kingdom, the EP years later became one of the most sought after albums by Electronic music collectors. [4] Between 1962 and 1963 Perrey released his first studio album entitled "Musique Electronique du Cosmos (Electronic Music From Outer Space)", the album was recorded in France and released by the labels "MusiCues" in United States, only 500 copies of this album were produced. The album was relaunched in Spain in 2017 by "Wah Wah Records", One of the remaining copies on eBay was purchased by music collector DJ Zero. [5] [6] This album includes the songs "The Alien Planet" and "Cybernuts", both songs were previously released on a single entitled "The Alien Planet / Cybernuts", with the Brain Discos label on 31 December 1959.

Befriending Robert Moog, he became one of the first Moog synthesiser musicians, creating "far out electronic entertainment", in 1964 Perrey met Gershon Kingsley at the residence of Perrey's sponsor, Carroll Bratman, a former colleague of John Cage, the American avant-garde composer. Together, using Ondioline and Perrey's loops, they created two albums for Vanguard — The In Sound from Way Out (1966) and Kaleidoscopic Vibrations: Electronic Pop Music From Way Out (1967) respectively. Perrey and Kingsley collaborated on sound design for radio and television advertising. Harry Breuer he was one of the first he met in the city of New York. The two collaborated on the album The Happy Moog, an album that was released in 1969, its total duration is 22:50, and distributed in several countries such as U.S., UK and Canada, they both collaborated to record some songs in the some albums of Jean-Jacques Perrey. Perrey credited Harry Breuer, for the musical inspiration and help it gave him in the business of working in a studio. It was manufactured by Keel Mfg. Corp and published by Ondotronics, Inc and Mourbar Music Corporation.[7][8] The Happy Moog was recorded at the Caroll Instrument Rental Company studios in the city of New York with the collaboration of the Pickwick record company, while Perrey only played the Moog synthesizer and other keyboards, Breuer played mainly percussion, xylophone and sometimes used keyboards. The record company for this album, Pickwick in the late 1960s and early 1970s was famous for releasing records that took advantage of popular artists of the time, sometimes sacrificing demo discs.[9] Later released another album with the label Pickwick Records, titled "Switched-On Santa" with Sy Mann, which includes covers of songs of popular Christmas like Jingle Bells, the cover shows a bearded old man in a suit santa claus near a Moog synth, the album was never re-released in CD format, so it is exclusively available on Vinyl, [10] however some transported this album to the Digital format. Perrey he returned to France to mid-1970s, composing music for television and pursuing medical research in therapeutic sounds for insomniacs. In 1971 he released the album Moog Expressions together with Pat Prilly being relaunched in 1972 with a different cover, and in 1974 was released the album Moog Mig Mag Moog for the Montparnasse 2000 label, whose duration is more than 33:30, whose cover is similar to one of the covers that Moog Expressions had, only with the title "Moog Mig Mag Moog".

In 1976 he collaborated with jazz musician Gilbert Sigrist, some songs on the album are closer to jazz and other themes are more similar to electronic genre, [11] this album was released again in 1978 by Crea Sound Ltd. [12] Gilbert Sigrist had previously participated in some compositions of Perrey, in 1980 he released the album Kartoonery in collaboration Daniel Longuein (In the first ten songs) and Guy Boyer (In the last two songs). In 1997 he began recording in Bordeaux, France with the composer David Chazam and was released under the name Eclektronics in 1998 only in France with the format from the Vinyl, a version of the album Eclektronics in the CD format was distributed in The Netherlands with the record company «BASTA» and this album was re-released in the 2002 with another cover. In 1998 he collaborated with the band Air on the album Moon Safari to make the song "Remember". [13] In 2000 his collaborative CD with Gilbert Sigrist was released, "Circus of Life" was first released as a "library" recording, for TV and radio (France only), then released on Perrey's own PHMP label and in 2001 was released a compilation album from the Perrey's albums with the label Vanguard included The In Sound from Way Out!, Kaleidoscopic Vibrations: Electronic Pop Music From Way Out, The Amazing New Electronic Pop Sound of Jean-Jacques Perrey and Moog Indigo. This album added remixes of the song " EVA" by Fatboy Slim), [14] and remixes from the songs "The Unidentified Flying Object" and "Electronic Can-Can" from the album The in Sound From Way Out, also included remixes of song covers like Winchester Cathedral, Flight of the Bumblebee and A Lover's Concerto. composed originally by Jean-Jacques Perrey, Gershon Kingsley or other composers.. In 2006 saw the release of the album The Happy Electropop Music Machine on Oglio Records, of Los Angeles, California. The album was a collaboration with musician/arranger Dana Countryman. The two toured the West Coast of America to promote the album. Also in 2006, Perrey began collaborating with producer Luke Vibert for a CD on England's Lo Records: Moog Acid. The result is a blend of retro and modern analogue house synth-pop, encapsulating many genres and the two respective styles of the artists. The CD was released in 2007.[15] Perrey's release Destination Space is also a collaboration with Dana Countryman. The duo performed concerts in New York City and Montreal in October 2008 to promote its release. The album is notable for Perrey's being almost 80 years old when it was released. In 2014 he released his latest album entitled "ELA", which includes covers of the songs "Cat in the Night" and "Perpetual Gossip" of the album Moog Indigo were recreated for the album ELA in collaboration with David Chazam. The first was renamed "Cats in the Night", while the second kept the same name.

In 2015–2016, Perrey became friends with Belgian-born Australian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Wouter de Backer (known professionally as Gotye). De Backer worked with Perrey to preserve his recorded legacy. After purchasing two vintage Ondiolines (an electronic keyboard closely associated with Perrey), de Backer formed the Ondioline Orchestra in New York. The sextet made their debut performing two shows in tribute to Perrey at National Sawdust, in Brooklyn, on 22 November 2016. Perrey, who lived in Switzerland, had planned to attend the tribute, but died before it took place. Perrey died at the age of 87 on 4 November 2016 from complications of lung cancer.[16][17] It was learned that he died of Lung Cancer from Perrey's daughter, Pat Prilly, saying via email that her cause was Lung Cancer. [1] In May 2017, de Backer launched a new record label, Forgotten Futures, of which the first release was Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline, a compilation of rare and previously unreleased Perrey recordings.

On 13 February 2018, de Backer and his Ondioline Orchestra performed Circuit Breakers: Gotye Presents a Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey at Roulette's Mixology Festival 2018, in New York. That same year Gotye's Ondioline Orchestra performed Gotye Presents a Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey in Australia. The concert won a Helpmann Award in the Contemporary Music category.[18]

His only daughter named Patricia Leroy better known as Pat Prilly, said in an interview that she did not compose and only gave ideas, she only played on his organ, yet it was credited on several albums, mostly by Editions Montparnasse 2000. [19] She participated in albums such as Moog Sensations, Moog Expressions, Moog Generation, Moog Mig Mag Moog and Moog is Moog. He also participated in the singles "Berceuse Pour un Bebe Robot / La Panthere Cosmique" "100% Moog" and he was also a participant in some songs from Perrey's albums.

The 1970 release Moog Indigo generated several notable singles, like E.V.A. and The elephant never forgets used in the El Chavo del 8. [20]

• The song "Chicken on the Rocks" was used for a commercial titled "Bing Bang Boing" from Ideal Toy Company from the 1960s.[21] [5]
• The last song on the album The Happy Moog , written by Harry Breuer, Gary Carol and Pat Prilly, and titled "March of the Martians", was used in the intro of the program "Hilarious House of Frightenstein". [22] [23] [24] [25]
• "Les Canaux de Mars" is used as the primary music throughout episode 12 of the 1972 Japanese television show Thunder Mask, "Cruel! Thunder mask capital punishment." "Les Mysteres du Cosmos" is used throughout episode 13, "At the end of the far away galaxy." this songs they belong to the Moog Expressions album.
• A cover version of "Baroque Hoedown" was the main theme for Disney's Main Street Electrical Parade, beginning in 1972. Disney had licensed it from PolyGram without Perrey's knowledge:

In the 1970s, Walt Disney Productions chose this tune to be the theme for the Electrical Parade. It was extraordinary, I didn't know about it because the publishers said nothing to me. It was by chance, in 1980, that I went there and was so surprised to hear Baroque Hoedown arranged for a full orchestra.

— Jean-Jacques Perrey, text from english subtitle[26]

• The series Hoshi no Ko Poron used 2 main themes for its series, the song "Boys and girls" as the intro and the song "The Old Bell Ringer" as the closing, both belonging to the album Moog Mig Mag Moog.
• The song Boys and Girls was used as the closing of the show The Mighty B! by Nickelodeon.
• The music of Perrey has also been used in later seasons of the Nickelodeon series SpongeBob SquarePants. Notable examples include "Funny Blues" used in the episode "The Night Patty", "La Bas" used in the episode "Dream Hoppers" and "Washing Machine" used in the chapters "Dream Hoppers" and "In Randomland" these three are from the album Moog Mig Mag Moog, "Borborygmus" from Moog Sensations , "Bal Campagnard" y "L'Horloge Hantee" from Moog Generation , "In Texas Tonight" compuesto por Jean-Jacques Perrey & Louis Delacour, "Kiyouli Le Clown" y "One Zero Zero" from Good Moog , "La Panthere Cosmique" from "Lullaby Pour un Bebe Robot / La Panthere Cosmique", "Mod Ghost", "Sailors Delight" and "Russian Rump" from Moog is Moog , "Music of Infinity" from Moog Expressions .
• In 2010, Perrey's song "Chicken on the Rocks" was used in season 14 episode 3 of the TV Series South Park, "Medicinal Fried Chicken." The song played as Randy Marsh and friends bounced on their oversized testicles while consuming medicinal marijuana. [27]
• The music of "Perrey" was used in a series of 3 shorts made by "David Lewandowsky" and an parody of the shorts of David a song from "Perrey" also use, the first short called "Going to the store" used the song "The Little Ships" by The Amazing New Electronic Pop Sound of Jean Jacques Perrey, [28] the second short "Late for Meeting" used the song "The Mexican Cactus" which also belongs to the album The Amazing New Electronic Pop Sound of Jean Jacques Perrey, [29] one short parody of the shorts of Lewandowsky "Missing the Bus" but also used a song by Perrey, in this case the song "Four, Three, Two, One" was used from the album The Amazing New Electronic Pop Sound of Jean Jacques Perrey, the last short I recorded "David Lewandowsky" called "Time for Sushi" used the song Dynamoog from the 1976 album Dynamoog as the background theme.[30]
• In 2016, Perrey and Kingsley's song "Computer in Love" (from their 1966 album) was used on The Simpsons' couch gag (episode "Orange Is the New Yellow").
• The Project Moonbase retrofuturistic music podcast declares Perrey to be "the patron saint of the show". They have interviewed him multiple times and dedicated entire shows to his music.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jean-Jacques Perrey.

• Official website
• November 2006 interview with Perrey
• Jean-Jacques Perrey at AllMusic
• Jean-Jacques Perrey discography at Discogs
• Jstor.org - Jean-Jacques Perrey y la ondiolina