Equinoxe1978
Équinoxe (English: "equinox") was the second major-label album release by French musician Jean Michel Jarre, released on Disques Dreyfus (with license to Polydor) in late 1978.
The album reflects a day in the life of a human being, from morning to night.[citation needed] Parts 1 to 4 (i.e. side A) and tracks 5 to 8 (side B) segué smoothly from one to the next.
Jarre had developed his sound, employing more dynamic and rhythmic elements, particularly a greater use of sequencing on basslines. Much of this was achieved using custom equipment developed by his collaborator Michel Geiss.
The release was followed by a concert on the Place de la Concorde, Paris on July 14, 1979. The concert attracted 1 million people, becoming Jarre's first entry in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest crowd for an outdoor concert.
Two singles were released from the album, "Équinoxe Part 5" first, and then "Équinoxe Part 4". Part of "Équinoxe Part 8" has been played live with different arrangements, including a version for an acoustic street organ, under the title of "Band in the Rain".
The album reached #11 in the UK charts and #126 in the US charts.
Track listing
"Équinoxe Part 1" -- 2:23
"Équinoxe Part 2" -- 5:01
"Équinoxe Part 3" -- 5:11
"Équinoxe Part 4" -- 6:53
"Équinoxe Part 5" -- 3:47
"Équinoxe Part 6" -- 3:23
"Équinoxe Part 7" -- 7:25
"Équinoxe Part 8" -- 5:02
Personnel
Jean-Michel Jarre -- ARP 2600 Synthesizer, EMS Synthi AKS, VCS 3 Synthesizer, Yamaha CS-80, Oberheim TVS-1A, RMI Harmonic Synthesizer, RMI Keyboard Computer, ELKA 707, Korg Polyphonic Ensemble 2000, Eminent 310U, Mellotron, ARP Sequencer, Oberheim Digital Sequencer, Matrisequencer 250, Rhythmicomputer (Korg MiniPops 7), EMS Vocoder
