Alain Goraguer
Encyclopedia
Alain Goraguer is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian
and Serge Gainsbourg
, arranger
and composer
. He reached his creative peak in the 1960s and 1970s. He also recorded and composed the soundtrack to the film Fantastic Planet
.
. He abandoned the violin without remorse, and at the age of twenty had an influential encounter with pianist Jack Diéval, passing through Nice, who firmly advised him to give up everything for the piano. At the same time, Alain studied harmony with Julien Falk, and soon won second place in an amateur jazz competition.
. At Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where he accompanied singer Simone Alma, he met Boris Vian. Together, they wrote Je Bois, La Java des bombes atomiques, Fais-moi mal Johnny et Ne vous mariez pas les filles. Alain then scored the music for the film J'irai cracher sur vos tombres (1959). He wrote the orchestration for young Serge Gainsbourg
, indeed he arranged all of his albums up until Gainsbourg percussions (1964). With Gainsbourg, Goraguer scored more film music, such as that for L'Eau à la bouche (1960).
In the 1960s and 70's, he did the orchestration for Poupée de cire, poupée de son,performed by the teen singer France Gall
, winning the grand prize for The Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. He wrote numerous arrangements for Jean Ferrat
, France Gall
, Juliette Gréco
, Nana Mouskouri
, Adamo
and many others. Alain Goraguer then opened the door for a renewal in popularity of orchestral compositions. He also composed the title theme La Vache enragée (1965), sung by Brigitte Fontaine.
He also wrote a number of easy listening albums under the name Laura Fontaine.
has avowedly drawn inspiration from, and sampled, Goraguer's work on the first Quasimoto album
. The song "C'mon Feet" samples sounds of characters running and percussion form the film Fantastic Planet for the sound of his alter ego, Quasimoto, as he flees the scene of a crime.
Hiphop-Producer V.I.C.
sampled the song "Le Bracelet" from the La Planete Sauvage soundtrack for Big Pun's track titled Boomerang from the album Capital Punishment
.
"Le Bracelet" was also sampled by worshipped producer J Dilla for a beat named "Dammit I Know That Sample" from one of his beat tapes.
On the soundtrack to The Virgin Suicides, Air bare Goraguer's influence, especially the soundtrack to La Planète Sauvage.
The Rascalz sampled Goraguer's "Ten Et Tiwa" on Soul Obligation from their album Cash Crop.
Boris Vian
Boris Vian was a French polymath: writer, poet, musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor and engineer. He is best remembered today for his novels. Those published under the pseudonym Vernon Sullivan were bizarre parodies of criminal fiction, highly controversial at the time of their...
and Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
, arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He reached his creative peak in the 1960s and 1970s. He also recorded and composed the soundtrack to the film Fantastic Planet
Fantastic Planet
Fantastic Planet is a 1973 animated science fiction film directed by René Laloux, production designed by Roland Topor, written by both of them and animated at Jiří Trnka Studio. The film was an international production between France and Czechoslovakia and was distributed in the United States by...
.
Early life
His Breton family was living in Nice, on the coast of the Mediterranean, where young Alain studied the pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. He abandoned the violin without remorse, and at the age of twenty had an influential encounter with pianist Jack Diéval, passing through Nice, who firmly advised him to give up everything for the piano. At the same time, Alain studied harmony with Julien Falk, and soon won second place in an amateur jazz competition.
Career
He soon went to Paris where he indulged his passion for jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. At Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where he accompanied singer Simone Alma, he met Boris Vian. Together, they wrote Je Bois, La Java des bombes atomiques, Fais-moi mal Johnny et Ne vous mariez pas les filles. Alain then scored the music for the film J'irai cracher sur vos tombres (1959). He wrote the orchestration for young Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
, indeed he arranged all of his albums up until Gainsbourg percussions (1964). With Gainsbourg, Goraguer scored more film music, such as that for L'Eau à la bouche (1960).
In the 1960s and 70's, he did the orchestration for Poupée de cire, poupée de son,performed by the teen singer France Gall
France Gall
France Gall is a popular French yé-yé singer.Gall was married to, and had a successful singing career in partnership with, French singer-songwriter Michel Berger....
, winning the grand prize for The Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. He wrote numerous arrangements for Jean Ferrat
Jean Ferrat
Jean Ferrat was a French singer-songwriter and poet. He specialized in singing poetry, particularly that of Louis Aragon.-Biography:...
, France Gall
France Gall
France Gall is a popular French yé-yé singer.Gall was married to, and had a successful singing career in partnership with, French singer-songwriter Michel Berger....
, Juliette Gréco
Juliette Gréco
Juliette Gréco, — also Michelle – is a French actress and popular chanson singer.-Early life and family:Juliette Gréco was born in Montpellier to a Corsican father and a mother who became active in the Résistance, in the Hérault département of southern France. She was raised by her maternal...
, Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and...
, Adamo
Adamo
-Given name:*Adamo Abate, Italian saint*Adamo Boari, Italian civil engineer and architect*Adamo Coulibaly, French footballer*Adamo Didur, Polish bass*Adamo Ruggiero, Canadian actor-Surname:*Délizia Adamo, Italian / Belgian singer*Mark Adamo, American composer...
and many others. Alain Goraguer then opened the door for a renewal in popularity of orchestral compositions. He also composed the title theme La Vache enragée (1965), sung by Brigitte Fontaine.
He also wrote a number of easy listening albums under the name Laura Fontaine.
Samples and influences
Producer MadlibMadlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
has avowedly drawn inspiration from, and sampled, Goraguer's work on the first Quasimoto album
The Unseen (album)
The Unseen is the debut album by Quasimoto, an alter ego of producer Madlib.-Release history:The album was conceived and recorded by Madlib during a week long psilocybin mushroom binge....
. The song "C'mon Feet" samples sounds of characters running and percussion form the film Fantastic Planet for the sound of his alter ego, Quasimoto, as he flees the scene of a crime.
Hiphop-Producer V.I.C.
V.I.C.
Victor Grimmy , better known by his stage name V.I.C., is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. His hit single, "Get Silly", reached #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2008.-Background:...
sampled the song "Le Bracelet" from the La Planete Sauvage soundtrack for Big Pun's track titled Boomerang from the album Capital Punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
"Le Bracelet" was also sampled by worshipped producer J Dilla for a beat named "Dammit I Know That Sample" from one of his beat tapes.
On the soundtrack to The Virgin Suicides, Air bare Goraguer's influence, especially the soundtrack to La Planète Sauvage.
The Rascalz sampled Goraguer's "Ten Et Tiwa" on Soul Obligation from their album Cash Crop.