Gerard Jaffrès
Encyclopedia
Gérard Jaffrès is a French singer, writer and performer, born in 1956 in Saint-Pol-de-Léon
(Finistère
).
He started playing the guitar at the age of 15, playing mostly folk
repertoire (Alan Stivell
, Tri Yann
…) and pop music (Deep Purple
, Led Zeppelin
…).
In 1973, he joined the band of Burt Blanca, a rock singer popular in Belgium
and in France in the Sixties. He stayed in the band for 11 years as a bass player
. The same year, he moved to Belgium
, where he has lived ever since.
Jaffrès started a solo career in 1985, recording ten discs with Gramophone record
s. He has published a new album every two years since 1991.
Jaffrès' music is a blend of Celtic music
and rock'n'roll/folk
which he uses to depict the landscape of Brittany
and tell legends from the area of the Leon
(North Finistère
). His texts mix sometimes Breton
and French.
Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretange in northwestern France, located on the coast.It is famous for its 13th-century cathedral on the site of the original founded by Saint Paul Aurelian in the 6th century. It has kept a unique architecture, such as Notre-Dame du...
(Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
).
He started playing the guitar at the age of 15, playing mostly folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
repertoire (Alan Stivell
Alan Stivell
Alan Stivell is a Breton musician and singer, recording artist and master of the celtic harp who from the early 1970s revived global interest in the Celtic harp and Celtic music as part of world music.- Background: learning Breton music and culture :Alan was born in the Auvergnat town of Riom...
, Tri Yann
Tri Yann
Tri Yann is a French band from Nantes , who play folk rock music drawing on traditional Breton folk ballads.The band was founded in 1970 by Jean Chocun, Jean-Paul Corbineau and Jean-Louis Jossic – all of whom remain members – hence the suggested name of Tri Yann an Naoned , Jean and Yann being...
…) and pop music (Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
…).
In 1973, he joined the band of Burt Blanca, a rock singer popular in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and in France in the Sixties. He stayed in the band for 11 years as a bass player
Bass Player
Bass player can refer to:*Bass Player , an album by Rhombus*Bass Player , a magazine for bassists*Bassist, or bass player, a musician who plays the bass guitar...
. The same year, he moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where he has lived ever since.
Jaffrès started a solo career in 1985, recording ten discs with Gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
s. He has published a new album every two years since 1991.
Jaffrès' music is a blend of Celtic music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
and rock'n'roll/folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
which he uses to depict the landscape of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
and tell legends from the area of the Leon
Arrondissement of Morlaix
The arrondissement of Morlaix is an arrondissement of France, located in the Finistère department, in the Brittany region. It has ten cantons and sixty communes.-Cantons:The cantons of the arrondissement of Morlaix are:# Landivisiau# Lanmeur# Morlaix...
(North Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
). His texts mix sometimes Breton
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
and French.
Discography
- Capitaine de Galère, 1991
- Les soldats de pierre, 1993
- Kérichen 72 , 1995
- Les années baluches, 1997
- Au creux de ma terreAu creux de ma terreAu creux de ma terre is an album by French singer Gérard Jaffrès. It was released in 1999 under the Kelou Mad production and Coop Breizh label.All songs were written by Gérard Jaffrès....
, 1999 - Le fou de Bassan, 2001
- Viens dans ma maison, 2003
- Le beau voyage, 2005
- Mon pays t'attend, 2007
- Nos premières années, 2008
- Gérard Jaffrès en public, 2010