Jacques Morali
Encyclopedia
Jacques Morali was a French music producer
, who is best remembered for being the creator and driving force behind the disco
group, Village People
.
Morali started his career in music in a record shop in the Orly airport and eventually became a writer and right hand for Hervé Vilard, Michèle Torr, and Christophe. Through meeting José Eber
, Elizabeth Taylor
and Cher
's hairdresser, he became familiar with Philadelphia International Records
and immediately fell in love with disco in the early 1970s. Using the pseudonym Don Prince he produced his first 45, Viva Zapata (1971), which was released in France on Venus Records. He moved to the United States
and landed at Sigma Sound Studios, where most Philly classics were recorded. While there he co-produced and/or co-wrote
hits like "Brazil" (1975), "The Best Disco In Town" (1976), "Life Is Music" (1977), "African Queens"(1977), "Quiet Village" (1977) and "American Generation" (1978) for The Ritchie Family
, a female trio
.
1975 was the beginning of Morali's partnership with Henri Belolo
, owner of the Scorpio Record label in Paris. While in New York, Morali attended a costume ball at "Les Mouches," a gay disco in Greenwich Village
. As he gazed around the room, he was impressed by all the macho male stereotypes portrayed by the party guests. He had the idea to put together a group of singers and dancers, each one playing a different gay fantasy figure. At the beginning Belolo was not involved in this project, but when he saw that Morali had succeeded in signing a licensing deal with Casablanca Records
, Belolo decided to become a partner in this project. Village People scored a number of hits including "San Francisco
" (1977), "YMCA
" (1978), "Macho Man
" (1978), "In the Navy
" (1979), and "Go West
" (1979). In 1980, Morali co-produced, with Belolo and Allan Carr
, the Village People film
, Can't Stop the Music
. The film, a fictionalized account of the Village People's origin (in which Morali was represented by Steve Guttenberg
as "Jack Morell"), was a critical and commercial failure.
Between 1974 and 1982 Morali produced over 65 album
s. Sigma Sound Studios even reserved a recording studio
just for him. Following the disco backlash his productivity dropped off until he returned in 1984 with hits for Break Machine
and Eartha Kitt
("Where Is My Man
").
Morali contracted HIV
during the mid-1980s, and he died of AIDS
in 1991.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, who is best remembered for being the creator and driving force behind the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
group, Village People
Village People
Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
.
Morali started his career in music in a record shop in the Orly airport and eventually became a writer and right hand for Hervé Vilard, Michèle Torr, and Christophe. Through meeting José Eber
José Eber
José Eber is a well known hairstylist. His flagship salon is in Beverly Hills, California. He has written two books, and created one video tape. The first book, published in 1982, was titled "Shake Your Head, Darling". The video tape on hairstyling tips, called "Why Do I Call You Sexy?", was...
, Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
and Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
's hairdresser, he became familiar with Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by writer-producers, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the sub-genre of Philadelphia soul music and released a string of worldwide hits during the decade.-History:...
and immediately fell in love with disco in the early 1970s. Using the pseudonym Don Prince he produced his first 45, Viva Zapata (1971), which was released in France on Venus Records. He moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and landed at Sigma Sound Studios, where most Philly classics were recorded. While there he co-produced and/or co-wrote
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
hits like "Brazil" (1975), "The Best Disco In Town" (1976), "Life Is Music" (1977), "African Queens"(1977), "Quiet Village" (1977) and "American Generation" (1978) for The Ritchie Family
The Ritchie Family
The Ritchie Family was the name of an American vocal group, based in Philadelphia, who achieved several hits during the disco era.-Career:...
, a female trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
.
1975 was the beginning of Morali's partnership with Henri Belolo
Henri Belolo
Henri Belolo is a French music producer active during the disco era. Together with his friend and composer Jacques Morali, he created The Ritchie Family as well as their most successful group, Village People....
, owner of the Scorpio Record label in Paris. While in New York, Morali attended a costume ball at "Les Mouches," a gay disco in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
. As he gazed around the room, he was impressed by all the macho male stereotypes portrayed by the party guests. He had the idea to put together a group of singers and dancers, each one playing a different gay fantasy figure. At the beginning Belolo was not involved in this project, but when he saw that Morali had succeeded in signing a licensing deal with Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
, Belolo decided to become a partner in this project. Village People scored a number of hits including "San Francisco
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
"San Francisco " is a song, written by John Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas, and sung by Scott McKenzie. It was written and released in 1967 to promote the Monterey Pop Festival....
" (1977), "YMCA
YMCA (song)
"Y.M.C.A." is a song recorded by American disco group Village People. It was released in 1978 as the only single from the album Cruisin. The song reached No. 2 on the U.S. charts in early 1979 and reached No.1 in the UK around the same time, becoming the group's biggest hit...
" (1978), "Macho Man
Macho Man (song)
"Macho Man" is the seond single recorded by the American disco group Village People. The song "bubbled under" the charts during summer 1978 before picking up substantial airplay that August...
" (1978), "In the Navy
In the Navy
"In the Navy" is a song recorded by American disco group Village People released in 1979. It was the last top 10 hit for the group in the United States.-Background and writing:...
" (1979), and "Go West
Go West (song)
"Go West" is a song by the 1970s disco group Village People. The song eventually found greater success when it was covered in 1993 by the synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Village People version:...
" (1979). In 1980, Morali co-produced, with Belolo and Allan Carr
Allan Carr
Allan Carr was an American producer and manager of stage and screen. Carr was nominated for numerous awards, winning a Tony Award and two People's Choice Awards, and was named Producer of the Year by the National Association of Theatre Owners.-Early career:Born Allan Solomon in Chicago, Illinois,...
, the Village People film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Can't Stop the Music
Can't Stop the Music
Can't Stop the Music is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by Nancy Walker. It is a pseudo-biography of disco's Village People which bears only a vague resemblance to the actual story of the group's formation...
. The film, a fictionalized account of the Village People's origin (in which Morali was represented by Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
as "Jack Morell"), was a critical and commercial failure.
Between 1974 and 1982 Morali produced over 65 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. Sigma Sound Studios even reserved a recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
just for him. Following the disco backlash his productivity dropped off until he returned in 1984 with hits for Break Machine
Break Machine
Break Machine was the name of a 1980s rap act, fronted by Keith Rodgers and produced by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo; the team behind the Village People.-Career:...
and Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
("Where Is My Man
Where Is My Man
"Where Is My Man" is the title of a song from 1983 by the American singer and actress Eartha Kitt, which appeared on her 1984 album I Love Men...
").
Morali contracted HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
during the mid-1980s, and he died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in 1991.