Roland Artist Keyboard Rigs: Jean-Michel Jarre

Since the ’70s, few synth players have pushed the envelope like Jean-Michel Jarre. Roland caught up with the French pioneer backstage, to hear how their gear has sparked his imagination, from the classic Oxygène and into the future. Watch the video below!

With over 80 million albums sold since 1972, Jean-Michel Jarre is a towering figure in the world of synth-driven electronica. Raised in Lyon, but forged in the smoky music clubs of Paris, Jean-Michel’s early passion for jazz and classical bled into his pioneering first electro release, 1969’s La Cage/Erosmachine.

By 1976, his classic six-part Oxygène album was outselling the British punk movement on its march to UK#2, while his live shows became legendary for their visual flair, with lasers, dancers and images beamed into the heavens. As Jarre’s music has evolved, so too has his long-standing “personal relationship” with Roland gear, and in recent times, his multi-sensory Electronic World tour has been powered by Roland units including the SYSTEM-1, TR-8, TB-3, A-800PRO and JD-XA.