Cerrone

Cerrone, full name Jean-Marc Cerrone, is a French disco and dance producer, singer and drummer from Vitry-sur-Seine, France. Born in 1952, he begins playing drums at the age of 12 and develops an early interest in soul, rock and funk artists including Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana and Blood, Sweat & Tears. He later becomes known for pushing the bass drum to the foreground in disco and eurodance arrangements, a claim often associated with his work.

Early career and Club Med

At 17, Cerrone persuades Gilbert Trigano to hire rock bands for Club Med holiday villages, and he becomes an A&R scout for 40 Club Med resorts worldwide. His first recordings are with Kongas, released on Barclay. With that group he has an early hit with Boom, and he is especially associated with Anikana-O, which is co-written and produced by Alec R. Costandinos and remixed by Tom Moulton for US release on Salsoul Records.

Solo albums and key recordings

Based in Paris, Cerrone records, composes and performs his solo debut Love in C Minor with Costandinos. It is released on his Malligator imprint and distributed by Warner Filipacchi in France, with Cotillion Records handling US release through Warner distribution. The album becomes known for its erotic artwork and censored US edition, and it includes a cover of Los Bravos’ Black Is Black and the instrumental Midnite Lady. It is recorded and mixed at Trident Studios in London.

His second album, Cerrone’s Paradise, is recorded with Raymond Donnez, also known as Don Ray, after his split with Costandinos. It again uses provocative imagery on the original French cover and also finds strong success on the US disco charts. Supernature, his third album, is widely treated as his signature release and sells over eight million copies worldwide. It moves further into electronic textures, is co-written by Lene Lovich and arranged by Alain Wisniak, and its title track uses a science-fiction theme about mutant creatures rebelling against humanity. The album also includes the drum feature Sweeet Drums.

Supernature later becomes the theme music for Thames TV’s The Kenny Everett Video Show. His next album, Cerrone IV: The Golden Touch, is another US disco chart-topper and includes Je Suis Music, Look For Love, Rocket In The Pocket and Music Of Life. After that he turns to film scoring for the French film Brigade Mondaine.

Later albums, collaborators and labels

Cerrone’s fifth album, Cerrone V, marks a move toward lead vocals, and he switches from Cotillion to Atlantic Records in the US. It includes Rock Me and Call Me Tonight, the latter co-written with Bob Esty and Michelle Aller and recorded in Los Angeles with musicians who back Toto. Cerrone VI is released on Malligator and Unidisc in Canada, and uses electronic elements including the Fairlight CMI. Lyricist Pamela Forrest contributes to the album, which includes the instrumental Rendezvous.

On You Are The One, American vocalist Jocelyn Brown appears on tracks including Hooked On You and Cherry Tree. A later 12-inch single, Tripping On The Moon, is sung by Sue Garner and later appears on Cerrone VIII: Back Track. Your Love Survived features male lead vocals from Arthur Simms and includes re-recordings of earlier songs such as Give Me Love, Look For Love and Call Me Tonight. Where Are You Now? is sung by Carole Rowley and mixed by Ian Levine, with Club Underworld also issued as a single. Another France-only recording combines Standing In The Shadows Of Love with his own composition Freak Connection.

Related projects and later work

Cerrone’s Crocos label releases work by several projects, including Kongas and Revelacion. Africanism by Kongas is arranged by Don Ray and built around a version of Traffic’s Gimme Some Lovin'. Don Ray’s own album Garden Of Love, written with Cerrone, is also a major release, with Rob King on vocals and lyrics by Lene Lovich. Revelacion records two albums, including a side-long version of House Of The Rising Sun and the downtempo electronic track Don’t Give A Damn.

Cerrone also produces singles for Mo Cooper and Phonic, and issues Oops, Oh No featuring LaToya Jackson. His later releases include Celebrate! (2007), Love Ritual (2008), Cerrone by Jamie Lewis (2009) and Addict (2013).

Awards and influence

Cerrone sells over thirty million albums and receives five Grammy Awards, some Golden Globes, and numerous other honours from Billboard Disco Forum events, along with gold and platinum awards. His influence is also reflected in later artists such as Goldfrapp, whose third album is titled Supernature.