Jacques Higelin

Jacques Higelin
Jacques Higelin live at the Zarbs festival in July 2007
Background information
Birth name	Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin
Born	18 October 1940(1940-10-18) Brou-sur-Chantereine, France
Genres	French pop
Occupations	French singer-songwriter
Instruments	Guitar Piano
Years active	1969–present
Website	Jacques Higelin <FR>

Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin (born 18 October 1940 in Brou-sur-Chantereine, Seine-et-Marne, France) is a French pop singer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s. Early in his career, many of Higelin's songs were effectively blacklisted from French radio because of his controversial left wing political beliefs, and his association with socialist groups. He and his wife, Kuelan, are the parent of actor Ken Higelin, he also has a daughter Izïa Higelin (singer) with Aziza and an elder son Arthur H (famous French singer) with Nicole Courtois.

Higelin's entertainment career began at age 14, when he left school to work as a stunt double. While playing a number of small roles in various motion pictures, Higelin was taught to play the guitar by Henri Crolla, an French-Italian jazz guitarist and film composer. By the early sixties, Higelin was attending the René Simon drama school, where he won the François Perier award.

For two years starting in 1961, Higelin served in the French military in various countries. Upon returning to France, he resumed his cinematic career, but increasingly began to focus on music over film. By the end of the decade, he was also very active in the artistic underground in Paris, and he began to channel his music towards radical militancy. He began attracting popular attention through his live concerts, typically held in smaller venues, and released his first solo album, in 1971. By the middle of the 1970s, Higelin had become one of France's most successful musicians, and he remains influential to this day. In 1995 Jaques participated in "The Somebody Help Me Project" created by Laramy Smith a CD recording to aid homeless people worldwide. The CD featured performances by: Nina Hagen, Tore Kunda, Trio Esperança, Princess Erika, Spencer Davis, Amina, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Annette Austin, and a 72 voices of members of "The Genesis Choir" and "The Reverend Martin Luther King Choir" recorded at studio "Z", Sacramento, California. European performer's recorded at Ferber Studios, Paris France.

Discography

• 1969 – Higelin et Areski (with Areski Belkacem)
• 1970 – Inédits 1970 (with Areski Belkacem)
• 1971 – Jacques "Crabouif" Higelin
• 1973 – Jacques Canetti présente Jacques Higelin
• 1974 – BBH 75
• 1975 – Irradie
• 1976 – Alertez les Bébés
• 1978 – No Man's Land
• 1979 – Caviar Pour les Autres and Champagne Pour Tout le Monde
• 1982 – Higelin 82
• 1985 – Aï
• 1988 – Tombé du Ciel
• 1990 – Follow the Live
• 1991 – Illicite and Au Coeur d'Higelin
• 1992 – Le Rex
• 1994 – Aux Héros de la Voltige
• 1995 – The Somebody Help Me Project (with Laramy Smith)
• 1998 – Paradis Païen
• 2000 – Higelin Live 2000
• 2005 – Entre Deux Gares
• 2006 – Amor Doloroso
• 2010 – Coup de foudre

References

• "Biography – Jacques Higelin" June 2005. RFI Musique Last accessed on 25 January 2006.
• "Site officiel- Jacques Higelin"
• Jacques Higelin on Europopmusic.eu (English)