Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline - New Release Produced by Wally De Backer aka Gotye

Readers of the site should all be familiar with Jean-Jacques Perrey's work. His preferred instrument was the Ondioline. As many of you know, Jean-Jacques Perrey passed away on November 4th of last year. I was actually fortunate enough to see him perform live with Dana Countryman for his 2006 tour.

Wally De Backer aka Gotye has produced Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline, an archival project featuring Jean-Jacques Perrey's early music with the Ondioline. The release features previously unreleased and rare tracks both on vinyl and digital download.

via Wally De Backer: "I got to know JJ in the years before he passed and this is a labour of love I undertook to pay tribute to his incredible work, specifically with the remarkable Ondioline."

You can read a great article on the Ondioline, Jeen-Jacques Perrey, Wally De Backer and the release at The New Yorker here.

The following are the official details for the release:

"Out on Forgotten Futures on LP/digital

- Never-before-released Ondioline cuts from Jean
- Jacques Perrey’s archive.
- Super rare tracks from early private press releases.
- Meticulously restored and remastered from original sources.
- Includes collaborations with Angelo Badalamenti and Billy Goldenberg.
- 36-page booklet with unreleased archival photos and an essay by Simon Reynolds.
- Compilation curated and produced by Wally De Backer (Gotye)

Jean-Jacques Perrey (1929-2016) was a pioneer of electronic pop music celebrated for his uniquely whimsical sampled soundworld, his groundbreaking style of rhythmic tape editing, and his early use of the Moog modular synthesizer.

From seminal instrumental albums such as The In Sound From Way Out! (1965, with collaborator Gershon Kingsley), to Moog Indigo (1970, featuring the classic cut E.V.A.), Perrey’s inimitable sounds have been sampled by everyone from Fat Boy Slim and Gang Starr to Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade!

Not as celebrated or widely known is the fact that Perrey was the world’s only virtuoso of the Ondioline, the remarkable proto-synthesizer developed by Frenchman Georges Jenny in the 1940s.

Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline focuses on this early period of Perrey’s musical life, when he traveled the world as the Ondioline’s prime demonstrator, began experimenting with multitrack recording technology, and made demo recordings designed to exalt the Ondioline’s incredible array of sounds and effects.

The compilation features never-before released collaborations with Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, the films of David Lynch) and Billy Goldenberg (Steven Spielberg’s Duel, Columbo) as well as a collaboration with Dick Hyman which delivers the only piece of music composed by Ondioline inventor Georges Jenny currently on record.

Further gems include a sparkling early version of the beloved Pioneers of the Stars, given a stirring Ennio Morricone-esque arrangement here, as well as choice selections from Musique Electronique du Cosmos, the highly collectible album of library music Perrey recorded in 1963.

Ondioline enthusiasts will be excited to hear a super rare extended demonstration of the instrument, recorded by Perrey in the early 1960s, which also receives its first commercial release on this compilation.

A must for dedicated fans, and a vibrant introduction for new listeners to Perrey’s wonderfully individual style of music, Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline canvasses his unparalleled mastery of the Ondioline, points towards the exuberance of his later sample and Moog-heavy work, and importantly, illuminates a reflective and melancholy side to his recorded work that expands on his already considerable achievements.

Curated by long-time Perrey fan and recent collaborator Wally De Backer (Gotye), this is the first release on Forgotten Futures, a new record label set up by De Backer to excavate lost works by pioneering producers and musical instrument inventors. De Backer got to know Perrey over the last few years of his life, visiting him a number of times at his home in Switzerland, and coordinating the archiving of his recordings, photos and music scores. Perrey mentored De Backer in the restoration and playing of Ondiolines, and through their developing connection over this instrument, Perrey entrusted De Backer with a number of the rare masters and one-of-a-kind test pressings of Ondioline recordings that form the basis of this compilation.

Tracks:1. La Vache et le Prisonnier 2. Visa to the Stars (commercial arrangement) 3. Chicken on the Rocks4. Danielle of Amsterdam 5. Cigale 6. L'âme des Poètes 7. Dandelion Wine 8. Barnyard In Orbit9. Sérénade à la Mule 10. Mars Reflector 11. Pioneers of the Stars (orchestral arrangement)12. to 38. Ondioline demonstration from Satellite Records acetates"

https://jean-jacquesperrey.bandcamp.com/

Photograph by Anna Webber

via The New Yorker:

"Wouter De Backer, known as Gotye, has a keen understanding of the electronic musician Jean-Jacques Perrey’s discography, and of the nuances it contains."

Restored First Ondioline—the original portable synth.

Electronisch muziekinstrument: Jenny Ondiolini (1948)

YouTube Uploaded by BeeldenGeluid on Oct 16, 2010


via this auction

"First-Generation Ondioline, one of only two known to exist. A historic instrument—the jewel of any collection—that is also completely playable.

Georges Jenny designed the Ondioline, the world's first portable synth, in 1941. The Ondioline was truly revolutionary: it was designed to mimic a wealth of instrument sounds—violin, cello, saxophone, trumpet, even guitar and mandolin. It did this with breathtaking accuracy, not only given the time period, but also when judged with modern ears.

The few similar instruments that preceded the Ondioline, like the Trautonium and Novachord, weighed hundreds of pounds, incorporated thousands of parts, and produced primarily futuristic tones. But the Ondioline was slim, lightweight and portable, and could produce scores of sound variations that included incredibly accurate imitations of a wide range of instruments.

The second version of the Ondioline is the most well-known: It features a keyboard sitting on top of a companion amplifier, both housed in handsome wooden cabinets. These began production in 1950 and are incredibly rare themselves (knowledgeable estimates have 700 of these keyboards having been produced, most of which stayed in Europe).

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New Website Dedicated to the Ondioline

Gotye wrote in to let us know he has been working on a site dedicated to the Ondioline. You might recall he released Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline on digital and deluxe vinyl on Bandcamp. You can find the new website at https://ondioline.com. The site hosts music releases that feature the Ondioline, recreated Ondioline booklets in English and in French, and of course extensive history on the Ondioline.

The following is a short blurb from the about page:

"The Ondioline is an electronic musical instrument invented by Georges Jenny in France in the early 1940s and developed through a number of different models until his death in 1975. This versatile and expressive instrument is monophonic, but can produce a remarkable variety of sounds, from simulating orchestral instruments to creating unique and voice-like tones...

Since 2016 the musician Gotye has worked to revive interest in the Ondioline through the non-profit Forgotten Futures and with an ensemble called Ondioline Orchestra that performs tributes to Jean-Jacques Perrey’s music.

This work has been enabled by electronics technicians Stephen Masucci (USA) and Daniel Kitzig (Germany) who have undertaken extensive and faithful restorations of numerous Ondiolines, allowing Georges Jenny’s pioneering instruments to make music again after decades of dormancy.

Forgotten Futures is dedicated to the recovery of Jenny’s under-recognized work, the recreation of critical Ondioline spare parts, and the dissemination of information that will ensure the functionality and accessibility of these remarkable instruments for future generations."

See https://ondioline.com/about/#history for more, and be sure to check out the rest of the site.

Ondioline

Click here for shots pulled via this auction.

via Dave.

More on the Ondioline on 120 Years.

Via wikipedia: "The Ondioline was a vacuum tube-powered keyboard instrument, invented by Georges Jenny, which was a forerunner of today's synthesizers.

The Ondioline was capable of creating a wide variety of sounds. Its keyboard had a unique feature: it was suspended on special springs which made it possible to introduce a natural vibrato if the player moved the keyboard from side to side with their playing hand. The result was an almost human-like vibrato that lent a wide range of expression to the Ondioline. The keyboard was also pressure-sensitive, and the instrument had a knee volume lever.

Jean-Jacques Perrey first acquired an Ondioline in the mid-1950s [1], and used it on all his older albums from the late 1960's."

You might recognize the name Jean-Jacques Perrey from these posts (you can see him playing it in the first post). I saw him play live with Dana Countryman and he had the Ondioline with him. It sounded just like a theremin. Jean-Jacques Perrey stated that the Ondioline was his favorite instrument.

Jean- Jacques Perrey, recording “Chicken On The Rocks” in Paris, 2003 (with David Chazam)

Jean- Jacques Perrey, recording "Chicken On The Rocks" in Paris, 2003 (with David Chazam) from Dana Countryman on Vimeo.

In 2003, I flew to Paris for my second visit with the legendary French electronic music pioneer, Jean Jacques Perrey. I was working on an solo electronic music album of my own, and I had asked Mssr. Perrey to play his Ondioline on my version of a tune he had once recorded in 1960, called "Chicken on the Rocks". I brought the new backing track with me, that I had previously started in my home studio, and David kindly agreed to record JJ's Ondioline in his own home studio. I filmed part of the session with my little camcorder. After we had finished the song, I traveled with JJ to his home in Lausanne, Switzerland, and on the train trip there he told me, "I would love to record an entire album with you!" So, I saved this song for our first duo album, "The Happy Electropop Music Machine", which was released in 2006 by Oglio Records in Los Angeles. A few years later, the song was used in an episode of "South Park", which brought in a substantial amount of money for all involved. That led to JJ and my performing many concerts, both in Europe, Canada and America. This video documents the start of it all!

Don't miss: Jean​-​Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline released by Gotye [posted here].

You can find additional posts mentioning Jean-Jacques Perrey here (note some videos disappear over time but I keep the posts up as a record).

See the Ondioline label below for additional posts featuring the Ondioline.

The Ondioline was first concieved by Georges Jenny in 1939. Via Wikipedia on the Ondioline: "First conceived by Jenny in 1939, he continued refining and reconfiguring the device, producing dozens of variant models up until his death in 1975."

Georges Jenny Ondioline Electronic Keyboard Synthesizer

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

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Ondioline.com

http://ondioline.com

A new website resource for the Ondioline is coming. "Web page will include: History ~FAQ ~ Misconceptions ~ Photos ~ Sound Files ~ List of Ondioline Users ~ Ondi's Spotted on Sale ~ Who Repairs Ondi's ~ Schematics ~ Tuning Instructions"

Note this is via Dana Countryman who plays with Jean-Jacques Perrey, who's instrument of choice is the Ondioline. I was actually fortunate enough to see the two play live. Jean-Jacques Perrey had his Ondioline and Dana Countryman had a large Synthesizers.com modular. You can see a video from the performance below. A search for Jean-Jacques Perrey will bring up more posts. Definitely worth the time to check out.


YouTube via shallowbox. previously posted additional performances here

Update via Mal in the comments: "There is an excellent DVD that one can purchase called "Life, Laughter & Loops" which features an 80 minute interview with Jean-Jacques Perrey and 60 minutes of never-to-be-seen-again concert footage... all Ondioline, all Moog - Fantastic!!! http://www.jjpdvd.com"

Two Performances on The Ondioline

YouTube via BeeldenGeluid | Oct 16, 2010 | 4 likes, 0 dislikes\

The Ondioline
"De Fransman Jenny heeft een electronisch muziekinstrument uitgevonden. Hij komt, toetsenbord onder de ene arm, draagbare versterker in de hand van de andere, een geluidsstudio binnen, installeert het toetsenbord en sluit de versterker aan. Daarna demonstreert hij, samen met drie andere musici
(saxofoon, banjo, viool), hoe goed zijn uitvinding echte muziekinstrumenten kan nabootsen en speelt tenslotte samen met een violist een duet op de melodie van 'Plaisir d'amour'.
Jouw TV-favoriet op DVD bestellen?
Ga naar: http://www.beeldengeluid.nl/tvfavoriet"

Googlish:
The Frenchman Jenny has an electronic musical instrument invented. He comes, keyboard under one arm, portable amplifier based on the other, a sound studio in, install the keyboard and connect the amplifier. Then he demonstrates, along with three other musicians (Saxophone, banjo, violin), how good can mimic real musical invention and finally with a violinist playing a duet on the melody of 'Plaisir d'amour.
Your favorite TV on DVD order? Jump to: http://www.beeldengeluid.nl/tvfavoriet "

via elgauchoandres in the comments of this post on Oskar Sala and the Mixtur-Trautonium.

And via Andres: "The video on BeeldenGeluid channel [above] shows a very early model of the Ondioline like the one is on the Museo de Ureña in Spain [here].

This other video: [below] shows three different models of Ondioline on minute 8, featuring Jean-Jaques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley. As here.

In the case of interest here's the schematic: http://www.danacountryman.com/Jenny/Repairs.html and lots of info in http://www.ondioline.com/"



Electronic Musician Jean-Jacques Perrey on "I've Got a Secret"
YouTube via rrgomes | Mar 20, 2010 |

"Electronic music pioneer Jean-Jacques Perrey appears on "I've Got a Secret" (November 21st, 1966) with host Steve Allen and panelists Betsy Palmer, Bill Cullen, Bess Myerson, and Henry Morgan.

After several other musicians are introduced along with their instruments (violin, French horn, bagpipe, clarinet) we learn that Perrey's secret is "I play one instrument that can sound like all of these."

After the game, that instrument is revealed to be the Ondioline, an early synthesizer-like keyboard instrument. He demonstrates that it can indeed mimic the sounds of the others and make unique sounds of its own.

Perrey and his collaborator Gershon Kingsley, with whom he recorded the 1966 album "The In Sound from Way Out", then play one of their compositions."

Also see this post and of course the Ondioline label below for more.

Jenny Ondioline

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by olivier olivier

"Full serviced Ondioline to sell (huge and amazing hours spent to service this superb Ondioline)"

via this Vemia listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

"Nowdays Ondioline are becoming extremely rare even in France where they were hand-crafted during the 40's to 60's This one is in VERY good condition AND is absolutely a real and magic pleasure to play- Nothing except original Ondes Martenot can provide such a feeling and so organic sounds ! Tuning is perfect (A440 on all 4 octave for each key) This particular model has the great and very efficient improvement : Sub OSC for very loud sub harmonics if needed ! it has been fully serviced from September to December 2023 by very competent technician who spent around 50 hours to do the huge work needed for a very nice AND playable Ondioline (this tech knows the Ondioline as he serviced in the past over 10 units) He has done a very meticulous and respectful work (all electric wires have been changed, new components when necessary, PSU serviced, ground connection, all keyboard connectors cleaned for a good contact, and completely level keyboard...HUGE work !!) the Knee level barrer is a new one, the string (useful for 'Castagnette' , Bongo ...) is the original one and of course efficient. You might know there are differences between Ondiolines due to the technology evolution, hand made craft, components...) so please don't compare with an other one which will sound different Have a look and listen to what this one is capable of (video taken on 3rd April 2024 for Vemia 's Auctions)"

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Georges Jenny Ondioline

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by olivier olivier

"Full serviced Ondioline to sell (huge and amazing hours spent to service this superb Ondioline)"

via this listing

A few pics of the inside below.

"Nowdays Ondioline are becoming extremely rare even in France where they were hand-crafted during the 40's to 60's

This one is in VERY good condition AND is absolutely a real and magic pleasure to play- Nothing except original Ondes Martenot can provide such a feeling and so organic sounds !

Tuning is perfect (A440 on all 4 octave for each key)

This particular model has the great and very efficient improvement : Sub OSC for very loud sub harmonics if needed !

it has been fully serviced from September to December 2023 by very competent technician who spent around 50 hours to do the huge work needed for a very nice AND playable Ondioline

(this tech knows the Ondioline as he serviced in the past over 10 units)

He has done a very meticulous and respectful work (all electric wires have been changed, new components when necessary, PSU serviced, ground connection, all keyboard connectors cleaned for a good contact, and completely level keyboard...HUGE work !!)

the Knee level barrer is a new one, the string (useful for 'Castagnette' , Bongo ...) is the original one and of course efficient.

You might know there are differences between Ondiolines due to the technology evolution, hand made craft, components...) so please don't compare with an other one which will sound different

Have a look and listen to what this one is capable of

(video taken on 3rd April 2024 )"

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The Tale of The Ondioline: Music's Oldest Synthesizer?

video upload by The Lemon Master

0:00 Intro
1:21 Design
5:50 History
7:46 Rise
10:39 Downfall
12:47 Revival?
14:24 Outro

Note the first "synth" is debatable. The Telharmonium (1897), Ondes-Martenot (1928), Mixturtrautonium (1936), Novachord (1939), amongst others predated it. The Theremin, although not a keyboard instrument, but the inspiration if not the basis for Bob Moog's creations arrived in 1921. For a timeline of electronic instruments see https://120years.net, and for more synth centric, as we know them, see The First Synth to.....

For reverything Ondioline see https://ondioline.com

And related posts:

Jean Jacques Perrey & Dana Countryman - The Good Old Days

New Website Dedicated to the Ondioline

Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline (pics of my copy here)

And of course, see the Ondioline label for additional posts.

Gotye to Pay Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey at Moogfest

via Moogfest:

"At Moogfest 2017, Gotye will present a tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey. Jean-Jacques Perrey (1929-2016) was an alternative pop visionary, a pioneer of rhythmic tape editing techniques, and a virtuoso of the rare French electronic musical instrument, the Ondioline. Gotye, a long-time Perrey fan and a budding Ondiolinist, has assembled the Ondioline Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to reviving the spirit of this rare and unusually expressive early synthesizer. The ensemble features thereminist/keyboardist Rob Schwimmer, vintage synth specialist and ex-Psychedelic Furs member Joe McGinty, as well as members of acclaimed alternative band Zammuto. Perrey’s best-known songs will be celebrated alongside ultra rare pieces co-written with Angelo Badalamenti and Billy Goldenberg in an eclectic set juxtaposing Perrey’s joyful and boisterous pop with more reflective work spanning three decades of his career. Ondioline Orchestra perform all sounds live, including Perrey’s signature sample sounds, classic Moog patches, and a rich variety of Ondioline timbres on fully-restored original instruments. This show is a rare opportunity for fans of early electronic pop music to celebrate this influential producer/performer’s wonderfully inventive studio work in a live environment."

How cool is that? I had no idea Gotye was into the Ondioline and Jean-Jacques Perrey.

Jean-Jacques Perrey has been featured here on MATRIXSYNTH numerous times in the past. I was fortunate enough to see him perform live back in 2006. I'll never forget that show. It was pure magic. That image to the left was from it. That's Jean-Jacques Perrey on the left and Dana Countryman on the right.

Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline

My copy of Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline has arrived! Here are a few "unboxing" pics. I am actually listening to it as I type this. The first side features Jean-Jacques music and is spectacular. The second side features his demos of the individual sounds of the Ondioline. If you are a fan, or even just interested in Jean-Jacques Perrey and the Ondioline, I highly recommend this release. The Deluxe Vinyl LP is a gatefold and comes with a very nice quality booklet on Jean-Jacques Perrey and the Ondioline. See below for a pic of the inside cover and back. The clear vinyl itself looks like pristine glass. You can tell the care that went into this release. See my previous post with details here, or you can go directly to the Bandcamp release page here.

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ONDIOLINE Quick Oscillator Repair Job using Forgotten Futures Book

video upload by Vintage Keys Studio

"A brief explanation of an oscillator fault in the Ondioline. Resistors around the Oscillator valve (an ECC82) were all original and some had failed, causing a rise in pitch whenever a note was played.

Filmed and Badly Edited on a phone by Steve Christie, as Louisa was away on holiday. Steve hasn't had a holiday for 10 years.

GET A COPY OF THE FORGOTTEN FUTURES ONDIOLINE MANUAL HERE: https://forgottenfutures.bandcamp.com...

OUR WEBSITE:
https://vintagekeysstudio.com"

See the Ondioline label below for more. Also checke out Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline.

The Ondioline - Technical Manual, Promotional Brochure, Beginner's Handbook & 7" Single

A couple of pics of my recently arrived Ondioline technical manual by Georges Jenny, brochure, handbook & 7" vinyl single. Pics of the back sides below. You can find digital copies here, and physical copies available to order here. The quality for the physical copies are top notch. Highly recommended if you are interested in having new, pristine copies of these historical documents.

See https://ondioline.com/ for more. It's a great resource. You might remember the newly launched site dedicated to the Ondioline from this post a couple of weeks ago. The site is definitely worth taking the time to check out.

Updates to the Ondioline Website

via Dana Countryman:

"Hi All,

Just a quick note to say that there have been many improvements to the Ondioline.com web site.

Peter Urso has joined up with me, and he has worked hard to add lots of info about the amazing Ondioline.

If you do own one, please contact the email address on the web page, and we’ll add you to the owner’s map.

If you have photos of your Ondioline, please send them to that address, as well."

Soniccouture Ondioline

Published on Dec 18, 2015 Soniccouture

"A short preview of the Soniccouture Ondioline Kontakt instrument.
Featuring Neil Cowley.

http://www.soniccouture.com/en/produc..."

"FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF SYNTHS

There is a group of early analogue monosynths, produced in the 1950s, about which very little information exists.
Clavioline, Ondioline, Univox, Solovox - these are the most well known of this species, and are all pretty similar to each other. All feature a real-time volume controller, operated by the players knee. All are valve-based with their own built-in amp and speaker, and all have a variety of switches to alter the timbre of the sound.
The Ondioline was the original and the most sophisticated in terms of synthesis and features; it was developed as a low-cost Ondes Martenot, which is why it features a similar lateral vibrato keyboard. The sound can be surprisingly realistic when the vibrato and knee lever are used together - organic and sinuous."

Jean-Jacques Perrey on "I've Got A Secret" 1960, Part One

YouTube via happymoogman

"Legendary Electronic Music pioneer Jean-Jacques Perrey appears on "I've Got A Secret." From June 22nd, 1960. Part One is the Game Show segment, and in Part Two (in another YouTube clip), Perrey demonstrates the Ondioline - a rare vacuum tube (pre-Moog) synthesizer."

Jean-Jacques Perrey on "I've Got a Secret", 1960, Part Two - Ondioline Demonstration


"In this Part Two segment (Part One in another YouTube clip), Perrey demonstrates the Ondioline - a rare vacuum tube (pre-Moog) synthesizer. This television demonstration was the American Debut of this instrument. Later that year, the Ondioline was featured on the soundtrack to 'Spartacus.'"

The George Jenny Ondioline synthesizer!

YouTube Published on May 17, 2012 by sounddoctorin

"Bob Weigel of http://www.sounddoctorin.com gets a glimpse of what is apparently one of the few remaining original high portability synthesizers; the George Jenny Ondioline. Parker is planning to sell this to a museum so don't ask about acquiring it at this point. This is just for historical reference and to give a little visual on an instrument that probably doesn't have any youtube coverage otherwise. This instrument obviously used vacuum tubes and no I have no diagram for it. The tilters on the left are for changing various typical parameters of this type of thing. Probably footage mixture and filter controls. As some know it's the instrument used in Del Shannon's 'Runaway'. I do a song by this title also. Mine doesn't use an ondioline :-). It does have great lyrics and a moving beat though. It's found on my myspace site as I recall. enjoy :-)"

Kiss Me, Stupid (Ondioline) featuring Gotye

Joseph McGinty

From the ep Kiss Me, Stupid (Sydney) by Joe McGinty
Filmed at the Sydney Opera House by JDW
Music by Joe McGinty
(c) Tralfaz (ASCAP)
with:
Gotye, Ondioline
Eleanor Norton, cello

---

See if you can make out the Ondioline. It really stands out around 1:46 on.