Jazz/Prognet Denmark did a mini interview with the man behind the very exciting, record company called Soleil Zeuhl Mr. Alain Lebon. The small company has to date (april 2010) released 24 cd's with bands like the incredible One Shot, Eskaton, Rialzu, Neom, Xing Sa, Setna and many more.
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : Why the name Soleil Zeuhl ???
Alain Lebon : The label is dedicated to illustrate the influence Magma have/had on a certain part of the progressive/jazz scene. In French, the name is "Zeuhl sun". Zeuhl music is certainly difficult to define clearly.... but we try...
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : What is the concept and the idea of the label ???
Alain Lebon : It begain as a fan, when in the early 80s I gathered tracks featuring a growling bass & hypnotic fender pianos. Later, over the years CD reviewers started to use the name Zeuhl as a generic name for a music style & so, step by step, the idea came to launch a label devoted to such musics & sounds.
Alain Lebon : It begain as a fan, when in the early 80s I gathered tracks featuring a growling bass & hypnotic fender pianos. Later, over the years CD reviewers started to use the name Zeuhl as a generic name for a music style & so, step by step, the idea came to launch a label devoted to such musics & sounds.
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : How would you categorize the music coming from Soleil Zeuhl ???
Alain Lebon : Except for a few exceptions (for which the word Zeuhl was not used) - Olive Mess, Mix City, Murder in the Cathedral - all issues fall into the said Zeuhl category. When people not aware of progressive or jazz ask me this question, I usually reply it's electric jazz with a hint of rock & an influence of European XXth century composers (Bartok etc).
Alain Lebon : Except for a few exceptions (for which the word Zeuhl was not used) - Olive Mess, Mix City, Murder in the Cathedral - all issues fall into the said Zeuhl category. When people not aware of progressive or jazz ask me this question, I usually reply it's electric jazz with a hint of rock & an influence of European XXth century composers (Bartok etc).
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : If you weren't involved in music, what do you think you'd be doing ???
Alain Lebon : The label is NOT professional, it is impossible to make a living with it. I have a day job (bank) & I do my best for acting as a professional at evenings, weeks ends etc.
SZ is a non-profit organization. What was the last CD you bought, or what have you been listening to lately ???
The last CD I bought is an ELECTRIC ORANGE cd - a modern Krautrock band I heavily admire since a few years.
The last CD I listened to is POST IMAGE (a french band with an ex-UPPSALA member) "seven trips" - a fantastic CD mixing jazz & trip-hop, very modern & imaginative (recommended, notably, to fans of Niels Peter Molvaer).
Alain Lebon : The label is NOT professional, it is impossible to make a living with it. I have a day job (bank) & I do my best for acting as a professional at evenings, weeks ends etc.
SZ is a non-profit organization. What was the last CD you bought, or what have you been listening to lately ???
The last CD I bought is an ELECTRIC ORANGE cd - a modern Krautrock band I heavily admire since a few years.
The last CD I listened to is POST IMAGE (a french band with an ex-UPPSALA member) "seven trips" - a fantastic CD mixing jazz & trip-hop, very modern & imaginative (recommended, notably, to fans of Niels Peter Molvaer).
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : Is it not difficult getting through to the listeners with a label of your size ???
Alain Lebon : It is! There is a hard-core fan base for the label which allows its survey but selling outside this first circle of fans is difficult. Our CDs usually succeed but it needs several years of slow spreading before reaching 1.000 units sold.
Alain Lebon : It is! There is a hard-core fan base for the label which allows its survey but selling outside this first circle of fans is difficult. Our CDs usually succeed but it needs several years of slow spreading before reaching 1.000 units sold.
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : If you should mention 5-10 records that have meant something to you, what would they be ???
Alain Lebon : My greatest musicals emotions ever, happened with :
KING CRIMSON Red
MAGMA : Mekanik D K
CHROME : Half-machine lips move
Miles DAVIS : Agharta
PINK FLOYD Piper at the gates of dawn
Of course, over the years, many more have been important to me but I think none generated such an in initial shock that these 5. Maybe I could add DEVIL DOLL "sacrelegium" - more recently.
Alain Lebon : My greatest musicals emotions ever, happened with :
KING CRIMSON Red
MAGMA : Mekanik D K
CHROME : Half-machine lips move
Miles DAVIS : Agharta
PINK FLOYD Piper at the gates of dawn
Of course, over the years, many more have been important to me but I think none generated such an in initial shock that these 5. Maybe I could add DEVIL DOLL "sacrelegium" - more recently.
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : If a new listener was about to buy his first recording from your label, which one would you recommend as the best introduction to the label's music ???
Alain Lebon : That would depend of his background before lending an ear towards Soleil Zeuhl. To someone listening to jazz I'd say ONE SHOT, to someone enjoying progressive I'd say XING-SA or RIALZU, to someone deeply into Magma I'd say NEOM...
Alain Lebon : That would depend of his background before lending an ear towards Soleil Zeuhl. To someone listening to jazz I'd say ONE SHOT, to someone enjoying progressive I'd say XING-SA or RIALZU, to someone deeply into Magma I'd say NEOM...
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : You have just released the first recordings by Eskaton and One Shot in new remastered versions with bonus tracks. What can we expect in the future from Soleil Zeuhl ???
Alain Lebon : Nothing is sure yet. I work on a couple of projects but I don't know yet if these will really happen or not. The most positive point of not making a living with the label is there is no pressure for producing a lot of records & the frequence is not that important.
Alain Lebon : Nothing is sure yet. I work on a couple of projects but I don't know yet if these will really happen or not. The most positive point of not making a living with the label is there is no pressure for producing a lot of records & the frequence is not that important.
Jazz/Prognet Denmark : Finally, are there any closing thoughts you'd like to get out there ???
Alain Lebon : Support the independant, stay tuned & open! There are A LOT of good musics around (possibly more than ever) but most have a hell lot of difficulties for being visible. Curiosity is the key for jumping over the blind mainstream medias....
Alain Lebon : Support the independant, stay tuned & open! There are A LOT of good musics around (possibly more than ever) but most have a hell lot of difficulties for being visible. Curiosity is the key for jumping over the blind mainstream medias....