Prolific and inventive French producer Hector Zazou has died, it has been announced.
The sonic engineer was 60 years old, and fell ill earlier this year. Zazou died in hospital on September 8th, after a lengthy career that includes a huge list of collaborators.
Hector Zazou began working in a studio in the late 70s, and found himself at home there. A huge variety of projects followed, as Zazou worked on the fringe of both classical and pop. His 1992 album “Sahara Blue” blended a massive array of influences into a melting pot of sound in tribute to the French poet Arthur Rimbaud who had died 100 years before.
His 1994 album “Songs From The Cold Seas” is perhaps his best known work. A song cycle based on the theme of the sea it featured guest contributions from Bjork, John Cale, Suzanne Vega and cast of thousands as Zazou blended samples of inuit tribes into his tapestry of sound.
A renowned producer, Zazou’s work was highly respected but rarely reached the audience it deserved. He died on September 8th, aged 60.
