School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Ludovic Navarre

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ludovic Navarre is a French DJ and producer, born in 1969 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris. He is best known under the stage name St Germain. As a boy he listened to Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Miles Davis and Kool & the Gang. From 1991 he released techno and deep house under various names, first on FNAC, the label of Laurent Garnier and Eric Morand, and then on their new label F Communications. From 1993 he used the name St Germain for his deep house. That same year, with Garnier and Shazz as Choice, he made the track Acid Eiffel, one of the first French dance hits.

Music and breakthrough

In 1995 his first album Boulevard was released, a deep house record with many jazz influences. Mixmag named it the best album of that year. He was then invited to make an album for Blue Note, the famous jazz label. That became Tourist (2000), with among others Rose Rouge and Sure Thing. The album came out as lounge music was on the rise, sold millions of copies worldwide and earned him an Edison. After that it went quiet for a long time. In 2015 the album St Germain appeared, on which he mixed Malian instruments such as the kora, balafon and ngoni with electric guitars and electronic loops.

Influence

Navarre combines house with jazz: a tight dance beat with live-played horns, piano and samples of old jazz and blues records. In doing so he became one of the best-known names of nu jazz, and he showed that jazz and electronic dance music can go well together.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Rose Rouge by St Germain and notice the repeated piano figure, the tight house beat beneath it and the voice that keeps repeating the same phrase. Hear how horns and percussion then join in, as if a jazz band were playing along with a DJ.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists