Cortex 'Huit Octobre 1971' live at Jazz Is Dead

Alain Mion delivers an emotional performance of "Huit Octobre 1971" - the famous track known for being sampled by MF Doom, Madlib, Tyler the Creator and many more.

This past summer Cortex, the band of Alain Mion, came to North America for a 13 city tour, selling out shows across the country. This video was recorded on July 11th, 2024 at The Mayan theatre in Los Angeles.

After a sold-out summer tour across North America , Cortex is back on the road to make new friends and share their masterpiece! This Fall, the legendary French jazz fusion band will hit the cities they missed, bringing their iconic sound to new audiences.

There is hardly any comparison for the first time one hears the legendary French Jazz-Funk band, Cortex. Like tearing a sports car down the Côte d'Azur, their crisp bass lines and seductive piano stabs conjure fantasies of playful hedonism, sun-drenched luxury, and escape. Among the numerous European groups that absorbed American Funk and Jazz influences during the 1970s, few are as celebrated, or as mysterious. Over the years, their music has made its way to global audiences through Hip-Hop. As it stands, Cortex is one of the most sampled artists from France, appearing in tracks from #tylerthecreator, #flyinglotus, and most notably #MFDOOM & #Madlib.

Join Jazz Is Dead as we welcome the iconic group back to North America and for the very first time, Brazil. Listen to their holy grail album TROUPEAU BLEU here.

There is little information available online about Cortex’s elusive founding member, Alain Mion. Born in Casablanca shortly after World War II, Mion was raised in Paris. By the late 1960s, he had formed his own trio, and was regularly gigging in Parisian nightclubs, as well as sitting in with visiting Americans such as Hank Mobley and Philly Joe Jones. In 1974, Mion founded Cortex with drummer Alain Gandolfini, and recruited talented session musicians, as well the singer Mirelle Dalbray to round out the group. Their first two albums, Troupeau Bleu and Vol. 2, brought them great attention across Europe from TV and radio stations and remain their most well-known works.

Today, their impact among instrumental acts remains stronger than ever. Groups like High Pulp, Hiatus Kaiyote, and many others are descended from the group’s psychedelic blend of Funk and Jazz. Though they were only briefly active, the music of Cortex shaped tastes and for future generations while remaining an impenetrable mystery. Now, as they make their way to American soil, join us in what is sure to be one of Jazz Is Dead’s most unforgettable concerts.

Audio mixed by Ken Chow Audio.

#cortex #artdontsleep #jazzisdead

[andrefranca]

Thanks DOOM for bringing me here! Jazz music is beautful

[JustinHernandezkhz]

The keyboard solo here is something else

[daniellakaran]

Ohhh yesss the Troupeau Bleu album is gonna turn 50 this year.

[SantiagoCorderoRecinos]

Thank you MF DOOM, may he rest in peace for bringing me to this incredible music.

[sayounsang]

One of, if not the greatest to do that. Sampled by Tyler, DOOM, and countless other rappers that I couldn’t even begin to name. Nearly 50 years since 1970 and still going strong. Powerful band. Incredible music. Cortex forever

[SalarianHeadphones]

One of the best concerts I’ve ever gone to. Singer was so good!

[greenlova]

Hello the hype is so mellow i am dope and my pipe is so yellow

[Quake]

Love this song and album. It's been sampled a few times.

[SsaliJonathan]

Rappers screaming all in our ears like we are deaf

[ヴェーラッ]

“Hello, the hyper soul”
- Tyler, The Creator - “Odd Toddlers”

[VincentGuzzi]

MF Doom would sound so good on this song