JACQUES DENJEAN

Born: May 25th, 1929, Igny, Greater Paris (France)

Died: September 21st, 1995, Evreux (France)

Nationality: French

In due course, the short impression below will be replaced with a more extensive career overview

BIOGRAPHY

Jacques Denjean worked as a composer and arranger in the 1960s, accompanying many of the best-known Francophone artists, including Dalida, Charles Aznavour, Françoise Hardy, Nana Mouskouri, Sacha Distel, and Johnny Halliday. He also penned several film scores, including ‘Adieu Philippine’ (1962) and ‘Morbo’ (1972), as well as the music to the televised feuilleton ‘Vive la vie’ (1966). Moreover, Jacques Denjean released several instrumental jazz records under his own name in the course of the 1960s. He was a member of vocal group Les Double Six.

Jacques Denjean is the younger brother of Claude Denjean, who took part as a conductor in the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest.

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

In the 1960s, Jacques Denjean also worked as the arranger of Hugues Aufray. When Aufray represented the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen with ‘Dès que le printemps revient’, Denjean wrote the orchestration and conducted the Danish orchestra during the international final. With his self-penned entry, Hugues Aufray came fourth. 

The year before, Jacques Denjean had a modest involvement in Raymond Bernard's Eurovision composition 'A force de prier', interpreted by Nana Mouskouri. For this song, arranged by Robert Chauvigny, Denjean conducted the orchestra in the studio session. In the contest itself, the honours were taken by British resident conductor Eric Robinson.

EUROVISION INVOLVEMENT YEAR BY YEAR

1963 London

Country – Luxembourg

Song title – "A force de prier"

Rendition – Nana Mouskouri

Lyrics – Pierre Delanoë

Composition – Raymond Bernard

Studio arrangement – Robert Chauvigny 

(studio orchestra conducted by Jacques Denjean)

Live orchestration – Robert Chauvigny

Conductor – Eric Robinson

Score – 8th place (13 votes)

1964 Copenhagen

Country – Luxembourg

Song title – "Dès que le printemps revient"

Rendition – Hugues Aufray 

Lyrics – Jacques Plante

Composition – Hugues Aufray

Studio arrangement – Jacques Denjean

Live orchestration – Jacques Denjean

Conductor – Jacques Denjean

Score – 4th place (14 votes)