Eclectic French composer and producer Hector Zazou has died in Paris at the age of 60.
Algerian-born Zazou, who died on Monday (Sept. 8), was a prominent figure on the French music scene who spent his career exploring and mixing music genres, especially in the domain of world music. A tireless innovator, he worked with a range of like-minded international musicians, including Björk, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, John Cale, Suzanne Vega and Carlos Nunez.
In 1992, he won a Victoire de la Musique award, for his work entitled “Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses.” Zazou recently finished his 11th album for Brussels-based label Crammed Discs, “In the House of Mirrors” an ambient collaboration recorded in Bombay with Asian and European instrumentalists which is due for release shortly.
Zazou died in a Paris hospital. The cause of death is not yet revealed, but he had been seriously ill for some months.