Pourquoi

Released in 1978, Pourquoi is the third studio album by the French jazz-funk ensemble Cortex, led by keyboardist Alain Mion. While their debut 'Troupeau Bleu' remains their most famous work due to heavy sampling in hip-hop, Pourquoi represents a more polished and diverse evolution of their sound. The album incorporates elements of disco and soul-jazz while retaining the signature Mion piano style and the ethereal vocal arrangements of Mireille Dalbray. Recorded during a period where jazz fusion was beginning to lean into more commercial production, Cortex managed to maintain a sense of avant-garde mystery. The album features a mix of French and English lyrics, signaling an attempt at international reach, particularly on tracks like 'Runnin From You'. Critically, it is viewed as a sophisticated bookend to their classic 1970s run, showcasing a band at the height of their arrangement powers before the shifting musical landscape of the 1980s.