Cortex in Washington

Cortex is a French jazz-funk group formed in 1974 by keyboardist and singer Alain Mion and drummer Alain Gandolfi. Its best-known record is the 1975 debut album Troupeau Bleu, which includes “Huit Octobre 1971,” “La Rue” and the title track; its grooves later became widely sampled in hip-hop. Cortex undertook its first North American tour in 2024, presenting concerts built around Troupeau Bleu. The group performs as a full band with keyboards, vocals, horns and a rhythm section under the direction of Alain Mion.