Michael Franks - Barefoot on the Beach

Artist:

Franks, Michael

UPC:

886974902027

See Also:

New York Voices Baker, Chet (Trumpet/Vocals/Com Torme, Mel Cole, Holly

Description:

Personnel: Michael Franks, Valerie Simpson (vocals); Jay Azzolina, Jeff Mironov, Chuck Loeb, Steve Khan (guitar); Jim Beard (strings); David Mann (flute); Chris Hunter (flute, alto saxophone); Andy Snitzer (alto & tenor saxophones); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Bob Mintzer (saxophone); Randy Brecker, Larry Lunetta (trumpet); Jim Hynes (flugelhorn); Birch Johnson (trombone); Bob James (piano); Charles Blenzig (keyboards, programming); Chris Palmaro, Mike Ricchiuti (keyboards); Dave Samuels (vibraphone); Jimmy Haslip (bass, keyboards); Will Lee (bass, background vocals); John Patitucci (acoustic bass); Wolfgang Haffner (drums, percussion); Steve Gadd, Shawn Pelton (drums); Brian Dunne (drums, drum programming); David Charles, Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Carmen Cuesta, Lani Groves, Tawatha Agee (background vocals).
Recorded at Clinton Recording, New York; Make Believe Ballroom, West Shokan; Automotive Recording, Irvington; and Remidi Studio, Dobbs Ferry, New York.
Countless musical trends have steamrolled by since this wry singer songwriter with the cool and collected, wistful onionskin voice first graced the adult music world in the mid-`70s with The Art of Tea and its cryptic hit, "Popsicle Toes." Yet Franks has stood his ground, growing as an observational lyricist while his relaxed demeanor stays pretty much the same, and charmingly so.
While varying his backing instrumental tracks to fall somewhere between classic, subtle brassy Steely Dan ("The Fountain of Youth" features Yellowjacket saxman Bob Mintzer kicking it up with trumpeter Larry Lunetta) and colorful smooth jazz vibes (Bob James, Dave Samuels, and Chuck Loeb crackle behind the bemused frustration story "Double Talk"), the joy of his writing approach is found in his song structure. Franks just doesn`t buy into the Top 40 school of "hook or forget it" songwriting. He`s more interested in weaving quirky, even esoteric images over solid grooves. "You could jump a DC-8 and probably be here by eight" sets the tone for the frolic of the title track. Everything is fair game from references to Ingrid Bergman and Rhett Butler looks on "Heart Like an Open Book" to congratulating Ponce De Leon for the youthful drive of his lover on "The Fountain of Youth." He`s quite the humorist, too, telling a cheating mate on "Double Talk" that "each time you lie your profile grows/it looks just like Pinocchio`s." "Mr. Smooth" is a crisp commentary on a stuck-up man who thinks he`s a god somehow. So that even when Franks is expressing displeasure, his heart is light. He covers all the aspects of love from the supreme joy of "Now Love Has No End" to "Why Spring Ain`t here" but the minute he starts to boil over, he`s back to the beach, having a blast. It`s the kind of spring in your step music Franks fashioned his career out of. ~ Jonathan Widran

Album Information

Release Date:

06/01/1999

Type:

Performer

Genre:

Jazz Instrument

Subgenre:

Smooth

Label:

Sony Music Distribution (USA)

Catalog Number:

749020

Original Release Year:

1999

# of Discs:

1

SPARS Coding:

DDD

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Guest Artist:

Randy Brecker; Bob James; Chuck Loeb; Valerie Simpson; Steve Gadd; Dave Samuels; Steve Khan

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