Michael Franks - Dream 1973-2011 CD

Dream 1973-2011 songs It would be incorrect to say that not much has changed Fourplay's sound since they began recording together in 1991. That said, while these musicians -- who were all successful artists individually -- have continued to evolve, as a group they've stayed remarkably focused on what they do best: play elegant, seamless, contemporary jazz with a light sexy groove. Keyboardist Bob James, drummer/percussionist Harvey Mason, and bassist Nathan East have remained constants but guitarists have come and gone: Chuck Loeb replaces Larry Carlton (who originally replaced founding member Lee Ritenour) for Let's Touch the Sky, Fourplay's 11th recording. James' title track composition kicks things off with a breezy Brazilian groove before strings paint an airy, almost cinematic backdrop. Loeb's "3rd Degree" ups the funk quotient with some hard-grooving guitar, ever-present rolling breaks by Mason, and some knotty synth work. His "Above and Beyond" provides the kind of guitar-led group interactive euphoria usually associated with Pat Metheny. Mason's "Pineapple Getaway" has irresistible synth and Rhodes work by James, but it's Loeb's stellar guitar work that makes this Caribbean-flavored groover one of the set's finest moments. "Gentle Giant," written by James in memory of Hank Jones, features a stellar upright bass solo from East. There are three vocal tracks on the set as well. East takes one on his "I'll Still Be Lovin' You," and Anita Baker lays down a fine one on her reading of "You're My Thrill." The most remarkable one is the deeply soulful, warmly expressive take of Cecil and Linda Womack's "Love TKO" by Ruben Studdard, with some excellent atmospherics provided by James and Mason. Fourplay's formulaic approach is firmly intact on Let's Touch the Sky and the band is firing on all cylinder, making this a fine entry in 2010's contemporary jazz oeuvre. ~ Thom Jurek Photographer: Sandrine Lee. Personnel: Nathan East (vocals); ...

Dream 1973-2011 buy CD music Jazz singer/songwriter Michael Franks is an artist most jazz fans feel strongly about one way or another. His unique, romantic poet-cum-laid-back hipster approach to jazz signing is breezy, light, and languid. It's also uniquely his own, though deeply influenced by Brazilian jazz, bossa, and samba. Time Together, his first recording of new material in five years -- and his debut for Shanachie -- is unlikely to change anyone's opinion of him, but that doesn't mean this is a rote recording. Time Together is an airy, groove-ridden summer travelog that ranges from St. Tropez and New York to Paris, France, and Egypt; it journeys through the nostalgic past and finds space in the present moment, with cleverly notated, languorous, ironic observations about life. Franks split the production and arranging duties between Charles Blenzig, Gil Goldstein, Chuck Loeb, Scott Petito, and Mark Egan. The rest of the international cast on this polished 11-song set includes old friends and new faces David Spinozza, Mike Mainieri, David Mann, Eric Marienthal, Till Brönner, Alex Spiagin, Jerry Marotta, Billy Kilson, Romero Lubambo, and backing vocalist Veronica Nunn. Time Together is wonderfully polished without being overly slick. The set opens with "Now That the Summer's Here," a samba-inspired paean to laziness with excellent solos by Bronner's trumpet and Marienthal's alto. The arrangement by Loeb includes a perfectly balanced meld of acoustic and electric guitars, with the harmony chorus between Franks and Carmen Cuesta adding an essentially restrained yet celebratory tone. "One Day in St. Tropez" is one Franks' finest reminiscence songs. Goldstein's acoustic piano, Greg Cohen's bass, and Lubambo's acoustic guitar evoke classic bossa while the singer details in exotically rich, nostalgically romantic lyrics a 1963 hitchhiking excursion through Southern France. "Mice" is a humorous, metaphorically hip irony, illustrated beautifully by Manieri's vibes, Petito's bass, and Spinozza's guitar with a backing vocal from Beth Neilsen-Chapman. "Samba Blue," another of thew album's finer tracks, offers the tale of a long-ago love affair in Paris, without a hint of cloying or regret, thanks to Franks fine lyric and melody, and a jaunty Loeb arrangement featuring a beautiful alto solo by Marienthal. "My Heart Said Wow" is a straight-ahead duet with Nunn, boasting a fine trumpet solo by Spiagin's trumpet. "Feathers from an Angel's Wing," the longest and perhaps most beautiful track here is, fittingly, also the closer. Arranged by Egan, whose fretless bass introduces it, Loeb's guitars, Clifford Carter's keys, and Joe Bonadio's drums illustrate it elegantly. The singer's use of Zen wisdom in the modern jazz lyric and melody, underscores everything fine and right in Franks' art from The Art of Tea to the present day. While his framework may be contemporary, his execution is timeless, making Time Together Franks' most consistent, graceful collection of songs in the 21st century. ~ Thom Jurek Audio Mixer: Scott Petito. Recording information: BiCoastal Music; NRS Recording Studio, Catskill, NY; Pomeranian Sound. Photographer: Dion Ogust.

Dream 1973-2011 album for sale When Jeff Lorber reignited the Jeff Lorber Fusion in 2010 with Now Is the Time, he sought to re-examine the very music he'd helped to establish: contemporary jazz. Its instrumental tracks were solid and satisfying, but the vocal cuts lacked, holding fast to Lorber's M.O. as a solo artist. That said, the album sold well and earned a Grammy nomination. Galaxy features essentially the same group -- alto saxophonist Eric Marienthal, Yellowjackets' bassist Jimmy Haslip, and percussionist Lenny Castro -- with drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl, guitarists Michael Thompson, Anders Theander, Paul Jackson, Jr., and Larry Koonse, trumpeter Randy Brecker, and arranger Dave Mann. The seven new tunes share space with four reimagined tracks from the earlier incarnation of JLF: "The Samba," Wizard Island," "The Underground," and "The City." Lorber thinks of Galaxy as part two of Now Is the Time, but it's much more than that. It's funkier, with deeper grooves, yet it leans harder on jazz. The melodic statement in "Live Wire," which opens the set, is underscored by vamps from synthed flutes, Lorber's Rhodes piano, and the symbiotic percussion of Colaiuta and Castro. "Big Brother" is more laid-back and concentrates on setting out groove and melody simultaneously, leaving more room to explore the harmonic implications. The three-guitar approach is a nice touch, as are Marienthal's overdubbed altos. Lorber's pianos -- Rhodes and acoustic -- meet Haslip's funky, slippery bassline, trading fours and solos. "Singaraja" has a knotty, skittering vamp; the guitars and keys entwine with fine arpeggios and beautiful horns by Marienthal and Brecker. The title track is pure jazz-funk thanks to Marienthal's spiraling soprano, while Lorber's synth bassline gives Haslip room to move on the melody. "Horace," dedicated to Horace Silver -- the man who put the "funk" in jazz in the first place and was a huge influence on Lorber's playing -- is a fingerpopper from start to finish; it's a true highlight. Of the redone tracks, Lorber's group adds depth and dimension rather than just technological advances. They have more presence and more force in them. Koonse plays guitar on "The Samba," in twinned, arpeggiated exchanges with Lorber, underscored by gorgeous kit and percussion work from Colaiuta and Castro. On "The Underground," which closes things out, Lorber shines on piano and Rhodes, as does Randy Brecker in a stylized trumpet solo. The aggressive bass rumble by Haslip and stinging guitar by Jackson, Jr. (as well as Colaiuta's breakbeats) highlight what may have been missing in the original. Ultimately, Galaxy is an infinitely stronger album than its predecessor, and stands with Water Sign as the finest album the JLF has ever released. Contemporary jazz just doesn't get much better than this. ~ Thom Jurek Audio Mixers: Jeff Lorber; Michael H. Brauer. Recording information: JHL SOund, Pacific Palisades, CA. Photographer: Marina Chavez.