The Music in My Head is a smooth jazz album released by Michael Franks in 2018.[1] It’s his eighteenth studio album, and the second with the independent Shanachie Records.[2]
| The Music in My Head | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 8, 2018 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 50:11 | |||
| Label | Shanachie | |||
| Producer |
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| Michael Franks chronology | ||||
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Background
editThe Music in My Head is Franks’ first album after a seven-year hiatus.[2] Franks explained to Parade magazine the album was "written about my own personal spiritual journey" and "[it's] about love, our connection to nature, and the beauty and mystery of it all.”[3]
The album features one of the last recorded guitar solos by Chuck Loeb[4][5] before his death.[6]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Michael Franks
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "As Long As We're Both Together" | 6:04 |
| 2. | "Suddenly Sci-Fi" | 4:35 |
| 3. | "The Idea of a Tree" | 5:05 |
| 4. | "Bluebird Blue" | 4:23 |
| 5. | "To Spend the Day With You" | 6:13 |
| 6. | "Bebop Headshop" | 4:21 |
| 7. | "Where You Hid the Truth" | 5:52 |
| 8. | "The Music In My Head" | 4:57 |
| 9. | "Candleglow" | 5:43 |
| 10. | "Waterfall" | 5:28 |
Reception
editWriting for Smooth-Jazz.de, Hans-Bernd Hülsmann praised the album for "offer[ing] great musical and literary preciousness with charm and elegance. The album contains a marked variety of audible values that demand attention and time from the listener to experience and enjoy all facets."[7]
Justin Kantor highly recommended the album for SoulTracks, saying the album "displays as aptly as ever his ability to convey a breadth of topics in a seamless manner that feels like a choice road trip set to the most mellow—yet colorful—of soundscapes."[8]
On the song "Waterfall", Laura B. Whitmore wrote for Parade that "[it's] a whispery tale of the journey from raindrop to waterfall. With a lilting rhythm, clever lyrics and some melodic guitar and vibes, “Waterfall” is like a sonic sigh of satisfaction."[3]
Personnel
edit- Michael Franks – vocals
- Eric Marienthal – saxophone
- Gary Meek – saxophone
- Bob Mintzer – saxophone
- Karel Ruzicka – saxophone
- Charles Blenzig – piano
- Gil Goldstein – piano
- Otmaro Ruíz – electric piano (Fender Rhodes), organ (Wurlitzer), synthesizer
- Rachel Z – piano, keyboards
- Larry Koonse – guitar
- David Spinozza – guitar
- Chuck Loeb – guitar, keyboards
- Romero Lubambo – rhythm guitar
- Jay Anderson – double bass
- Sean Conly – double bass
- Jimmy Haslip – bass, synthesizer
- Scott Petito – bass
- Billy Kilson – drums
- Jimmy Branley – drums, percussion
- Rogerio Boccato – percussion
- Manuel Quintana – percussion
- Veronica Nunn – backing vocals
- Leslie Ritter – backing vocals
References
edit- ^ "Discography in Order of Release". MichaelFranks.com. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ^ a b "Michael Franks - The Music In My Head". Shanachie Entertainment. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ^ a b Whitmore, Laura. "Exclusive Premiere: Michael Franks Shares 'Waterfall'". Parade. United States. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ^ "Michael Franks – The Music In My Head". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ^ "Review – Michael Franks "The Music In My Head"". TheJazzWorld. 2017-06-03. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ^ Mergner, Lee (2017-08-01). "Chuck Loeb, Guitarist and Composer, Dies at 61". JazzTimes. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ^ Hülsmann, Hans-Bernd. "Starportrait: Michael Franks, The Music in My Head". Smooth-Jazz.de. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ^ Kantor, Justin (6 June 2018). "Michael Franks - The Music In My Head (2018)". SoulTracks. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
Bibliography
edit- The Music in My Head (CD cover). Michael Franks. United States: Shanachie Records. 2018. SHANCD 5459.
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