It is interesting because my musical taste have grown in an extremely different direction than when I first began listening to music. Here is my dirty little secret:
I started out listening to hip-hop on KDAY, a radio station
that has come back and made a serious rebound after all of these years. I broke
away from that and started listening to other music, which they now have a name
for that I am sure that you know quite well: Artist like Jeff Lorber, Earl
Klugh, Spyro Gyra, George Howard, and even a few I dare not mention. However,
this type of music helped put me on the path to the core of straight ahead
music, real jazz - the essence of life which I hold dear and which molds my
character and determines my destiny.
I have pretty much closed the door on anything that remotely represents the touch of silk, a tsunami of the smallest magnitude or weather that causes thunder and lightning when it comes to music. I probably should not be so harsh. I am just fond of music that makes a statement with simplicity and not just for simplicity's sake. If they called it adult contemporary music, I would be fine with that because that is what it is.
Now, having said all of that, any music that has
stayed with
me over the years and has not fallen by the wayside must have something
to say.
I believe that about Michael Franks and his music. I believe that there
are two
sides to his music. This could probably be said about many artists but,
there
is one side of Michael that is contemporary (the record label side) and
another side which exudes an extremely profound and creative lyricist.
I have had
most of his records over the years and I am amazed by them. Amazed that
on the
same record there could be something so intriguing and also something
so very
contemporary. To me, it is like oil and water, but what this tells me
is that
Michael's imprint is present on all of his work, regardless of the way
the studio
would like to present him as an artist.
Times have unfortunately changed since the old days. Artists
were given record deals because of their sheer talent and once proven, allowed
to freely express their art and creativity through their music. Jazz musicians
who speak and play the truth do this every day and are not financially rewarded
nearly as abundantly as others. Michael is a wonderful storyteller who has
created beauty from the heart. He has captured some very poignant aspects of
the love between humans and expressed the joy, pain, and sorrow with things
that make you laugh, feel and think. But as the years progress, the avenue for
these types of expressions change and that change sometimes leaves artists on
an island of creative prowess with no market. Television is not about the
programs you watch and radio is not about what you are listening to.
I took the Blue Line train down to the Long Beach Jazz Festival
in Long Beach because it is always an easy ride and it pretty much drops you
off right at the back door of the festival. I met two women on my way back home
that had just been at the festival. They both saw Michael’s performance and one
thought his lyrics were corny and the other said that she just liked his voice.
I have been listening to these lyrics for over 20 years and I have always
looked upon them as fun, humorous and yes, sometimes a little silly. But, I get
it. I felt like I was a fly on the wall when he composed some of these songs
and I understood where he was coming from. I think you have to look, feel, hear
and live between the lines to understand the song’s true meaning. I am not sure
that the world hears Michael’s messages correctly.
This is the same approach I take with jazz music. I like to
hear between the lines and experience the possibility of notes not played. I
know that those who love adult contemporary music only listen to and want to
hear what is coming out of the speakers. There is so much more to life and
there is so much more to music and so much more to art. I relish in those
lyrics because, like most of us, they take us back to a time to remember. Only,
I heard the music in its entirety back then, when it was presented in a free
form and not a part of a radio formula that works financially.
During his performance at the very successful Long Beach
Jazz Festival, Michael covered some of his popular tunes like, “Eggplant”,
“Monk’s New Tune”, “Rainy Night in Tokyo” and of course everyone’s all-time
favorite “Popsicle Toes”. On vocals, backup vocals and percussion, a friend
that I have for only known a short time (though it seems like we go back many years)
was Veronica Nunn, adding the flavor of “A Love Duet”. That’s what Michael
Franks's lyrics do-- make you seem like you have known him for quite some time. Through
time, Michael has remained the same all of these years. I have seen him at
performances for many years here in
Of course all of his songs are great, but what is even more dynamic is when you spend time with the albums in a serene environment in their entirety. You can’t always get your music through the radio. When was the last time you got together with some friends, made some dinner at your house and spent some intimate time listening to music? This can be more rewarding than “War of the Worlds”, “Star Wars” or “Deuce Bigalow”. Believe me, take your discs or MP3’s of some of your favorite tunes over to a friend’s house and spend some time getting into the music. You play two tunes and let your friend play two tunes. You really get to know your friends and you really get to know the music. Do me a favor, take some Michael Franks. If you really want to impress them, play “Still Life”!
LeRoy Downs
