Michael Franks embodies a definitive smooth jazz sound. Folk/easy-listening type lyrics that make musical analogies worth not keeping a straight face over and immense talent seeping out of the rhythm section make this album an interesting listen for this particular Valentines Weekend. The album cover doesn’t provide any more of an appeasing value other than it’s beautifully minimal and modern. Enchanting qualities of this album are only understood through the preemptive first listen. Under the Warner Brothers Music Label, Franks was able to link up with Keyboardist Joe sample and other members of the equally great smooth jazz group, The Crusaders. The lushness of the arrangements is a testament of this. Samples’ solos are technical, catchy even at times. These are dueled against guitar work by Larry Carlton and Franks himself and tight rhythm section blends on gems like “Monkey See, Monkey See Do”. The novel storytelling and hilarity of suggestive lyrical sources in Franks writing draws one in and don’t distract but rather balance the bliss, not to mention the wealth of fantastic solos by the likes of, but not limited to, Dave Sanborn on alto saxophone and Michael Brecker blowing tenor
saxophone.
Song: "Mr.Blue"
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