Rendezvous In Rio [Import]

My love of Michael Franks and Brazilian rhythms has never been in jeopardy. The thought of Michael merging his sublime style with this beautiful bossa sound was something that I was seriously looking forward to hearing. This is indeed a marriage made in heaven, and a pairing that I hope will be showcased more often than not in the future. His admiration for the late, great Antonio Carlos Jobim, and his touching 1995 album, "Abandoned Garden" flirted with all things Latin, and it is here where he has definitively rendezvoused in Rio.

Michael may be a little greyer in the hair department but his sheer presence diminishes not one jot. Vocally and lyrically Michael has not skipped a beat; he is as sound today as a performer as he was back in the mid-1970s and is equally as important as far as being fully ensconced in the current music scene. To me, Michael is a poet of our time if not also a genius. As has been stated elsewhere, Michael cannot simply say, "I Love You". His philosophy is more ethereal than this as his vocal journey in getting there. It is a lyrical fountain using the most beautiful, whimsical, inspirational and novel of words, phrases and visions. I love this CD : it is a seriously fine album of gentle melodies, lyrical warmth and delivered with the passion and expertise of a master who knows his craft. Any doubters out there will do no better than listen to the opening song, "Under The Sun". Simply glorious and so spot-on if you ever have been sick of cold winters, rain and all the snow. One for those who suffer with SAD syndrome! LOL! The gentle sashaying bossa, the plucking acoustic guitar, and percussive undercurrent serve well as a backdrop to Michael's wistful, thoughtful and gentle vocal. A livelier approach is taken on the excellent titled song, complete with Latin percussion and whistles; this is so typical of a Franks' groove and as such is essential.Echoes of his "Abandoned Garden" album can be heard on the beautiful "The Cool School" which is extremely laid back and jazzy and almost fits into a more lively dinner mode. Chuck Loeb is unmistakable in his performance and excels, as we would only expect. "Samba Do Soho" is a seriously irresistible mover and is helped to sparkle with the support of vocalist Pamela Driggs and flautist Chris Hunter. Perfect accompaniment for the lovely climes this ragged old Isle is experiencing at the moment! If you really want an intelligent tune to get your teeth into, then look no further than the pointed "The Critics Are Never Kind". Do they know, he muses, what it's like to get high on sweet inspiration? I bet the answer to that is a resounding `no' for the majority. I hope Michael finds this particular reviewer kind and understanding at least.

Today music is a throwaway commodity aimed at the young. True art, longevity and beauty is missed on a lot of people, but like the old Tabu label creed has it, "the world has music for those who listen". Take a listen to this artist, this album and see where it takes you. It should transport you to warmer climes, poetic places and warmer feelings. From a thinly veiled swipe at those who deem themselves in a position to judge we move onto more traditional territory with the pure whimsy of "Scatsville". Jeff Lorber is evident here on production, and Gary Meek and Michael White eagerly deliver their musical talents to good effect.

I could continue my praise for this set ad infinitum but suffice to say that along with all the talented musicians and executive producer John Rozenberg, Michael has delivered one of the best albums for some time. I really and truly hope to hear more like this, and whatever Michael deigns to give us I will be happy to embrace it with open ears and open arms.

A must-have CD

Despite being a huge Michael Franks fan, I've been mildly disappointed by most of his recent recordings. There's nothing really wrong with them; they're nice enough, but he seems to have lost his edge. He's been coasting ever since BAREFOOT ON THE BEACH. RENDEZVOUS IN RIO is a little bit better, which is encouraging. I wish the rather shocking photo of a noticeably aged Franks had been left off of the back, though. Kind of adds to the fading of his musical brand of sensual fantasy. It shouldn't matter, and wouldn't, if this music had the old, slow burning fire. The coals do spark into flames here and there, though. The opener, "Under the Sun" is typical Franks, and it's lovely, setting the mood for what I hoped would be a consistent ride. The title song follows, but adds no territory that hasn't already been covered before: "...Dance the samba in Bahia On the Beach we'll chill So hemispherically contented in Brasil..." how many times have we been there with Mr. Franks? Okay, so it's the title and the theme of the record; fine, but not in league with his best reflections on Brazil. Better is the one non-original, "Samba do Soho," which really does have some life and energy. The most beautiful song here is "The Chemistry of Love," but once again, this is Franks on autopilot; he could do this in his sleep. "The Critics Are Never Kind" is conceived as a dialog between Gaugin, Van Gogh and Degas, but it seems to be a thinly veiled attack on Franks' own critics. Boo hoo... well, I WILL be kind: this is a pleasant album from someone who majored in pleasant, but I believe Franks is still capable of something more. If you are a newcomer to Franks' music, don't start here. Buy SLEEPING GYPSY, TIGER IN THE RAIN, BLUE PACIFIC or his relatively recent masterpiece, ABANDONED GARDEN. Also, to be kind, I do like portions of RENDEZVOUS IN RIO enough to not be sorry I bought it. It's not bad, just nothing new.

Michael Franks, yet again, continues to pour out the beauty and emotion of his art that is so cathartic to the soul and spirit of anyone within an earshot of his compositions. To understand Michael Franks, you must understand that he always does something different than what he did previously...Just like a new Prince album would be a total u-turn from the one before. My favorite song on this CD, this week, is "Songbirds". There are no words to express how wonderful and lovely this song is. "Songbirds" is the ultimate tribute. The rest of the CD is so marvelously styled, executed and produced that you will soon empty the rest of the music out of your ipod because you will only listen to this CD for at least 2 months. But seriously, this is so typical of Michael Franks...you could play this CD a million times and never get tired of hearing it. I often wonder if when Michael Franks composes, does he intentionally hide treasures that you continue to discover in his compositions, even years later. I will close by saying "hats off" to Michael Franks once again because he is the only artist that I've ever heard who actually does get better as the years go on. A man who has truly mastered his craft! This is one of the best albums I've ever heard!