Caught in the storm he came
Searching for shelter
Right up to me and my spouse
Both stroked his chin and
Invited him into the house
He’s a tiger in the rain
It’s the thunder and lightnin’
He can’t explain
A tiger in the rain
Who’s frightened…
Singer/Songwriter: Michael Franks
THIS HAS nothing to do with ABS-CBN’s expired franchise and non-renewal resulting into that TV station going off the airwaves last week. Neither is this about the COVID-19 pandemic, no resemblance whatsoever, not even remotely close.
This is about music, real music that usually leaves the trendy social-climbing so-called millennials staring into space in total bewilderment.
From that free online encyclopedia a.k.a. the internet:
Tiger in the Rain is a jazz vocal album by singer/songwriter Michael Franks, released in 1979 on Warner Bros. Records. It is the first album he made that did not use the producing team of Tommy LiPuma, Al Schmitt and Lee Hershberg.
The album features lots of horns, strings, vocals and includes a large rhythm section all arranged and produced by John Simon. Franks, best known for his unique vocal style, lends a hand not only on guitar but also on banjo and mandolin. Also present here are some celebrated jazz figures.
The album cover features “Tiger in a Tropical Storm”, an oil painting by Henri Rousseau.
A. Colin Flood wrote in the Enjoy The Music magazine the album “[continues to] express Franks’ original synthesis of smooth jazz/rock fusion, again with the understated South American underbeats” that “subsides into clever adult sentiments. This album celebrates an easy life of success.”
Yes, the music is jazz and the artist is Michael Franks and for those lost in translation:
In an article in www.popmatters.com/ writer Rob Caldwell; if you’re not familiar with Franks, he’s a light jazz singer/songwriter (you might even say “smooth jazz”, though that term has a lot of negative connotation these days).
The subject matter of his song lyrics is often tropical – beaches, Brazil and summer figure prominently. And his voice, well, it’s often referred to as “unique.”
“Unique” can be a polite way of saying challenging or hard to listen to. Yet, Franks’ voice is none of those things. It’s very easy-on-the-ears, inoffensive and non-threatening. In fact, it’s so light and airy; it can be off-putting to some.
Michael Franks is often considered as the leader of the quiet storm movement. He finished a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in comparative literature in 1966 and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Oregon in 1968. He had a teaching assistantship in a Ph.D. program in American literature at the University of Montreal before returning to teach part-time at UCLA.
From www.allmusic.com/ Artist Biography by Bruce Eder:
Michael Franks occupied a uniquely popular niche in the world of soft jazz and pop music in the 1970s; he was one of those crossover artists who defied easy categorization on the radio (which made him ideal for FM radio of the period), and found an audience mostly among college students with its smooth jazz textures and crossover pop appeal. His music also evolved over this period, embraced Latin (especially Brazilian) influences and, later, adopted a New York jazz sound.
His frequent branding as a smooth-jazz artist is a similar miscategorization, which perhaps has something to do with the fact that his music rarely swings in a bebop style. Instead, it relies on Brazilian rhythms and a (dare we say it) smooth sonic palette over which his lilting vocals can deliver those well-crafted lyrics unlike any other American songwriter. But it’s decidedly not smooth jazz.
If you’re curious about jazz and have always wanted to listen to it but you don’t know which way to go and don’t want to end up overwhelmed, worst bothered and bewildered, then I would suggest listening to the music of Michael Franks as your jazz entry level.
The very easy on the ears, inoffensive and non-threatening light and airy music of Michael Franks is the perfect incursion for the “jazz virgin” into this music genre.
As your foreplay with Michael Frank’s soft jazz whets your appetite making you rather curious, then is the best time to start your progression into the different levels of jazz; from fusion, mainstream to avant-garde and progressive jazz.
In the meantime, I leave you with these lines from “Living on the Inside” also from our feature album Michael Franks’ “Tiger in the Rain”:
We used to fear the past
which let us here
but now it seems like some
forgotten dream… (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
