Michael Franks - 1977 - Sleeping Gypsy

Michael Franks

1977

Sleeping Gypsy

01. Lady Wants to Know

02. I Really Hope It's You

03 In the Eye of the Storm

04. B'wana-He No Home

05. Don't Be Blue

06. Antonio's Song (The Rainbow)

07. Chain Reaction

08. Down in Brazil

Bass – Wilton Felder

Drums – John Guerin (tracks: A1 to A3, B1 to B3), Joao Palma (tracks: A4, B4)

Guitar – Helio Delmiro (tracks: A4, B4), Larry Carlton

Percussion – Ray Armando (tracks: A1, A3, A4, B2, B4)

Piano – Joe Sample (tracks: A1 to A3, B1 to B3), Joao Donato (tracks: A4, B4)

Saxophone – David Sanborn (tracks: A3, B1 to B3), Michael Brecker (tracks: A1, A2, A4)

Vocals – Michael Franks

After the success of The Art of Tea, Michael Franks was able to more confidently move closer to the kind of music he wanted to make. Employing a more exotic Brazilian feel on Sleeping Gypsy, with lush orchestration (courtesy of veteran jazz arranger and conductor Claus Ogerman), Franks moved his acoustic guitar work to the background to create a romantic sound with no sappiness. With "Down in Brazil" and, particularly, "Antonio's Song," his ode to Antonio Carlos Jobim, Franks was doing with Brazilian music for the rock crowd in the '70s what Stan Getz did for the jazz crowd in the '60s. He again employed his witty wordplay and evocative storytelling ability on "B'wana-He No Home," a song about a time when Dan Hicks was staying at his house while Franks was away. A romantic, elegant and important album in bringing Brazilian music to a wider audience.

A really brilliant little record – one of those gems that you've probably passed by so many times because it's ubiquitous, but which never fails to please over the years! Forget any pre-conceived notions you might have about Michael Franks, because at this early point in his career the man is a genre unto himself – working in a unique blend of jazz, pop, and a bit of soul – always served up sparely and with a great deal of understatement, but still filled with plenty of personal spirit on the lyrics. Franks' voice is beautifully compressed into the rest of the instrumentation by Tommy LiPuma – in a style that still holds up wonderfully over the years, and which is set to Claus Ogerman arrangements that make plenty great use of keyboards from Joe Sample of The Crusaders!