Episode Zero

Zandy's Bride

In 1974 I wrote the music for a film at Warner Bros. called Zandy’s Bride. The picture was directed by a famous Swedish film maker named Jan Troell and starred Gene Hackman and Liv Ullman. In this episode, Veronica and I discuss how I got involved in the project and what it was like writing music for a film at a major studio. For me, it was like diving headfirst into the deep end of a totally unfamiliar pool. But I really enjoyed working in this new environment and learned so much from the entire process.   I’d like to dedicate this episode to two people: Larry Marks, who, as Head of Music at Warner Bros. Pictures, hired me to write the music and mentored me with his generous good advice. And to my downstairs neighbor at the time, an 85 yr. old widow, whose name escapes me (Mrs. Cookie-Baker?). She kindly tolerated all the reverberant noise the Moviola made. Pictured above, it seems like something from the Age of Steam.

Previously Unavailable

Recorded and released in 1973, this record, my first, appeared on vinyl, titled eponymously Michael Franks. In this episode Veronica and I discuss how I got the recording contract, which players I worked with, and some of the compositions I wrote. The record enjoyed some airplay across the country and "bubbled under the charts" for awhile. But the label, Brut, didn't last long.   Years later, in 1986, it was rereleased on John Hammond Records, a satellite of Columbia, under the title "Previously Unavailable." Flowered shirt, turquoise jewelry, head in the clouds. Fifty-three years ago! Special thanks to Hank O’Neal.

Tiger In The Rain

In this episode Veronica and I discuss the fourth record I made for Warner Brothers, “Tiger in the Rain,” which was recorded in the Fall of 1978 and released early the following year. I worked with Producer/Arranger John Simon on this record and John wrote the most beautiful charts for the project.                                      Circa 1978, sitting underneath the appletree, playing the 1926 Francisco Simplicio.                                      Photo: Claudia Franks The title song was inspired by one of Henri Rousseau’s paintings called “Tropical Storm with a Tiger.” The National Gallery in London was kind enough to let us reproduce the painting on the album cover. I’d like to dedicate this episode to Dom and Sandie Cortese and the Pizzarelli Family.                                           Tiger In The Rain album cover features "Tiger in a Tropcial Storm"                                         an oil painting by Henri Rousseau.

Antonio's Song

phote: Claudia Franks Meeting Antonio Carlos Jobim and spending time with him in New York and Rio was one of the peak experiences of my musical life. Among other things in this episode, Veronica and I discuss how he invited me down to Rio to record some of the songs on “Sleeping Gypsy,” and what an inspiration it was for me just to get to know him. Whenever I was around Jobim I always felt like I was reclined at the feet of a Master. His songwriting genius and the lasting beauty of his canon of compositions is, in my view, kind of unparalleled.  I started to write “Antonio’s Song” a few days after I met him in New York in the Fall of 1975. He godfathered our visit to Rio the following year and suggested a recording studio and musicians we might use. I was also a fan of Joao Donato, another great songwriter, and he joined us in the studio too.        I want to dedicate this episode to lifelong friends I met as a sophomore at UCLA (shortly after the Invention of the Wheel), Jackie and Richard Derwingson. Richard taught me how to play “The Girl from Ipanema.”

The Art Of Tea

In this episode, Veronica and I discuss how I eventually signed with Warner Bros. Records and began my long (24 year) career with the label. The Art of Tea was the first record I made for them and our conversation includes a lot of the project’s backstory. It was the first time I worked with the rhythm section that consisted mostly of the Crusaders with the addition of drummer John Guerin. And this combination of players would become the usual suspects for a few later records too. Hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.