Art of Tea

Michael Franks | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000002KCF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,956 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: FRANKS,MICHAEL
Title: ART OF TEA
Street Release Date: 07/07/1987
Domestic
Genre: JAZZ VOCALS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Auspicious Debut, December 3, 2002

By 

Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Art of Tea (Audio CD)

A friend introduced me to this album when it was first issued and I've been a Michael Franks fan through thick and thin ever since. His appearance on the jazz scene was a welcome change from the jazz-fusion and disco that was in vogue at the time. Looking back over Franks' successful career, this auspicious debut propelled him toward the pantheon of great jazz musicians in which he resides today..
Now, my musical tastes are pretty eclectic. I listen to lots of music and I own lots of music, and I can tell you that Michael Franks is one of the most literate, articulate song stylists on the musical scene, and that goes for any genre. But if you are already a Franks fan you know that.
Sure, Franks' lyrics are sometimes cringingly cute and playful, witness Eggplant and Popsicle Toes. But they are nearly always clever.
I prefer his more wistful and romantic songs. Art of Tea offers a good sampling of both types. To me, Nightmoves and Mr Blue are a couple of the finest songs written by anyone at any time.
On Art of Tea, producer Tommy LiPuma brought in a great team of session musicians like Joe Sample and Larry Carlton to work with Franks. The result was a blockbuster album with an upper-crust appeal which established him firmly as a sophisticated writer and jazz vocalist.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "We're like a scene from the African Queen", November 4, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Art of Tea (Audio CD)

Michael Franks is the best jazz songwriter I've ever heard. Listen to the structure of the songs, melodies, chords, and arrangements. What makes him simply superb is his very very good lyrics, separating him from other writers. Very literary and poetical. "Art of Tea" could be his very best. The track I really liked is "I Don't Know Why Im So Happy I'm Sad." This is the perfect pop jazz cut. Top-notch melody. Listen how he swings from an FM7 (from a CM7 base) of the main verse, to a very smooth Em7 of the refrain. "I came unglued the night I met you; I felt my life divide by two...". Like dropping from a plane, skydiving down, falling, then being caught in mountain stream in a wide raft, the rush continuing...cool beat of a song. You can watch me jumping up and down in my small room singing..."I don't know why I'm so happy I'm sad, but I am, yes, I am, yes I am..."

"Mr Blue" is the song I'd like myself to wrap with before going to sleep in my bed. Alone. Turn the lights off and run to the blue-pebbled beach, naked, on a cool perfect night. Michael Franks, literary genius, Beatlesque melodies, soothing voice. I would get the deal from Mephistopheles anytime just to get these...anytime, man, anytime. Thanks, Michael for the songs and the albums.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mr. Franks all time best., March 2, 2000

By 

richard monk (San Antonio, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Art of Tea (Audio CD)

"The Art of Tea" stands as Michael Franks best work overall. Using the Crusaders as an instrumental "backup" group gives these perfromances more of an coherent feel and unified sound than many of Mr. Franks more recent efforts. These songs represent some of Mr. Franks best song writing. The lyrics to "Popsicle Toes" and "Eggplant" remain some of Franks' most clever. The double entendres in "Eggplant" are worth the price of the CD, in my opinion. The CD sounds as fresh today as when I first listened to it in 1976 or so. The type of music is relaxed, "lounge" type jazz, with none of the Brazilian influence prominent in later Franks' CDs. There are no ballads, but mostly mid-tempo tunes which usually concern some type of male-female relationship or activity. The music is fun to listen to, very well recorded, and the best introduction to Mr. Franks' body of work.