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Rendezvous in Rio | 
 enlarge | Artist: Michael Franks
Label: Koch Records
Category: Music
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $9.77
You Save: $8.21 (46%)
New (34) Used (7) from $9.77
Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 27121
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 9964
UPC: 099923996422
EAN: 0099923996422
ASIN: B000FFL36K
Release Date: June 27, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
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| Tracks:
| • | Under the Sun | | • | Rendezvous in Rio | | • | The Cool School | | • | Samba do Soho | | • | The Critics Are Never Kind | | • | Scatsville | | • | The Chemistry of Love | | • | Hearing Take Five | | • | The Question Is Why | | • | Songbirds |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
As one of the prime movers in that select sub-group of white folk-pop singers who have found a home in Brazilian style (Kenny Rankin is a "similar urban AOR rival," to quote a customer review), contemporary jazz artist Michael Franks has aged pretty well--if not all that gracefully. As a guy who resorts to couplets like "The clothes on my back/Are too Pasternak," he probably shouldn't be waxing philosophical about how "feeble" and "pedantic" critics are ("The Critics Are Never Kind," a musical-derived number on which Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Degas commiserate). Franks also makes music his subject too often for his own good, celebrating "The Cool School" in self-congratulatory fashion and the first time he heard "Take Five"--he says Dave Brubeck's beloved version, though his use of bleating smooth jazz saxist Eric Marienthal to evoke the great Paul Desmond makes you wonder. But his vocals are breezy and intimate, and the instrumental settings provided by a cast including guitarist Chuck Loeb and keyboardist David Sancious are attractive without being too slick. Fans whose "inner harmony always turns blue in the end" won't be able to resist the wistful pull of the songs. --Lloyd Sachs
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| Customer Reviews: Read 28 more reviews...
 Rendezvous and reflections June 24, 2008
Rendezvous in Rio is a sultry and catchy CD from low-tempo jazz veteran Michael Franks. Keeping with his clever lyric style and smooth, jazzy beats makes `Rendezvous' a great CD for both new and familiar Michael Franks listeners. A perfect Sunday afternoon chill CD.
`Under the Sun' is witty, stylish, and very catchy. Guitarist Chuck Loeb both plays and produced this gem: Clearly, one of the best songs in `Rendezvous'. The title song, `Rendezvous in Rio', plays a familiar Franks' style of smooth jazz with a mild, yet driven Brazilian beat. `The Cool School' is a testament to Franks' early inspirations in Jazz: Even referencing Mose Allison and Chet Baker. `The Chemistry of Love' and `The Question is Why' are two other songs who's beats played on and on in my head long after the CD ended.
The title Rendezvous in Rio is somewhat misleading, however. While there are several songs with clear Brazilian beats, this CD is more a t homage to Michael Franks early influences. Something he takes very seriously and shares with his listeners. Both obvious and sometimes subtle qualities make this a very well produced and crafted CD. Something Michael Franks fans have expected from this mercurial jazz veteran.
 The best of Michael Franks in years October 30, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is Michael Franks's best album in years, probably the best since Blue Pasific in 1990. The album opens with Under The Sun, a very nice track which suddenly takes me back to the days of Down in Brazil and Antonio's song. The first two tracks of the album seem to set the mood for the entire album, although some not really so brazillian. One tradition that is still brought along in this album is the musical conversation that relates to Van Gogh, the painter. In the past albums there are Vincent's Ear, On The Inside and In the Yellow House to name some. The tradition continues with "The critics are never kind" which extends the usual conversation between Van Gogh and Gauguin to include Degas. Other great songs in the album like "Scatsville","Chemistry of Love","Songbirds","Samba do Soho","The cool school".
In all, this album might as well be considered one of Michael Franks's peaks in his musical artistry.
Michael Franks speaks Brasilian Portuguese.......Que Coisa! August 8, 2007
Firstly, if you groove on Michael Franks, then you'll want to add this album to your collection. There....you've got my recommendation.
I'm a Los Angelino, married for many years to a beautiful Brasilian. Years ago, when we met, I had just discovered Michael Franks, Michael Ruff, Al Jarreau and other classic jazz vocalists.....and then my wife introduced me to Brasil, and the world of Brasilian Bossa Nova and Samba became one of my new loves.
After many wonderful years of travel to Brasil, I have accumulated a large collection of Brasilian Bossa Nova, Brasilian Samba in various forms, American Contemporary Jazz and many albums where American artists have discovered, merged and recordered Brasilian sounds.
Michael Franks has merged his talent with what I believe is some of the greatest rhythms this world has to offer in this album. Yes, he's done it in other albums, but for me, his rendition of "Samba do Soho", a true contemporary Brasilian Bossa Nova classic, provides a great musical center for this album.
While not all of the cuts are Bossa Nova or Samba, there's enough Bossa Nova and Samba rhythm-percussion to give you what you'd expect when you buy an album that has "RIO" in the title.
 What Michael Franks Would Sound Like in a Coma June 1, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Let me start off by saying that I am a *big* fan of MF's older work. I found the music in this portion of his career to be characterize by pretty good music, upbeat and not derivative, framed by lyrics that were thoughtful, insightful, and eloquent. So, I thought I would listen to what he's done recently. I was very disappointed with this album. The good lyrics were gone (with the exception of a few good phrases like the Rodan analogy in "Chemistry of Love"). The music also had changed (the closest to his "old style" is perhaps "The Question is Why") Franks has always had a type of phrasing where there are distinctive gaps in time, but in this album you *notice* it. The arrangements make the song seemed disjointed and it's as if Franks is having to pull each individual phrase out of his mouth. The net effect is that the song has a wooden, rather than a natural flow. (and this by the way is the motivation for the "coma" reference in the tile of my review.) Overall, I got the impression that the quirky ways of Michael Franks are either gone or dried up. On the other hand, maybe I shouldn't be surprised. The thing that I loved about Michael Frank's work was his love songs. Maybe with age, the viewpoint of an artist changes, and his songs don't focus quite so much in the same way on love.
 Michael Franks comes through again April 6, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
In typical Michael Franks style, this CD is a brilliant mix of both his
whimsical and smooth tracks. As a huge Michael Franks fan, often, I am skeptical of a new CD, that it may not live up to CDs past, but this one definitely does.
His opening tune "Under the Sun" is one of my favorites, giving the feeling of being on a tropical island, light, with great rhythm.
Track number seven, "The Chemistry of Love" is another great alluring love song done in the way only Michael Franks can deliver. And, track number five, "The Critics are never kind" is a clever tune with an additional male singer.
I think this is a must have to add to your Michael Franks collection.
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