| Blue Pacific | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 31, 1990 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 52:24 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Michael Franks chronology | ||||
| ||||
Blue Pacific is a smooth vocal jazz album by American singer-songwriter and musician Michael Franks, released in 1990 with Reprise. [1]
The album marked three notable returns for Franks. The first was a return to the Reprise label since he'd released The Art of Tea in 1976. Tommy LiPuma also returned as producer of three tracks after a ten-year absence, the last album they worked on being One Bad Habit in 1980. Three other tracks on the album were produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan and the remaining four by Jeff Lorber.
Commentators noted the stylistic return to the more laid back, Brazilian jazz inspired music of his earlier works, as opposed to the more electronic pop sound Franks had experimented with throughout the 1980s. [2] [3]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
Writing for AllMusic, Stephen J. Matteo praised Franks' "return to form and his best album since 1979's Tiger in the Rain ", commenting that "[t]he album marked a total rebirth for Franks." He described the album as "[m]editative, lush and clearly the work of an artist intent on making personal music regardless of trends or airplay, Blue Pacific is as open and beautiful as the ocean for which it is named." [2]
Writing in the Orlando Sentinel in the year of the album's release, Susan M. Barbieri commented that "[w]hereas Franks' last effort, The Camera Never Lies, didn't quite click as an album, Blue Pacific does." She described the work as an "easy vocal [stroll] that [lulls] the listener into joining him in a state of calm" and praised the lyrics as "clever pop poetics for which this former English teacher is known." [3]
All tracks are written by Michael Franks
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Art of Love" | 4:10 |
| 2. | "Woman in the Waves" | 5:58 |
| 3. | "All I Need" | 4:46 |
| 4. | "Long Slow Distance" | 5:09 |
| 5. | "Vincent's Ear" | 6:21 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Speak to Me" | 5:01 |
| 2. | "On the Inside" | 5:12 |
| 3. | "Chez Nous" | 4:29 |
| 4. | "Blue Pacific" | 4:58 |
| 5. | "Crayon Sun (Safe at Home)" | 6:20 |
Wonderful is the 10th studio album by American musician Rick James, released in 1988 via Reprise Records. It includes the hit song "Loosey's Rap", which topped the US R&B Charts.
Hello Big Man is the 11th studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Warner Bros. Records, on August 31, 1983.
Contact is the eleventh studio album by the American vocal group The Pointer Sisters, released in 1985 by RCA Records.
It's Your Call is the eighteenth studio album by American country music artist Reba McEntire, released in December 1992. It contains the song "The Heart Won't Lie", which featured Vince Gill and which was later ranked at #18 on CMT's list of the 100 Greatest Country Duets. The album also includes a re-recording of the song "Baby's Gone Blues", which was recorded in 1987 by Patty Loveless for her album If My Heart Had Windows.
G Force is the second studio album by American saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records in 1983, and peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart, number 17 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and number 62 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Brasil was The Manhattan Transfer's tenth studio album. It was released in 1987 on Atlantic Records.
The Offbeat Of Avenues was the thirteenth album released by The Manhattan Transfer on August 13, 1991, by Columbia Records.
Serious Slammin' is the thirteenth studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1988 by RCA Records.
What Comes Naturally is the tenth studio album by Scottish-born singer Sheena Easton, released in 1991 through MCA Records. This album includes Easton's final US top-20 hit to date, "What Comes Naturally", which remained on the pop chart for 10 weeks. The single reached number 4 in Australia, where the album also made the top 40. Other singles released were "You Can Swing It" and "To Anyone", both which failed to chart. The album charted in the United States at number 90. Easton is the co-writer on three tracks on the album.
Millennium is the sixteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire released in September 1993 on Warner Bros. Records. The album reached No. 8 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, No. 39 on the US Billboard 200, No. 18 on the Japanese Pop Albums chart and No. 29 on the Dutch Album Top 100. Millennium has also been certified Gold in Japan by the RIAJ.
Good to Be Back is the twelfth studio album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released in May 1989 by EMI USA, it contains the hit singles "Miss You Like Crazy" and "I Do".
Life Stories is the 13th studio album by Earl Klugh released in 1986. This release, "sets Klugh`s ballads against a variety of musical backgrounds, including violins, flutes, electric guitars and a variety of synthesizers". As in some of his previous albums, Klugh is joined by David Matthews and Grammy Award winner Don Sebesky who conducted and arranged some of the songs.
West Side Stories is the eleventh studio album by the six-time Grammy Award-nominated, one-time Grammy winning composer, keyboardist and pioneer of the smooth jazz genre, Jeff Lorber, released on Verve Forecast in 1994. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Prototype by his band The Jeff Lorber Fusion.
Saxophonic is the seventh studio album by saxophone player Dave Koz. It was released by Capitol Records on October 7, 2003. The album peaked at number 2 on Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Dragonfly Summer is a smooth vocal jazz studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician Michael Franks. It was released in 1993 with Reprise.
All Our Love is an album by the soul quartet Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in 1987. It was the group's last studio album before the Pips retired and Knight embarked on a solo career.
This Is Love is a studio album by American guitarist Lee Ritenour released in 1998 on GRP Records. The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Heart's Horizon is a studio album by American singer and musician Al Jarreau. It was released in 1988 through Reprise Records. It reached No. 75 on the Billboard 200.
Private Passion is the fourth album by Jeff Lorber, released in 1986 on Warner Bros. Records. It features Karyn White and Tower of Power member Michael Jeffries on vocals.
Worth Waiting For is the tenth studio album by jazz keyboardist Jeff Lorber, released on Verve Forecast in January 1993. The album topped the U.S. Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart at the end of July 1993. Worth Waiting For is the only album by Lorber to hit number 1 on that chart; five others rose to number 2. The album also hit number 33 on Billboard's Jazz chart, and number 71 on the R&B chart.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)| Studio albums |
|
|---|---|
| Independent albums |
|
| Live albums | |
| Compilations |
|
| Notable producers |
|
| Related articles | |
