''Tiger in the Rain'' is an album by singer-songwriter Michael Franks, released in 1979 on

Warner Bros Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Di ...

. It was his first album not produced by Tommy LiPuma, Al Schmitt, and Lee Hershberg. The album was arranged and produced by John Simon. Franks plays guitar, banjo, and mandolin. The album cover features " Tiger in a Tropical Storm", an oil painting by Henri Rousseau.

Reception

A. Colin Flood wrote in the Enjoy The Music magazine the album " ontinues toexpress Franks’ original synthesis of smooth jazz/rock fusion, again with the understated South American underbeats" that "subsides into clever adult sentiments. This album celebrates an easy life of success" For

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

, Rob Caldwell praised the "clever turn of phrase" that work at a "symbolic level (Franks wasn’t a literature major for nothing)" and " ere’s something to be said for escapism, for the armchair-travelling Michael Franks’ music offers." Music critic Stephen J. Matteo commented for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

the album was " sh, romantic and more experimental than previous efforts" and that while "none of its songs has the instant appeal of some of his earlier writing, the album as a whole is as refreshing and meditative as a stroll through a rain forest."

Track listing

Charts

Personnel

Musicians

* Michael Franks – vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin * Randy Brecker – trumpet *

Claudio Roditi Claudio Roditi (May 28, 1946 – January 17, 2020) was a Brazilian jazz trumpeter. In 1966 Claudio was named a trumpet finalist at the International Jazz Competition in Vienna, Austria. While in Vienna, Roditi met Art Farmer, one of his idols, ...

– trumpet * Lew Soloff –

piccolo trumpet The piccolo trumpet is the smallest member of the trumpet family, pitched one octave higher than the standard B trumpet. Most piccolo trumpets are built to play in either B or A, using a separate leadpipe for each key. The tubing in the B piccol ...

* John Clark – French horn *

Tom "Bones" Malone Thomas "Bones" Malone (born June 16, 1947) is an American jazz musician, arranger, and producer. As his nickname implies, he specializes on the trombone but he also plays saxophone, trumpet, tuba, flute, and bass guitar. He has been a member of ...

– trombone * Lew Del Gatto – saxophone *

Lou Marini Louis William Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brothers ...

– saxophone * Seldon Powell – saxophone * George Young – saxophone, flute * Howard Leshaw – flute * Dave Liebman – flute *

Kenny Barron Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Biography Born in Philadel ...

– piano * Paul Griffin – organ * Bob Leinbach – organ * Mike Mainieri – vibraphone, vocals * Joe Caro – guitars * Bucky Pizzarelli – guitar *

Ron Carter Ronald Levin Carter (born May 4, 1937) is an American jazz double bassist. His appearances on 2,221 recording sessions make him the most-recorded jazz bassist in history. He has won three Grammy awards, and is also a cellist who has recorded nu ...

– double bass * Rick Marotta – drums *

Ben Riley Benjamin Alexander Riley Jr. (July 17, 1933 – November 18, 2017) was an American jazz drummer known for his work with Thelonious Monk, as well as Alice Coltrane, Stan Getz, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ahmad Jamal, and as a member of the group Sp ...

– drums * Buddy Williams – drums * Dominic Cortese – concertina, percussion *

Rubens Bassini Rubens Bassini (January 26, 1933 in Rio de Janeiro – September 1985) was a percussionist, who played bongos and congas above all. He played together with the band Os Ipanemas: Astor Silva; (trombone), Marinho (bass), Wilson das Neves (drums ...

– percussion * John Simon – percussion * Errol "Crusher" Bennett –

congas The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest) ...

Flora Purim Flora Purim (born March 6, 1942) is a Brazilian jazz singer known primarily for her work in the jazz fusion style. She became prominent for her part in Return to Forever with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke. She has recorded and performed with nu ...

– background vocals * Maretha Stewart – background vocals * Hilda Harris – background vocals

String section

:Violins: Charles Libove,

Harry Lookofsky Harry Lookofsky (1 October 1913 – 8 June 1998) was an American jazz violinist. He was also the father of keyboardist-songwriter Michael Brown, who most notably was a founding member of The Left Banke and Stories. History Harry Lookofsky w ...

, Lewis Eley, Anthony Posk, Harry Urbont, Joseph Malin, Richard Sortomme :Viola: Harold Coletta, Richard Maximoff,

Emanuel Vardi Emanuel Vardi (21 April 1915 – 29 January 2011), an American Viola, violist, was considered to have been one of the great viola players of the 20th century. Early life Emanuel Vardi was born April 21, 1915 in Jerusalem. His mother, Anna Joffa ...

:Cello: Abdul Wadud, Jesse Levy, Charles McCracken, Allan Shulman.

Support

* Lee Herschbergremastering * Glenn Bergeraudio mixing

References

Bibliography

* {{Authority control Michael Franks (musician) albums 1979 albums Albums produced by John Simon (record producer) Warner Records albums