Frank Briggs China Ranch CD 805 drummer CD CDs
discography Syracuse NY
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Frank Briggs - China Ranch (drummer
805)
CD
(2008) 06/01/2009
Sorry, SOLD OUT.
JAZZ FUSION / JAZZ ROCK
You may purchase from Frank
Briggs both CD and MP3 format
here.
Tracks -
01
Desert Flower
06
Everything
02
Tecopa Moon
07
Riverwalk
03
Melonie
08
Spirit Rider
04
Dreams
09
Furnace Creek
05
China Ranch
10
Saints
Frank Briggs
805 Band Drummer Biography
As a drummer and composer, Frank Briggs�
musical diversity is revealed in a body of work that encompasses
Rock, New Age, R and B, Drum n� Bass to Jazz and Fusion. Frank
grew up in Central New York and started playing drums at age 10.
His parents figured he was serious by the time he was 11 and
bought him his first drum set. Briggs recorded his first single
on B and W Records before he was a teenager and by age 17, was
opening for
Alice
Cooper and
Sly and
The Family Stone. By then, he was listening to
John
Coltrane and
Miles Davis,
Mahavishnu Orchestra,
Chick Corea,
Tony Williams,
Jack
DeJohnette and
Elvin Jones. When fusion came along, he discovered the sound
that would engage him the most. But early on, he joined
805, a popular Syracuse,
NY local
rock band, and soon signed to RCA Records. Frank was also a
writer for 805 in addition to being the original drummer. After 2 albums -
Stand In
Line and
Question of Tomorrow; over a thousand gigs (including the
1982 live radio broadcast recording
805 -
Young Boys Live which has been remastered and released in
2009),
MTV and
opening for many national acts Frank decided to head to L.A. His
first winter in Los Angeles, he played the
NAMM
Show, landed a gig with the R and B recording group
Atlantic Starr and played drums on two albums for Higher
Octave Records. This led to endorsement deals with Paiste
cymbals, DW drums, Regal Tip sticks and Attack drumheads. TV
appearances included Arsenio Hall, Pat Sajak, Soul Train, and the
Jerry Lewis Telethon. He expanded on these commercial ventures
by recording jingles and film trailers as well as appearing with
artists on such labels as Universal, Higher Octave, MTM, Immune,
EMI / Sony and Warner Bros. plus many independent releases.
In 2003, Frank played on
805 -
Live Sounds From A Dark Past.
With his first instructional book/DVD, The
Complete Modern Drum Set, he consistently heads
Mel Bay�s Top 10 percussion methods. A dozen books and DVD /
CD�s later, his instructional material is used in
colleges(recommended by professors at Berklee School of Music)
and music schools around the country as well as by teachers and
students worldwide.
Frank has written and / or performed music
for corporate titans American Express, Toyota, Johnson and
Johnson, SAP, Forest Labs, Sepracor and AstraZeneca as well as
being the primary composer for his own group.
Summary
Frank Briggs has appeared on over twenty
albums, written dozens of compositions for bands, corporations
and educational products. Frank has authored ten instructional
books and two DVDs. He has also taught hundreds of students,
some professionals and others who have gone on to have
successful careers of their own. Frank has also inspired
countless others through his teaching materials.
Briggs has given dozens of clinics, is a
member of Los Angeles Musicians Union Local 47, Percussive Arts
Society, ASCAP, and a voting member of NARAS (Grammys).
ABOUT CHINA RANCH CD
Supple melodies dance over shape-shifting modes and contrasting
instrumental voicings. The players carve deep jazz- and
funk-based grooves while playfully displacing beats and
inverting expectations around every corner. Drummer,
Composer Frank Briggs is joined by an All-Star group of musical
soul mates on his first solo release; a breathtaking collection
of compositions that celebrate the power of hope amid adversity.
Inspired by a spectacular desert oasis, China Ranch takes us on
a journey of musical exploration and virtuosity as expressed by
an artist blessed with curiosity, compassion � and serious
chops.
China Ranch is a real place � a family owned date farm in the
Mojave Desert, not far from Southern Death Valley. But channeled
through this music, China Ranch is not merely a destination; it
is a journey into the soul, navigated by a performer at the peak
of his talents.
Briggs and his amazing bandmates (Steve Weingart, Brian Price,
Ric Fierabracci, Mitchel Forman, Kit Walker, Frank Gambale,
Jimmy Earl, Jeff Babko, Chris Golden, Jeff Miley, Mark Doyle,
Travis Carlton and Michito Sanchez) have pulled off an
astonishing feat: The technique is mesmerizing and masterful
while also maintaining an emotional truth that makes a cohesive
statement.
Supple melodies dance over shape-shifting modes and contrasting
instrumental voicings. The players carve deep jazz- and
funk-based grooves while playfully displacing beats and
inverting expectations around every corner. Driving everything
is the deft and explosive pulse created by the composer,
producer and engineer of this project.
Musically inventive and as sonically lush as the desert flowers
that inspire these tracks, China Ranch is Frank Briggs� musical
thank you note to a locale which proves that even the most
barren and forbidding places we know can bear fruit of
remarkable sweetness.
PRESS REVIEWS
Regardless of the myriad labels thrust upon it, good music is
simply good music. With that stated, drummer Frank Briggs'
release, China Ranch, could fit comfortably within many
categorizations, its elements including fusion/progressive rock,
electronic music, grooveacious funk or contemporary jazz with
plenty of creative substance.
A propulsive drummer in the style of Tony Williams, Briggs has
been active in the Los Angeles area for a number of years. With
this debut he enlists the help of a stellar cast of musicians;
some lesser known in addition to recognizable veterans such as
guitarist Frank Gambale and keyboardist/composer Kit Walker.
With inspiration from a desert hike in China Ranch, a Mojave
Desert oasis, the music mirrors Briggs' experience witnessing
the vibrant colors and renewed environment after a desert rain,
teeming with new life and positive energy.
The spark is ignited with �Desert Flower,� a fusion up-tempo
piece with Kit Walker providing his still strong synthesizer and
Fender Rhodes chops, an elastic Jaco Pastorius-like bass solo
from Ric Fierabracci, and a torched guitar solo from Brian Price
as Briggs commandingly works the kit. His drumming covers a
broad range, from thundering backbeats to cymbal finesse on the
slow-cooked �Tecopa Moon,� a piece with thick electronics and a
hypnotic pulse.
Like a view of the desert terrain, a closer look reveals variety
that might otherwise go unnoticed; a picturesque ballad in �Melonie,�
neon-lit dance floor persuasions in �Dreams� with its moog-synth
bass line, Return To Forever jazz funk-rock on the title piece,
and some 'Weather Reporting' on �Furnace Creek,� a perfect swirl
of electronics and driving beats.
Briggs' writing admirably balances both melody and
progressiveness throughout the recording, including the final
track �Saints,� where Mitchel Forman's piano and keyboards,
Gambale's guitar fireworks and the author's own tremendous
drumming all converge in harmony.
China Ranch is a solid debut that is consistent and filled with
memorable tunes and impressive performances that would appeal to
a variety of listeners.
On China Ranch, Frank Briggs writes a Return To Forever-esque
treatment of ten killer tracks that display strong drumming,
Rhodes and synths, guitar and bass soloing. The compositions,
inspired by a visit to the family-owned date farm in the Mojave
Desert, keep an eye on the jazz-rock fusion tradition pioneered
by such influences as Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, Pat
Metheny and others, while still moving the genre forward.
On "Desert Flower" the solos run the gamut from lush, modern
electronics and dramatic harmonies to wide-open solo sections
for Kit Walker on Synth and Brian Price on guitar. Briggs'
powerful and rhythmic drumming keeps this song musically
focused, energetic and shifting freely between the jazz and rock
elements.
"Tecopa Moon" may be too hip for the room, as they say, since
its laid-back ambience and walking bass lines is an example of
how Briggs' arrangement takes an electronic marvel to another
level of melodic excellence. The feel shifts from the very
beginning and the tempo ranges from Briggs' moderately slow
drumming and soundscapes to the lightning fast guitar licks of
both Price and Jeff Miley.
The title track, "China Ranch" features twists and turns with
surprises and a funky groove that will have both the band and
their listeners enjoying themselves through this musical ride.
The entire recording is beautifully conceived, expertly crafted
and is a must for fans of jazz-rock fusion
Strong and melodic. Powerful and introspective. Pure. That
pretty much says it all about this album. Frank has covered all
the bases with China Ranch. This CD will be appreciated by jazz
purists simply for the approach and production and the way in
which each piece has been handled with pure artistry. The
melodies and traditional-sounding lines found on these various
pieces are simply beautiful.
The musicianship is flawless. Why shouldn�t it be? Besides being
a world-class drummer, Frank is a gregarious young man. He has
enlisted for this project, players that are among the best to be
found anywhere. China Ranch is one of those albums that allows
the listener the luxury of not having a favorite cut. As you
listen to each track you find something very cool about each one
that just stays with you. Here is my take on a few of the tunes.
The second selection, �Tecopa Moon� is reminiscent of Billy
Cobham's �Spectrum� L.P. I do not mean that from a plageristic
standpoint, not at all. It is just the feel and the attitude
with which the piece is delivered that invokes mystery and a
dark atmosphere. Very cool.
"Melonie" the third track, is produced in a traditional manner,
with pure instrumentation. It begins as a serious piano piece
that falls into a really hip, romantic swing carried by pianist
Steve Weingart. The tandem melody played by guitar and piano is
magical. As this piece moves along there is a beautiful bass
solo by Ric Fierabracci followed by a perfectly pure guitar solo
provided by Brian Price. The interplay throughout this piece is
remarkable. This compostion is one that any serious student of
music will appreciate both as a listener and as a piece to
study.
The title cut, �China Ranch� is a funky one. Heavy and slightly
dark with what I would say is a Miles inspired line. Cool vibes
and keys. This one is on the other end of the spectrum from the
afore-mentioned �Melonie�. I suggest it be played loud.
Okay, I am going to get a bit heady with this one �Spirit Rider�
is aptly named for sure. It is a breathy piece that gives the
listener a sense of sailing high above the western landscape and
taking in all of the majestic beauty below. It comes back to
ground with the rhythm section playing a �Frank Zappa-ish� kind
of reggae style melodic line over which there is the perfect
compliment of fiery guitar solo performed by Mark Doyle.
So bottom line is this �China Ranch contains 10 remarkable
instrumental cuts that you have to hear. It takes you to a lot
of different places musically and you will enjoy the trip.
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