Barefoot On the Beach by Michael Franks

Barefoot on the Beach is a smooth jazz album by American singer-songwriter Michael Franks, released in 1999 by Windham Hill Records. Franks' relationship with Warner Bros. Records (and it's subsidiary Reprise Records) which began with the 1976 album The Art of Tea ended with Barefoot on the Beach. The album was his first and only release by Windham Hill Records, a Sony Music label; subsequent albums would be released by Koch (E1 Music) and Shanachie Records. His compilation albums continued to be released by Warner Bros. Records. The album includes Valerie Simpson, who sings a duet in "Now Love Has No End", Joe Sample, and Jimmy Haslip of The Yellowjackets. Although the album evokes summer, it also contains biting commentary on Broadcast Architecture's dominance of American smooth jazz radio at the time with "Mr. Smooth". Lyrics such as "some of us remember how much choice there was, before he took the throne" and "his verdict we must wait" lament the dominance and perceived heavy-handed influence of the network on the genre. Michael Franks, Valerie Simpson (vocals); Jay Azzolina, Jeff Mironov, Chuck Loeb, Steve Khan (guitar); Jim Beard (strings); David Mann (flute); Chris Hunter (flute, alto saxophone); Andy Snitzer (alto & tenor saxophones); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Bob Mintzer (saxophone); Randy Brecker, Larry Lunetta (trumpet); Jim Hynes (flugelhorn); Birch Johnson (trombone); Bob James (piano); Charles Blenzig (keyboards, programming); Chris Palmaro, Mike Ricchiuti (keyboards); Dave Samuels (vibraphone); Jimmy Haslip (bass, keyboards); Will Lee (bass, background vocals); John Patitucci (acoustic bass); Wolfgang Haffner (drums, percussion); Steve Gadd, Shawn Pelton (drums); Brian Dunne (drums, drum programming); David Charles, Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Carmen Cuesta, Lani Groves, Tawatha Agee (background vocals). ℗ 1999 BMG Entertainment