Franc O'Shea

The “genrefication” of music is becoming increasingly redundant when faced with an album as brimful of influences as fretless bassist Franc O’Shea’s Alkimia. Notably because the binding force here is the elegance and clarity of his ideas and their flawless execution. Establishing his bass and composing credentials with his well-received solo debut Esprit, Alkimia shows huge leaps forward in O’Shea’s panoramic sense of melody and rhythm, evoking the dusty heat and sultry excitement of hot nights in the Spanish countryside. Developed over a four-year period in Spain, Alkimia feels authentic, earthy and exciting as the crackling sounds of a thunderstorm usher in the epic title track’s aching fretless bass intro. O’Shea doesn’t waste a single phrase, using his springy warm tone to always serve both the soloist and the composition first. Melding intricate bulerias and tango rhythms on ‘Alkimia’ and ‘Enchanted’ respectively, or a seductive six-eight folk jig on ‘Anam Cara’, each piece offers a host of superb performances from some of Spain’s biggest names in modern flamenco including Paco de Lucia’s guitarist Juan Manuel Cañizares and Chick Corea’s Touchstone band members flautist Jorge Pardo and exciting percussionist Rubem Dantas. Burgeoning Brighton players Philippe Barnes on flute and fiery violinist Ben Sarfas also make excellent contributions. With each piece linked by atmospheric sounds of the Spanish wilderness and a stunning central performance from O’Shea this is an exceptional journey into a new land of musical possibilities. – Mike Flynn, Jazzwise magazine, UK.

Bassist Franc heads a group of jazz fusion aces through seven tracks of Moorish adventure featuring Flamenco beauty and hot African rhythms. ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’ is moving and delightful with its imaginative lead line intertwining sweetly, mournful violin and gentle flute. All cuts are originals by Franc and of special note is the Celtic mood of ‘Anam Cara’ with its fantastic mix of percussion including cajon, surdo, congas and cascara. Production values remain high from start to finish and provide the gloss on an outstanding album of horizon-wide invention - Keith Arnes, Musician Magazine, UK.

Bassist Franc O’Shea has seen fit to present his own voice of reason to a world clouded by the sombre activity of smooth jazz. Alkimia is O’Shea’s second release and is recorded on the Azulah Record Label. The release is best described as a finely tuned amalgamation of fused Eastern, European and African musical influences that draw upon the purity of compositional thought processes. The CD contains seven dominant tracks that draw upon the cultural aspects of a variety of musical instruments to include cajons, tinajas, talking drums and tablas. In addition, Franc has also seen fit to stay close to the traditional melodies and percussive patterns often heard throughout those styles of music. According to Franc O’Shea, “Alkimia is a place where Flamenco meets hypnotic African rhythms, haunting harmonies with a melancholic wisp of Irish Folk and fiery improvisations.”
With that in mind, Franc incorporated his electric bass with the beauty of a Spanish guitar, subtlety of a flute and the decisively panoramic nature of the violin to record one of the most acoustically correct albums of its kind. The result of his varying influential sojourn into fusion became the basis for this culturally rich style of jazz. Alkimia’s richness is found in the depth, scope and spirituality that Franc has chosen as a reference point for his music. The CD is a highly effective and stylized form of jazz that bears within its tracks music that satisfies the listening palate without the redundancy of overstated melodies. At various moments, Alkimia is rhythmic in response as it intertwines symbolism and instrumentation into compositional thought.
Much of the album’s zeal comes from O’Shea’s choice of musicians. Each one has a voice that is distinctive and melds well with the album’s musical diversity. One track in particular entitled "Anam Cara" is a tribute to a group of villagers who drowned in 1828 during a trip to Galway City. It begins with the sound of a haunting wind fuelled by a penny whistle. On the surface, the tune sounds like a Gaelic folk song, but what O’Shea does with the rhythmic percussive aspects of the tune is amazing. The incorporation of Irish, African and Spanish influences helps to fuel a multitude of inferences. Other songs such as the title track "Alkimia," "Dream Catcher" and "Enchanted" merely expand upon the relevance of what Franc O’Shea has presented.
Although Alkimia is unconventional and non-traditional in approach, Franc O’Shea has taken fusion jazz to an entirely new realm of interpretation. Though sometimes subtle in style, the mystical aspects assigned to the album’s interior are progressive in perspective. This CD may not appeal to die hard smooth jazz enthusiasts; however, listeners may find a kind of enthused reverence within the deeply personal introspective thoughts that are invoked from individual metaphysical experiences. What transpires in the end is a musical journey into a form of jazz that is not only captivating, but also draws from the quintessential ideas of Franc O'Shea - Sheldon T. Nunn,  ww.jazzreview.com, USA.

Flamenco Has Come a Long Way: British bassist Franc O'Shea has recorded a captivating album that fuses Flamenco, jazz and world music elements. Alkimia is true music alchemy. O'Shea is skilful at bringing together different genres. He combines his masterful bass technique with jazz grooves, various flutes, violin, Flamenco guitar and percussion. O'Shea shows he is serious about Flamenco and Spanish music by having some top of the line musicians as guests: guitarists Juan Manuel Cañizares and Chema Vilchez, percussionist Rubem Dantas and flautist Jorge Pardo. - Angel Romero, www.worldmusiccentral.org, USA.

Following the sizable splash he made with his debut solo album Esprit, Brighton-based fretless bassist Franc O’Shea has finally released the long awaited follow up Alkimia. While the mix of O’Shea’s earthy fretless tone, that follows Jaco’s approach of twisting melodic invention coupled with constant groove momentum sounds familiar, the fusion of Spanish and Arabic themes, outlined by renowned flamenco guitarist Chema Vilchez, steers this out of the choppy waters of jazz-fusion cliché. Despite his bass being high in the mix O’Shea stays away from obvious flash instead outlining the rhythmic and harmonic inventiveness of his compositions, his bass beating at the heart of everything that is happening. The title tune opens things with an aching fretless melody set against some deep counterpoint chords, before a tricky bulerias (a distinctive flamenco 12 beat cycle) kicks into overdrive. Fiery unison lines rush past before some intense solos from flautist Jorge Pardo fly over Rubem Dantas’ percussion barrage – both currently in Chick Corea’s Spanish band, while young Brighton violinist Ben Sarfas adds his own stunning solo into the mix. Slipping from these intense rhythms to the twisting harmonic invention of ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’, through to the fiendish folk unison lines of ‘Anam Cara’ or the tricky tango funk of ‘Enchanted’ there’s a wealth of melodic ideas to enjoy here. Closing with a stunning harmonics ballad ‘Shakti’, O’Shea once again demonstrates he is the most musical of virtuoso bassists, with amazing tone, ideas and execution this is a real tour de force on many levels. - Mike Flynn, Bass Guitar Magazine, UK.

Franc O’Shea is a UK-based electric bassist and composer who has immersed himself in the diverse worlds of Flamenco, jazz and Middle Eastern/North African ethnic music. As a bassist, O’Shea is an unabashed acolyte of Jaco Pastorius: he plays with the same voice-like tone, galloping articulation and unfettered technical prowess. Not content, however, to make a career in jazz-fusion by merely revisiting the sound of a legendary performer, O’Shea strikes out on his own in a very significant way with his second CD, “Alkimia.” For this recording, he has enlisted some heavyweights from the Spanish Flamenco scene to bring his concept to life. Flutist Jorge Pardo, percussionist Rubem Dantas and guitarist Juan Manuel Cañizares are solo artists in their own right and have worked extensively with the likes of Chick Corea and Paco de Lucia. Neither a flashy gypsy guitar showdown, nor an insipid New Age noodle-fest, “Alkimia” is a viable and intelligent cross-breeding of modern Flamenco and fusion-y jazz that goes beyond similar offerings by established artists such as Strunz & Farah, Ottmar Liebert, Manolo Sanlucar and Juan Martin. To my ears, “Alkimia” is less about the guitar per se and more about the improvisational richness and inherent beauty of Spanish/Moorish music and that’s why it succeeds. The melodies are lovingly crafted and passionately played, the complex and detailed rhythms are built up using multiple percussion lines on cajon, congas, various frame drums and shakers. The improvisations, mostly by O’Shea, Pardo, Cañizares and violinist Benjamin Sarfas (a real find!), are uniformly excellent. As a result, “Alkimia” bypasses the overwrought sentimentality and insubstantial flashiness that plagues most forays into flamenco jazz. - Dave Wayne, www.jazzreview.com, USA.

Franc O'Shea is a consequence of his time, a man, a musician of here and of there, and ... of all parts simultaneously! A musician living in two places, a kaleidoscope of sounds, tímbres, nuances, colours and styles. Of realities, landscapes and instrumental multiplicity. 
His global music of clean and crystalline sound transmutes styles that go from Jazz, Flamenco, African, Arab, Indian music or that of his native Ireland; transcending ‘new age’ to reach the timeless and the authentic. 
“Alkimia” sets the standard opening this sonorous journey across the Flamenco-Arab-Irish world. The delirious and very beautiful solo of Benjamín Sarfas on violin, and Jorge Pardo’s flute solo stand out. “The Three Princes of Serendip” begins with a delicate and beautiful introduction on Flamenco guitar by Chema Vílchez, filling us with freshness which Franc O'Shea accompanies with his muscular and sparkling bass. In “Anam Cara”, Philippe Barnes brings us closer to an Ireland of bucolic airs, lamentations and Celtic echoes. “Jayena”, warm Flamenco breezes and dialogues between flute -Jorge Pardo- and Spanish guitar -Cañizares-, with the ever present Franc on fretless bass. In “Dream Catcher”, the mysterious fretless of Franc opens the track for the Indian percussion of Mercader and Sapricheff, helped by the Fender Rhodes of Tom Phelan and the conjunction of violin -Benjamin Sarfas- and flute -Philippe Barnes-. “Enchanted”, flamenco spell and bass that brings memories of Jaco. Benjamin Sarfas, Philippe Barnes and the guitar transparency of Chema Vílchez stand out. “Shakti”: a memory to the Hindu goddess, a homage to the group of John McLaughlin, or perhaps to creative intelligence, beauty or creative power? Simply a dedication to his daughter on her first birthday. 
Relaxed, calm, reflective, Franc O'Shea says goodbye with a solo on fretless bass, musician of the world, musician without borders, "alkemist" of the XXIst century. - Enrique Farelo, www.tomajazz.com, Spain.

Alkimia is not just a spectacle of masterful virtuosity, but an exquisite fairy tale where the melodious bass is the guiding storyteller, leading the listener through a sublime exploration of three rich worlds of music mixed in an unique spiritual concept. For the ancient Egyptians the number seven (the album has seven tracks!) was related to perfection and harmony, and what a happy coincidence that this is what Alkimia is all about!’- Stephen Bocioaca, Fuse this Jazz Radio, Canada/USA.

Spiritual transformation is the theme of Franc O’Shea’s new album ‘Alkimia’. The Arabic word ‘Alkimia’ (Alchemy) literally means ‘The Transmutation’. Those who find these concepts too complicated will be pleased with a quote on the back cover from the Tao Te Ching which summarises O’Shea’s concept: Mystery is the gateway through which all miracles flow. In brief: On the one hand O’Shea wants to explore the wonders of this and other worlds, on the other hand he wants to unveil the mystery within music. Whether or not he has succeeded, one can judge for himself. What clearly comes to the fore, without any understanding of spiritual transformation, is the intensive mixture of Spanish Flamenco, Arabic melodies and African polyrhythm. You will also hear elements of Indian, Persian, Moorish and Native American music within Alkimia. Many of these gems are hidden in the texture of the orchestrated passages and reveal themselves after repeated listening. O’Shea allows freedom of expression to the wide range of instruments used. There are beautiful solos from the violin, flute, flamenco guitar and numerous percussion instruments are used. At times you will wonder whether this is Jazz or World music. I would say that it is both because of the extensive musical spectrum on which O’Shea and his companions are grazing leaves space for highly personal visions from all the musicians. Sometimes there are highly personal statements and at other times the music is pulled in unexpected directions. This is exactly what happens in Jazz! - Rinus van der Heijden from Jazzenzo magazine, The Netherlands (to read the original Dutch version click here).

Alkimia is Franc O'Shea's latest release and, in my opinion, joins the dots in regard to the notion that Irish, Spanish, African and Asian musical forms have a common parentage. Other artists are happy to sample classic works into their creations but Franc has managed to incorporate the feel of musical antiquity while still delivering the modern twist which singles him out. This tuneful compendium of sound delivers new angles on each listen thus ensuring that it will be played with great regularity on my sound systems." - Sean Brophy, Jazzorama, Dublin City Anna Livia FM 103.2, www.dublincityannaliviafm.com, Ireland.

His new CD Alkimia brings together the fiery and passionate fretless bass style of Jaco Pastorius with Nuevo flamenco, Celtic, jazz and even Indian elements. Franc is fascinated by matters spiritual and metaphysical, and so his music is heavily influenced by Alchemy (hence the CD title), and Eastern and Celtic spirituality. He’s aided by a superb cast of sidemen ...... - Andy Copeman from The Weekend Planet, ABC National Radio, Australia.

A complex artist with a keen understanding of ancient cultures and myths he creatively blends in his music. "Alkimia" is a magical journey through the universe of Spanish, Irish and African music, which lays beyond standards and classifications. The overall result is a rich chromatic concept played with elegance and spirit by all band members, eight top musicians and masters of their instruments. A special note for the wonderful CD sleeve and graphics - Stephen Bocioaca, www.jazzworldquest.com, Canada/USA.

Franc O’Shea is an Irish fretless bass wizard; flautist Jorge Pardo and percussionist Rubem Dantas have been longtime collaborators with Spanish bass maestro Carles Benavent; and the oft-used terms ‘magick’ and ‘magickal’ bring to mind hexenmeister Aleister Crowley. Unsurprisingly, after a brief inspection of the cover, the listener doesn’t quite know what to expect. 
The title track that kicks off the set occupies Chick Corea-breakneck-unison-riffing territory, combining Northern African melody and Spanish flamenco rhythms. O’Shea’s playing, though ostensibly indebted to Jaco (who is also credited in the thank yous and dedications), is more reminiscent of former Corea stalwarts Benavent and Bunny Brunel. The Three Princes of Serendip recalls the 70s CTI recordings of Brazilians keyboardists Eumir Deodato and Lalo Schifrin – gentle fusion bossa –, with O’Shea on super-elastic fretless guiding the proceedings. Anam Cara begins with a haunting Irish tin whistle lament, before O’Shea’s harmonic and volume-pedal groove bass ostinatos take over to provide the foundation for a flute-driven Irish jig (with Philippe Barnes shining on both whistle and flute), replete with flamenco-style palmas (handclapping) and African polyrhythms. Odd? Hardly – given the strong musical affinity between Asturia, Galicia, Brittany, Ireland and Scotland. (Listen to Spanish bagpipe virtuoso Hevia for compelling evidence in this regard). Jayena, again, is closer to latinesque Chick-land, with Pardo on flute and Juan Manuel Cañizares on flamenco guitar. Dream Catcher has the slow, hypnotic pulse of Native American flute music, but melodically and harmonically it is far removed from North America. Enchanted has a Junoesque groove, with Barnes on flute and Benjamin Sarfas on violin providing the Arabic melodic spice. Shakti is a solo bass vignette written for O’Shea’s daughter – there are echoes here of Jaco’s Portrait of Tracy –, a radiant yet tranquil closer to an intriguingly trans- (trance?) cultural album - Kai Horsthem, www.bassplayers.co.za, South Africa.