"I grew up in Kentucky, began classical guitar at 8, then got way into blues when I was 14.
I love all kinds of music and have travelled in Africa, Europe, South America... Always come
back to the power of the blues to release and redeem me! Amen... I hope you understand!"
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INTERVIEW: Philip Franchini
Evita Ramparte
February 2009
It seems the blues is having a major attitude adjustment. Moving from "Woe is me" to "Wow is me!". Certainly, this is the case with 'Shine like the Sun' - the new album by Philip Franchini and his band Blues Divine. The LA-based guitarist and composer is charting a new musical horizon - New Earth Blues. Here, he tells us about blues, spirituality, and the new movement.
Spiritual blues? Tell us about it.
In one sense blues has always been spiritual, because it's an authentic cry from the heart.
And I know the roots. I know them emotionally and I know them musically. I can play you a Robert Johnson song note for note, the way he played it, but the blues is also evolving. The global aspects of music have come into the blues now.
Is it going to be a 'happy blues'?
Well, what I wanted to do is to increase the range, the spectrum of emotional expression, as well expanding the musical form itself beyond the 12 bar shape. Some songs on the album are sad, deeply sad... there are some very hopeful too. Broad spectrum. A different shade of blue - a celebration of our ability to have feelings, different feelings.
'Shine like the Sun'. Tell us about the theme song of your new album.
That song , like a chant , came to me several years ago. It feels to me that this is what our souls are, this luminous energy, and we all want to shine - with our beloved friends. Like kids, they wanna play, shine, radiate.
'Brother, Sister... I feel your soul crying'. It's about the war, right?
It IS about Iraq. I felt like I had to do something , to say something. When I wrote the song,
I was thinking about the soldiers out there, the young men, who are indoctrinated to think it is just, being told what they are doing is for honor and glory, and it's a lie. The song is also about the human family. Mothers at home... families in Iraq. A soldier thinking about his sister, even though he is away from her... Feeling her love as a powerful force, even though she is at the other side of the world.
Do we also have a song about romance?
There are two. The first song on the album is called "Knockin''. It's about the opportunity to jump into a romance-dance and what comes out of it. "Someone's knocking at the door of my heart." What do you do? Do you open the door? Do you block it? It's a fun song, and very bluesy. The other one is called 'LA Breakdown'. Seeing people can be challenging here, since the distances in the city and the traffic are enormous. You are on your way to see the girl, but it's taking a while... I wrote this song when I had a girlfriend in LA and lived in Santa Cruz. Driving down from Northern Califronia.
What is your favorite song on the album?
Probably "Sacred Ground", because it was a revelation when it came . The song came to me when I was meditating.
What is it about?
You know when Jesus goes to fast and pray in the wilderness? That's what the song is about. Retreating into ourselves, going into the wilderness to find our connection. It's about finding a place of power for yourself and it's also about healing, soothing the soul. A renewal , in solitude, in Nature. Finding that space, away from man-made constructs, because Nature is like music. It's a vibration. It brings us back into a primal, natural resonance.
Nature resonance?
Notice, when you put two guitars next to each other. You start playing one of them and the other one's strings will begin to ring. This is because music is a vibration. The same happens to us, when we resonate with Nature. Our minds and bodies pick up the frequency.
Can music have a good or bad vibration?
Music can have a discordant frequency, or a harmonious one. It makes an impact on the brain and the body, the nervous system. There are a lot of studies done showing healing effects of music in clinics and hospitals. That's a whole different field called music therapy.
And your music? Is it about healing or fun?
Well, healing doesn't have to be heavy. In fact, if it's too serious, it doesn't work. You've got to be light! Dancing and singing and celebration are big part of why we are alive. So, I like it when people dance to my music, feel good.
So do you want heal the world?
The world is evolving constantly, and by creating loving, positive energy that evolution can take a beautiful form. There is so much beauty in the Universe. We wanna amplify it ! Another aspect I want to talk about is vitality itself in music. We're not trying to make ourselves perfect or stoic. Rather, awaken our full aliveness. That's what I'm campaigning for.
So, is the New Earth going be 'fully alive'? What are you seeing for the future?
I am seeing the Earth overflowing with beauty, passion, cooperation, creativity and wisdom. Just think, if the energy we put into destruction and war could be focused in creativity and artistic expression, the Earth would really be a paradise !
Isn't your vision a bit naive?
No. It may be futuristic, but it's not naive. Visions are bridges into the future.
What makes you convinced we're are going to have world peace at all? The news looks very gloomy...
I think that it's the pinnacle of creative attunement. That's the ultimate purpose that the Creator has in mind. I think it's a Divine Ordination that it's going to happen. It may not take place all at once. After all, how many times did the Wright Brothers try to fly an airplane? They crashed a lot !! So that's why my band is called Blues Divine, because it's a blend between the most expanded vibration, which is the Divine, and the most condensed vibration - the material world. Blues, which has been traditionally the songs of the spirit condensed in an oppressive, limiting frequency is now transcending. Blues Divine is an affirmation of the union of those apparent contraditions.
How did you collect your band? How did you choose?
Again, I went by energy. I was looking for somebody's ability not only to play technically, but to be a channel for the sound that we are developing as New Earth Blues. It's not about personalities. I don't even know some of the band members very well, but I know they have an attunement to this vibration. I am very fortunate to work with musicians who share the vision of what I want to convey and often add their own brilliance to the songs. We have a great time when we play together. It's a celebration, quite joyous. Sometimes they have told me that playing in this band is a vacation for them!
How did you find the musicians?
I met Rob Sherman when I was on a gig with a singer named Fantuzzi. Dean Thomas, I knew him since growing up in Kentucky. Win Myerson, I went to high-school with him in Washington, DC. CC White, I met through playing with Shaman's Dream, and then she introduced me to Paul Allen, the drummer I work with. She also brought in Nailah Porter, one of the other vocalists. The saxophone player, Geoff Nudell ... I taught at a music school with him.
Usually blues is guitar, harmonica, piano... etc. What made you introduce gospel, funk, rock? What happened to the blues?!
Blues is underneath all those things. Rock has really come from blues. And then blues and gospel are like brother and sister! So blues is behind a lot of popular music we hear today. The grandfather of much music we call "American".
Where are you taking us with the New Earth Blues?
We feel we are at the beginning of a movement ... and we know we are not alone. I'd like to organize a New Earth Blues Festival, so if anybody feels called to participate, support it, please contact us. I want to see there some musicians that I very much honor and admire for their strength and hopefulness. New Earth Blues is a movement from oppression to liberation, from victim to empowerment, from war to peace.
It is time. Thank you for the interview.
You're very welcome. It was a pleasure!
