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Cover Photo Bigger than Blue

From the CD Inlet:

Lisa Franco's debut recording on Innovative Communication reflects the rich tapestry of her very varied musical background. While the harp is her "special child," she also plays electric bass, acoustic 12-string guitar, mandolin and dulcimer on this graceful and sonically gorgeous recording.

Lisa, a self-taught musician, began playing the guitar at age seven. In her teens she began collecting and playing various renaissance instruments such as the mandolin and dulcimer.

In her early twenties she commenced traveling and playing with several gypsy dance troupes at outdoor festivals throughout the west. In her mid-twenties she experimented to integrate this type of music into rock while playing bass guitar.

Lisa is now very proud to be a part of the union of street performers on Venice Beach, Los Angeles. She and her uniquely aggressive style of harp playing have become a big attraction on the beach, drawing people from around the world and all walks of life. She is constantly amazed at the amount of pleasure the harp brings to people of every age and background. "It is hard for me to take credit personally. I feel I am the fortunate one - to be able to move people with this welcome and magical instrument to young and old. I feel that a huge love bubble is created by the music which draws people in. There may be a shoeless street person on my right, a young mother and her baby on the left, and a huge semicircle of people and animals all mesmerized by the music of the harp." "My music represents all parts of me - not just the nice romantic and flowing sounds usually associated with the harp. I play very aggressively, with a lot of attack. I wouldn't have had this dimension to bring to my playing without the bass playing training. Overall, I think of my music as a giant canvas, and I have been given my first chance to paint my feelings. Therefore, I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to express and release these images I have been carrying and hearing for years."

On "Bigger than Blue" Lisa Franco has expressed herself with a rhythmic sturdiness and pulse rarely encountered in harp playing. Hers is a captivating sound of utterly charming authority. It is aggressive and invigorating, and at the same time soothing, relaxing and full of life.
(Susan Swain)

LISA FRANCO
Harp, bass, mandolin, dulcimer, acoustic guitar, drum programming
PETER SEILER
Piano and keyboards
Guest musicians:
Peter Oehler
Guitar on "Just a Simple Harp Song", "Ocean Blvd."
Martin Anthony
Guitar on "Ocean Blvd Bigger than Blue", "Timebends"
Jochen Brauer
Tenor, alto saxophone and flute on "Ocean Blvd", Butterfly stay"

Recorded at Big Key Studio, Mannheim except two basic tracks recorded at Trax Studio Hollywood, CA
Mixed by: Peter Seiler onto Kenwood DAT DX 2000

Many thanks to: Peter Seiler, Mark Sakautzky and Michael Weisser at IC, Robert Mueller, Uwe Henke, Joseph Foley, Martin Golub, Rob Corn, Joachim Steingrubner, Ric Bowls, Joe Steiner III, Marcus Binapfl, Martin Achtelik, Kim Robertson, Marcus Deml, Laura Bryant, Mickey Fischer and Fallon, of course. Dad and Margarette, Mom and Jenny for your timeless patience and belief. Kira, David, Tipton, James and Francis, for cheering me up when things went rough, and Rosie whom I'll never forget. And most of all GeZi, the one who makes the dreams come true. Thank you my friend. This is for you. This album is dedicated to my beloved grandfather FLORENCIO FRANCO who forever lives in the hearts of us all. And to Nana, the angel of unconditional love. God bless.

Lisa Franco "Bigger than Blue", Total Time: 59:06, IC 720-146

  • 1. Ocean Blvd. (P.K. Seiler/L. Franco) 6:05
  • 2. Butterfly... stay (L. Franco/P.K. Seiler) 4:20
  • 3. Timebends (P.K. Seiler) 5:17
  • 4. Talking to me (L. Franco) 4:40
  • 5. Meadow Dance (L. Franco/P.K. Seiler) 4:44
  • 6. Breath of Wind (P.K. Seiler) 3:40
  • 7. Lava Fields (L. Franco) 3:23
  • 8. (*) Waiting for Fall (P.K. Seiler) 3:08
  • 9. Suonare (L. Franco) 5:11
  • 10. Flight of the 7th Moon (L. Franco) 4:21
  • 11. Easy does it (L. Franco) 2:48
  • 12. Bigger than Blue (L. Franco/P.K. Seiler) 4:13
  • 13. Just a simple Harp Song (L. Franco/U. Hence) 2:36
  • 14. Ocean Blvd. Radio Cut (P.K. Seiler/L. Franco) 4:21

Produced by Peter Seiler for IC/Digit Music GMBH, Hamburg

All arrangements by Peter Seiler and Lisa Franco

All songs published by Triple Music & Byte 'n Bit Music/Ed. IMC
except (*) "Waiting for Fall" published by Triple Music

This album
is a true crossover production
that showcases the range
of the non-pedal harp
the romantic harp
the aeolian harp
the folk-rock harp
the groove harp
the rock harp

And here a soundbit from Flight of the 7th Moon.
The sound is encoded in the Real Audio format and if you do not have the player you can download it here.

For some pictures from the CD booklet look under these tiles.

Photos courtesy Maggi Franco and Josef.

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