LISTEN TO MY NEW ALBUM
ONE DAY IN SPRING
APPLE MUSIC · SPOTIFY · BANDCAMP

 

so, i accidentally recorded an album this spring…

i woke up early and remembered the microphones and recording equipment were set up by my piano.

inspired, i started playing before the sun rose, and improvised one song after another - elements of rain, birds singing, and sunrise, intermingled into my waking dream-state, and the first 7 pieces emerged. after tea, i decided to play with a few other musical ideas and this album happened: the vast majority, created and recorded entirely in one day, without any planning. because i believed no one else would ever hear it, this is the most vulnerable album i’ve ever created. thank you for listening.  

one day in spring (2024)

recorded on march 16, 2024 at my home in oakland, california

on my 6’1” pramberger piano, using 2 akg 414 microphones

mixed & mastered by warren kahn

reviews (2024):

“the best work is created in flashes of inspiration, the language of sound and melody falling from fingers without deep planning - some of my favorite albums have fallen into this camp, and One Day in Spring is now added to that list” - hi-res edition/wesley derbyshire

“a sensory gift of ephemeral beauty: franklin’s piano builds a bridge between the earthly and the fragile” - cyclical magazine

“when you want to break from the monotony of life and get into some kind of introspection to explore your inner world, you will find this album a powerful ally” - new music alert

“single notes and flowing fuller chords that explore and rehearse the story of life” - medium.com

“the sound is emotional, perhaps a melody describing a dream” - contemporary fusion reviews

“you'll hear new things in the music every time it plays - very highly recommended” - kathy parsons, mainlypiano.com

“the music will touch you and leave an impression” - new age music reviews

interviews (2024):

david’s spotify interview about the new album, with keith "MuzikMan" hannaleck

david’s youtube interview about the new album, with jannie rawlinson




(older posts)

passings (2022)

Reviews:

“poignant, reverent & exploratory”, Bass Musician Magazine

“bright & upbeat…a bit of musical sunshine”, Mainly Piano

“melodic, flowing & upbeat”, New Age CD

“insightful, emotionally impactful & melodically rich”, JW Vibe

“his music emotionally touches the listener, giving way to beauty and grace for the precious gift of life … all songs have been steeped in the best teas of new age and textured with experimental edges”, Mediaversal

“Guitar, piano, and bass feature prominently in this thoughtful, evocative creation, highly recommended for both connoisseurs and for public library collections”, Midwest Book Review


Passings, my 10th album, is a collection of 15 songs written about the many transitions and endings which have happened in my life over the past few years: the death of both my parents, my children leaving home, changes related to the pandemic, and other profound endings which I won’t mention here.  These soundscapes have given me a sense of peace somehow and my hope is that they may offer something to others…

David Franklin: Acoustic Guitars, Piano & Programable Music Box

Michael Manring: Fretless Bass

Owl Licks - Alex Franklin: Guitar on Another Perspective and The Meeting Tree

Warren Kahn: Mixing, Mastering (and awesome ideas): Banquet Studios, Medford, Oregon.

You can listen to it now here! :-)

Listen on Bandcamp Here

Listen on Apple Music Here

Listen on Amazon Music Here

Listen on Spotify Here

OLD POSTS….

Dec, 2021: I’ve just finished Mixing and Mastering my new album with Warren Kahn. I just sent the master out for CD replication (hey, I’m old-school) and it will be released on February 18, 2022. Titled Passings, it’s my 10th album to date, and contains 15 new instrumental songs for guitar, piano and wind-up music box. Michael Manring is again a featured artist, and he appears on 9 songs; Alex Franklin (aka Owl Licks) is a featured artist on 2 of them. This collection of new material contains pieces written and recorded before and during the pandemic and reflects a number of elements of endings - or passings - which have occurred in my life. You can find the album’s liner notes here and ultimately, I hope that you’ll listen to it!

April/May, 2020:  I just found out that a series of summer performances I had scheduled in Italy with Rogelio Lopez & Dancers, has been cancelled due to Covid-19; this was for a new production that I had composed music for. I continue to write and record (including recording pieces in tunnels in Oakland, CA and working on my new album with Michael Manring) but more importantly, I’m hoping we all stay safe and healthy at this time.

Fall, 2019:  I have been writing new instrumental pieces on piano and guitar and started recording another instrumental album for 2020; Michael Manring said he would join me again.  Alex Franklin and I have also been recording together and are working on pieces. Finally, two bands I play drums in, performed at Salamander Meadow, 2019.  You can see Porcupine Petting Zoo performing an original song here.

May, 2019: Performance at Mills College in Oakland, California with Rogelio Lopez & Dancers of selections from Dichotomy of Silence.  

March, 2019: Opening and performances in Berkeley, California with Rogelio Lopez & Dancers of Dichotomy of Silence. I composed and performed the entire score for this piece and incorporated electronics and found sounds from various objects (chains, bowls and more) while playing guitar, piano, synth and Cajon during the performances. One highlight was being on stage for the first dance, playing Tibetian Bowls and chains (below).

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Fall, 2018: Performances at Saint Mary’s College of Radical Acts Of Love with The Davalos Dance Company.  

Summer, 2018: Performances in Italy of Radical Acts Of Love with The Davalos Dance Company.  I performed music I composed for this dance piece, on both piano and guitar.  One personal highlight was playing solo piano during a festival in an ancient square in Penecale, Italy.

My album: SONGS OF POTENTIAL EMBRACE

made the top 10 On the ZMR

instrumental music chart in 2017.

Listen on Apple Music

This new recording is an eclectic collection of instrumental music featuring 16 songs:

12 new ones and 4 re-mixes from older material.

Ten of the songs comprised the soundtrack for the modern dance performances of Potential Embrace, by Rogelio Lopez and dancers, which opened March, 2017 at the Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco.

I wrote, played and mixed all the music, much of which contains Found Sounds that I've collected over the years...pianos (grands and an 1800's standup) with guitars (baritone, harp and more) with synth, percussion, violin, sometimes mixed with vacuum cleaners, babies cries, telephones and more?  Yum! 

Thanks for listening and for all the support! You can read more about Songs of Potential Embrace here.

REVIEWS:

“A uniquely creative joy to experience; highly recommended”, Midwest Book & Music Review

“Music that pushes your senses and sensibilities…will challenge you perceptions, precepts and priorities”, Buzz Music

“Quite the Adventure!”, Music-forum.org

“Sonic dreams that will stand the test of time”, Improvijazzation Nation

“A ride worth taking and your consciousness will thank you”, Mangle International Music Forums

My album: PLAYING WITH SHADOWS (2015)

made top 30 albums of 2015 & spent 2 months on the top 10

on the international ZMR instrumental music chart

Listen on Apple Music

 18 tracks of instrumental acoustic piano and guitar pieces.  Special guests include Michael Manring

(fretless bass), Rick Corrigen & Alex Franklin.  Mixed and mastered by Warren Kahn.

REVIEWS:

"Heartfelt music that touches the listener deeply”, Harmony Central

This music awaits you; holds beauty and elegance at the same time”, Keith Hannaleck, New Age Music Reviews

Blissful…one of the finest albums I have heard this year”, Steve Sheppard, One World Music Radio

"Resonates to the core of your being; you feel this as much as hear it", 8Notes.com

"Expressive and flowing", Michael Diamond, Music & Media Focus