Ava Sarnowski
Valley News Intern
In preparation for the Joshua Tree Music Festival May 14, Valley News spoke with one of the featured artists from this year’s lineup, Neal Francis. The pianist, singer and songwriter has spent years evolving his craft embarking on a successful solo career. He is on tour and promoting his newest album, “In Plain Sight.” Released November 2021, the record was conceptualized at the potentially haunted St. Peter’s Church of Christ in Chicago. Francis had worked there as an accompanist for three years and took it up as his place of residence during October 2019.
Francis said he spent the first few months of the pandemic there and as a result of that time he’s created yet another sublime album with an ethereal yet funky resonance.
Francis described “In Plain Sight” as a team effort and never refrained from consistently expressing his gratitude toward those who helped him. Some of those involved include Francis’ manager Brendan O’Connell and ATO Records. He credited the core members of his band, Mike Starr on bass, Kellen Boresma on guitar and Collin O’Brien on the drums. He also commended engineer Mike Novak and producer Sergio Rios. Francis said that every member of the creative team stepped up to the plate and did a truly amazing job.
Francis, who has always envisioned having a headquarters in Chicago, spoke about a potential move to New Orleans with his girlfriend.
“What we’re talking about is building a studio with workspace in Chicago, and then finding an apartment somewhere in New Orleans,” he said. “But for right now, the band is in Chicago. It’s an easy place to start tours from. I think we’re going to remain there. It’s where I’ve lived my whole life.”
Francis said the inspiration he derived from St. Peter’s Church was not manufactured he never knows when he’ll get inspired. Whether it be on an airplane, in the shower or walking on a street, he said that when he does get struck by a moment of inspiration, it’s generally somewhere that makes it difficult for him to record music. To combat this issue, he said he now writes down whatever notes he thinks of or creates a sketch with the voice memo function on his cellphone. These notes and sketches, he said, act as references to go back to once he’s writing at the piano again.
According to Francis, The Who, The Meters, Funkadelic, the Rolling Stones and Allen Toussiant have shaped his music. Francis also mentioned Roy Harris, Curtis Mayfield and 10cc as another collective few who have influenced his work. The Kinks, Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd were all he said, major influences of the direction “In Plain Sight” went. The music he said he listens to is from a specific period, primarily because he happens to like the technology and production of how music was recorded at that time. He enjoys how it sounds, he said.
Francis said his musical interests were varied. When asked about how that translates into the aesthetic he’s trying to create musically, he said that he doesn’t always set out to create a pastiche of any given source material. When he enjoys the way something was arranged on another track, his consciousness waits for an opportunity to plug it in to accentuate the concept. He even compared the implementation of all his musical influences to making gumbo.
“You just throw all of this stuff into a pot and sometimes it works. When it works that usually tends to go on the record, and I have a long list of things that didn’t work as well. But I’m still trying,” he said. “It’s all about coming together in a beautiful way, and it’s about how you produce that all together. I’m trying to make a record I would listen to.”
Francis gave shoutouts to Liam Kazar, another artist from Chicago who released a record called “Due North,” along with music producer Sam Evian, who also released an album called “Time To Melt,” Thundercat, American Rapper Anderson .Paak and Nigel Hall.
Francis said that one such song from his album, “Can’t Stop The Rain” is meant to reflect the ideal of remaining grateful in spite of everything life will throw at you. When asked what filled him with gratitude, Francis said it would take “a very long time” to talk about that.
“I’m grateful I have all my fingers and my two feet. Everything about what we’re doing right now is beyond my wildest dreams of what I imagined I’d be doing only a few years ago,” he said. “While we do face adversity, just as far as the day-to-day challenges of what we do, all of that is eclipsed by the feeling of gratitude. I know that I am lucky that I get to do what we’re doing. I’ve gotten very lucky.”
In his music video for the song “Say Your Prayers” Francis’ other talents shine through in the music and the photographs, all thanks to O’Brien and a Fuji camera that he purchased during the pandemic so that they could document their lives while touring. Francis describes it as one of his favorite things to be released simply because it shows off their lives.
“I’m grateful to say that we’re genuinely really good friends. Last night we didn’t have a show, but we were all out till three in the morning just laughing hysterically at the dumbest things ever. Our sense of humor has sort of reverted to age 12. We’re having the best time, and that photo montage pays tribute to that in a beautiful way,” Francis said.
For listeners waiting to hear more from Francis, he said, he is in the process of creating new material that is set to be released soon. Francis said he is also composing music for a short film that is set to be shot in August. A collaboration with Blake Rhein from Durand Jones and the Indications is forthcoming along with the prospect of exploring different types of musical styles, mostly dance-oriented. Given Francis’ love for funk, disco and any kind of music that makes him lose control, fans of CHIC, Kool & The Gang and other music from that era are in for treats aplenty.
Those planning to attend the Joshua Tree music festival Saturday, May 14, Francis said he and his band will be performing at peak level. He said they are exceedingly comfortable with their material and listen to each other in a way that makes each performance feel super special to them. They make it their effort to embrace freedom and simply enjoy themselves. He proudly admits that both himself and his band members will be shaking along to the music and encourages the audience to do the same.
In a strange twist, when asked what he would do if aliens came down and interrupted his show at Joshua Tree, Francis didn’t miss a beat, saying that it all depended on whether the aliens acted like those featured in the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” or the popular “Alien” movie series.
“We’re the aliens. We’re already on the spaceship,” he said.
If being an alien means we get to listen to the ethereal sounds of Neal Francis, then this reporter must ask, where do I sign up?
To learn more about Neal Francis, “In Plain Sight” and tour dates, visit www.nealfrancis.com.
For more information on the Joshua Tree Music Festival or purchase tickets, visit https://joshuatreemusicfestival.com.
