Lookie!, An acticale

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~*Ciska*~

Posted: May 25 2003, 03:10 PM

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http://www.azcentral.com/ent/music/article...521frankie.html
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Spiderman

Posted: May 25 2003, 04:24 PM

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Musician has Spanish, English releases

frankiejonline.com

Frankie J

Ramiro Burr
San Antonio Express-News
May. 20, 2003 04:45 PM

With nearly simultaneous English and Spanish releases forthcoming, former Kumbia Kings member Frankie J gets to do plenty of name-dropping.

"It's weird for me to do the English and Spanish at the same time," he said. "One minute I'm with 50 Cent and Busta Rhymes, and another minute I'm on a plane with Alexandre Pires or in Miami seeing Luis Fonsi. It's exciting."

Frankie J (born Francisco Bautista and formerly known as Cisko) releases his pop/R&B solo debut, "What's a Man to Do?" on May 27. The 12-track album is all in English except for "Ya No Es Igual," the Spanish version of the first single, "Don't Wanna Try."

He also has a Spanish set ready to go; it is slated for release on June 24. Just over half of the songs will be translated versions of "What's a Man to Do?" cuts; the others are new.

Frankie J, who appeared as lead singer on all the Kumbia Kings' albums, recently signed with Columbia Records.

"Don't Wanna Try" is at No. 37 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. It also appears on the Kumbia Kings' album "4." Though responsibility for the single passed from EMI Latin to Columbia after it had already been released, its upward momentum has been undeterred.

A piano-fueled ballad, the song spotlights Frankie J's soulful tenor.

"It's about not wanting to go through the pain anymore, knowing that a relationship has gone sour, it's not the same, no matter how much the other person tries to make it better," he said. "It really happened to me, and I needed to express myself in a musical way and get it off my chest."

Disagreements over "Don't Wanna Try" production credits and Frankie J's decision to go solo prompted a federal lawsuit filed in New York City district court between him and the Kumbia Kings and EMI, but he says everything's been settled.

He credits his former group with whetting his appetite for crossover success. Its 2001 single "Say It" received some top 40 airplay.

"It took us places, and it was an experience for me," he said. "I'm just real thankful I got to do something like that with the Kumbia Kings."

In the meantime, at least one more Kumbia Kings single will bear his name - their rap/R&B reworking of New Kids on the Block's 1988 ballad "Please Don't Go Girl." Also featuring Nino B, the song is not on the solo album.

Fans of Kumbia Kings' English material will see "What's a Man to Do?" as a natural progression for Frankie J.

However, this time he was able to work with his own team - producers Happy Perez and Jaime Galvez.

"Jaime just knows how to mix the sounds," Frankie J said. "He's a very good arranger. I've worked with him since I was in high school. I just brought in the songs I'd written and we put them together in the studio I have at home. He's a really good piano player also."

The new album features slow and mid-tempo jams with subtle production - he doesn't attempt to fill every corner of the mix with sound.

His songs have a knack for descriptive, narrative lyrics and occasionally reveal stark vulnerability.

Born Francisco Bautista in Tijuana, Mexico, Frankie J lives in San Diego.

He enjoyed pioneering hip-hop acts such as Run-D.M.C. growing up, but he is most inspired by great singers who have a sentimental touch.

"I'm more into the R&B, the singing - Brian McKnight, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder - all those great artists who compose and produce," he said.

While he hopes to launch a tour soon, he says the next month or so is booked with album promotion, interviews and visits to radio stations.

But the travails of the Kumbia Kings are not over. A few former KK members have splintered off to form a new group Kingz 1. Kingz 1 reportedly included singer DJ Kane for a while but he is back with KK. Kingz 1 has a new single out, "Aque Te Pongo."