In English:


Frank Schuckelt's Interview with U-NAM
(Update April 2008):

U-NAM - Congratulations for your new CD "Back from the 80's." After entering Number 24 the first week, number 10 the 2nd and now #8 in the charts of [Solar Radio]. And Nr. 2 in the U.K. modern soul charts. An intrumental cruise thru own material and covers from 80s stuff like "I can't help it" from Stevie Wonder, "Love will find a way" written by Lionel Richie and Greg Phillinganes and many others.
The 80s - why the 80s and what does this century mean for you? My feelings are mixed remembering Michael Jacksons "Thriller" on one hand and my hair style on the other ;-):

Hey Frank, it's good to be back !!! Well why "Back From The 80's", actually I've wanted to find back that mood and influences of the music I was listening to when I was a kid. All that great music, Michael Jackson, George Benson, EWF, Lionel Richie , all that Quincy Jones productions etc. .. but instead of saying "Back To The 80's" like one of my favorite movie "Back To The Future" I thought "Back From The 80's" is a better description what I set to do. Honor my influences and musical heroes but make music that is contemporary and hip to today's scene !!

The CD kicks off with an electrifying version of the Crusaders "Street life". Your George Benson style guitar work matches perfectly with Jeff Lorbers Rhodes. Tell me about working with Jeff Lorber:

Well, Jeff was already playing on my first album and when I had the idea to cover "Street Life" the first thing that was obvious was there will be a "Rhodes" solo cos that's the true highlight of the Crusaders version to me, Joe Sample's solo !!!! So I've asked myself who could be the one to play it on my version, if it's not "Joe Sample" himself and it was obvious: "Jeff Lorber" !! He's got an amazing rhodes sound, he's so funky and to me he's like the new Joe Sample and I know Jeff really admires Joe Sample. So then I've asked him to play on the track and he was really excited to do it and that's it… and you can hear that he really had a lot of fun and really enjoyed it !!! One of my favourite Jeff Lorber's solo !!!

Right after "Street life" another great song's activating my brain's memory section ;-) Your song "Breezin" Ma" reminds me about Cruzin' down the 101. What are your thoughts?

That's what they call a "driving song" in America :) , I guess the song is fresh and there's so much fun and energy on it !!! I got an amazing rhythm section grooving all along the song. Mike White on drums, Alex Al on Bass, Paulinho DaCosta and Dennis Benarrosh on percussions !!! To me I'm always relating things to the mid 70s - early 80s "funksouljazz" and that was the vibe !! Now the music especially in "smoothjazz" is way too formated and some is too boring !! I miss those days so much with "Weekend in L.A " ,"EWF" "Maze Live in L.A" "The Crusaders" etc. ... so I'm trying to find that vibe again :)

Working together with such famous 80s cats like Michael White (Mary J. Blige, Commodores, Earth, Wind and Fire, Patti Labelle), Steve Harvey and Paulinho da Costa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Elton John) and todays Studio cracks like Melvin Lee Davis (Chaka Khan, Lee Ritenour, Steve Lukather) and Jeff Lorber. Please share some memories about working with these guys in the studio:

Well, first Michael White is one of my favourite drummer !!!! He's got that strong GROOVE and SOUND that's why he's playing on almost all albums now !! And he's so nice and we're really good friends now !! About Steve, it's different because he's not on the "smoothjazz" scene but he's an amazing producer and his sounds and drum-playing reminds of Harvey Mason 's sound back in the days of the "Breezin" album so.... Paulinho , wow , what can I say. When I was in the studio with him, I was really so very impressed and actually he's so nice !!!! You can't imagine. You have that living legend that just after his takes is coming back into the control room and says "Is that OK to you ??? Just let me know your thoughts, I could redo it !!!" wow !! I've spent a memorable day !!!!!

Where did you record the different tracks? Did you meet all the guys or was it partly an "internet production", sending the tracks by net back and forth?

Actually most of the recording process was through the internet because they all got their own studio, so I just need to send a demo, the files and the charts and that's it !!! But there are a few exceptions Maysa and Andy Narell came to record in my studio in Paris and I've recorded Paulinho in L.A..

What does Franck Sitbon means for you and the project "Back from the 80's"?

He's my BIG BROTHER !!!!!! He's my partner in crime !!!! He's an amazing songwriter, singer and keyboard player !! He's unique !!! We know each other for so many years ... and we've been working on some projects together as well, some writing or production and I use him everytime !!! He played on my first album but this time he was more involved as well on the writing and a few arrangements , and both together we're really complementary and that kind of 70s 80s music thing he was in, as he's a bit older than me. So anyway we've already wrote some great great songs for the next one and obviously I won't forget to say that Franck is playing all the Rhodes (except Street Life ) and Organ on the album as well as singing lead and background vocals !!! I'm really blessed to have someone like him in my life and share so much with him !!!

With the U.K. version comes the Bonus CD "The after show Party"…. Some remixes of your songs from the "Past builds the future" album. Especially "Right here right now" with shining vocals from Phil Perry…

The fact is that there's not really a "smoothjazz" market in the UK , it's more about "Soul" and vocals so I've decided to do a few remixes, but actually they are more NEW songs as I redid everything !! Changed the chords, the groove, redo the arrangements and instrumentations !! And the funny thing is that I really got an unexpected success in the UK still being high on the modern soul charts for a long time now, some great reviews like on "Blues and Soul Magazine"; Steve Quirk on SmoothFM said the album is the album of the year and played some tracks on each of his famous show "Fusion Flavours" by the way I've played at his 17th fusion flavors anniversary in Manchester and that was just GREAT !!!

Your guitar playing is first class. Do you prefer playing or is Songwriting, producing, mixing, playing guitar and working for other musicians - the whole bunch the goal of your life?

Well 'til now I've spent most of the time in studios !! Writing, recording, producing, remixing , doing sessions etc. and I still love that !! But now is the time for me to play my music live and share all this directly with my audience !! I've started to have some shows in the UK and actually I'll do some shows in L.A and New York in June. I'll play the Big Bear Jazz Festival and in October at the famous "Catalina Jazz Festival" in L.A with possibly an "Allstar" band. You can find more infos and all the dates on my [myspacepage]. But at the same time I'm finishing a side project. It's a "Soul" project actually called "The ONE S.O.U.L concept" with an impressive line up of most todays exciting "Soul" singers: Rahsaan Patterson, Myron, Maysa, Marva King and a few unknown. So that keeps me pretty busy !!! Anyway that's my life but I can't wait to play live with a great band !!!

THX so much Frank for your interest and support, it was a pleasure to do this once again !!! Peace U-Nam