Home » Jazz Musicians » Marie-Paule Franke Discography

Through the Cracks the Light is Born

Marie-Paule Franke

Label: MariPosa Records
Released: 2026
Duration: 00:30:29
Views: 170

Tracks

Twilight Whispers-for Joni ( a tribute to Joni Mitchell); 'Tis Yours; Beneath Broken Dreams; Freedom; Dagger Heart; Sword of Damocles- a lament, a cry for truth and resistance; Echo Nomade

Personnel

Album Description

Marie-Paule Franke, who was born in Germany and raised in Belgium, teams up with an international quartet based in New York for a unique and thought-provoking set of her original songs. With the stimulating and intuitive support of pianist Dongfeng Liu, bassist Marcos Varela, Los Angeles-based drummer-percussionist Mathias Künzli, and tenor-saxophonist Amir Mankovski, Marie-Paule Franke not only was responsible for the seven diverse compositions for Through the Cracks the Light Is Born but also wrote the lyrics for five of the songs, with the other two being contributed by Antonio Sammael. The lyrics cover love, loss, pain, freedom, resistance, and hope.

Franke had a clear artistic vision for how each piece should unfold, with her arrangements being further developed with the quartet during the sessions.

The album was entirely recorded, mixed, and mastered by Marc Urselli, the multi-Grammy-winning engineer known for his legendary collaborations with iconic artists like John Zorn, Jack DeJohnette, John Patitucci, Ornette Coleman and Esperanza Spalding. Bringing his signature sonic expertise to the project, Urselli contributed artistically to shaping the overall sound and atmosphere of the album.

Franke begins the program with “Twilight Whispers-for Joni", a medium-tempo ballad dedicated to Joni Mitchell. The modern folk music piece introduces listeners to her pretty and expressive voice and features piano playing that, with its ringing tones, sometimes sounds like raindrops. “’Tis Yours” has singing that is both haunting and bluesy, close interplay between Mankovski and Liu, and some wordless vocalizing that adds to the mysterious mood. Mathias Künzli’s catchy rhythms make “Beneath Broken Dreams” particularly memorable, while Ms. Franke’s wordless high notes on “Freedom” and her interaction with Liu are highlights of that piece. The other selections include the warm melody of “Dagger Heart,” which finds the singer talking about the contents of a letter; “Sword Of Damocles” which is described as “a cry for truth and resistance” (it has a semi-operatic start and concludes with some otherworldly sounds); and the complex but effective “Echo Nomade.”

Marie-Paule Franke studied jazz, singing, and piano at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and took masterclasses with Judy Niemack.

She spent periods performing classical music, pop, rock, and funk before settling on jazz, where she counts Abbey Lincoln, Shirley Horn, and Blossom Dearie among her influences.

Her earlier recordings include Tales From A Lonely Room, the EP All Is Love, and Clouds, the latter containing nine of her compositions. Now, with the release of the consistently memorable Through the Cracks the Light Is Born, Franke will reach a wider audience, introducing listeners to her unique and eclectic singing and compositions.

Album uploaded by Marie-Paule Franke