Frank Sharman

Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Secondary Genre: Alternative Budapest, Not Applicable Hungary Contact

I don’t want to be extreme. Being extreme is ordinary nowadays. I’d rather stay ordinary because that’s extreme. I want you to join in my songs with all who you are, with all of your senses so it will be a personal experience - for you.

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Artist Information

Biography

’I’ve always been fascinated by how music comes alive, both the mechanical and inspirational side. For me it is not a mystery, it is another language I learned to speak. The great thing is that if you don’t speak it you still can get every word – better to say note even if you don’t realize or materialize it. It’s that simple’ says Frank Sharman singer/songwriter pianist who stepped onto the road of alternative music after being spent 18 years in the classical music world. Right after his graduation in University Of Music Budapest he started to write and produce his first album ’a strange foreigner’. The whole production took more than a year. ’It was harder than you’d believe. I was frustrated and overwhelmed in the same time and I’ve had to learn how to balance myself between the words my songs needed and sentences I didn’t want to publish. I’ve had to come to terms with many things in my life and that’s why the production took more than a year.’ The album published in early 2004 and it is full of self-references, personal explorations and the whole structure of sound is closer to chamber music rather than to the mainstream sound. From now on Frank started to use Roland instruments for his recordings. ‘The way Roland approaches the creation of a sound that’s very interesting and exciting, I just simply love it’.

Strange to say, his following record completed in six months from start to finish. ’Abandoned Times’ (2004) continues its predecessor’s way. This time he chose the upright piano as the Roland’s companion. He calls this album as his ’return to the piano, the only instrument I play since I was 3’. The haunting melodies and rhythms are crossed with a heavy load of synths and electronica. This experimental fusion of totally acoustic and synthetic sounds marks the step forward compared to the first album. The songs from these years are enabling a deep introspection in Frank’s way of thinking about music and its creation. ’I thought from day one that I want you to be involved in this music. A song carries my personal point of view about the subject matter – that’s a factor but I want you to think of your very own story behind the song. I believe that makes a song personal.’

The inchoate returning to the piano resulted in the following two solo piano releases. Both based on passion for improvisation but the recorded material contains written piano pieces. ’Night Stories (from Vienna)’ (2006) uses a modern impressive tone as a backdrop for an imaginary motion picture soundtrack, the story takes place in one of Frank’s most beloved European capital city Vienna. ’It was easy to compile this album, I just closed my eyes and the streets I know so well are came alive’. Another complete album came out next year: in 2007 Frank completed a record of three sets of self-written piano pieces, one of them composed for this release. ’Shades of Fall’ committed to its title is about reflections of autumns based on personal memories. The material is completely keeping clear of the possibility of placing the subject in kitsch; rather one can listen to these animated images in an absolutely natural language.

Four years after the last major release of ’songs with words’ it was the time to return. ’Secret Room’ (2008) is definitively a landmark with its clear-out and ’grown up’ form. It’s discernible that everything was in right time right place for this album. The impact of mainstream sound technology is auspiciously applied with Frank’s highly personal and intimate music – resulted in a strong, vivid and diverse creature. It’s first single ’Angel’ aired on various alternative radio stations and the core material was premiered at the Budapest Fringe Festival.

His latest album ’On the Waterfront’ (2009) is a worthy continuation of the high standards of ’Secret Room’, introducing new yet unspoken subjects, such as migration, politics and religion. ’My staying in Canada has changed my life. It was a lifetime experience and it's opened many doors that were closed for a very long time. It was a real liberation. I always said I won’t deal with these subjects in my songs but I’ve got to change my mind. This crisis concerns us it’s out of question. It’s not like you shut the door and say this unknown man won’t ever cross my doorsill. It’s getting you and yes it’s do harm. The question is that how one can ensure him or herself to not to go nuts. This is really tricky and to find the way out is not that easy. All I can say is we have to try over and over again. No one’s got a right answer for me but if I got a right answer for myself then I can get through of it. Maybe that’s why we are here.’
Frank’s recorded a live session with the core material of OTW and it really proves his statement that ’a song is never finished to me’. Each song gets a different color of spotlight and so the song shows another possibility of interpretation. Plus he is a passionate live performer – he’s doing concerts regularly since 1994 – and this enthusiasm adds another reason to get closer to his music.

Instrumentation

Frank Sharman - piano, keyboards, vocal

Discography

The Weatherman (to be released) (2012)
On The Waterfront (2009)
Secret Room (2008)
Shades of Fall (2007)
Night Stories (from Vienna) (2006)
Abandoned Times (2004)
a strange foreigner (2003)

All albums are self-released

Official Website

http://www.franksharman.com

Links

Audio

Lyrics

Video

I Saw Katie

Photo Gallery

Press

  • On the Waterfront - Review [+ Show ]

    Frank Sharman is a singer/songwriter/pianist. Many of the songs elicit somewhat of a melancholy fe...

Setlist

Night Balloon
Professional Believer
Worth The Fight
Diamond In The Junkyard

Nightshift
Red Stars
Plain View
Blue Sky
The World Without You
Sleepless In Vancouver

Angel
Red Sun
Roadside Café
... by the way
Secret Room
Way Out

Untold
December
Learning to Fly - by Tom Petty

Snoopy on the Moon
I Saw Katie

Covers:
Silent All These Years, A Sorta Fairytale, Martha's Foolish Ginger - Tori Amos
Youl'll Be Comin' Down - Bruce Springsteen
Learning to Fly - Tom Petty


45-120 mins

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

Frank Sharman - Rider

Calendar

There are no upcoming dates at this time.