Watching the Snow
| Company type | Album |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Michael Franks |
| Products | Jazz music album |
Watching the Snow is a jazz collection by American vocalist Michael Franks, initially issued in Japan through Columbia Records in 2003, followed by a 2004 U.S. release via Sleeping Gypsy, and later distributed in the United States by Koch Records.
Marking Franks' debut holiday-themed album, it consists exclusively of original compositions rather than traditional Christmas tunes. The revenue generated from sales was contributed to Hearts United for Animals.
Reception
In a review for AllMusic, Christopher Monger characterized the album as "comfort food with all the trimmings," emphasizing that each piece is "carefully crafted, remarkably inoffensive, and both whimsically sincere and lighthearted." He praised the fresh take on holiday music through Franks' relaxed delivery and understated wit, offering an appealing alternative to conventional seasonal albums.
- Michael Franks – lead vocals
- Charles Blenzig – keyboards, acoustic piano, percussion, sequencing
- Jay Azzolina – guitar
- Romero Lubambo – guitar
- Jay Anderson – double bass
- Billy Kilson – drums
- Café – percussion
- Chris Hunter – saxophones, flute
- Alex Sipiagin – trumpet, flugelhorn
- John Clark – French horn
- Veronica Nunn – backing vocals, lead vocals on track 9
Production
- John Rosenberg – executive producer
- Charles Blenzig – producer and arranger
- Michael Franks – producer and photographer
- Scott Petito – engineering and mixing
- Megan Denver – art direction and design
- Dion Ogust – portrait photography