Album Review from Sistra

SELF-TITLED ALBUM BY BARON VON FRANKENPAUL

ABDELRAHMAN KHALED

NOVEMBER 28, 2025

Baron Von FrankenPaul came together at a NAMM Show jam in 2022. Saxophonist Baron Raymonde, guitarist Frank Osgood, and bassist/producer Paul Ill were working with MusiCares when they started playing together and realized they had chemistry. A year later, they jammed for three days at the Cross Rock booth during NAMM, and what started as gear demos turned into spontaneous grooves that stopped crowds. That’s where this band was born.

Their self-titled debut, recorded between The Loft Studio in Bronxville, NY, and sessions in Los Angeles, blends jazz, rock, and funk with a rotating cast of world-class drummers, including James Gadson, Steve Ferrone, Matt Abts, Wally Ingram, and Jeremy Colson. Pedal steel players Andrea Whitt and Greg McMullen add texture, and vocalist Olivia Morreale appears on one track. The album mixes bold reinterpretations of Coltrane, Miles Davis, Alice in Chains, and The Doors with original compositions. They’re celebrating the release with a show at The Bitter End in Greenwich Village on December 11th, featuring Van Romaine, Will Lee, Lou Marini, and others.

Starting us off, “Camera Obscura”, the chemistry of the band is very apparent, and the saxophone’s jazzy lines flow over the rock groove in a tangibly delicious way. The fuzzy slide guitar enters with its gritty vocal quality, serving as a foil to the smooth sax and adding a rich flavor profile to the song. Surprisingly, the face-melting solo on this song is on the sax, not the distorted guitar. But as you will see, this surprise is not a one-off; this album has many musical surprises in it.

“BVFP” is a bright, funky jam with the drums just having an absolute blast with the saxophone again shining as the main lead instrument, giving that cinematic jazz flavor. This song actually has the kind of jazz flavor that was popular in the ’80s. Well, until that clean guitar enters and we’re smoothly sent to this Dire Straits moment of serenity. But no worries, the saxophone comes back into the spotlight to solo us back into the melody. The band’s chemistry is undeniable.

Next is the band’s take on John Coltrane’s “Naima”. The element with the most immediate and notable difference is the drums. The drums are much more in line with modern progressive grooves and bring a refreshing quality to it, and keep the jam cohesive as the guitars chime in.

Another re-interpretation of a classic is what the band does with “Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains. I swear the saxophone sounds like a harmonica at some points; that’s how gritty Baron Raymonde makes it sound. The moment where everybody plays the chorus melody here is simply magic. It quickly became one of my favorite versions of the song.

Back to the originals, we have “Cactus”. This one has a really smooth and mellow groove, letting the interesting harmonic choices shine through. The melody here is really catchy and memorable. I found myself singing it in the shower. This is definitely an easy pick for a walk or drive at night.

Next up is “Lullaby For Zoey”. An atmospheric noir ballad, as you might have guessed from the name. The ambient guitar textures give it that unique edge that makes this combination of musicians and instruments so intriguing.

Taking a sharp left turn into progressive rock kind of territory, “Kasbah Knights” is a heavy song, and naturally, the guitars get to shine here a bit more. Carrying the headbanging groove and daring dissonant harmony to surprising places. Ultimately, it builds up to some beautiful solos that have great moments of synchronization between the band.

“Riders on the Storm” by The Doors is one of those timeless songs, and the band’s take on it is classy and faithfully recreates the rhythm section and tonal quality of it while also expressing themselves authentically. It’s a testament to their collective talent and chemistry to re-interpret the song in such a tasteful way.

Next is another re-interpretation, “In a Silent Way” by the legendary Miles Davis. It makes perfect sense for this group of musicians to play the song that marked Miles’ move to jazz fusion and the use of electric instruments. Their take on it has more of a funk groove and utilizes an arsenal of modern guitar textures to effectively modernize the tune.

Ending the album with a surprise, “Tall Shoes Mary” is a vocal song featuring Olivia Morreale on the vocals. An incredibly soulful performance from Olivia and the band’s backing vocals and warm guitar textures ensure this song envelopes you with its atmosphere. The band’s choice to end the album here is interesting because it comes as an intriguing surprise instead of starting with it and setting expectations for a vocal album.

THE BRILLIANCE OF A SONIC IDENTITY FORGED IN MASTERY!

BY

CHERINE ABULWAFA

DECEMBER 5, 2025 Rock Era Magazine

Some albums introduce themselves politely, others open a door  just like what Baron von FrankenPaul did in their latest album, holding the same name, Baron von FrankenPaul! This one builds an entire world the moment you press play. What emerges across these ten tracks is not merely a fusion of genres but a sonic identity so confidently forged that every stylistic shift feels like another facet of the same character. Whether reimagining Coltrane, The Doors, Miles Davis, or Alice in Chains, or unfolding original compositions with striking emotional intelligence, the band never loses its center. They experiment boldly, but they never wander. They transform, but they never fracture. At every moment, the trempette stands as the album’s main narrator: shaping atmospheres, carving melodies, and binding the narrative with a tone that is unmistakably its own. What results is an album that feels like a journey through ten landscapes seen through one pair of eyes.

In Camera Obscura, this unity is palpable. The trempette strides into the mix with a crisp brilliance that effortlessly slices through the heavy, almost metallic guitar riffs, as if declaring itself the compass of the entire record. Glittering chimes fracture around the edges, giving the music a cinematic depth, and the electric guitar solo arrives not as a contrast but as an extension of the same emotional space. When the trempette returns with a virtuosic solo, it feels like a statement of intent: technical command, yes, but also a sharp sense of narrative direction. The band sets the tone here, proving that even in dense textures, clarity can reign.

That clarity continues in BVFP, though the mood shifts entirely. A drum-forward opening tumbles unexpectedly into a breezy, beach-tinged groove, effortlessly light yet rhythmically grounded. The trempette floats through the melody with ease, reshaping it through different scale degrees as if turning a familiar phrase inside out. What’s striking is how the groove relaxes without losing precision; the band plays with freedom, but the identity remains intact, cohesive, unshaken.

Their re-imagining of Coltrane’s Naima reveals their emotional intelligence. The track widens the atmosphere, taking the original’s suspended hush and blending it with the album’s textures: chimes, understated drums, guitar bends that ripple like softened glass. It shifts the piece from solitary contemplation to a shared, collective breath. The trempette solo is tender but confident, elevating the emotional warmth of the composition and giving the ending a luminous glow that dissolves into fading chimes. It is homage and reinvention at once: respectful, yet unmistakably theirs.

Then comes Man in the Box, where the album bares its teeth. Here the trempette becomes something entirely different: edgy, defiant, almost insurgent, pushing back against the heavy rock instrumentation that surrounds it. The reinterpretation holds onto the tension of the original, not through mimicry but through psychological fidelity. The rhythmic tightness gives the track a coiled power, and the trempette’s refusal to “stay in the box” becomes the narrative conflict. It’s a musical struggle rendered with such focus that even the intensity feels controlled rather than chaotic.

Cactus offers a complete shift in scenery while maintaining the band’s unmistakable cohesion. The opening snare flicks like the sting of cactus thorns, mirrored by the trempette’s staccato – tenuto phrasing. There is Americana warmth here, a dusty glow under the subtle textures, yet the track never dulls its edges. The trempette plays with mischievous sharpness, emerging like a playful antagonist before the ending slips away unexpectedly, as though the cactus simply pulled back into itself.

In Lullaby for Zoey, the band leans into spaciousness: soft, dreamlike expanses where wide rhythms drift like slow-moving clouds. The trempette shapes emotion through delicate dynamics rather than virtuosic leaps, giving the piece an intimate glow. It rises toward the end, figuratively and literally, as if offering a final, gentle ascent before letting the dream settle.

Kasbah Knights jolts the album awake again: fiery, overdriven, charged with hints of Middle Eastern color. The trempette and guitar converse like two seasoned warriors sparring with mutual respect. Their interplay builds momentum and tension until a sudden moment of quiet enters: light percussion, a subdued breath before the final burst. The track feels like a cinematic chase, an adventure rendered with precision and narrative flair.

Their take on Riders on the Storm keeps the mysteries of the original but strips away excess. Clean, simple guitar lines drift under a quiet rhythmic pulse, allowing the trempette to glide through the melody with gentle restraint. Nothing is overworked; the band trusts the atmosphere enough to leave space, letting the calm breathe.

When In a Silent Way begins, a serene wave of sound unfurls: vast, sustained, meditative. The shift into the more upbeat passage feels like motion after stillness, brightening the sonic horizon before returning once more to introspective calm. The piece honors Miles Davis while interpreting the concept through the band’s own language: wide, luminous, and grounded in their distinct palette.

Finally, Tall Shoes Mary closes the album with its only lyrical moment. Americana warmth blends with rock guitar textures and jazz-tinged trempette lines, while the vocals, supported by soft, beautifully layered backing paint scenes of wandering cities, near-misses, fog, infidelity, unburned bridges, countless lifetimes, want, timing, and longing without collapse. The lyrics drift between clarity and fragmentation, like memories revisited in flashes, and the song wraps the album in storytelling that feels lived-in, tender, and real.

Baron von FrankenPaul Has Arrived!

By Skope / December 21, 2025

It’s hard to believe that this is a debut release for Baron von FrankenPaul because the energy is off the charts!  ‘Baron von FrankenPaul’ is the self-titled album that offers a big punch of jazz, rock and funk.  Merging styles with stellar musicianship, Baron von FrankenPaul proves that excitement is in the air!

The band is comprised of three talented members and they are: Baron Raymonde on saxophone, Frank Osgood on guitar, and Paul ILL handling bass & production.  The record includes creative covers of well-known songs by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Alice in Chains and The Doors along with original compositions.  ‘Baron von FrankenPaul’ is full of pleasant surprises and is one non-stop jam session that doesn’t know the word quit!

We kick things off with “Camera” and right away jazzy rock can be heard making for one killer combo that offers a steady focus and optimal performance.  “Camera” is a flavorful number that stylistically shines and is instrumentally sound.  On the song “Naima”, a soothing aura and rich tone surrounds you that will ease your mind, body and soul.  Baron von FrankenPaul delivers a fresh take on Alice in Chain’s “Man In the Box” as you feel the electricity behind every note.  “Cactus” really sticks and stands out with its good flow that really POPS!  A calming effect rushes over you on “Lullaby For Zoey” that will allow you to sit back, relax and enjoy the show.  On “Kasbah Knights”, heavy riffs & chords hit you to go along with an international flair overall.  “Kasbah Knights” is a head-bangin’, fist-pumpin’ good time!  I am highly impressed with Baron von FrankenPaul’s creative version of The Doors’ classic “Riders On The Storm”.  The listener will hear superb musical direction and a fantastic arrangement on “Riders On The Storm”.  On the track “In A Silent Way”, the playing is on point from start to finish with Baron von Frankenpaul delivering a masterful performance overall.  It’s time to put on “Tall Shoes” where it seems to be a perfect fit with distinct vocals and a free-flowing style.  On “BVFP”, a peppy beat will have you swaying back and forth with some funky notes thrown in for good measure.  

The debut release ‘Baron von FrankenPaul’ is available on all major streaming platforms via BvFP Records.  The album was produced and mixed by Chris Wonzerand Baron von FrankenPaul and what a dynamite job by Baron von FrankenPaul.  The group had a record release show on December 11, 2025 at The Bitter End in NYC featuring special guests Will Lee, Lou Marini, Greg McMullen, and Emiden Rivera and Van Romaine.  If ‘Baron von FrankenPaul’ is the introduction to the world, then sky’s the limit for this band’s future and I can’t wait to hear what’s next!

https://www.baronvonfrankenpaul.com/ 

By Jimmy Rae