MSG Network Interview

Artist creates vibrant impressions of Jazz, Sports and our MSG Crew in action

BLOG: Tina’s Tales from the Road with the Knicks

December 14th, 2009

New Orleans: Frenchy’s Quarter

When MSG hits the road with the Knicks, basketball is our main focus, but it’s hard not to notice and appreciate all that can be happening around you in some of the great cities of the NBA.  And in New Orleans, there’s a person who is capturing all that is unfolding, entertaining, and existing around those who are there.  Live Action Artist,  Randy Leo Frechette – aka “Frenchy”.  As Jazz bands perform the sounds of the Big Easy, tourists mingle in the French quarter, and football and basketball players compete on all levels, Frenchy is there to capture the moment with his brush strokes; creating bold, vibrant paintings that practically leap off the canvas.

MSG’s esteemed Knicks Director, Howie Singer, came to know Frenchy as a personal friend 10 years ago when he was painting a band at a club in New York City.”There were as many people watching him as the band,” says Singer. That night, Howie learned Frenchy also painted sports and wanted to paint a game at Yankee Stadium. MSG made it happen and showed him painting during the game at different intervals. A few years later, he painted Allan Houston during a game in New Orleans and donated the painting for a “Garden of Dreams” charity auction.

On the evening of December 10th, after the Knicks arrived the night before their game versus the Hornets, the MSG television crew headed out to celebrate my birthday at “Jacques-Imo’s Cafe” on Oak Street outside the French Quarter.  Frenchy’s Gallery is across the street, and the world-renown artist joined us for dinner.  I had already been enjoying his work, displayed throughout the restaurant, and when Frenchy walked up to the table with his leather jacket splattered with colors of oil paint, I knew a talent was in our presence.  But what struck me the most, was when Frenchy toasted us … the MSG crew.  He said he was so impressed by what we brought to the world, because

“You guys are all professional artist’s … Like a musician in a band or a player on a team… Either way it takes hard work, to flow with others to make one harmonious end result… Never mind how many games you guys do! But that’s rock and roll baby!!!”

Those are truly words of an artist, who also creates action and drama, but brings his work to the world through a different medium, art.

While Frenchy is as New Orleans as jazz, Bourbon Street, and gumbo, like the Hornets, he too isn’t a native of the Crescent City.  Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, his journey to the south includes stops in South Carolina, Atlanta, and Orlando, but since 1997 calls the city of New Orleans his home and his muse.

Frenchy has been painting and drawing since he was a child.  His first opportunity to showcase his action painting happened in Orlando, when The Boston Horns approached him to paint their performance live. Now, he mesmerizes the music-loving revelers at Jazz Fest, works the sidelines frequently at Saints, Hornets and NCAA games, and instead of throwing beads in the Mardi Gras parade, he puts his brush strokes to work, capturing the traditions and the bizarre alike.  While Frenchy paints in real-time as the event unfolds before him, he is as entertaining to watch as what he is recreating.  And our MSG crew witnessed this first hand, just like Howie first did 10 years ago.

After dinner, we headed over to the Maple Leaf Bar across the street from Frenchy’s Gallery and next door to Jaques-Imo’s.  There, Frenchy already had his canvas set up for a night of action painting. The band performing this evening was “The Trio” featuring Johnny Vidakovich on drums. George Porter from “The Meters” plays bass, and the trombone player, Craig Klein is from the band “Bonerama” and used to play with Harry Connick Junior’s band. We were in the Big Easy!

While the sounds of the horn and beat of the drums were inspiring, Frenchy’s performance was just as captivating. Dancing, with his palette in one hand, brush in the other, as the music pulsed, his brush strokes followed.  Watch the progression of pictures, while he paints “The Trio” in real time.  We were awe struck.  His talent and passion for art weren’t just evident in his final product, but in the smile and sparkle in his eye as he took an evening of music and transformed into one painting, depicting a collection of moments in time. As for the colors, they can light up any dark, dingy bar scene.

But Frenchy was not done entertaining and painting for MSG.  Recently, Frenchy became intrigued by everything going on in the television truck during the production of a sporting event. He’d already painted the crew that works on Monday Night Football, and really wanted to do a basketball telecast because he felt the action was more continuous.  So the following evening, during the Knicks-Hornets game, Frenchy, with his materials and canvas in hand, was a guest in the MSG television production truck.  There, while Howie, Producer Spencer Julien, Associate Producers Jim Gallagher and Kevin McHale, and production assistant Oscar Holt brought the action, analysis, reports, and reactions of the Knicks fourth straight win from the New Orleans Arena to the homes of Knicks fans across the region … Frenchy did his thing; painting our MSG crew in action, bringing his interpretation of a sports broadcast behind the scenes, and transforming it to canvas.  Just look at the chronology of his creation.  Breathtaking.

Because using paints inside the high-tech production truck wouldn’t be a smart idea, due to the mess, Frenchy intricately sketched his piece first, and will add the colors later.  “We all thought he captured things really well,” says Howie.  We are eagerly anticipating the final product, but even more thankful we got to experience and observe such a talented, creative and endearing person in our presence.

Be sure to check out Frenchy’s website: www.frenchylive.com