Frankie J shaking up R&B world

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BY CRYSTAL K. WIEBE
Special to The Times | Monday, December 15, 2003 | (No comments posted.)

Having trick-or-treated his way into the United States 22 years ago, Francisco Javier Bautista knows something about crossing borders.

Lately, the Mexican-born performer better known as Frankie J has been crossing over in another way -- as a rare Latino voice singing neo R&B.

Since the May release of his Columbia Records solo debut, "What's a Man to Do?," Bautista has been compared to black peers like Usher and Brian McKnight and even has popped up on Black Entertainment Television.

"I think it's about time that something like this happens with somebody who's not Caucasian or African-American," Bautista said in a phone interview.

He first came to the United States as a 2-year-old, when his uncle drove him, his brother and sister, all in costume, to San Diego from Tijuana on Halloween. They never went back.

Today, sales of his soulful album are approaching 300,000 copies.

Columbia will re-release the CD with three more tracks early next year. A Spanish version of the original came out this fall.

Bautista has been on the road since the CD came out. His fall tour brings him to Chicago's House of Blues Saturday.

Barely 24, Bautista said he's been singing since he was 7. He is a former member of the Grammy-nominated Latin pop group AB Quintanilla y Los Kumbia Kings, whose 1999 debut album sold half a million copies.

Not the kind of artist who saves songwriting for the off-road, Bautista said he's constantly working on new numbers.

"It's like an everyday thing in my life," he said. "When I'm not working on stage, I'm on the bus and just writing music and writing songs and just getting some new material out there."

Bautista's emotional writing is rooted in personal experience.

His failed relationship with Grace, the mother of his 3-year-old son, Frankie Jr., inspired most of the songs on "What's a Man to Do?"

"It's a big old book about me," Bautista said.

He and Grace have remained friends, he said, for their son, who stays with Mom when Dad's on tour. "Lil Frankie," as Bautista calls him, has shown an early interest in music.

When he's at home in San Diego, Bautista said, he often takes his son, "who always wants to play the piano," into the studio while he works. Father and son already have recorded one song together, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," which Bautista carries with him on the road.

"He sang with it," Bautista said. "That's going to stay with me forever."

Ironically, except for his voice, Bautista barely touched the three new tracks on his album's re-release.

"I didn't have anything to do with these songs," he said.

R. Kelly wrote, produced and contributed vocals to "Dancin'," which Bautista described as "strictly for the clubs." Credit for the ballad "Gone" goes to former Troop member Steve Russell. Writing and production team Night and Day worked on the midtempo song, "Number One Fan."

Kelly and Bautista did not work one-on-one for "Dancin'," but Bautista said he did get to shake hands with the more established star at a convention in Los Angeles. "I said hi and told him I was a big fan."

Keeping his palms from sweating was a little tougher for Bautista when he met another one of his musical idols -- pop diva Mariah Carey.

"I was like 'Wow!' " he gushed. "I was in la-la land for real � I just said, 'Hi. How you doing? I love your music and you're beautiful.' I shook her hand, and I was like, I'm never going to wash this hand again."

onstage

B96 Jingle Jam with Wyclef Jean, Frankie J, Baby Bash and Avant

Where: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago

When: 9 p.m. Saturday (Doors open at 7:30 p.m.)

Cost: $30 (18-and-older show)

For more info: (312) 923-2000

onstage
B96 Jingle Jam with Wyclef Jean, Frankie J, Baby Bash and Avant
Where: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago
When: 9 p.m. Saturday (Doors open at 7:30 p.m.)
Cost: $30 (18-and-older show)
For more info: (312) 923-2000

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