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*** Frank Zappa ***


Rooster_Ties

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  • 2 weeks later...

I interviewed Jean-Luc Ponty a few years ago. He was excited about touring with Zappa until the focus shifted from hot instrumentals to lots of vocal comedy numbers. That's why he left the band.

That's a shame, I like the hot instrumentals more. Zappa needed the money.

It's too bad he never had a regular violinist in the band again. Ponty was only in the band a short time and others like L. Shankar and "Sugarcane" Harris seem to have been only guests.

I really liked the combination of violin, trombone and clarinet on Swedish Sensation (aka Stockholm In Bondage).

Edited by 7/4
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Agreed on the violin. Maybe Zappa was worried about being another Mahavishnu?

However, I did get to see Ponty's keyboard player - Allan Zavod - on Zappa's 1984 tour. :)

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"Alan Zavod, our 1984 keyboard player... ...would end his solo with this thing that everybody called 'The Volcano.' He held the sustain pedal down and churned and smashed away to get a big blur going, and then topped it off at the end with a flourish. It worked every time, but it got to be a band joke. In fact, Alan really is a great pianist (and film composer). It's just that maybe -- because he was working in a rock and roll band -- he thought that type of solo was the appropriate vehicle to project his aura across vast continental areas."

— Frank Zappa, The Real Frank Zappa Book

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Agreed on the violin. Maybe Zappa was worried about being another Mahavishnu?

I wouldn't confuse them!

However, I did get to see Ponty's keyboard player - Allan Zavod - on Zappa's 1984 tour. :)

I did too, at the Does Humor Belong in Music? show on the Pier.

I may have heard him in Ponty's band too, but I'd have to do a bit of research to be sure. It was a long time ago.

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Eddie Jobson was Zappa's best violin player. He toured with FZ in mid-seventies. There are no official records featuring his violin playing (well, not soloing, at least), but there are a few bootlegs around. The short-lived 1975 (or 76?) band with him and vocalist Bianca Odin was a killer.

Meanwhile, good news: ZFT is reissuing "We Are Only In It for the Money" and "Lumpy Gravy" with some bonus material later this year.

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Anniversary of Zappa's passing today, think I'll play some of the instrumental cds.

Today is his birthday.

December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993.

My bad...

Happy Birthday Frank! There's a guy in Grand rapids who throws a birthday party every year at his house for FZ and strings xmas lights spelling 'Zappa' on his roof. When you walk in the house you're given a Zappa trivia test and the 1st and 2nd place winners get a prize. 3 years ago I won a Zappa hoody..

This year unfortunately I will be unable to attend the party due to extremely vicious winter weather that has me socked in until tomorrow.. I think we're in the early stages of the next ice age here in Michigan..

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I love the little Zappa I have and I'm always looking to get more. Here's what I have:

Freak Out!

We're Only In It for The Money

Hot Rats

Waka Jawaka

Over-Nite Sensation

Sheik Yerbouti

Joe's Garage

So what should I get next? What do folks recommend?

I think all of the early Mothers albums are essential, and you've already got two of them, so my vote's for Absolutely Free and Ruben and the Jets. Unfortunately, the only version of Ruben currently available is an abomination, with the bass and drums rerecorded when Zappa was in full George Lucas revisionist mode in the 80s. If you have a vinyl rig, track down an original LP of Ruben.

He did the same thing with We're Only In It For The Money, but at least there is an unmolested version of that one available.

The rest of the titles you have are all great choices. Might want to pick up Apostrophe, Zoot Allures, Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar, and Lather next. And then you'll be well on the way to realizing that when it comes to Zappa, too much is never enough. :)

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