Record Reviews

FRANK ZAPPA ~ `TIS THE SEASON TO BE JELLY ESSENTIAL / FOO-EEE 961 (Barcode: 5017615516128) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the sixth album of the set. The album presents ten tracks (on the European releases, like this one, one track is missing for copyright reasons), which were recorded at Konserthuset in Stockholm on September 30, 1967. The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist. The music is a typical selection of Zappa’s advanced Avant-Garde Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 22/04/2023Posted: 22/04/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ABSOLUTELY FREE ZAPPA 3835 (Barcode: 824302383520) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1966 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 2nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1967. The album presents fifteen original songs, all by Zappa, two of which are bonus tracks not present on the original album and taken from a single also released at the time. For this album The Mothers were expanded to an octet and included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jim FielderFind albums by this artist (uncredited as he left the band before the album was released), keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist. Ten other musicians took part in the recording adding string and brass section arrangements and other contributions. In order to fully understand the significance of this album, one would have to take a time travel trip back fifty-five years and compare the Pop / Rock albums that were released in 1967, for example “Sgt. Pepper`s Lonely Hearts Club BandFind albums with this title” by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, “Between The ButtonsFind albums with this title” by The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist or “Smiley SmileFind albums with this title” by the Beach BoysFind albums by this artist, and see that already on his sophomore album Zappa was light-years ahead of the time, writing a brilliant pastiche about the music business and American politics, which was not only hilarious but more importantly shockingly perceptive, whereas his contemporaries (with a few exceptions) were still writing love songs. Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write Pop songs in any style he wants, with results as god or better than anybody else at the time. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the songs are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses. Zappa, who followed the Jazz scene closely, was of course aware of the Free Jazz scene reaching its peak at this time, and he prophetically tried to move the conceptual musical freedom also into Rock, to which the title of this album obviously hints. Overall, although over fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 25/03/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ AHEAD OF THEIR TIME ZAPPA 3887 (Barcode: 824302388723) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1968 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 61st album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1993 (the one before last album released before his untimely demise). The music was recorded live in concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on 28 October 1968 by Zappa and the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. The album presents twenty tracks, all composed by Zappa, divided into two parts, each consisting of ten tracks: part one, entitled “Progress?” features also fourteen members of the BBC Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist and part two is performed by Zappa and the Mothers. The lineup of the Mothers includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, saxophonists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Art TrippFind albums by this artist and Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist. The album’s title of course precisely describes Zappa’s musical vision, which was light-years ahead of all his contemporaries. The Avant-Garde piece of music / humor presented in the first part of this album is completely innovative and far beyond anything happening at the time musically, not only on the Rock scene, but in American music in general. The second part of the concert is a “usual” Mothers performance, which of course is also absolutely brilliant, even though restricted to Rock / Jazz instrumentation. Although not one of the most popular or revered Zappa’s albums, it is, surely in retrospect, still a masterpiece of Avant-Garde music / comedy / satire / social parody and musical genius all mixed together. Overall, although this music is now almost fifty-five years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 19/01/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BURNT WEENY SANDWICH ZAPPA 3842 (Barcode: 824302384220) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1967 - 1969 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 9th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1970. The music was recorded at various locations and studios between 1967 and 1969. The album presents nine tracks, all (except two) composed by Zappa. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the expanded version of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which includes a brass section: pianist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, woodwind players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Buzz GardnerFind albums by this artist, violinist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist and several others. The music is mostly instrumental and includes the almost nineteen minutes long suite, which is a wonderful example of Zappa’s ambitious composition created already at that early stage of his career. It features Jazzy improvisations and has a Jazz-Rock Fusion ambience, which was already very prominent on the album’s predecessor “Hot RatsFind albums with this title”. Two short tracks are references to the Russian modern composer Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist, one of Zappa’s favorites. Only the opening and closing tracks are Zappa’s arrangements of Pop songs, full of his usual zany humor. Overall, although this music is now over fifty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 01/02/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CARNEGIE HALL VAULTERNATIVE 20111B (Barcode: 824302010181) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2020 This is an archival album of live recordings by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded on October 11, 1971 at NY Carnegie Hall, the only concert played by Zappa and his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist at this prestigious venue. The 3CD album includes all the music played during the two shows that night, lasting together for over three hours, all of which was previously unreleased. The album was released in 2011 as one of the series of complete live concerts, which also includes “FZ:OZFind albums with this title”, “BuffaloFind albums with this title”, “WazooFind albums with this title”, “Philly `76Find albums with this title” and “Hammersmith OdeonFind albums with this title”. This is the 2020 version of the album, which omits the support act (The PersuasionsFind albums by this artist) CD from the original 4CD 2011 version. All the music (except for two tracks which were co-composed) was composed by Zappa. The lineup of the musicians playing in the band, which played these concerts consists, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals of course, of vocalist / percussionist Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, vocalist Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist (both ex-TurtlesFind albums by this artist collectively known as Flo & EddieFind albums by this artist), keyboardist / saxophonist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Jim PonsFind albums by this artist and British drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. The repertoire covers past favorites going as far back as the debut album “Freak Out!Find albums with this title” and up to “King KongFind albums with this title” (which gets an improvised 30 minutes long treatment), “Hot RatsFind albums with this title”, “Chunga`s RevengeFind albums with this title” and “200 MotelsFind albums with this title”. The music, as I have already stated repeatedly, is beyond categorization, being first and foremost the idiosyncratic creation of Zappa’s musical Genius. Of course every new piece of reissued vault material by Zappa expands the portrait of one of the paramount musical Geniuses of the 20th Century. I still label it as Jazz-Rock Fusion, as it embraces the wide perspective of these two genres. After all it is no less than three hours of the best music money can buy, brilliantly recorded and carefully put together for you listening pleasure. Overall, this a superb and highly detailed document of the way Zappa created his masterpieces, and of course a testimony to his musical out of the box thinking and creativity. As far as concert recordings, this is an extraordinary example of Zappa’s ability to run a tight ship, perhaps tighter than any other. Despite the complexity of the material, Swiss watchmakers are using this music to synchronize their watches by.

Updated: 11/08/2022Posted: 29/10/2021

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CRUISING WITH RUBEN & THE JETS ZAPPA 3838 (Barcode: 824302383827) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garge Pop Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 5th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1968. The album presents thirteen original songs, all (except two) by Zappa, with all of the material recorded in the studio. This album was the third installment of the “No Commercial Potential” project, which also included “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title”, “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title” and “Uncle MeatFind albums with this title”. The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Don PrestonFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, woodwinds players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Art TrippFind albums by this artist. The music is a loving tribute by Zappa and the Mothers to the Doo-wop strain of American Rhythm And Blues music, which was very popular in the 1940s and 1950s and immensely influenced the Pop and Rock scene in years to come. Of course, as usual with Zappa’s treatment of any music, the result is quite extraordinary, full of brilliant vocal harmonizing, humor and satire, with purposely almost moronic lyrics, to emphasize the trivialization of music by the music industry. The arrangements, however, include many highly sophisticated tricks, like outlandish harmony, odd rhythmic patterns etc. As the result this album is often considered as the most “straightforward” album Zappa ever recorded, despite its hidden layers. Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the music are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses. Ironically, despite the album’s Avant-Garde nature, it was exceptionally well received at the time of its release and even charted on the album list. This could have only happened in the late 1960s, when the last evidence of Human intelligence was still present on earth. Overall, although fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 13/05/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ERIE ZAPPA 20039 (Barcode: 602445394661) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1976 Released: 2022 This is the 122nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2022. The 6CD Box Set presents music recorded live in Erie, PA and surrounding area between 1974 and 1976 and offers over seven hours of previously unreleased (except for one track) performances of music, as usual almost entirely composed by Zappa. The recordings are presented chronologically and offer three complete concerts and bonus material from other performances. The music was recorded by three lineups, which includes Zappa on guitar and vocals and the following musicians: George DukeFind albums by this artist on keyboards, synthesizer and vocals, Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist on bass, Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist on guitar and vocals, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist on synthesizer, Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist on trombone and vocals, Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist on trumpet, Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist on saxophone, flute and lead vocals, Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist on drums and percussion and Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist on drums and percussion, who play on CD1 and CD2 and the first two tracks of CD3. George Duke on keyboards, synthesizer and vocals, Tom Fowler on bass, Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist on percussion, Napoleon Murphy Brock on saxophone, flute and lead vocals and Chester Thompson on drums and percussion, who play on the rest of CD3 and CD4. Bianca OdinFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Lady BiancaFind albums by this artist, who played with Zappa for just one month, which makes this a rare appearance) on keyboards and vocals, Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist on guitar and vocals, Eddie JobsonFind albums by this artist and keyboards and violin, Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist on bass and vocals and Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist on drums and vocals, who play on CD5 and CD6. It is truly amazing to discover the depth of the Zappa Family Trust vault and the fact that so much previously unreleased material is still available. Zappa’s Genius is revealed in every piece of recorded music he left behind, and the passing time makes us realize how pioneering and groundbreaking his work was at the time and in many respects continues to be so also today. Overall, although this music is now almost fifty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album is a valuable addition to Zappa’s incredible recorded legacy and is an absolute must for his many followers, who are always delighted to hear some previously unreleased material.

Updated: 19/12/2022Posted: 18/12/2022

CD 6 Digibook Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FILLMORE EAST - JUNE 1971 ZAPPA 3845 (Barcode: 824302384527) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 12th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1971. The music was recorded live at the legendary NYC Fillmore East venue in 1971. The album presents twelve tracks, all (except one) composed by Zappa. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the then current version of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which comprises of lead vocalists Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist and Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Flo & EddieFind albums by this artist), multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, bassist Jim PonsFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. Keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist appears on one track, which was probably recorded at other live concert. The album presents a comic / bitterly satirical concept “story”, which depicts the “behind the scenes” of the music business and Rock groups touring / concerts, with all its absurdity and deviation, which sadly was for many years a part of the scene, before it spread into the general public and created the insane “celeb” scene omnipresent in today’s non-culture. Musically the album is somewhat less Jazz-Rock Fusion oriented, but still offers lengthy instrumental improvisations and some of the best-ever guitar soloing by Zappa. The only track not composed by Zappa is a parody of the song “Happy Together”, which was a mega hit for the TurtlesFind albums by this artist, the group Volman and Kaylan originate from. Overall, although this music is now over fifty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 12/02/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ GREASY LOVE SONGS ZAPPA 20010 (Barcode: 824302001028) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2010 This is the 87th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2010, This album is also the 3rd release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Cruising With Ruben & The JetsFind albums with this title” album originally released in 1968. The Project/Object series also includes the following albums: “MOFOFind albums with this title” (2006), “The Lumpy MoneyFind albums with this title” (2009), “The Crux Of The BiscuitFind albums with this title” (2016) and “Meat LightFind albums with this title” (2016). The “Cruising With Ruben & The Jets” album was recorded between December 1967 and February 1968. The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention that recorded the album includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Art TrippFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalists Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, and saxophonist Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist. This version includes the original stereo mix of the album (thirteen tracks) and eight bonus tracks, mostly previously unissued. The previous CD reissues of the album presented the infamous 1984 remix of the album, which had re-recorded rhythm section parts, and this is the only CD with the original rhythm section. The music is a loving tribute by Zappa and the Mothers to the Doo-wop strain of American Rhythm And Blues music, which was very popular in the 1940s and 1950s and immensely influenced the Pop and Rock scene in years to come. Of course, as usual with Zappa’s treatment of any music, the result is quite extraordinary, full of brilliant vocal harmonizing, humor and satire, with purposely almost moronic lyrics, to emphasize the trivialization of music by the music industry. The arrangements, however, include many highly sophisticated tricks, like outlandish harmony, odd rhythmic patterns etc. As the result this album is often considered as the most “straightforward” album Zappa ever recorded, despite its hidden layers. Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the music are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses. Ironically, despite the album’s Avant-Garde nature, it was exceptionally well received at the time of its release and even charted on the album list. This could have only happened in the late 1960s, when the last evidence of Human intelligence was still present on earth. Overall, although fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 07/06/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JOE`S DOMAGE VAULTERNATIVE 20042 (Barcode: 824302004227) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2004 This is the 73rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2004. This album is the 2nd release in the series of albums compiled by Zappa’s vaultmeister Joe TraversFind albums by this artist, which also includes “Joe`s CorsageFind albums with this title” (2004), “Joe`s XMASageFind albums with this title” (2005), “Joe`s MenageFind albums with this title” (2008) and "Joe`s Camouflage"Find albums with this title (2014), all released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label. The lineup that Zappa put together in the studio to record this music is an absolute dream team of superb instrumentalists, mostly Jazz oriented players, which includes keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Alex DmochowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tony OrtegaFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Sal MarquezFind albums by this artist and Malcolm McNabbFind albums by this artist, trombonist Ken ShroyerFind albums by this artist and others. The material included on this album was never intended to be heard by “regular” listeners, and is a reflection of Zappa’s documenting passion, which prompted him to record every second of his performances in the studio and on stage. It does, however, offer an incredible glimpse into the inner makings of music under Zappa’s guidance and shows the meticulous process involved in creating the music, starting with very basic ideas and developed slowly during these rehearsals. As such it shows Zappa’s genius at work and explains the ability of his musicians to perform the unspeakably tricky parts on stage later on. Overall, although presenting only sketchy outlines of his brilliant compositions, now half a Century old, this album is a treasure of ingenuity and historical documentation of the process of music making by the greatest musical mind of the 20th Century, and as such certainly worth being listened to and perhaps learning something about the process of creating music from the Master himself.

Updated: 13/03/2023Posted: 23/03/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JUST ANOTHER BAND FROM L.A. ZAPPA 3847 (Barcode: 824302384725) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2012 This is the reissue / remaster of the 14th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1972. The album was recorded live on August 7, 1971 and includes a rare live recording of “Billy The Mountain”, lasting over twenty-four minutes. All the music, except for one track, was composed by Zappa. The musicians participating on this album include, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, also vocalists Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist and Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, woodwinds and keyboards player Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Jim PonsFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. By the time this album was recorded Zappa and his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist were a perfectly synchronized music machine able to play just about anything. Zappa’s sense of humor knew already no limits, as the “Billy The Mountain” track shows, being a hilarious pastiche of the Rock Opera genre, which thrived at the time. They produced some of the finest Pop / Rock oriented material, which was heavily spiced with hysteric and often outrageous satire and ridicule of American politics, religious radicals, sex, drugs, corruption and many other issues, which in Zappa’s opinion were eating the American society from within. As accurate as his view of the situation was, it did not have any impact on the state of matters, which obviously continuously worsened, effectively disintegrating the so called “American Way of Life”. Framed within brilliant music and some of his greatest guitar playing, this album is often considered as a great summary of the early Zappa period. Obviously, they were anything but just another band from LA. Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 15/09/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ MEAT LIGHT ZAPPA 20024 (Barcode: 824302002421) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2016 This is the 107th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2016, This 3CD album is also the 5th release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Uncle MeatFind albums with this title” album originally released in 1969. The Project/Object series also includes the following albums: “MOFOFind albums with this title” (2006), “The Lumpy MoneyFind albums with this title” (2009), “Greasy Love SongsFind albums with this title” (2010) and “The Crux Of The BiscuitFind albums with this title” (2016). The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention that recorded this music between October of 1967 and February 1968 includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalists Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, percussionist Art TrippFind albums by this artist, drummer Billy MundiFind albums by this artist and a couple other musicians play on selected tracks. The music is a brilliant assemblage of anything between Pop and Avant-Garde Rock, with contemporary Classical and Jazz influences, light-years ahead of its time. The complexity of the music is staggering, especially in retrospect, where Zappa’s contemporaries were mostly creating quite simplistic music. As usual in his case it presents a pastiche, but sometimes also a loving tribute, to other songwriters and music genres. Zappa also proves his amazing abilities as a recording studio wizard, creating orchestral effects by enormously time consuming overdubbing of dozens of tracks. Overall, although almost fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.

Updated: 05/06/2022Posted: 12/12/2021

CD 3 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ MOTHERMANIA ZAPPA 3840 (Barcode: 824302384022) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1966 - 1968 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 7th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1969. The album presents eleven original songs, all by Zappa, all of which we released on the first three albums by Zappa and the Mothers, “Freak Out!Find albums with this title”, “Absolutely FreeFind albums with this title” and “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title”, being a sort of “best of” compilation, but since the concept of “best of” was an anathema to Zappa, he used this opportunity to offer unique and different mixes and edits of these songs, which resulted in an entirely new album, which became anything but redundant, like in the case of most “best of” albums. The Mothers, who recorded these three albums included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, guitarists Jim FielderFind albums by this artist and Eliot IngberFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, woodwinds players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist. Many other musicians took part in the recording of these three albums adding string and brass section arrangements and other contributions. Zappa shows on these albums that he is able to write Pop songs in any style he wants, with results as god or better than anybody else at the time. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the songs are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses. Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 30/03/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ PLAYGROUND PSYCHOTICS ZAPPA 3886 (Barcode: 824302388624) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1971 Released: 2012 This is the reissue / remaster of the 60th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally as a 2CD album in 1992, less than a year before Zappa’s demise. The album was recorded between late 1970 and late 1971 and includes another rare live recording of “Billy The Mountain”, lasting over thirty minutes. It includes numerous dialog fragments capturing the members of The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist on tour and during the recording of the “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” soundtrack. It also offers alternative mixes of the live encounter between the Mothers and John LennonFind albums by this artist and Yoko OnoFind albums by this artist on the Fillmore East stage. The staggering fifty-seven tracks are and incredible testimony of the greatest Rock band ever, carefully assembled by Zappa, in a form he wanted the band to be remembered. Almost all the music was composed by Zappa. The musicians participating on this album include, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, also vocalists Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist and Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, woodwinds and keyboards player Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, George DukeFind albums by this artist and Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, bassists Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist and Martin LickertFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. By the time this album was recorded Zappa and his Mothers Of Invention were a perfectly synchronized music machine able to play just about anything. Zappa’s sense of humor knew already no limits, as the “Billy The Mountain” track shows, being a hilarious pastiche of the Rock Opera genre, which thrived at the time. They produced some of the finest Pop / Rock oriented material, which was heavily spiced with hysteric and often outrageous satire and ridicule of American politics, religious radicals, sex, drugs, corruption and many other issues, which in Zappa’s opinion were eating the American society from within. As accurate as his view of the situation was, it did not have any impact on the state of matters, which obviously continuously worsened, effectively disintegrating the so called “American Way of Life”. Framed within brilliant music and some of his greatest guitar playing, this album is often considered as a great summary of the early Zappa period. Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 24/09/2022Posted: 24/09/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ROAD TAPES VENUE #1 VAULTERNATIVE 20122 (Barcode: 824302012222) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2012 This is the 92nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2012. This 2CD album was released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label and is the first of three “Road Tapes” releases, which document entire live performances by Zappa and The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. This performance was captured at Kerrisdale Arena, Vancouver BC, Canada on August 25, 1968. The album presents fourteen tracks, all composed by Zappa, except one track by Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist. The lineup includes, in addition to Zappa, who plays guitar and sings, woodwinds player Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Don PrestonFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Art TrippFind albums by this artist. The live material reflects the highly experimental / improvisational character of the music, as well as the Avant-Garde approach to composition and Free Form improvisation, which characterized Jazz, but was unheard of in Rock music at the time. Comparison between the live versions on this album, which are up to twenty minutes in duration, with the studio albums, prove how unique every concert by Zappa and his groups was and how important it is for all that material to be available on records, which of course is possible only due to Zappa’s passion and dedication to document his performances. Overall, although almost fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.

Updated: 30/09/2022Posted: 11/08/2022

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ROXY & ELSEWHERE ZAPPA 3852 (Barcode: 824302385227) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 - 1974 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 19th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally as a double LP in 1974. The music was recorded live in concert mostly at the Roxy Theatre, Hollywood, on 8, 9 & 10 December 1973 by Zappa and the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. It is a companion release to the albums “Roxy By ProxyFind albums with this title”, “Roxy: The MovieFind albums with this title” and finally “The Roxy PerformancesFind albums with this title”. The album presents ten tracks, all composed by Zappa. The lineup of the Mothers includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, saxophonists Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummers Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist and Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist. Despite the fact that the music recorded at the Roxy appears on several albums, each and every track on these albums is completely unique, either being a different version or different mix or overdub. Considering that this lineup of the Mothers was one of the greatest, as was the material, every last note of these recordings is worth its weight in gold. The music is one of the most Jazz oriented Zappa projects, which this team manages to perform brilliantly. As usual with Jazz oriented music, the instrumental improvisations are very diverse on each version of the same tune played during the different shows, and they are always delightfully brilliant. Overall, although this music is now almost fifty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 01/03/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE ARK RHINO / FOO-EEE 70538 (Barcode: 081227053826) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1969 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the second album of the set. The music was recorded at The Ark in Boston on July 1969 and the lineup of the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Art TrippFind albums by this artist. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 16/02/2023Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE HOT RATS SESSIONS ZAPPA 20032 (Barcode: 824302003220) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 Released: 2019 This is an archival reissue of the sessions by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded in July 1969, which finally resulted in Zappa’s legendary debut solo album “Hot RatsFind albums with this title”. This lavishly packaged Box Set celebrates the 50th Anniversary of these recordings and includes no less than six CDs of music, the first four recorded during the a.m. sessions and two additional CDs of vault materials, related to the “Hot Rats” album. Most of the sessions material, which was later (in August 1969) overdubbed and mixed down, was finally released on the “Hot Rats” album, but some tracks, or fragments of thereof, were released on later Zappa albums. These sessions in their original raw form are all previously unreleased. All the music was composed by Zappa. The group of musicians taking part in the recording of these sessions consists of violinist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist, pianist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Max BennettFind albums by this artist, drummer John GuerinFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, father Johnny OtisFind albums by this artist on piano and son Shuggie OtisFind albums by this artist on bass and others, since Zappa used many different musicians during these sessions. The material in this Box Set is a superb historic document, which shows how the recording process developed, stage after stage (or take after take), emphasizing the complexity of the project and Zappa’s role as the great constructor, who has the final result already in his head, before it was even started. But to be perfectly honest I am not sure that an average listener, regardless how much he appreciates the music, will have the patience and stamina needed to listen to the entire material attentively and comprehend the unfolding process, which can be quite mundane. Of course for people interesting in the recording process and the creation of the building blocks of an album in the studio, this material is absolutely sensational. The music, as I have already stated repeatedly, is beyond categorization, being first and foremost the idiosyncratic creation of Zappa’s musical Genius. Obviously at the time Zappa was discovering the Jazz elements in his music, creating his very own Jazz-Rock Fusion, but the claim that he “invented” the idiom is simply not true historically, as musicians across the pond were already playing Jazz-Rock Fusion several years earlier. But music is not a horse race, so who cares who was first. It is worth to remember that 1969 was an incredibly pivotal year in music history, not only for Zappa of course, but the entire music scene in the US and Europe was exploding with unchallenged productivity. Of course every new piece of reissued vault material by Zappa expands the portrait of one of the paramount musical Geniuses of the 20th Century. Overall, this is perhaps not an absolute must have album for all Zappaoids, but it definitely is a superb and highly detailed document of the way Zappa created his masterpieces, and of course a testimony to his musical out of the box thinking and creativity.

Updated: 24/09/2021Posted: 24/09/2021

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE LUMPY MONEY ZAPPA 20008 (Barcode: 824302000823) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2009 This is the 85th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2009, This 3CD album is also the 2nd release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title” and “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title” albums originally released in 1967 and 1968. The Project/Object series also includes the following albums: “MOFOFind albums with this title” (2006), “Greasy Love SongsFind albums with this title” (2010), “The Crux Of The BiscuitFind albums with this title” (2016) and “Meat LightFind albums with this title” (2016). The “Lumpy Gravy” album was recorded in February 1967 by a large orchestra with over fifty participants, which also includes the members of The Mothers Of Invention. The orchestra was conducted by Zappa, who did not play on the album but of course composed all the music. It was the first of Zappa’s albums involving orchestral music. The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention that recorded the “We`re Only In It For The Money” album between March and October of 1967 includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalists Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist and some other musicians playing on selected tracks. The music is a brilliant assemblage of anything between Pop and Avant-Garde Rock, with contemporary Classical and Jazz influences, light-years ahead of its time. The complexity of the music is staggering, especially in retrospect, where Zappa’s contemporaries were mostly creating quite simplistic music. As usual in his case it presents a pastiche, but sometimes also a loving tribute, to other songwriters and music genres. Zappa also proves his amazing abilities as a recording studio wizard, creating orchestral effects by enormously time consuming overdubbing of dozens of tracks. Overall, although fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.

Updated: 07/06/2022Posted: 05/06/2022

CD 3 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE MOTHERS 1971 ZAPPA 20038 (Barcode: 602438403455) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2022 This Box Set is the 121st official release by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2022. It presents an expanded reissue / remaster of the live material recorded originally in 1971 with his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, including the complete Fillmore East concerts on June 5, 1971 and June 6, 1971 (two full shows each day), including the encore which features John LennonFind albums by this artist and Yoko OnoFind albums by this artist on the last show, which of course were partially released as the “Fillmore East - June 1971Find albums with this title” album in 1971. Also included are two partially recorded shows recorded a few days before the Fillmore East shows, as well as the December 10, 1971 concert recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London; altogether 8 CDs full of brilliant music The Box Set is a lavishly packaged Super Deluxe (CD sized) edition, which is up to the usual ZappaFind albums on this label Records standard. The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalists Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist and Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (who also plays woodwinds), Don PrestonFind albums by this artist and Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist (who does not play on the London show) and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. This Box Set offers a great opportunity to compare four full live shows and see how flexible and varied these performances were, how much improvisation was involved and how brilliant the members of the Mothers were. The rapport and interplay are absolutely amazing and easily equal that displayed by Jazz musicians. Musically the album is somewhat less Jazz-Rock Fusion oriented, but still offers lengthy instrumental improvisations and some of the best-ever guitar soloing by Zappa. The parody of the song “Happy Together”, which was a mega hit for the TurtlesFind albums by this artist, the group Volman and Kaylan originate from, is a great example of the sense of humor that underlines the proceedings at all times. Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.

Updated: 18/06/2022Posted: 18/06/2022

CD 8 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ UNCLE MEAT ZAPPA 3839 (Barcode: 824302383926) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 6th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, originally released as a 2LP album in 1969. The album presents thirty-one original songs, all (except two) by Zappa, with most of the material recorded in the studio but several live performances are also included. This album was the fourth installment of the “No Commercial Potential” project, which also included “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title”, “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title” and “Cruising With Ruben & The JetsFind albums with this title”. The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Don PrestonFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (still known at the time as Ruth KomanoffFind albums by this artist) woodwinds players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, Art TrippFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist. The music was initially intended as a soundtrack for a movie of the same title, which was based on a script as zany as the music, mixing Sci-Fi elements and biographical experiences by the band members, which was never actually realized, until released in 1987 as a “making of” documentary, and the expanded CD edition of this album was released. Zappa was always interested in cinematography and he tackled several other movie projects during his career. Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the music are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses. Ironically, despite the album’s Avant-Garde nature, it was exceptionally well received at the time of its release and even charted on the album list. This could have only happened in 1969, when the last evidence of Human intelligence was still present on earth. Overall, although over fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 03/04/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ UNMITIGATED AUDACITY RHINO / FOO-EEE 70540 (Barcode: 081227054021) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the fourth album of the set. The album presents thirteen tracks, which were recorded at Notre Dame University on May 12, 1974. The lineup of the Mothers Of Invention includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, George DukeFind albums by this artist, Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist, Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist, Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist, Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist and Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist. The music is a typical selection of Zappa’s advanced Jazz-Rock Fusion and political / social satire. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 31/03/2023Posted: 30/03/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ WAKA / JAWAKA ZAPPA 3848 (Barcode: 824302384824) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 15th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded and originally released in 1972. It represents Zappa’s exploration of the Jazz influenced Big Band / Orchestral music, which was light-years ahead of its time. The album presents four tracks, two lengthy instrumentals and two shorter pieces with vocals, all composed by Zappa. The lineup that Zappa put together in the studio to record this music is an absolute dream team of superb instrumentalists, mostly Jazz oriented players, which includes keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Alex DmochowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist, woodwinds players Mike AltschulFind albums by this artist and Joel PeskinFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Sal MarquezFind albums by this artist, trombonist Billy ByersFind albums by this artist and Ken ShroyerFind albums by this artist and others. The album is a logical succession to Zappa’s growing interest in composing and arranging music for big ensembles, exploring multi-layered approach and incorporating Jazz oriented soloing. It is another step in the period that started with the recording of “Hot RatsFind albums with this title” (1969) and was followed by “Burnt Weeny SandwichFind albums with this title” (1970) and continued by “The Grand WazooFind albums with this title” (1972), which explored similar tendencies. Since this is instrumental music, it lacks Zappa’s ironic / satirical lyrics about the issues that were in the center of his social awareness, and concentrates on his strictly musical vision, which appears here in its full glory. Zappa was a completely unique composer / arranger and the concept of using big orchestral arrangements outside of the Jazz Big Band idiom appeared only in Brass Rock, which he expanded into Fusion, pioneering that specific stylistic approach. Overall, although this music is now half a Century old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 19/03/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ WAKA / WAZOO ZAPPA 20041 (Barcode: 602448169594) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2022 This is the 124th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2022. The album presents music recorded during the April / May 1972 recording sessions at the Paramount Studios, which produced the iconic “Waka / JawakaFind albums with this title” and “The Grand WazooFind albums with this title” albums and celebrates the 50th Anniversary of these sessions. The Box Set includes 4 CDs and 1 Blu-ray Audio disc. The music was recorded by two lineups, the ten piece (called Petit Wazoo) and the twenty-piece (called Grand Wazoo) ensembles / orchestras, which epitomize Zappa’s fascination with Jazz music and Orchestral music, offering some of the most intricate performances Zappa and his ensembles ever recorded. The two ensembles had a common core / rhythm section, with in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, included also slide guitarist Tony DuranFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Alex DmochowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist (the last two were of course British). A long list of brass and woodwinds players, some famous from their Jazz careers, played in both ensembles. CD1 and CD2 present outtakes and alternate versions of the material recorded during the sessions, which were not used on the final version of the two albums. CD3 presents a series of demos Zappa and Duke recorded for a potential album by Duke, which produced four demos and three outtakes of music written by Duke (in one case co-written with Zappa). The 8th track presents a live appearance of the Grand Wazoo band live in Boston, edited in studio and previously unreleased. The entire Boston show was released in 2007 as the “WazooFind albums with this title” album. The last two tracks on this CD present the first part of the Petit Wazoo band live at the Winterland Ballroom in SF. CD4 presents five additional tracks from the Winterland Ballroom concert Blu-ray Audio presents new Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround Sound and PCM Stereo versions of the “Waka / Jawaka” and “The Grand Wazoo” albums, which I personally regard as completely redundant. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance. The intricacy and multi-layered arrangements, brilliantly executed by his ensembles, are amongst the most interesting American recordings ever and considering that all this happened fifty years ago clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius.

Updated: 14/01/2023Posted: 14/01/2023

4CD+BD 5 Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ WE`RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY ZAPPA 3837 (Barcode: 824302383728) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 4th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1968. The music was recorded at several studios during 1967 and Zappa considered this album as part of an organic music stream, which also includes also the albums “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title”, “Cruising With Ruben & The JetsFind albums with this title” and “Uncle MeatFind albums with this title”, collectively known as the "No Commercial Potential" project. The album presents nineteen tracks, all composed by Zappa. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the then current version of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which comprises of vocalists / bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist and many other people adding minor contributions The album presents a comic / bitterly satirical view of American politics (both left and right wing), society and music business. The album’s cover, which of course is a parody of The BeatlesFind albums by this artist “Sgt. Pepper`s Lonely Heart Club BandFind albums with this title” album cover as well as the album’s title, which coined a catchphrase still bitterly actual today, are all manifestation of Zappa’s view of our world, which remains sadly somewhat naïve in comparison to what we experience today. Musically the album is a zany amalgam of Pop, Rock Psychedelia, Contemporary Classical Music and Avant-Garde Rock, with spoken word collages and beautiful melodies here in there, completely Zappaesque and incomparable to anything done at the time and since. Zappa applied unprecedented studio trickery, so advanced that it’s considered a wizardry, even with today computerized studio technology. Overall, although this music is now over fifty-five years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 18/02/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH ZAPPA 3843 (Barcode: 824302384329) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1967 - 1969 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 10th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1970. The music was recorded at various live and studio locations between 1967 and 1969. The album presents eleven tracks, all (except one) composed by Zappa. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the expanded version of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which includes a brass section: pianist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, woodwind players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Buzz GardnerFind albums by this artist, violinist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist and several others. The music is mostly instrumental and includes many references to Avant-Garde Jazz (Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist) and Classical Music (Claude DebussyFind albums by this artist, Charles IvesFind albums by this artist and Luciano BerioFind albums by this artist) and features Jazzy improvisations similar to Free Jazz, and has a Jazz-Rock Fusion ambience, which was already very prominent on the earlier albums “Hot RatsFind albums with this title” and “Burnt Weeny SandwichFind albums with this title”. Only one track is Zappa’s arrangements of a Pop song, full of his usual zany humor. Overall, although this music is now over fifty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 04/02/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ WHISKY A GO GO, 1968 ZAPPA 20045 (Barcode: 602458671568) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2024 This is the 128th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2024. As the title suggests, it compiles all the material recorded live with his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist at the iconic LA club Whisky A Go Go on July 23, 1968. The 3CD album offers almost three hours of music (32 tracks), carefully re-mixed and restored, and a couple of bonus vintage mixes. Most of the music is previously unissued, except a few tracks / fragments that “sneaked in” on other Zappa albums. The recordings feature the following lineup: Zappa on guitar and vocals, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Art TrippFind albums by this artist and Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Kim FowleyFind albums by this artist guests on four tracks and the all-girl group GTOsFind albums by this artist guest on one tracks. The music is absolutely sensational and shows Zappa’s untamed brilliance at its wildest, incorporating anything between Free Rock Improvisation to Doo-wop, spaced with unadulterated humor and pure musical Genius. The entire show is an orgy of musical ideas and sparks with the pleasure of performing, unabridged by conventions and pseudo-ethical rules. Although Zappa obviously developed over time as a composer and musician, changing his focus and stylistic preferences on the fly, these early recordings already clearly exemplify his out of the box musical attitude and openness, as well as moral and social ideology, which always steered his career and made him such a fascinating figure. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance. These early Avant-Garde Rock recordings are a perfect example of the emerging idiom and are brilliantly executed by the ensemble. Considering that all this happened over fifty-five years ago clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius.

Updated: 26/09/2024Posted: 26/09/2024

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend