Record Reviews

CANNONBALL ADDERLEY ~ POPPIN` IN PARIS: LIVE AT L`OLYMPIA 1972 ELEMENTAL MUSIC 5990449 (Barcode: 8435395504147) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2024 This is an archival live album by the great American saxophonist / composer / bandleader Cannonball AdderleyFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet, which also included his brother, trumpeter Nat AdderleyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassist Walter BookerFind albums by this artist and drummer Roy McCurdyFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, recorded during two sets on October 25, 1972, at the legendary L`Olympia concert hall, performed as part of the Paris Jazz Festival. Most of the music was composed by Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist, the former keyboardist of the quintet, one tune is by Duke, another one by Nat Adderley and one is a standard. The album features, as usual, an extended booklet with interviews, articles by Jazz journalists, superb historic photographs and other background information. The album presents the music Cannonball Adderley recorded with his last quintet, in the last four years of his life (1972 to 1975 - he died suddenly in August of 1975), which was documented on the albums released by the FantasyFind albums on this label label, with George Duke as the central figure of the quintet, who pushed the music into much more modern stylistic / post Bebop direction, adding elements of electric Funk and Groove. Duke was the most impressive instrumentalist in the quintet, which is plainly audible on this album as well. He gets most of the solo spots, which are all marvelous. Moving between the Adderley and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist groups, Duke was simply one of the most vital American Jazz musicians in the 1970s. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the Cannonball Adderley recorded legacy. For the many of his followers it is of course a must, and although it does not reveal anything previously not captured on record, it is certainly a superb piece of Jazz history.

Updated: 09/01/2025Posted: 09/01/2025

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

AKINETÓN RETARD ~ 21 CANAPÉS MYLODON 014 (Barcode: 4011222210258) ~ CHILE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1998 - 2003 Released: 2003 3rd album by the sensational Prog / RIO band from Chile Akinetón RetardFind albums by this artist. Quite an unusual album (even for them) as it collects (as the title suggests) 21 short pieces of music, most between 1 and 2 minutes long, which were originally written as background music for 3 theatre performances staged in 1998, 1999 and 2003. It is not stated on the album if the music was recorded at these respective dates (I assume so) or is a re-recording of all these pieces done in 2003 (there is one additional piece dated 2000). Regardless of this little confusion, the music is overall absolutely brilliant, as is everything else they ever recorded. The jazz undertones created by the two sax players in the group and the unusual melody lines take the listener to uncharted territory, which is always a good thing. The earlier influences of King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist are less evident here, which means the group arrived at a point where they have their own unique tonal language well in place. The album differs also from their other output by being more acoustic (using guest musicians playing violin and cello or even vocals for example) and atmospheric at times, which is surely a result of the music being written for theatre. If one disregards all the background information, this album can be regarded as a beautiful example of contemporary “minimal music”, as good as anything created earlier in this genre. Essentially brilliant!

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

AKINETÓN RETARD ~ AKRANANIA MYLODON 004 (Barcode: 7898217280727) ~ CHILE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2001 Released: 2001 2nd album by the Chilean Avant-Prog / RIO band Akinetón RetardFind albums by this artist and a formidable successor to their breathtaking debut album. There is no doubt about Akinetón Retard being one of the most interesting new bands on the Prog / RIO scene and their extraordinary music bringing a hurricane of fresh ideas and approaches. It is extremely difficult to describe their music in words – it is often described as something in between Johnn ColtraneFind albums by this artist and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, which is one way of looking at it. The band is a sextet and it includes two saxophonists, which contribute the jazzy aspects. The rest of the band (guitar, bass, drums and percussion) is the rocky counterpart, but the music is of course neither jazz nor rock, as with most RIO bands. The compositions are devilishly complex and quirky, switching tempos and rhythms at breathtaking paste. Rather than trying to describe this music in more detail, let me just say this is essential stuff for anybody who likes adventurous and challenging music.

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

BABE RUTH ~ FIRST BASE / AMAR CABALLERO BGO 382 (Barcode: 5017261203823) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 - 1974 Released: 1998 1st and 2nd albums by UK Prog outfit Babe RuthFind albums by this artist, named after the American baseball star of the same name, founded by guitarist Alan ShacklockFind albums by this artist and including singer Janita HaanFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Dave PunshonFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave HewittFind albums by this artist and drummer Dick PowellFind albums by this artist (Powell and Punshon were replaced on the second album by Ed SpevockFind albums by this artist and Chris HolmesFind albums by this artist respectively). Although relatively obscure, the band was amongst the best and most interesting UK outfits at the time. The first album had quite strong Jazzy influence (especially on the great version of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist´s "King Kong"). All band members were excellent instrumentalist and the albums are full of great solos, especially by the guitarist. Haan was also quite unusual as vocalist, with a good dynamic range from whisper to scream. The material (written almost entirely by Shacklock) is excellent and withstands the test of time beautifully. Some tracks on both albums include elaborate orchestral arrangements, expanding the sound and musical scope of the compositions. In retrospect these two albums are hidden gems of the period and surely deserve the attention of every Prog fan. Wholeheartedly recommended!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

STEFANO BOLLANI ~ SHEIK YER ZAPPA DECCA 602547051523 (Barcode: 602547051523) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2014 This is a live album by Italian pianist / composer Stefano BollaniFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet comprising of American musicians: vibraphonist Jason AdasiewiczFind albums by this artist, trombonist Josh RosemanFind albums by this artist, bassist Larry GrenadierFind albums by this artist and drummer Jim BlackFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album is a tribute to the Genius of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and was recorded during the quintet’s 2011 tour. The album presents nine tracks, six of which were composed by Zappa, two are by Bollani and one is co-composed by Bollani and Adasiewicz. The album offers a brilliant authentic sound quality. The music is absolutely brilliant, not only because the strength of the original material by Zappa, but no less importantly because the zany approach by Bollani and his cohorts, who all seem to have an absolute blast performing it and approach it with obvious joy and intellectual freedom. Of course Zappa fans will recognize the original pieces, but they are all treated with a lot of liberty and humor, which add to the experience. I am pretty sure Zappa would have approved wholeheartedly to the whole affair. Personally I am not objective of course, as I admire everything Zappa related, but it is such a pleasure to see that musicians of the statue of Bollani love and respect his music as well. I am pretty sure that every Zappa fan will love this project, especially those more Jazz oriented ones, but strangely enough this album is relatively completely unknown and it took me years to discover it. Well, better late than never, as they say, and now I can enjoy it and recommend it to Zappa fanatics, and beyond. This album is quite an eye (ear) opener! Overall, this is a wonderful piece of music, paying a tribute to the greatest American musical Genius of the 20th Century, a visionary and a prophet. These Jazzy arrangements do not go far beyond Zappa’s Jazziest efforts, so sold fans will welcome them instinctively, and if any innocent bystanders get hooked as well, it’s all for the best!

Updated: 15/01/2025Posted: 15/01/2025

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ARTHUR BROWN ~ BROWN, BLACK & BLUE LEMON 148 (Barcode: 5013929774827) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1980 Released: 2009 This rare album by British maverick Arthur BrownFind albums by this artist with ex-Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist / Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist / Magic BandFind albums by this artist drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, documents the period when Brown spent a few years in the US (mostly Austin, Texas) in the early 1980s. After meeting Black in Austin the two decided to record an album with local Austin musicians, which was dedicated to early Rhythm And Blues material, re-vamped for the occasion. Superbly executed by all the musicians involved, with Brown´s vocal abilities at their full glory, the album is a true lost and forgotten gem, which surely deserves to be re-discovered. It shows not only the deep roots of Rock but also the versatility and resourcefulness of Brown as a musician. Originally released on LP in 1988 (eight years after it was recorded) and out of circulation for many years, this is the album´s first CD release, making it available (and affordable) to a much wider circle of Brown´s fans.

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CAMEMBERT ~ CLACOSMIQUE (EP) NOT ON LABEL ~ FRANCE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009 Debut recording by the French Prog / RIO / Zeuhl band CamembertFind albums by this artist, which is still working on their full debut album, reveals some amazing instrumental music, probably some of the best stuff recorded in 2009. Moving constantly between MagmaFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and purely improvised passages, they create a unique sound and musical vision. The rhythm section (Vincent SexauerFind albums by this artist – guitar, Pierre WawrzyniakFind albums by this artist – bass and Philemon WalterFind albums by this artist – drums) drive the entire ensemble, which also includes a brass section (trumpet, trombone) and more exotic instruments like harp and xylophone. It really makes little sense comparing this music with anything else; one should rather enjoy its rich textures and constant surprises. This 30+ minutes of great music is definitely worth investigating and a great teaser, which makes me personally eager to hear the full album - the sooner the better. In the meantime – enjoy!

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART / MAGIC BAND ~ SAFE AS MILK (EXPANDED EDITION) REV-OLA 271 (Barcode: 5013929457126) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2009 Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist (born Don VlietFind albums by this artist and later adopted the name Van VlietFind albums by this artist) was one of America’s most enigmatic and groundbreaking Rock personalities. His ability to mix Jazz, Blues, contemporary Classical and Rock made him a unique figure and a true innovator. He met and befriended Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and the two cooperated in many ways (making movies, music and business together). Vliet was active on and off the music scene for about 20 years (between the late 1960’s and late 1980’s), with long periods of inactivity in between. His back-up group, called The Magic BandFind albums by this artist, changed personnel frequently, but always included top-notch players based in different musical genres like Blues, Jazz or Rock. He left a sizable legacy of superb music, which can now be appreciated with a much better perspective than at the time of its release. This, his debut album, is a wonderful mixture of Blues, Psychedelia and Garage Rock, but Vliet’s unique voice and songwriting make them fascinating enough to last for posterity and become classics. Over time this album became an all-time relic of the era and whole volumes were written about it, so there´s no need really to add much more here – simply grab it if you don´t have it already, as your record collection will never be complete without it!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART / MAGIC BAND ~ UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED VIRGIN 365511 (Barcode: 094636551128) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1973 Released: 2006 Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist (born Don VlietFind albums by this artist and later adopted the name Van VlietFind albums by this artist) was one of America’s most enigmatic and groundbreaking Rock personalities. His ability to mix jazz, blues, contemporary classical and rock made him a unique figure and a true innovator. He met and befriended Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and the two cooperated in many ways (making movies, music and business together). Vliet was active on and off the music scene for about 20 years (between the late 1960’s and late 1980’s), with long periods of inactivity in between. His back-up group, called The Magic BandFind albums by this artist, changed personnel frequently, but always included top-notch players based in different musical genres like blues, jazz or rock. He left a sizable legacy of superb music, which can now be appreciated with a much better perspective than at the time of its release. This album marks a relavtively short “commercial” period of Vliet’s output, after a series of almost Avant-Garde albums, starting with his debut Safe As MilkFind albums with this title from 1967. The songs are much closer to the blues and rock tradition, but Vliet’s unique voice and songwriting make them fascinating enough to last for posterity and become classics.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

GEORGE DUKE ~ FACES IN REFLECTION PROMISING MUSIC 44103 (Barcode: 602517546479) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2008 American keyboardist / composer George DukeFind albums by this artist first came to prominence in the late 1960s, when he recorded with the French violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, who was invited to record in the US following his festival appearances. The association with Ponty opened quite a few doors for Duke, eventually leading to his stint with Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, as well as his recording contract with the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label. He recorded 8 albums for the label between 1971 and 1976, of which this was the 3rd. Duke was a strange choice for MPS, as it concentrated mainly on presenting the European Jazz scene (the only exception was a series of albums recorded by Oscar PetersonFind albums by this artist), with strong Avant-Garde and later European Jazz-Rock Fusion, which was much more advanced that its American counterpart. Although Duke was closely associated with the US Jazz-Rock Fusion scene in the 1970s, playing with such prominent musicians like Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist, Billy CobhamFind albums by this artist and many others, his Fusion approach was strongly based on Blues, Funk and Soul, his “native” musical areas. Therefore his MPS recordings can be considered as some of the most commercial and accessible recordings ever released by this label. On this album Duke uses a trio (John HeardFind albums by this artist – bass and Leon Ndugu ChanclerFind albums by this artist – drums) and plays a wide array of synthesizers. He composed all but one of the tunes (the only composition, which isn’t his is by the Brazilian genius Milton NascimentoFind albums by this artist, and points towards Duke’s fascination with Brazilian music, which would flourish later in his career). There is no doubt about Duke’s brilliant technique as a player and his use of synthesizers is revolutionary at that time, but the compositions are definitely on the lighter side of Jazz and his vocals (however sparsely used) completely unnecessary. As much as I like Duke’s playing and many of his recordings, this is not one of his absolute highlights, even if it is much better that most of his later recordings starting from the 1980s and up to now. Nevertheless it is still a solid and enjoyable album worthy of being remembered. Of course many of his fans will enjoy this quality reissue with beautifully remastered sound and superb packaging.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

GEORGE DUKE ~ MY SOUL – THE COMPLETE MPS FUSION RECORDINGS MPS 602517515048 (Barcode: 602517515048) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 - 1976 Released: 2008 US keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist is one of the most colorful and versatile figures on the Jazz-Rock Fusion scene. His career stretches ways back to the mid-1960s and lasts to this very day. Starting as a classic Jazz pianist, Duke gradually moved from straightforward Jazz into Jazz-Rock Fusion, abandoning the acoustic piano in favor of the electric one and later adding a myriad of synthesizers to his workshop. His stints with Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist (twice) and Cannonball AdderleyFind albums by this artist (where he replaced Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist) in his formative years influenced his musical path tremendously and it was Zappa who pushed him towards using synthesizers and exploring new musical vistas. Duke’s development and gradual change of style and musical vocabulary was brilliantly captured on his recordings for the legendary German MPSFind albums on this label label. His connection with MPS was quite accidental and recording for a small European label was quite unusual for US Artists at the time, but in retrospect Duke couldn’t have made a better decision, as the label allowed him total artistic freedom, which was almost impossible to achieve on the US scene. He recorded a total of nine albums for MPS, seven of which are collected in this superb Box Set. His first recording for MPS dating from 1966 was still very much a classic Jazz affair, which stylistically does not belong to his Fusion period, was not included here (perhaps a correct decision as far as the title goes, but as it is still unavailable on CD, it would be nice to have it reissued as well). The last recording for MPS, a solo keyboards project, is also omitted, for contractual bullshit reasons, as it caused a big legal dispute at the time, with Duke changing labels from MPS to EpicFind albums on this label. That album was reissued as “The 1976 Solo Keyboard AlbumFind albums with this title” on the Wounded BirdFind albums on this label label (the original MPS title was “The DreamFind albums with this title”). However, the remaining seven albums (“SolusFind albums with this title” and “The Inner SourceFind albums with this title”, which were released together as a double LP, “Faces In ReflectionFind albums with this title”, “FeelFind albums with this title”, “I Love The Blues, She Heard Me CryFind albums with this title”, “The Aura Will PrevailFind albums with this title” and “Liberated FantasiesFind albums with this title”) recorded between April 1971 and January 1976 are included in their entirety, beautifully remastered. These four CDs include such an immense amount of music, which is so versatile stylistically and conceptually, that it constitutes a tremendous and essential document of the era. As far as Duke’s playing and even more importantly his compositional skills, this is a beautiful portrait of an Artist, which every fan and music lover will cherish. The players on the sessions present here constitute a long list of some of the best Jazz and Fusion musicians active at the time, too long to be included here. For the inquisitive listeners let me just mention that even Frank Zappa is present (albeit incognito) on two tracks, as are many members of his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. There is something for everyone here and overall this Box Set is one unadulterated, intense plateful of fun and musical ingenuity. Absolutely essential! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 28/05/2025Posted:

CD 4 Box Set Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

GEORGE DUKE ~ THE 1976 SOLO KEYBOARD ALBUM WOUNDED BIRD 8208 (Barcode: 664140820821) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1976 Released: 2004 Keyboards player George DukeFind albums by this artist has always been one of my favorite musicians, mainly due to his phenomenal achievements during the first decade of his career. His early piano trio recordings (mid 1960s), his work with Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist (late 1960s) and finally his stint with Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist (early to mid 1970s) are all examples of pure genius and incredible musical versatility. Unfortunately by the end of the 1970s Duke phased out gradually from his jazz and fusion oriented activities and moved into pop, mostly as a producer. His recordings sine then bear little resemblance to the glory of his early days. During the 1970s Duke recorded a series of revolutionary and groundbreaking albums for the legendary German MPSFind albums on this label label (sadly mostly not available on CD), which showcased his exemplary jazz-rock / fusion wizardry. This album, his first completely solo recording, was the last of these MPS recordings, released under the title “The Dream”. Duke re-mixed the album in 1980 and in 1982 it was released in the US on the EpicFind albums on this label label under this new title. Unavailable for many years, here it is finally back in circulation. The music, all composed by Duke, is a set of beautifully crafted melodies, played by an array of keyboards, sounding like an entire ensemble. Absolutely brilliant and timeless piece of music!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

RICARDO FASSI TANKIO BAND ~ PLAYS ZAPPA: THE RETURN OF THE FAT CHICKEN ALFA MUSIC 200 (Barcode: 8032050017112) ~ ITALY ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is an album by a Big Band led by Italian pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Ricardo FassiFind albums by this artist, which, as the title suggests, is dedicated to the music of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. The Big Band includes many top Italian Jazz instrumentalists and an impressive list of guests, including vocalist / saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, who took park is many recordings with Zappa’s bands. Also present are: Russian trumpeter Alex SipiaginFind albums by this artist, Italian clarinetist Gabriele MirabassiFind albums by this artist, Cuban (resident in Italy) violinist Ruben ChavianoFind albums by this artist, trombonist Mario CorviniFind albums by this artist and accordionist Antonello SalisFind albums by this artist. The album presents seventeen tracks, ten of which are Zappa’s compositions, one is by George DukeFind albums by this artist, and the remaining six, which are sort of short interludes between the Zappa related material, are composed by Fassi, Salis or co-composed by them both. The music is absolutely gorgeous, all brilliantly arranged and spotlessly executed by the Big Band. It is, however, quite different from the original material, as performed by Zappa with his various groups, and as such might come as a surprise to many of his fans, who might accidentally stumble upon this album. The arrangements herein offer a classic European Jazz Big Band approach which is fundamentally different from the usual Zappaesque Fusion approach, which always includes Rock elements, which are absent here, and of course there is (almost) no guitar presence. However, having said all this, the music remains magnificent as ever, emphasizing Zappa’s enormous talent as a composer, which is fully exposed herein. The presence of Brock’s vocals offers a familiar bridge between the Zappa universe and this interpretation of his work. The Big Band / Orchestral works by Zappa are of course one of his many pinnacles as an Artists, but his ensembles were usually never full sized Jazz Big Bands per se and his approach to arrangements and band dynamics were diametrically different from the classic Jazz Big Band environment. As a result, this recording shows how Zappa’s music could have sounded, if his destiny would have led him to evolve in a Jazz rather that Rock environment, which of course is very educational in addition to being superbly entertaining. Fassi and his colleagues are to be congratulated for pulling the “mission impossible” task without a hitch. It takes a lot of courage and professionalism to undertake a project of this scale, and when everything works as well as it does here, hats off are in order. Overall, this is brilliant cross-genre transition of the divine artistry, composed by the most original talent in American 20th Century music, which was done not only professionally, skillfully and with a lot of originality, but also with enormous dose of love and dedication. Such projects are, sadly, quite rare, which is a great pity, but the European atmosphere of aesthetics and appreciation of Art proves once again to be a winning environment.

Updated: 11/08/2023Posted: 11/08/2023

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

FLO & EDDIE ~ ILLEGAL, IMMORAL AND FATTENING / MOVING TARGETS ACADIA 8157 (Barcode: 805772815728) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1975 - 1976 Released: 2007 3rd and 4th albums by US duo Flo & EddieFind albums by this artist, who were of course vocalist Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist and Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist who had come to fame as members of the splendid US 1960s band the TurtlesFind albums by this artist, which produced a long streak of excellent singles and albums, based on the incredible vocal harmonizing abilities of the pair. Following the Turtles implosion, Kaylan and Volman became a much sought after studio vocalists, supporting many of the Rock stars (T. RexFind albums by this artist for example) in their recording sessions and eventually were drafted by no other than Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist to join his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist troupe, where they supplied some of the most brilliant vocal parts ever created in Rock music. Zappa´s zany sense of humor suited the pair like a glove and they excelled in incorporating satire, impersonations and standup comedy trickery into their act, which was absolutely hilarious. Zappa encouraged the pair to pursue their own career and even gave them the trade moniker Flo & Eddie. The duos albums turned out to be all brilliant pieces of musical comedy and just plain music, unfortunately they were largely overshadowed by their Zappa stint and in time neglected and forgotten. Listening to these two albums is a real ear opener to their music, with the first presenting their madcap on-stage brilliance and the second focusing on their vocal and songwriting abilities, which were always superb. They used some of the best musicians around in their backing band, including many Mothers members and the result is a stunning example of sophisticated 1970s Rock, which mixes Pop, Rock and Jazz elements with finesse and deeply rooted musicality. Definitely worth re-discovery and careful listening, this music stands the test of time with flying colors and is a great document of the era. With the humor as an added value, this is a package you don´t want to miss!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FROGG CAFE ~ CREATURES PROGROCK (Barcode: 660662133326) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2003 Released: 2003 2nd album by relatively new US Prog group Frogg CafeFind albums by this artist and what a delight! Somewhere between Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, Gentle GiantFind albums by this artist and Happy The ManFind albums by this artist, these musicians create an amalgam of sounds and rhythms so fresh and high spirited that it draws an immediate attention. Although their musical heritage (Zappa!) is evident, they manage to re-invent some of the masterful tricks as well as create a very unique statement.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FROGG CAFE ~ FROGG CAFE (EXPANDED EDITION) PROGROCK (Barcode: 8377920090803) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2001 Released: 2004 1st album by the excellent US Prog band Frogg CafeFind albums by this artist, which was only available as a private CD-R, now remastered and expanded. Frogg Cafe were a Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist cover band for several years before they decided to move on and play their own music. Some Zappaesque elements are still evident here, but they also use a lot of other influences like Gentle GiantFind albums by this artist, jazz and fusion. This is undoubtedly one of the freshest and most ambitious debuts on the US Prog scene.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

DON SUGARCANE HARRIS ~ CUP FULL OF DREAMS PROMISING MUSIC 44115 (Barcode: 602527615967) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2011 This is the 4th album on the legendary German MPSFind albums on this label label by US virtuoso violinist / composer Don Sugarcane Harris. His stints with John MayallFind albums by this artist and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist exposed his name to international Blues and Rock audiences, but his association with MPS placed him in the company of other great violinists during the "Violin Summit" projects run by legendary producer Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist and established his well deserved reputation as exceptional player, composer and improviser. Harris composed all the music on this album, which is Blues related, but stretches far beyond the basic Blues structures and displays wonderful melodic qualities. He is supported by a great band, which includes keyboardist Dewey TerryFind albums by this artist, bassists Larry TaylorFind albums by this artist and Victor ConteFind albums by this artist, drummer Paul LagosFind albums by this artist and two superb guitarists: Harvey MendelFind albums by this artist and Randy ResnickFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Richard AplanFind albums by this artist plays on one track. His advanced improvisations take the music beyond the Blues / Blues-Rock settings and turn it into a kind of Blues-Jazz Fusion, completely unique and charming. In retrospect the album lost none of its magic and still sounds fresh and invigorating. Sadly no longer with us, Harris recorded only sporadically after his MPS days, which is a great pity. This is a must to all violin lovers, but every music connoisseur should find something of interest here. Warmly recommended!

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Slipcase Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

DON SUGARCANE HARRIS ~ SUGAR CANE`S GOT THE BLUES PROMISING MUSIC 44102 (Barcode: 602517545731) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2008 American violinist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist was one of the very few great Blues / Rock / Fusion artists playing the fiddle. He came to prominence as a member of the revolutionary John MayallFind albums by this artist’s BluesbreakersFind albums by this artist group and later as a member of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist’s groups. This album, recorded live during the Berliner Jazztage Festival, presents Harris both as a leader and a participant in the legendary “Violin Summit” super-group, assembled by producer Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist. The solo appearance is in fact an offshoot project of the “Violin Summit”, which was a series of recordings on the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label, which celebrated the role of the violin in Jazz, Blues, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and produced probably the most interesting document of music by violinists in the late 1960s / 1970s. The “Violin Summit” projects were based on a concept of a rhythm section and a series of violinist playing solo and in various combinations. The 1971 version of “Violin Summit”, which produced the “New Violin SummitFind albums with this title” double album, included also such great violin players as Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist (France), Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist (Poland) and Nipso BrantnerFind albums by this artist (Germany) – none of them is heard here – and a fantastic rhythm section consisting of the Norwegian guitarist Terje RypdalFind albums by this artist, German keyboardist Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist, New Zealander (resident in UK at the time) bassist Neville WhiteheadFind albums by this artist and British drummer Robert WyattFind albums by this artist. On the solo night Rypdal is replaced by German guitarist Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist. Surrounded by such illustrious musicians, Harris plays his heart out, improvising more daringly than ever before, no doubt inspired by the incredible performances by his European partners, who were musically much more advanced that Harris’ usual American companions. Overall the album presents a great event captured for posterity, with some amazing musical moments documenting the formation of the European Jazz-Rock Fusion, which bridges between such distant genres as the Blues and Free Jazz with elegance and vision. Beautifully remastered and packaged, this album is definitely worth investigation and attentive listening.

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JOHN IRVINE BAND ~ THE STARSHIPS ARE GATHERING HEAD IN THE DOOR 007 (Barcode: 9508984316687) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the 7th album by the John Irvine BandFind albums by this artist, led by British (Scottish) guitarist / bassist / keyboardist / composer John IrvineFind albums by this artist, recorded in a duo setting with drummer Andrew ScottFind albums by this artist. As the title (gently) suggests, this is the 2nd album in the “End Of Days” Sci-Fi trilogy of albums. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are original compositions by Irvine. The music is exactly as described, a mixture of Prog and Fusion, more of the former than the latter perhaps, but it does not really matter. Surprisingly, the music is soaked in synthesizer sounds and there is very little guitar per se, which I found rather disappointing. Of course these might be synthesized guitars – who can tell these days. The melodies are nice and coherent, played mostly up-tempo with a solid “wall of sound” drums behind, which leaves no chance for any silent moments for the ears to rest a bit. After a while it all sounds a bit samey with a lot of déjà vu, with early Prog bands getting out of their tombs and joining in. Paraphrasing on the famous Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist saying: “Jazz isn’t dead, it only smells funny”, it seems that despite all efforts both Prog and Fusion are so dead, that they don’t even smell any more. The only rosy thing about them is nostalgia. Having said all this, it’s obvious that Irving is a talented and dedicated musician, doing what he likes to do, which I respect of course, especially since he does it well. Of course he might have just forgotten the PIN code of his “back to the future” time machine, but he isn’t complaining. Overall, this is a great butt-kicking album for listeners stuck musically in the early 1970s, serving them a fresh portion of their favorite medicine, which will not cure them, but keep them alive happily ever after.

Updated: 02/02/2024Posted: 02/02/2024

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

IT`S A BEAUTIFUL DAY ~ AT CARNEGIE HALL COLUMBIA 480970 (Barcode: 5099748097026) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 1995 4th album by the short-lived legendary San Francisco band It`s A Beautiful DayFind albums by this artist. Recorded at the NYC most prestigious venue the band was at its peak at the time supporting their 3rd studio album ("Choice Quality Stuff / AnytimeFind albums with this title"). Leader and violin player David LaFlammeFind albums by this artist plays some amazing improvisations supported by a group of excellent musicians, including future Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist. The material includes only one track from the third album and a few of earlier hits (including the legendary “White Bird”). The rest of the material is new and this is the only album it was ever released on. The group made a formidable transition from their early Psychedelic days into a full-blown Prog band by the time this music was recorded, with strong jazzy and world music influences. Shortly after this recording the group started to disintegrate and the leader left to start a solo career. This is an excellent document of this fruitful era and one of the best live albums ever recorded. Essential item in any serious collection of 1970s music.

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

PETER IVERS / BAND ~ KNIGHT OF THE BLUE COMMUNION HUX 088 (Barcode: 682970000886) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 - 1970 Released: 2007 This is one of those legendary albums that a lot of people have heard about, but very few actually heard, or at least until recently when the album was reissued. American harmonica player Peter IversFind albums by this artist was a polymath, a Renaissance man of many talents. He was not only a gifted musician / composer, but also a writer, TV personality and avid follower of martial arts. His love for the Blues induced his decision to pick up the harmonica as his tool of musical expression, but his usage of that instrument was completely different and almost Avant-Garde in comparison to the instrument’s Blues roots. Active on the lively Boston scene, Ivers rubbed shoulder with many famous garage (and not so garage) local bands and by sheer fluke of luck landed a contract with EpicFind albums on this label – a major record label (subsidiary of ColumbiaFind albums on this label). For the recording of his debut album Ivers assembled a great group of musicians, which was quite “different” in every respect. By listing the instruments played by the group’s members: harmonica, oboe, bassoon, sax, guitar, acoustic bass, percussion and intermodulator (an early electronic instrument) one already sees that this was no ordinary group by any means. Add to this the fantastic female vocalist Yolande BavanFind albums by this artist, who fronted the band and poet Tim MayerFind albums by this artist, who supplied the lyrics and you get one of the most unique US bands of the era, which is often compared to Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist or early Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist in their unorthodox musical approach. This debut album is special in every respect: the complex music, the unusual use of the woodwinds and brass and the mesmerizing vocals, all combined creating a weird and wonderful sonic experience. Naturally the album was a total commercial flop and although Epic did record a send album with the band, it was shelved. The only glance of that album – a single - is featured here as bonus tracks. The second album was recorded with another sensational female vocalist, Asha PuthliFind albums by this artist. Ivers went on to record two more albums for Warner Bros., but these were significantly less successful. He died mysteriously in 1983. This album remains to this day as one of the most interesting documents of an era, when everything was conceivable and some of it doable. Very interesting!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JUICY LUCY ~ LIE BACK AND ENJOY IT ESOTERIC 2216 (Barcode: 5013929731646) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2010 2nd album by the incredible British Prog band Juicy LucyFind albums by this artist, formed around the US lap steel guitar player Glenn CampbellFind albums by this artist, resident in UK at the time. The second lineup of the group, which recorded this album, included also vocalist Paul WilliamsFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Chris MercerFind albums by this artist, guitarist Micky MoodyFind albums by this artist, bassist Keith EllisFind albums by this artist and drummer Rod CoombesFind albums by this artist. Heavily Blues based, the band expanded into Hard Rock, Psychedelia and early Prog, playing mostly original material and superb arrangements of standards. This album includes what is probably the best ever cover of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist´s tune "Willie The Pimp", which is absolutely incredible. Campbell´s guitar work is simply stunning and miles above anything done at the time. Williams´ throaty vocals are superbly expressive, and all the other band members play incredibly well, turning this album into a timeless masterpiece. In many respects this album encapsulates everything that was great in music by the end of the 1960s: originality, innovation, guts and talent. Over 40 years after I heard this album for the first time it´s still one of my all-time favorites. Essential music for body and soul!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

LIGHT COORPORATION ~ CHAPTER IV – BEFORE THE MURMUR OF SILENCE RER LC04 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the fourth album by Polish Progressive Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble Light CoorporationFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Mariusz SobanskiFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded by a septet, which also includes saxophonist Pawel RogozaFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Kuba JankowiakFind albums by this artist, pianist Witold OleszakFind albums by this artist, bassists Piotr OsesFind albums by this artist (acoustic) and Krzysztof WaskiewiczFind albums by this artist (electric) and drummer Milosz KrauzFind albums by this artist. It includes eight original compositions, all by Sobanski, which are accompanied by eight poems also written by him, printed in the album´s booklet, which remain as unsung lyrics accompanying the music. The music was recorded live in the studio, but the sound quality and dynamics are excellent. For the fourth time in a row Sobanski and his ensemble manage to surprise me completely, which happens extremely rarely with other artists. The chameleonic ability to constantly change the lineup and the music, but at the same time create some of the most fascinating music on the Polish scene, which is exploding with talent and extremely competitive, is truly astounding. This album is definitely the most jazzy and most open of the ensemble´s releases so far, and brings fond memories of some of the Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist ambitious projects, which incorporated Rock, Jazz and contemporary Classical idioms, but also the work of some early British Jazz-Rock pioneers like Rock WorkshopFind albums by this artist. The "dirty" guitar tone and the superb brass solos, backed by a funky rhythm section are simply delightful and completely unique. There is no other group, neither in Poland nor anywhere else on this planet, which plays anything remotely similar. There are also new elements, which appear here for the first time, such as the Improvised Music approach the ensemble clearly demonstrates, and of course the element of freedom in the improvisations, which are often quite bold and clearly reach beyond the boundaries of Prog, which initially defined the group´s orientation. Over time Light Coorporation managed to evade and steer clear of all attempts to get neatly categorized, which is one of their major fortes. The last track on the album, which lasts over seventeen minutes, is a modern symphonic poem, of rare beauty and intensity, which simply de facto defines the music. Listening to this album is like a rollercoaster ride, which themes, rhythms, intensities, crescendos and silences chasing each other constantly. The music takes the listener by the throat and does not let go well until the last echoes of the music are all gone; a completely unique experience, which happens only once in a blue moon. I have no idea why Light Coorporation gets such a limited feedback in Poland, but the fact that the prestigious British ReR label releases their album for the fourth consecutive time is a symbol of distinction and appreciation. Hopefully they will be able to get more recognition back at home, as they truly deserve. This is definitely one of the best and most interesting Polish albums of 2014, and another great accomplishment by Sobanski and his cohorts.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JOHN MAYALL ~ BLUES FROM LAUREL CANYON (EXPANDED EDITION) DECCA 840839 (Barcode: 602498408391) ~ UK ~ Blues Recorded: 1968 Released: 2007 9th album by John MayallFind albums by this artist, and his most personal and intimate statement to date. Following the decision to disband the Bare WiresFind albums with this title version of the BluesbreakersFind albums by this artist Mayall immediately formed a new quartet, retaining only Mick TaylorFind albums by this artist from the previous group and adding two exceptional young musicians: Steve ThompsonFind albums by this artist on bass and Colin AllenFind albums by this artist on drums. The material for the new album was written during Mayall’s vacation in California, where he stayed in the Laurel Canyon near LA, a favorite living area of many US musicians. During his stay Mayall met and socialized with fellow musicians, such as members of the blues band Canned HeatFind albums by this artist and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, and even dedicated two of the songs on the album to them. The entire album was designed as a one continuous flow of music, with one song smoothly leading into another without any breaks. The magic atmosphere is completely unique and the complex and subtle musical themes make it one of the most remarkable albums recorded in the 1960s. In many respects this album was an end of a phase in Mayall’s long musical road. It was the last album on DeccaFind albums on this label (he would sign with PolydorFind albums on this label next), the last purely UK based album (he would play with many US musicians later on and eventually move to live in the US), the last of the pure blues albums (the next phase would be much more jazz influenced). In retrospect the John Mayall Decca recordings are one of the greatest documents of the 1960s UK music scene and an everlasting, timeless source of musical inspiration. Essential!

Updated: 24/10/2021Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

MOVING GELATINE PLATES ~ MOVING GELATINE PLATES MUSEA 4062 (Barcode: 3426300040626) ~ FRANCE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1980 Released: 1995 1st album by this brilliant pioneering French band Moving Gelatine PlatesFind albums by this artist. Playing an astounding mixture of jazzy and quirky tunes, close to Soft MachineFind albums by this artist and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, they display amazing instrumental skills. Intriguing compositions make your skin crawl. 4 bonus tracks from the 1980 reunion album MovingFind albums with this title.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

OHO ~ OKINAWA (EXPANDED EDITION) ROCKADROME 028 (Barcode: 858581028018) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1974 Released: 2010 Obscure US Prog band OHOFind albums by this artist made very little impact originally, when they released three albums in the 1970s, but as it often happens their highly unusual and quite brilliant output was discovered decades later and achieved a legendary status. This was their debut album which now appears remastered and in much expanded form which doubles the original playing time and number of tracks. The music is a "crazy" collage of great instrumental work, insane vocals and background noises, which belongs to the same class as the early work of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist and other musical pioneers and prophets. It probably sounded completely outlandish at the time of its release, but today makes perfect sense, which simply proves it was way ahead of its time. The thirty relatively short tracks move rapidly from one musical idea to another, but there is definitely a unifying stylistic and aesthetic sense behind the music, spiced with Psychedelics and a crazy humor. In short a little known gem, that deserves to be discovered by a much wider audience. An absolute must to Prog / Psych lovers!

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

ORFEUS / HASSE WALLI & ZEUS ~ POP LIISA VOL. 15 & VOL. 16 SVART 088 (Barcode: 6430065583523) ~ FINLAND ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2017 The Finnish Rock band OrfeusFind albums by this artist, formed in 1971, followed the same path that many other similar bands also traveled on, starting as an impressive Progressive Rock outfit and by the mid 1970s switching gradually into more commercial, mainstream Rock oriented act. At the time this live radio broadcast was recorded, they were at the peak of their Prog period, as this performance undoubtedly proves. Organist Heikki HiekkalaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jan OdnerFind albums by this artist, bassist Klaus StoltFind albums by this artist and drummer / vocalist Urpo LeppanenFind albums by this artist perform just four lengthy covers of highly ambitious material (The BandFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. Jack BruceFind albums by this artist and Pink FloydFind albums by this artist), which feature the heavenly sound of early 1970s, with heavy Hammond parts, screaming guitars solos and high-pitched vocals (in English) as appropriate for the Prog of the time. It is a great reminder what Prog was all about during its first reign, to which it sadly never managed to return again. Guitarist Hasse WalliFind albums by this artist is rightly considered as the Godfather of modern Finnish Rock. He was the lead guitarist of Blues SectionFind albums by this artist, the band that started it all and spawned Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist and WigwamFind albums by this artist. He formed the band Hasse Walli & ZeusFind albums by this artist in 1972 after a period of inactivity caused by an injury, joined by four excellent musicians: guitarist Tommy KnifFind albums by this artist, bassist Renne AngelvuoFind albums by this artist and drummer Ari ValtonenFind albums by this artist. The group existed for a brief period of time and didn´t manage to record an album, and this live radio broadcast is the only recorded evidence of their existence. They perform four extended pieces, three covers (Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist, Frank Zappa, and Bob DylanFind albums by this artist) and one original by Walli. As with the Orfeus set, this is a wonderful reminder of what Classic Rock / Prog sounded at their best. This "Popstudio" broadcast is the earliest of those included in this wonderful series. Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early to mid 1970s that one is able to hear and for Classic Rock and Prog-heads this is an absolute must have! Side Note The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled. The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD. The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes. This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.

Updated: 14/05/2020Posted: 14/05/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

DAVE PIKE SET ~ AT STUDIO 2 B.FREE 6227/28 ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2016 This is an archival album by American vibraphonists / composer Dave PikeFind albums by this artist and his quartet called Dave Pike SetFind albums by this artist, which also included German guitarist Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist, bassist Johann Anton RettenbacherFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter BaumeisterFind albums by this artist. The 2CD set presents a live concert recording at the German radio, which includes eleven tracks, ten of which are original compositions by the quartet members. The material includes mostly compositions included on the quartet´s albums "Noisy Silence-Gentle NoiseFind albums with this title", "Infra-RedFind albums with this title" and "AlbumFind albums with this title" and is beautifully recorded, as usual with the German radio recordings. The information about the composers of the individual tracks and other details is less than sketchy. The music is a superb example of early European Fusion, which flourished at the time. Although an American, Pike lived in Germany for years and his attitude towards Jazz was always more European than traditionally American. The Dave Pike Set, which recorded for the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label, was without a doubt one of the most unique and forward thinking early Fusion ensembles. The extraordinary combination of talents within the quartet members resulted in a series of first rate albums recorded during the quartet´s short lived career. The presence of Volker Kriegel was a major factor which turned these recordings into pure gold. He was the greatest European Fusion guitarist at the time and a sublime composer, and in retrospect every note he produced during his recording career is absolutely priceless. Listening to this music almost half a Century after it was recorded clearly shows how ahead of its time it was at the time of its recording and how relevant and still sounds today. The fact that the only composition on this album, which does not originate within the quartet, is a Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist piece, which gets here a breathtaking almost nineteen minutes long interpretation, is of course hardly surprising as Zappa was similarly way ahead of his time (at any time). The polyrhythmic layers and melodic complexity is still stunning today and the individual performances by all the quartet members are nothing short of amazing. Kriegel´s work is of course simply phenomenal. Overall this is a masterpiece and an absolute must have for all Fusion heads anywhere on this planet. For people who are not familiar with the Dave Pike Set output this is a wonderful entry point and any serious Fusion album collection would not be complete without this album in it. Beyond essential!

Updated: 30/06/2018Posted: 30/06/2018

CD 2 Digipak Essential Recommend To A Friend

DAVE PIKE SET ~ NOISY SILENCE – GENTLE NOISE MPS 602527148632 (Barcode: 602527148632) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 Released: 2011 This is a reissue of the debut album by American vibraphonist / composer Dave PikeFind albums by this artist and his European quartet called Dave Pike SetFind albums by this artist, which also included the brilliant German guitarist Volker KriegelFind albums by this artist, Austrian bassist Johann Anton RettenbacherFind albums by this artist and German drummer Peter BaumeisterFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, five by Kriegel, two by Rettenbacher and one by Pike, and one composition by Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. The album was produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist. Pike moved to Germany in the late 1960s, like many other American musicians, in order to find more response to innovation and artistic appreciation of Jazz. He was signed by the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label and released six albums for the label with the Dave Pike Set between 1969 and 1972. An additional 2CD album was released in 2016 ("At Studio 2Find albums with this title") presenting a radio broadcast from the same period. Although short-lived, the Dave Pike Set recorded some of the most advanced music at the time, combining Jazz with World Music, early Fusion and many Avant-Garde elements, crating a unique European Jazz sound, in spite of the fact that the leader was an American. Much of the credit goes of course the contribution of Kriegel´s highly idiosyncratic compositions and masterly guitar work and the rhythm section ability to swing in free time. In retrospect this music sounds often more advanced and sophisticated than most of what is being released today, especially as far as innovation and originality is concerned. Although recorded over fifty years ago it is still completely relevant and original. Brilliant stuff! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 26/08/2020

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

PIMPONO ENSEMBLE ~ SURVIVAL KIT LOVE & BEAUTY 07 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by the Pimpono EnsembleFind albums by this artist, a Copenhagen based group of Polish, Danish and Norwegian musicians, led by Polish drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Pimpon), which also includes trumpeter Jonas DueFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist and Michal BielFind albums by this artist, tuba player Rasmus SvaleFind albums by this artist, and bassists Jonatan UranesFind albums by this artist and Rafal RozalskiFind albums by this artist. A couple of guests take part in the proceedings. The album presents ten original compositions, all by the leader. The music follows some of the ideas put forward on the brilliant debut album, presenting highly original music, which mixes Jazz sophistication with Rock energy and Avant-Garde improvisations, creating a big, impressive sound and a continuous surge of creativity. Although this lineup of the ensemble (a septet) is smaller than the one performing on the debut (a nonet) there seems to be no less power of expression and utilizing of the available instruments to create a kaleidoscope of sounds, and a rich tapestry of soundscapes, which is extremely effective As I have already stated in my review of the debut album, this music is first and foremost a reflection of the unique compositional skills of Gasiorek, which is often as bold and forward thinking as what Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist was doing with his ensembles decades ago. Luckily the composer is able to find musicians, who are able to follow his ideas and put them into reality, which considering the complexity and diversity of this music is nothing short of miraculous. I must admit that in retrospect this album impresses me even more than the shocking debut released four years earlier. The music is more concise, coherent and mature, and honestly has almost no parallels among what is currently being created within the Jazz idiom worldwide, pointing towards what Jazz is able to accomplish based on its tradition but firmly and boldly pushing the boundaries. Overall this is one of those albums that immediately deliver a merciless punch in your solar plexus and you remain stunned for quite a while. Sadly it will most probably not be properly appreciated by the audiences, as happens with the best music time after time, but who gives a damn? This is unequivocally a masterpiece and anybody missing listening to this music is a fool!

Updated: 25/07/2020Posted: 25/07/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JEAN-LUC PONTY ~ AURORA WOUNDED BIRD 8163 (Barcode: 664140816329) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2006 The extraordinary talents of the French violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist stretch over a magnificent career, which started in the 1960s and continues to this very day. His impact on the role of violin in modern music (jazz & fusion) is unparalleled and his compositional skills are equally impressive. The most important aspect of his contribution to music is his ability to mix his European lyricism with American rhythmic patterns, creating a unique amalgam of contemporary sound. Since the late 1960s Ponty was active on the US scene as member of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist’s Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and then John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist’s Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist, where he contributed to the creation of the definitive Jazz-Rock Fusion foundations. While still a member of Mahavishnu Orchestra (1975) Ponty formed his own group and started recording a long series of brilliant albums for the AtlanticFind albums on this label label, of which this is the 2nd. With the help of brilliant musicians like Partice RushenFind albums by this artist on keyboards and Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist on bass (ex-Zappa) Ponty managed to give birth to a perfect Fusion album, which is as relevant today as it was on the day of its creation. He wrote all the music, which includes some of the most memorable melodies the genre was blessed with. The performances are also perfect in every respect and all in all this is one of Fusion’s cornerstones and an absolute must.

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

JEAN-LUC PONTY ~ ELECTRIC CONNECTION / KING KONG GOTT DISCS 014 ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion 1969 & 1970 albums by the phenomenal French violin virtuoso Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist. Ponty`s violin playing comes from a long and distinguished line of great jazz violinists, starting with Stephane GrappelliFind albums by this artist. After several years of playing jazz with the top players in his native France, Ponty arrived in the US first in 1967 for the Monterey Jazz Festival workshop, where his incredible talent was spotted immediately. He was invited to the US to record a series of albums with the collaboration of the (then) young pianist George DukeFind albums by this artist and arranger / bandleader Gerald WilsonFind albums by this artist. Leter he was to meet and play with Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. Ponty`s visionary use of the electric violin, which was one of the earliest and formative factors in the development of Jazz-Rock Fusion, is beautifully documented here. The first album finds Ponty in the familiar jazz environment, where he is accompanied by a Big Band, but the fresh approach and use of electric instuments is Fusion at birth. The second album however, arranged especially for Ponty by the Master Frank Zappa himself, is revolutionary in every sense. The compositions (5 by Zappa and 1 by Ponty), the arrangements and the brilliant performances are years ahead of their time and pure musical brilliance. Absolute masterpiece!

CD 2 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

JEAN-LUC PONTY ~ LIVE WOUNDED BIRD 9229 (Barcode: 664140922921) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2003 French violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist already had a distinguished jazz career behind him when he arrived in the US to join Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and later Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist. After leaving MO Ponty recorded a stream of brilliant fusion albums leading his own group, which featured some of the best fusion players on the scene. His amazing technique and extraordinary sense of melody make him one othe most important players of the genre. This live recording of his group includes two of his most popular tunes: `Aurora` and `Imaginary Voyage` and is a classic recording of the genre.

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

JEAN-LUC PONTY ~ SUNDAY WALK MPS 4029759171379 (Barcode: 4029759171379) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz Recorded: 1967 Released: 2021 This is a reissue / remaster on an early album by French violinist / composer Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with a European quartet, which also included German pianist Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist, Danish bassist Niels-Henning Orsted PedersenFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, one each by Ponty, Dauner and Humair, one by American composer Denny Zeitlin and one standard. The recording was initiated by my Friend and Mentor, the producer Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, who wrote the liner notes for the original album, which are respectfully included in this album’s artwork. At this early stage of his career, Ponty was already recognized as a great talent and continuator of the French violin Jazz school, following in the footsteps of Stephane GrappelliFind albums by this artist. But Ponty was not a mere keeper of the tradition, as his improvisation was close to John ColtraneFind albums by this artist and his musical path was about to include stints with Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist and other pioneers of Jazz-Rock Fusion, who established the genre. The three partners Ponty selected to accompany him on this album were also, despite their young age, already amongst Europe’s most seasoned and talented young musicians. The immediate perfect rapport between the quartet members is evident from the very onset of the music and lasts unbroken till the very last note. The original material is certainly as good, and in fact better than any standard the quartet might have picked to perform together, and the talents of all three composers was about to flourish for years to come. Although Orsted Pederson died in 2005 and Dauner in 2020, Ponty and Humair continue their brilliant careers now, fifty-five years after this classic gem was recorded. Overall, this is one of the greatest gems of early European modern Jazz and a classic album in every respect, which has but a few equals over time. The fact that it is finally available on CD should make countless fans of violin Jazz ecstatically happy. This is an absolute must in every serious Jazz record collection. Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 25/03/2024Posted: 05/04/2022

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

PROJETO B ~ A NOITE EDITIO PRINCEPS 12 (Barcode: 7898901556121) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 2nd album by Brazilian Jazz ensemble Projeto BFind albums by this artist. This sensational sextet, led by guitarist and main composer Yvo UrsiniFind albums by this artist, is undoubtedly one of the most interesting contemporary Jazz groups. Although playing completely original music, the group is clearly influenced by a variety of (all excellent) sources such as 20th Century Classical music (Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and Oliver MessiaenFind albums by this artist) and the Avant-Garde Jazz and Rock tradition of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, Bill FriselFind albums by this artistl and John ZornFind albums by this artist. The composed music leaves plenty of space for group improvisation and considering the amazing talents by all the group members this works like a dream. The album is a continuous suite portraying a night in a modern megalopolis (like São Paulo where thy come from). The music flows through a variety of moods and tempos, quiet subdued passages and eruptions of frenzy, blending into one unbelievably beautiful piece of modern music. Anything I might be able to say about this music will be completely inadequate in comparison to the lofty experience of listening to the music itself; therefore I’ll only say that every serious music lover on this planet will surely enjoy this magnificent opus. Absolutely essential!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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SENOGUL ~ SENOGUL MYLODON 049 (Barcode: 3426300047038) ~ SPAIN ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2005 - 2006 Released: 2007 1st album by young Spanish Prog band SenogulFind albums by this artist, an instrumental quintet fronted by two lead guitarists Pedro MenchacaFind albums by this artist and Israel SánchezFind albums by this artist, with Eduardo SalueñaFind albums by this artist on keyboards, Pablo CanalisFind albums by this artist on bass and Alex ValeroFind albums by this artist on drums. The band plays a stunning set of self-composed material, full of long improvised passages with quirky rhythm changes and interchanging themes. A long list of guest musicians enhances the band’s sound with a variety of additional instrumentation, such as saxophones, flutes and even a whole choir on one of the tracks. The music is completely original but if parallels have to be drawn, Gentle GiantFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and some of the RIO bands come to mind. The music however manages to keep strong melodic character at all times, in spite of the extensive improvisations. It is truly heartwarming to hear such excellent music being made these days, contrary to the sea of boredom dominating the dwindling music market. Highly recommended!

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SING SING PENELOPE ~ MUSIC FOR UMBRELLAS MONOTYPE 008 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006 This is the 2nd album by the incredible Polish Jazz ensemble Sing Sing PenelopeFind albums by this artist, led by drummer Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist and also including trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz GlazikFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Daniel MackiewiczFind albums by this artist and bassist Patryk WeclawekFind albums by this artist. Violinist Sebastian GruchotFind albums by this artist guests on one track. They play all original music, composed mostly by Gorzycki and Jachna or credited to the ensemble. Stylistically this is an incredible mixture of many elements from Jazz, Rock, Ambient, RIO and other areas, completely eluding any attempt of pinpointing or categorization. They are definitely one of the most interesting and most consistently excellent ensembles currently active on the Polish scene, which of course is a major compliment. All these players are excellent instrumentalist, the music is fresh, unusual and truly intelligent, but in spite its complex nature manages to embrace the element of melody, which is often mostly lost in adventurous attempts tried by others. I suppose that if Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist was alive today, he´d have loved to play with these young musicians behind him, but so would a lot of other great musicians. In any case this, and the other recordings by this group, is a beacon of hope that not all is lost in music in the 21st Century. Absolutely not to be missed!

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SKEREBOTTE FATTA ~ APPAZ FOR TUNE 0152 (Barcode: 5906395808670) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the second album by Polish Free Jazz duo Skerebotte FattaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Jan MalkowskiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Jan SkerebotteFind albums by this artist) and drummer Dominik MokrzewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions credited to the duo members. As the album’s title and the track titles (when read in reverse) suggest, the album is a tribute to icons of creative music, as diverse as Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, Albert AylerFind albums by this artist or Han BenninkFind albums by this artist. Both Malkowski and Mokrzewski already participated in several Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music recordings, including the RdzaFind albums by this artist ensemble and the Infant Joy QuintetFind albums by this artist, the latter also released on the For TuneFind albums on this label label. The rather unusual saxophone – drums duo obviously immediately prompts for comparisons to similar recordings on the world scale, but honestly it’s hardly relevant to compare these relatively young musicians with world-class veterans like Max RoachFind albums by this artist / Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist or John ColtraneFind albums by this artist / Rashied AliFind albums by this artist. It’s better to keep things in proportion. The duo members display an obvious rapport and excellent partnership, while building their performances, usually driving them to an explosive crescendo. Both also display excellent technique and evident understanding of the Improvised Music idiom. As a result, the music they create offers honest effort and inventive excitement, which are perhaps more appropriate for a live performance than a studio recording, but that is just a mere observation. The problem with Improvised Music is always its long-term musical value, which faces the obvious conflict between spontaneous / momentary creation and its lasting significance. In plain words, will a potential listener return to listen to this music ever again? In times when listeners are constantly bombarded with an endless flow of new releases and the opportunity to discover older recordings made available, the chances of Improvised Music recordings become ever slimmer, unless they are truly unique and everlasting. As wonderful as the Polish Jazz scene has become in the last two decades, Improvised Music is unfortunately not one of its fortes. Overall, this is an ambitious and generally successful Free Jazz / Improvised Music duo recording, with a lot of passion and technique involved. For lovers of the genre, it is certainly a worthy excursion into the Polish flavor of the idiom.

Updated: 25/09/2021Posted: 25/09/2021

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SUPERSISTER ~ ISKANDER ESOTERIC 2058 (Barcode: 5013929715820) ~ NETHERLANDS ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2008 4th and last album by the brilliant Dutch band SupersisterFind albums by this artist, which almost singlehandedly were Europe´s answer to the British Canterbury scene. Often compared to Soft MachineFind albums by this artist (circa "ThirdFind albums with this title"), in fact the group is more comparable to later Canterbury groups like Matching MoleFind albums by this artist, Hatfield And The NorthFind albums by this artist, National HealthFind albums by this artist and even later CaravanFind albums by this artist, although chronologically they preceded these groups by several years. Obviously influenced by Soft Machine´s jazzy free improvisational excursions, the band was also influenced by many other experimental Rock (Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist), Jazz musicians and contemporary Classical composers. Following the recording of the previous album, the band´s flautist and drummer left to pursue their careers were replaced by a new drummer and the great American-born but living in Europe saxophonist Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist. Naturally as the result the band´s music became even more Jazzy. The album was recorded in England (with some guest musicians) and this time it was a concept work dedicated to Alexander the Great. Unfortunately soon after the album was recorded Mariano left and the group disbanded, after the legendary Elton DeanFind albums by this artist played with tem for a while, leaving us the legacy of four wonderful albums.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

SUPERSISTER ~ PRESENT FROM NANCY ESOTERIC 2056 (Barcode: 5013929715622) ~ NETHERLANDS ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1970 Released: 2008 1st album by the brilliant Dutch band SupersisterFind albums by this artist, which almost singlehandedly were Europe´s answer to the British Canterbury scene. Often compared to Soft MachineFind albums by this artist (circa "ThirdFind albums with this title"), in fact the group is more comparable to later Canterbury groups like Matching MoleFind albums by this artist, Hatfield And The NorthFind albums by this artist, National HealthFind albums by this artist and even later CaravanFind albums by this artist, although chronologically they preceded these groups by several years. Obviously influenced by Soft Machine´s jazzy free improvisational excursions, the band was also influenced by many other experimental Rock (Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist), Jazz musicians and contemporary Classical composers. With the European Jazz scene rapidly developing to emancipate itself from the half-decade American domination, with Holland as one of the epicenters of the new European Jazz, the band was a reflection of the trends by the young European musicians to go elsewhere in search of their musical ventures. The stunning debut album by Supersister is a great example of spontaneity, daring and complete disregard for commercial consideration, all these of course on top of amazing talent and musicianship of its four band members. Similar to early Soft Machine the band did not include a guitarist, so the soloing is mostly done by the keyboardist and flute player, but the bass player and drummer had also a most significant role. Altogether this is a magnificent piece of music and a stunning debut album, worthy of an honorable place in any serious music collection. Essential listening experience!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

SUPERSISTER ~ PUDDING EN GISTEREN ESOTERIC 2059 (Barcode: 5013929715929) ~ NETHERLANDS ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2008 3rd album by the brilliant Dutch band SupersisterFind albums by this artist, which almost singlehandedly were Europe´s answer to the British Canterbury scene. Often compared to Soft MachineFind albums by this artist (circa "ThirdFind albums with this title"), in fact the group is more comparable to later Canterbury groups like Matching MoleFind albums by this artist, Hatfield And The NorthFind albums by this artist, National HealthFind albums by this artist and even later CaravanFind albums by this artist, although chronologically they preceded these groups by several years. Obviously influenced by Soft Machine´s jazzy free improvisational excursions, the band was also influenced by many other experimental Rock (Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist), Jazz musicians and contemporary Classical composers. This album includes (on the B side of the original LP) their ambitious music, which accompanied a ballet and involved also a chamber orchestra. The group matured immensely in the two years since their stunning debut, always expanding their ideas into new directions and kept the level of excellence established by the two previous albums. This was the last album recorded by the original lineup of the group. Fantastic stuff!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

SUPERSISTER ~ TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER ESOTERIC 2057 (Barcode: 5013929715721) ~ NETHERLANDS ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2008 2nd album by the brilliant Dutch band SupersisterFind albums by this artist, which almost singlehandedly were Europe´s answer to the British Canterbury scene. Often compared to Soft MachineFind albums by this artist (circa "ThirdFind albums with this title"), in fact the group is more comparable to later Canterbury groups like Matching MoleFind albums by this artist, Hatfield And The NorthFind albums by this artist, National HealthFind albums by this artist and even later CaravanFind albums by this artist, although chronologically they preceded these groups by several years. Obviously influenced by Soft Machine´s jazzy free improvisational excursions, the band was also influenced by many other experimental Rock (Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist), Jazz musicians and contemporary Classical composers. This follow up to their stunning debut is every bit as excellent and its release established the group as one of the most important European Jazz-Rock acts. Full of great melody lines, quirky rhythm changes and exceptional sensitivity, this is a true gem, always worthy of returning to. Essential listening experience!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

TATVAMASI ~ AMOR FATI OBUH 33 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the fourth album by Polish ensemble TatvamasiFind albums by this artist, which undoubtedly is one of the most fascinating and totally unpredictable ensembles on the local scene. The core quartet of the ensemble, led by guitarist / composer Grzegorz LesiakFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist Tomasz PiatekFind albums by this artist, bassist Lukasz DownarFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof RedasFind albums by this artist, is expanded by a string trio: violinists Anna WitkowskaFind albums by this artist and Michal OstrowskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Malgorzata PietronFind albums by this artist. Legendary musician / producer and ObuhFind albums on this label label owner Wojcek CzernFind albums by this artist is also featured on electronics. The album presents six original compositions, all composed by Lesiak. The music is, as usual, quite beyond classification. The addition of the strings and electronics expends the usual ingredients, such as Jazz and Rock, to include also contemporary Classical, Folklore and Ambient elements. This time the Free Improvisation parts are much more dominant and the music is more Avant-Garde oriented in comparison to their earlier recordings, with the distinct Rocky guitar element almost completely gone. As already stated, the music of Tatvamasi is completely unpredictable and every track brigs entirely different sounds and emotions. Such diversity has of course its advantages and is very interesting intellectually, but on the other hand lacks certain focus and coherency and is very difficult for "conventional" listeners. In some respects this lack of stability and jumpiness is somehow reminiscent of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist´s approach, which of course is commendable, but might create a barrier between the music and the audiences. For a studio recording, the sound quality of the album is somewhat muddy and does not allow the small, delicate details of the music to be easily audible; perhaps purposely recorded / mixed this way, but the result is (for me) somewhat problematic. Overall this is a very interesting album, living up to the ensemble´s already established reputation, although personally for me it is not their best work to date and I enjoyed more their earlier recordings. Still this is definitely more ambitious than the vast majority of albums recorded on the Polish scene and anywhere else for that matter. I am sure they will return triumphantly again!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 09/01/2018

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

THINKING PLAGUE ~ IN EXTREMIS CUNEIFORM 113 (Barcode: 045775011325) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1998 Released: 1998 4th album by Thinking PlagueFind albums by this artist. Greatly anticipated by fans and critics alike, this version of the group also includes Dave KermanFind albums by this artist (5uu`sFind albums by this artist) and produces a superb body of work which is well composed and strongly structured, yet intelligent and demanding. Some familiar elements of King CrimsonFind albums by this artist, Henry CowFind albums by this artist and Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist are there, but mostly it`s their unique blend that makes things happen.

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TIE BREAK ~ THE END AGORA 5903111494148 (Barcode: 5903111494148) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 - 2018 Released: 2019 This is an album by the legendary Polish ensemble Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, which features four founding members of the ensemble: trumpeter Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mateusz PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and also American (resident in Poland) drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all co-composed by the ensemble members, five of which also include lyrics which are chanted (rather than sung) by the ensemble in a Greek chorus manner. The music was recorded during three separate sessions between 2014 and 2018. Following the release of the marvelous "Tie Break (Box Set)Find albums with this title" in 2014, which summed up the ensemble´s output recorded between 1984 and 1995, it seemed that the fate of Tie Break was sealed, but apparently the protagonists thought otherwise and continued to make music together, which is collected here. Following this pattern, one might hope that the ominous title of this album is also only temporary, as Tie Break definitely has still more energy and creativity than most young contemporary ensembles. The music is, not surprisingly, completely unique; a zany mixture of Rock, Funk, Punk, World Music and Jazz worthy of epic Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist proportions. This music is bolder than most contemporary Rock, Funkier that today´s Funk, way Punkish than anything in Punk history and still Free Jazzier than most. The overall sound of the ensemble manages to create a wall of sound effect, which allows every tiny detail of the multi-layered complexity to be heard clearly and distinctly. The music has elements of marching funeral bands, Balkan wedding music, Polish Folklore and countless other relations, which can only be discovered as a result of repeated listening sessions. In short there never was anything in the Polish music history close to Tie Break, and following this album, the gap becomes even deeper. Although the ingredients of which the music of Tie Break is made of is not Avant-Garde as such, the unique combination and the obvious "oppositional" attitude to everything mainstream is still deeply implanted in this music and it is obviously refusing to be tamed. The album pays tribute to all the numerous members of the ensemble over the years and other outside of the mainstream great Polish musicians like the lamented Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, including the founding member Krzysztof MajchrzakFind albums by this artist, whom I had the pleasure to meet a few weeks ago and reminiscence early days of the ensemble and many other things with. In short this is a brilliant piece of music, full of creativity, ingeniousness and pure joy, completely unique and striking, unconventional and as musically anti-establishment as music can be. I refuse to interpret the album´s title literally and already long for the next chapter in Tie Break´s journey! The End of boredom is definitely here!

Updated: 21/12/2019Posted: 20/12/2019

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TURTLES ~ ELENOR REPERTOIRE 4332 ~ USA ~ Classic Rock 4th album from 1968 (originally called "The Turtles Present The Battle Of The BandsFind albums with this title") by this brilliant US pop band, who wrote some of the greatest 60´s songs, which are cherished to this very day. They combined brilliant songwriting, superb harmonies and a great sense of humor. The two main band members Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist and Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist later joined Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist (!!) and also had their own hilarious and excellent act called Flo & EddieFind albums by this artist. A classic!

Updated: 24/09/2022Posted:

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UDA ~ LOWY KRABY NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the third album by young Polish Fusion trio UdaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of guitarist Lukasz KrzywickiFind albums by this artist, bassist Kuba SienczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist. This album features guest appearances by guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof ScieranskiFind albums by this artist and accordionist Marcin GalazynFind albums by this artist. There are thirteen original compositions, which are supposedly co-created by the group members, since no composing credits are specified. The main point about this music seems to be to offer something quite "different", and different it is. Mixing virtually every style and genre known to man and shunning from nothing, including ridiculous Rap moments, this music is a hodgepodge quite difficult to swallow sometimes. Heavy Metal riffs seem to be the preferred weapon of choice, but there are also quiet passages, which sound quite interesting. Although this music has a strong improvisational element it is much closer to Avant-Garde Rock than to Fusion. Of course the whole point is to make this music impossible to categorize. The first association is the early music of Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, not that Uda are remotely close to his musical genius (nobody is), but the total disregard of form and established rules are also there. Of course these youngsters can play, and they play well, even exceptionally well, when they do. Many of their devices seem to be borrowed or perhaps purposely used in a form of mockery or ridicule, which works also pretty well. Overall, in spite of the apparent chaos and mayhem, there seems to be a hidden sense behind all this façade of "we don´t give a damn". If only they concentrated on what they play rather than on how they play it, things would be much more interesting. Obviously this music is not very inviting, but for listeners willing to suffer a little, there are definitely many hidden treasures in there. Just keep an open mind and protect your ears! I must say I prefer young musicians experimenting and breaking the rules the way Uda do, rather than join the wave of conformity and produce the usual garbage, which makes you puke instantly. So respect for the courage to be different, and please just a little more focus next time around.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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LESLIE WEST ~ BLUE ME PROVOGUE 7191 (Barcode: 8712725719120) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006 2nd recent album by legendary guitarist Leslie WestFind albums by this artist, dedicated to the exploration of his blues roots. Similar to its predecessor (Got BloozeFind albums with this title), the album includes a mixture of blues and rock classics brilliantly performed by West and his cohorts, again including drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist (see John MayallFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist). West lost none of his magic touch, which made MountainFind albums by this artist one of the most distinctive and pioneering groups of the late 1960s. There are no great discoveries here, no groundbreaking pyrotechnics, just perfect blues-rock performances that sound right time after time. If you love Mountain, you’ll love this. If you love the blues, you’ll love this too. Just listen to West’s version of George GershwinFind albums by this artist’s “Summertime” and bliss will take over. So what else can one ask for? Visitors' Comments Dr. Rafael Augusto Lara Palmeros A superb albumn!!!. Leslie West and a group of excellent musicians – Aynsley Dunbar, Tim Fahey, Kevin Curry, Art Groom, Todd Wolfe and Brian Michell - recorded this marvelous music with covers from Leroy Carr, Ida Cox, The Great Muddy Waters, Sonny Thompson and others. The music is a mixture of Blues-Rock and some Bayou sound (´Green River´). West still sings with a gear-shredding roar and guitar lines sound heavier than thunder on this set of blues-rockers. ´Hit the road Jack´ is relatively sleek and elegant (remember Ray Charles version!!), ´Four day creep´ is a Blues-Rock as old times (West, Bruce and Laing), ´Standing around crying´ is a real good Blues. Gershwin´s ´Summertime´, that closes the albumn is plenity moody, with West´s guitar weeping and a exceptional Brian Mitchell playing piano. A must for a real Blues-Rock fan!!. 4.5 stars.

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LESLIE WEST ~ GOT BLOOZE PROVOGUE 7155 (Barcode: 8712725715528) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005 Legendary guitarist Leslie WestFind albums by this artist is best known as the leader of MountainFind albums by this artist, America’s answer to the UK power trio CreamFind albums by this artist. Mountain recorded a series of excellent albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which were loud and powerful (often being quoted as one of the forefathers of Heavy Rock), but also quite sophisticated. West’s unique tone and approach to the guitar, heavily based in the blues tradition, stays to this very day as one of the icons of the formative years of electric guitar. A famous anecdote tells that if one places West in a room with another 99 guitar players, just one note played by him will be immediately recognizable. Since the mid-1970s West recorded sporadically, with none of the albums leaving any significant impact on the scene, but his 2000s output marks a revival of his powers. West returned to what he does best – playing the blues in his unique manner, which has but a few competitors. West formed an excellent group with two formidable blues / rock veterans: Tim BogertFind albums by this artist (Vanilla FudgeFind albums by this artist, CactusFind albums by this artist, Beck, Bogert & AppiceFind albums by this artist) – one of rock’s most respected bass players and Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist (John MayallFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist) – one of blues-rock most respected drummers. Together they storm through a program, which includes many blues standards, but sounds fresh and vital like never before. West also pays tribute to his ex-partner Jack BruceFind albums by this artist by including his superb composition “Politician” on this album. For blues-rock fans this is an absolute must!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

WHO ~ THE WHO SELL OUT (DELUXE EDITION) POLYDOR 5315336 (Barcode: 600753153369) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2009 This is probably one of the most underrated and misunderstood albums in Rock history. British wild rockers, The WhoFind albums by this artist, recorded this album in the midst of the blooming Psychedelic era, with their contemporaries home (BeatlesFind albums by this artist) and across the pond (Beach BoysFind albums by this artist) producing concept albums, which are considered masterpieces to this very day. Wild as they were, and a bit mad (or even more that a bit) vocalist Roger DaltreyFind albums by this artist, guitarist Pete TownshendFind albums by this artist, bassist John EntwistleFind albums by this artist and drummer Keith MoonFind albums by this artist responded to all that psychedelic hullabaloo with their version of temporary insanity. The album was initially intended to be a concept album of sorts, about an imaginary pirate radio station, including jingles, chatter and commercials. Sadly never actually completed as such, the underlying concept of the songs is still very much there, being romance or the convoluted male / female relationships. Of course anything touched by the Who turns into mayhem, madness and above all typical British absurd humor. Even the album´s title, which is of course an oxymoron to anybody familiar with the band, serves a purpose. In fact the Who are much closer here to Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist ("We´re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title" – sounds familiar?) than to their saccharine British mates. Of course there is plenty of great music here as the band rocks harder and mightier that anybody else at the time. This new edition is a goldmine for the Who fans, with dozens of bonus tracks and both the stereo and mono mixes of the album. To all the people who never got this album, this is an opportunity to wake up. Essential brilliant music!

CD 2 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

WIGWAM / TAIVAANVUOHI ~ POP LIISA VOL. 03 & VOL. 04 SVART 006 (Barcode: 6430050665692) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1973 Released: 2016 By the time this live broadcast was captured on tape WigwamFind albums by this artist, the most celebrated Finnish Fusion / Prog Supergroup, already released three seminal albums and were about to release their fourth album "BeingFind albums with this title" recorded in the months preceding this show. The lineup was steady since the second album when the new bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist joined vocalist / organist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist, British expatriate vocalist / pianist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist. Following the release of the third album "FairyportFind albums with this title" Pohjola released his phenomenal debut album "Pihkasilma KaarnakorvaFind albums with this title" and Pembroke released his debut album "Wicked IvoryFind albums with this title", both in 1972 on LoveFind albums on this label Records. "Being" was to be the last studio album by this "classic" Wigwam lineup. The group performs five pieces: a short intro (cover of a John LennonFind albums by this artist song), one piece from Pohjola´s debut composed by him, one song from the forthcoming "Being" album composed by Pembroke, the title song from the "Fairyport" album composed by Gustavson and finally one piece from Pembroke´s debut composed by him. Overall this recording presents Wigwam at the absolute peak of the first period in the group´s history and offers an amazing example of European / Finnish Progressive Rock and Fusion created at the time. In complete contrast to Wigwam, TaivaanvuohiFind albums by this artist was one of the many Finnish Prog / Fusion groups that despite their relative popularity as a live act did not manage record an album and disappeared into oblivion without leaving a trace. The group was formed in 1972 and after a long period of personal hiatus the lineup stabilized around the founding member guitarist Sami HurmerintaFind albums by this artist and included also vocalist Tarmo RoselundFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Pertti PaivinenFind albums by this artist, bassist Urpo SiitonenFind albums by this artist and drummer Ismo RaisanenFind albums by this artist. This is the lineup that is heard here playing live and which also started to record material for the debut album by the group, which sadly eventually never materialized. The group performs five pieces, four of which are original compositions by Hurmerinta with lyrics by him and other group members and one is a composition by Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. The music is a unique mixture of Prog, Fusion and Psychedelia featuring extensive guitar and saxophone soloing and judging by what can be heard here they would have perhaps created another Finnish gem album, but alas it was not to be. Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early 1970s that one is able to hear and for Fusion and Jazz oriented Prog-heads this is an absolute must have! Side Note The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled. The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD. The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes. This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.

Updated: 30/04/2020Posted: 30/04/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

TONY WILLIAMS ~ PLAY OR DIE MOOSICUS 1214 (Barcode: 885513121424) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1980 Released: 2022 This is a reissue / remaster of the little known album by American drummer / composer bandleader Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist recorded in Germany during his trio tour, which also included keyboardist Tom GrantFind albums by this artist and bassist Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist. The album presents five original compositions, two each by Williams and O`Hearn and one co-credited to all three musicians. The album was released by a small independent Swiss label and was never reissued since 1980, when it was recorded and originally released. The music is typical power Fusion, that Williams played with his ensemble LifetimeFind albums by this artist, dominated by the keyboard / synthesizer sound and superb bass work by O`Hearn, who played a key role in Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist ensembles in the late 1970s. Williams adds his energetic and technically brilliant drumming for the entire duration, as expected. The compositions are a bit sketchy and the trio’s limited instrumentation influences the result, which is a bit lackluster at times, mostly due to the inadequate work by Grant, but Fusion lovers should find this stuff interesting, especially since it was out of circulation for over forty years. Overall, this is a long overdue reissue of a “lost” album by one of the greatest Jazz / Fusion drummers of all times and in view of his relatively limited recorded legacy as a leader, this reissue is definitely welcome, despite its limitations.

Updated: 17/08/2022Posted: 17/08/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

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 ~ 200 MOTELS (50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) ZAPPA 20037 (Barcode: 602438384136) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2021 This Box Set is the 120th official release by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2021. It presents an expanded reissue / remaster of the material recorded originally in 1971 with his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist. The Box Set contains the soundtrack of the film “200 Motels” (thirty-four tracks) originally released as a 2LP album in 1971, as well as over 4 CDs worth of additional material: demos, outtakes, dialogues and a plethora of bonus tracks, all worth their value in gold. All the material was composed by Zappa. The Box Set is a lavishly packaged Super Deluxe (LP 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, Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (who also plays woodwinds), bassist Martin LickertFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. The music is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others. 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. 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. This album is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else. 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 6 Digibook Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ 200 MOTELS (SOUNDTRACK) ZAPPA 3846 (Barcode: 602438287055) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2021 This is a reissue / remaster of the 13th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist, originally released as a 2LP album in 1971. The album contains the soundtrack of the film “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” and presents thirty-four tracks, all composed by Zappa. This is the only album by Zappa, which was not reissued / remastered as part of the 2012 reissue program, and was eventually released as part of the 50th Anniversary reissue in 2021, finally closing the gap. The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalists Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (who also plays woodwinds), bassist Martin LickertFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. The music is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others. 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. 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. This album is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else. 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: 15/05/2022Posted: 15/05/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ 200 MOTELS: THE SUITES ZAPPA 20019 (Barcode: 824302001929) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Classical Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is the 101st album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2015. It presents the Classical Music components (in a form of thirteen suites) of the music originally composed for the soundtrack of the film “200 MotelsFind albums by this artist”, which was recorded originally in 1971 with his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist. Since the final soundtrack included only parts of this suites, this album presents them in their entirety for the first time, as recorded in 2013 by The Los Angeles PhilharmonicFind albums by this artist and The Los Angeles Master ChoraleFind albums by this artist, conducted by Finnish conductor / composer Esa-Pekka SalonenFind albums by this artist. Several actors / vocalists and additional musicians are also featured in the recording, including keyboardists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Randy KerberFind albums by this artist, drummer Joe TraversFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and guitarist Jamie KimeFind albums by this artist. This album shows the full scope of Zappa’s Classical Music ambitions and his ability to move directly to the very core its Avant-Garde facet, skipping over centuries of the legacy, which of course was unprecedented and largely misunderstood. The soundtrack of “200 Motels” is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others. Zappa showed 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. 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. The “200 Motels” soundtrack is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else. Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was composed, this music remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb creativity, 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: 13/08/2022Posted: 13/08/2022

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ A TOKEN OF HIS EXTREME (SOUNDTRACK) ZAPPA 20015 (Barcode: 824302001523) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 Released: 2013 This is the 97th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2013. The album was recorded live and filmed on August 27, 1974 and remastered in 2009. It is the soundtrack of the concert film, released on DVD earlier in 2013. The lineup of the musicians that recorded the album includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummer Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist, i.e. the core of the group that recorded the Roxy concerts earlier on. It presents thirteen original compositions, all by Zappa, most of which were also recorded during the Roxy concerts. 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 Zappa’s group 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.

Updated: 11/06/2022Posted: 11/06/2022

CD 1 Remastered 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 ~ ANYWAY THE WIND BLOWS ESSENTIAL / FOO-EEE 960 (Barcode: 5017615516029) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1979 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 fifth album of the set released on two separate CDs. The album presents twenty tracks (nine and eleven respectively on the two CDs), which were recorded at Nouvel Hippodrome in Paris on February 24, 1979. The lineup of group includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind 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: 31/03/2023

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ APOSTROPHE (`) ZAPPA 3851 (Barcode: 824302385128) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 - 1974 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 18th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1974. The music was recorded in the studio, mostly in 1973 during the sessions that produced the “Over-Nite SensationFind albums with this title” album and in early 1974, but some back material is taken from the 1969 “The Hot Rats SessionsFind albums with this title”. The album presents nine tracks, all composed by Zappa, except the instrumental title track, where Jack BruceFind albums by this artist and Jim GordonFind albums by this artist are co-credited and another track, where George DukeFind albums by this artist is co-credited. This was Zappa’s most commercially successful album in the US. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar, bass and vocals, includes violinists Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist and Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George Duke, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Sal MarquezFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, bassists Jack Bruce, Alex DmochowskiFind albums by this artist and Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummers Jim Gordon, John GuerinFind albums by this artist, Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist and Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. 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: 08/12/2024Posted: 25/02/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ APOSTROPHE (`) (50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) ZAPPA 20046 (Barcode: 602465639902) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 - 1974 Released: 2024 This is the 129th 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 connected with the iconic “Apostrophe (`)Find albums with this title” album, originally released in 1974, as well as concert recordings from that period. The 5CD Box Set offers a total of sixty-six tracks, with over five hours of music. The bonus BD disc offers the original album in various alternate audio formats. The music of the original album was recorded in the studio, mostly in 1973 during the sessions that produced the “Over-Nite SensationFind albums with this title” album and in early 1974, but some back material is taken from the 1969 “The Hot Rats SessionsFind albums with this title”. The original album presents nine tracks, all composed by Zappa, except the instrumental title track, where Jack Bruce and Jim Gordon are co-credited and another track, where George Duke is co-credited. This was Zappa’s most commercially successful album in the US. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar, bass and vocals, includes violinists Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist and Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Sal MarquezFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, bassists Jack BruceFind albums by this artist, Alex DmochowskiFind albums by this artist and Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummers Jim GordonFind albums by this artist, John GuerinFind albums by this artist, Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist and Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist, as well as various backup vocalists. CD1 presents the newly remastered original album (9 tracks) and album session bonus tracks (9 tracks), seven of which were previously released on “The Crux Of The BiscuitFind albums with this title” album in 2016. CD2 presents first part of the Colorado Springs, Colorado concert captured on March 21, 1974 (12 tracks). CD3 presents the rest of the Colorado Springs, Colorado concert (10 tracks). CD4 presents a live version of “Inca Roads” captured on March 18, 1974 (1 track) and the first part of the Dayton, Ohio concert captured on November 20, 1974 (11 tracks). CD5 presents the rest of the Dayton, Ohio concert (9 tracks) and various bonus ditties (5 tracks). The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. 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.

Updated: 08/12/2024Posted: 08/12/2024

5CD+BD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ AS AN AM ESSENTIAL / FOO-EEE 956 (Barcode: 5017615515626) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1981 - 1982 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 first album of the set. The music was recorded at two concerts: Sporthalle in Cologne, Germany on May 21, 1982 (tracks 2-3) and Palladium in NYC on October 31, 1981 (tracks 4-6). The first track is a fragment of a radio interview on which Zappa talks about bootlegs. The lineup includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist and Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind 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: 13/03/2023Posted: 16/02/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BABY SNAKES EAGLE VISION 5034504937178 (Barcode: 5034504937178) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1977 Released: 2003 This is a film produced by Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and originally premiered in NY in 1979. It presents footage filmed during the Halloween 77 shows at the NY Palladium in October 1977. It also includes some clay animation, interviews, rehearsals and other footage. The film was released on video in 1987 and reissued on DVD in 2003 with a 5.1 Dolby Surround sound in addition to the stereo sound. The running time is 164 minutes. The music was recorded by the following lineup: Zappa on guitar and vocals, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist on vocals, Adrian BelewFind albums by this artist on guitar and vocals, Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist on keyboards, Ed MannFind albums by this artist on percussion, Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist on bass and Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist on drums and vocals. The music is, as always, absolutely stunning, almost entirely dedicated to Zappa’s special brand of Jazz-Rock Fusion, with brilliant instrumental performances. As usual, the music also includes Zappa’s zany humor and bitter criticism of human stupidity. The band was a perfectly oiled music machine by the time these tracks were recorded, the result is absolutely astounding in its complexity. Zappa delivers some superb guitar parts herein, which are a signature of his unique style. Overall, although over forty 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: 04/12/2022Posted: 04/12/2022

DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BABY SNAKES (SOUNDTRACK) ZAPPA 3867 (Barcode: 824302386729) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1977 Released: 2012 This is the reissue / remaster of the 37th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1983. The album is a partial soundtrack to the movie of the same title and presents tracks recorded live during Zappa’s 1977 Halloween concerts at NYC Palladium Theater, except the opening track which is a studio recording. All the music was composed by Zappa. The musicians participating on this album include, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, also guitarist Adrian BelewFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist, and drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist. By the late 1970s Zappa concentrated on producing some of his 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 his 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 period. Overall, although almost forty 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: 05/08/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BONGO FURY ZAPPA 3854 (Barcode: 824302385425) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Blues Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1975 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 21st album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1975. The album is a collaboration with another American legend, Blues / Rock vocalist / harmonica player Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist (born Don VlietFind albums by this artist and later adopted the name Van VlietFind albums by this artist). The album presents nine tracks, seven of which were recorded live in 1975 and two studio tracks, which were recorded in 1974 during the sessions that would be released later as parts of “One Size Fits AllFind albums with this title” and “Studio TanFind albums with this title”. Zappa wrote all the music and Beefheart contributed a couple of spoken work ditties. The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Captain Beefheart on vocals and harmonica, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist, guitarist Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist (or Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist on the studio tracks). This was the last album recorded by the sublime Fusion oriented lineup, which created earlier the legendary Zappa albums like “Over-Nite SensationFind albums with this title”, “Apostrophe (`)Find albums with this title” and “Roxy & ElsewhereFind albums with this title”. The album was poorly received both by Zappa and Beefheart fans at the time of its release, as each of these two camps expected something else, but in retrospect the cooperation works wonderfully, being rather more than the sum of its parts. Beefheart’s idiosynchratic vocals are an ideal match to Zappa’s zany music of course and one can only regret that they did not record more together. Beefheart’s Blues tendencies are clearly audible on this album, which of course created no confrontation with Zappa’s music, which often also included Bluesy motifs. Overall, although over forty-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 remains mostly a mystery and his albums prove time after time that there was only one Frank Zappa, with nobody who could follow his path. 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: 29/12/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BOULEZ CONDUCTS ZAPPA: THE PERFECT STRANGER ZAPPA 3869 (Barcode: 824302386927) ~ USA ~ Classical Recorded: 1984 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 39th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1984. It continues the presentation of “Classical” compositions by Zappa, which started with the “London Symphony OrchestraFind albums with this title” albums recorded a year earlier. The album presents seven compositions by Zappa, three of which were recorded by the French Ensemble InterContemporainFind albums by this artist, conducted by the great French composer Pierre BoulezFind albums by this artist, and the remaining four were realized by Zappa playing the Synclavier. In his liner notes, Zappa refers to the music as “seven dance pieces”. Other earlier albums by Zappa, which were recorded by orchestras, include “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title”, “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” and “Orchestral FavoritesFind albums with this title” in addition to the already mentioned recordings with the London Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist. Zappa’s obsession with orchestral music comes to its climax with these two last albums, especially since his status as a “serious” musician is finally recognized by his Classical peers and one of the most prestigious orchestras in the world agreed to record his music and one of the most prestigious conductors in the world agreed to conduct and perform it with his ensemble. Despite his complete contempt and sheer hatred of musical business and establishment, he could not resist the temptation to “show” them who is really better, which reflects the omnipresent, but often deeply hidden inferiority complex of all non-Classical musicians / composers in relation to the Classical ones. Zappa’s music was always, from day one, as complex, ambitious, innovative, pioneering and Genius, and in most cases more so, than that of his Classical contemporaries, even when performed in the Pop / Rock / Fusion / Jazz environments, but these two albums are an opportunity to make an “equal ground” comparison, which of course easily proves his authority. Listeners not familiar with Zappa’s legacy (an unthinkable sin) might think that he is a bona fide Classical composer, as this music sounds authentically “Classical”, which is again a proof of his Genius. This music is conceived and in fact realized to sound as modern Classical music, which for a person of no academic Classical music education is truly astounding in every respect. Overall, although almost forty 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: 08/04/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BROADWAY THE HARD WAY ZAPPA 3879 (Barcode: 824302387924) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 53rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1988. The album presents seventeen tracks, which include mostly original songs by Zappa, but also some covers including one song by The PoliceFind albums by this artist on which StingFind albums by this artist sings lead vocals. The music was recorded live during Zappa’s 1988 tour, which was sadly his last. It is one of three live albums recorded during this tour, together with “The Best Band You Never Heard In Your LifeFind albums with this title” and “Make A Jazz Noise HereFind albums with this title”. The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Mike KeneallyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Paul CarmanFind albums by this artist, Albert WingFind albums by this artist and Kurt McGettrickFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. It reflects Zappa’s love of orchestral arrangements, which of course were meticulously conceived and brilliantly executed by this excellent team. The undertones of a Broadway show, which this album presents, are a pinnacle of Zappa’s mastery and a cruel twist. With passing time, Zappa’s cynicism and radical criticism of American politics, organized religion, show business and general stupidity became more bitter and plain painful at times. His idea to shake his audiences, had sadly little effect, as we can see with the world getting worse and stupider consistently. The absurdity of the beautiful melodic songs crafted by Zappa, which were accompanied by his toxic lyrics is absolutely amazing. However, as we all know, protest songs never managed to make a dent in the way our world is being conducted, especially so in America – Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Pete SeegerFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and eventually Zappa, all failed miserably – a magnificent failure it was indeed! Overall, although thirty-three 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: 05/12/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BUFFALO VAULTERNATIVE 20071 (Barcode: 824302007129) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1980 Released: 2007 This is the 80th official release by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. It is an archival album recorded live on October 25, 1980 at Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, NY. The 2CD album includes all the music played during the show that night, lasting together for over two hours, all of which was previously unreleased. The album was released posthumously in 2007 as the second in the Vaulternative series of complete live concerts, which also includes “FZ:OZFind albums with this title”, “WazooFind albums with this title”, “Philly `76Find albums with this title”, “Hammersmith OdeonFind albums with this title”, “Carnegie HallFind albums with this title” and “Chicago `78Find albums with this title”. The music was compiled from several sources to reconstruct the show in its entirety. All the music was composed by Zappa. The lineup of the musicians playing in the band, which played this concert consists, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals of course, of guitarists Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, bassist Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The repertoire covers past favorites going as far back as “Chunga`s RevengeFind albums with this title” and of course current (at the time) repertoire, including material from the forthcoming “Tinsel Town RebellionFind albums with this title” album. 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 two 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: 28/01/2022Posted: 28/01/2022

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve 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 ~ CHEAPER THAN CHEAP ZAPPA 20047 (Barcode: 602475394242) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 Released: 2025 This is the 130th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2025. It presents a TV Special, originally recorded / filmed on June 21, 1974, but unfortunately never aired. The 2CD Set offers a total of twenty-five audio tracks, with almost two hours of music. The BD disc offers the video version with three bonus tracks. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes guitarist Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummer Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion, Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. As usual, the instrumental performances are Godly in every respect, and this period proved to be Zappa’s most prolific and musically fulfilling, although his entire career was of course exceptional in every way. 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 is another brilliant document in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since.

Updated: 24/07/2025Posted: 24/07/2025

2CD+BD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CHICAGO `78 ZAPPA 20025 (Barcode: 824302002520) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2016 This is an archival album of live recordings by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded on September 29, 1978 at Chicago Uptown Theater. The 2CD album includes all the music played during the second show that night, lasting together for almost two hours, all of which was previously unreleased. The album was released in 2016 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”, “Hammersmith OdeonFind albums with this title” and “Carnegie HallFind albums with this title”. The music was compiled from several sources to reconstruct the show in its entirety. All the music was composed by Zappa. The lineup of the musicians playing in the band, which played this concert consists, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals of course, of guitarist Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, slide guitarist Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The repertoire covers past favorites going as far back as “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” and of course current (at the time) repertoire, including material from the forthcoming “Joe`s GarageFind albums with this title” album. 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 two 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: 28/01/2022Posted: 06/11/2021

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CHUNGA`S REVENGE ZAPPA 3844 (Barcode: 824302384428) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 - 1970 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 11th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1970. The music was recorded in the studio and live in 1969 and 1970. The album presents ten tracks, four of which are instrumentals, all composed by Zappa. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar, vocals and other instruments including even drums, includes for the first time the two ex-TurtlesFind albums by this artist vocalists Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist and Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Flo & EddieFind albums by this artist), multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassists Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist and Max BennettFind albums by this artist, drummers Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist and John GuerinFind albums by this artist and violinist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist playing organ on one track. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz improvisations, Jazz-Rock Fusion, Blues, Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic lyrics dealing with subject matter about Rock Culture, sex and other social issues. It is one of the most seemingly incoherent Zappa’s musical constructs, but of course it does make perfect sense as far as showing the diversity of his musical interests and his ability as a composer. 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: 23/02/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CIVILIZATION PHAZE III ZAPPA UMRK 01 (Barcode: 824302000021) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Electronic Recorded: 1967 - 1992 Released: 1994 This is the 63rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, which was his first posthumous album released in 1994. The 2CD album presents forty-one Zappa’s compositions of varying length. All of the pieces on this album were recorded in 1991 and 1992 by Zappa, using the Synclavier synthesizer, but the album includes also spoken word passages, which go back as far as 1967 from the “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title” recording sessions and additional spoken word passages recorded in 1991, as well as sampled orchestral pieces recorded by the Ensemble ModernFind albums by this artist orchestra. This album demonstrates the innovative and revolutionary approach in Zappa’s convoluted musical path and marks a phase when his compositions become almost too complicated to be performed live. Zappa started to use the Synclavier to write his music as early as 1982, and scored several albums with it, starting with “Jazz From HellFind albums with this title” album from 1986, with was the first to be performed entirely on the Synclavier, and culminated with this album. It is only symbolic that this was the last piece of music Zappa managed to work on before his death, symbolizing his complete and utter individuality. Musically, this album portrays Zappa’s visionary amalgam of contemporary Classical Music, Avant-Garde Electronic / Ambient music, and above all his personal, highly individual concept of the Art of Sound, way beyond the boundaries set to music by its tradition and history. Zappa undoubtedly lived in his own Universe, which only partly coexisted and interacted in ours, but when it did, we have been blessed by the exposure to his Genius. As the years progressed, Zappa became even more detached and his music, including his Classical adventures, took him away from the Rock and Fusion fans, who refused to move forward with his creativity. In retrospect, the last period of his life proved to be the most fascinating of course. Overall, although thirty 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: 27/09/2022Posted: 09/08/2022

CD 2 Digibook Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW... ZAPPA 20011 (Barcode: 824302001127) ~ USA ~ Special Products Recorded: 1985 - 1993 Released: 2010 This is the 88th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2010. Except for one instrumental piece, the album is all spoken word, collecting Zappa’s public statements about politics, legislation, social awareness, human rights, freedom of speech, etc. The album was released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Zappa’s appearance before the US Senate Committee on September 19, 1985, and includes the entire recording of this hearing. The hearing was about the PMRC demand to place advisory stickers on albums, which Zappa obviously abhorred and saw as a dramatic infringement of freedom of speech. Additional tracks include an additional hearing before Maryland State Legislature and ten short excerpts from Zappa’s interviews, which have titles taken from the Ten Commandments and deal with the hypocrisy and folly often involved with the interpretation of those. This album is an excellent opportunity to get know Zappa as a highly intelligent, socially conscious and politically enlightened public figure. His cynicism, incredible sense of humor, ability the improvise and analyze reality and his brilliant intellect speak for themselves. His life-long war with hypocrisy, fanaticism, political indoctrination and perhaps most importantly human stupidity, make him one of the greatest American Freedom Fighters of the 20th Century. The one instrumental piece present here is one of the last pieces of music Zappa managed to complete before his death in 1993. Overall, although thirty-five years passed since these statements have been made by Zappa, they remain absolutely accurate today. 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: 10/06/2022Posted: 10/06/2022

CD 1 Digipak 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 ~ DANCE ME THIS ZAPPA 20018 (Barcode: 824302001820) ~ USA ~ Electronic & Ambient Recorded: 1993 Released: 2015 This is the 100th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2015. The album, which was composed and recorded by Zappa in 1993, was the last album he completed during his lifetime, and was for many reasons released only twenty-two years later. The music was created entirely using the Synclavier, except some guitar overdubs done by him (the last time he played guitar) and vocal overdubs done by the Tuva throat singers trio Huun-Huur-TuFind albums by this artist, which was visiting the US at the time and met Zappa accidently. The album presents eleven tracks, all composed by Zappa. The music reflects Zappa’s fascination with the Synclavier, which enabled him to compose and record extremely complex music, which would have taken months to rehearse and record with musicians, and parts of which might be simply impossible to be performed by humans. Aware of his health crisis Zappa tried to leave for posterity the last phase of his musical development, which moved beyond anything he played earlier, and became truly “cosmic” music. Zappa was a genius composer, activist, bandleader, social prophet and genius comedian, and all these facets of his complex personality were reflected in his music. He certainly was light-years of almost everything that happened in music before and after his relatively brief residency on this planet. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance and most of all his unique and unparalleled composing Artistry. His embracing of the Synclavier preceded the concept of contemporary electronic music, which involves advanced technology and even AI, and considering that all this happened decades ago, clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius.

Updated: 28/03/2023Posted: 28/03/2023

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ DOES HUMOR BELONG IN MUSIC? EMI 490892 (Barcode: 724349089297) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock This 1984 Zappa concert was released first on Video in 1985 and now is finally available on DVD. Filmed when Frank was at his peak, this is as good as any Zappa meterial you might ever find - full of his zanny humor and of course brilliant playing. An absolute must to any Zappoid and a great introduction to those who were not yet exposed to the Zappa touch! 60 minutes.

DVD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ DOES HUMOR BELONG IN MUSIC? ZAPPA 3874 (Barcode: 824302387429) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1984 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 45th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1986. It presents ten tracks recorded live in late 1984 during Zappa’s world tour, eight of which are original compositions by Zappa and two are arrangements of songs written by others, including a Doo-wop song and a guitar anthem. This album has actually nothing in common with the video / DVD of the same title, which features mostly different music and Zappa interviews, but has the same cover art, which altogether is quite confusing. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes guitarist Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist and Allan ZavodFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. Zappa’s son Dweezil ZappaFind albums by this artist plays guitar solo on one track. Despite the fact that the group is just a sextet, it creates a sound, which seems to be much larger and richer. The music is the usual Zappaesque amalgam of Rock / Fusion / Humor, brilliantly performed by his group, with some exceptional guitar soloing spicing up the entire proceedings. As usual, despite the incredibly complex music, everything works like a Swiss watch, which of course is hardly surprising to Zappa followers. Overall, this album is another document of Zappa’s superb live performances, as well as his humor and satire, which was growing ruthless and bitter as the folly surrounding as all deepened in time. His Sisyphean workload during his lifetime produced an amazing variety of musical accomplishments, which scaled everything known about music as well as discovered new and uncharted territories, which at the end of the day made him the greatest musical Genius of the 20th Century and one of its most profound observers of the human nature. 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: 14/04/2022

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 ~ EVERYTHING IS HEALING NICELY ZAPPA UMRK 03 (Barcode: 824302999127) ~ USA ~ Classical Recorded: 1991 Released: 1999 This is the 69th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 1999. It was recorded during the rehearsals for the “The Yellow SharkFind albums with this title” album, which was to be the last album released during Zappa’s lifetime, about a month before his death. The music was recorded in California in 1991, during the first encounter between Zappa and the Frankfurt based international orchestra Ensemble ModernFind albums by this artist, which is dedicated to promote and popularize music of modern composers. The album presents thirteen original compositions by Zappa, some composed especially for this project and other older compositions, which were newly arranged. The Indian violinist L. ShankarFind albums by this artist performs on two tracks, but does not appear on the final version of “The Yellow Shark” album Zappa’s obsession with orchestral music comes to its tragic climax with this album, especially since his status as a “serious” musician is finally recognized by his Classical peers and some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world agreed to record his music. Despite his complete contempt and sheer hatred of musical business and establishment, he could not resist the temptation to “show” them who is really better, which reflects the omnipresent, but often deeply hidden inferiority complex of all non-Classical musicians / composers in relation to the Classical ones. Zappa’s music was always, from day one, as complex, ambitious, innovative, pioneering and Genius, and in most cases more so, than that of his Classical contemporaries, even when performed in the Pop / Rock / Fusion / Jazz environments, but this album is an opportunity to make an “equal ground” comparison, which of course easily proves his authority. For the avid listener, it is recommended to compare those parts of the material, which were previously recorded in different settings. Listeners not familiar with Zappa’s legacy (an unthinkable sin) might think that he is a bona fide Classical composer, as this music sounds as “Classical” as they come, which is again a proof of his Genius. This music is conceived and in fact realized to sound as modern Classical music, which for a person of no academic Classical music education is truly astounding in every respect. Overall, although over thirty 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: 01/12/2022Posted: 01/12/2022

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FEEDING THE MONKIES AT MA MAISON ZAPPA 20012 (Barcode: 824302001226) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Electronic Recorded: 1986 Released: 2011 This is the 90th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2011. The album presents five Zappa’s compositions, the first three of which were intended to be released on LP and the two additional tracks were added to the CD edition. All of the pieces on this album were recorded in 1986 by Zappa alone, using the Synclavier synthesizer, This album demonstrates the innovative and revolutionary approach in Zappa’s convoluted musical path and marks a phase when his compositions become almost too complicated to be performed live. Zappa started to use the Synclavier to write his music as early as 1982, and scored several albums with it. It serves as a bridge between the “Jazz From HellFind albums with this title” album from 1986, with was the first to be performed entirely on the Synclavier, and the posthumously released album “Civilization Phaze IIIFind albums with this title” from 1994. Musically, this album portrays Zappa’s visionary amalgam of contemporary Classical Music, Avant-Garde Electronic / Ambient music, and above all his personal, highly individual concept of the Art of Sound, way beyond the boundaries set to music by its tradition and history. Zappa undoubtedly lived in his own Universe, which only partly coexisted and interacted in ours, but when it did, we have been blessed by the exposure to his Genius. As the years progressed, Zappa became even more detached and his music, including his Classical adventures, took him away from the Rock and Fusion fans, who refused to move forward with his creativity. In retrospect, the last period of his life proved to be the most fascinating of course. Overall, although almost forty 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: 22/07/2022Posted: 22/07/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve 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 ~ FINER MOMENTS ZAPPA 3894 (Barcode: 824302389423) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1967 - 1972 Released: 2012 This is the 94th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2012. The album, which was compiled and mastered by Zappa in 1972, was for many reasons released only forty years later. It is a compilation of early material, mostly live, focusing on showcasing the entire range of music Zappa was interested and active in, from Rock to Jazz, Improvised Music, Classical Music and anything in between. The music was recorded over a period of several years, between 1967 and 1972, and involves several lineups of his groups, with a collective list of many different musicians. Some of the tracks appearing here were previously released, often under different titles, on other albums, but they receive a complete new perspective within this unique compilation. Zappa was a genius composer, activist, bandleader, social prophet and genius comedian, and all these facets of his complex personality are well documented herein. He certainly was light-years of almost everything that happened in music before and after his relatively brief residency on this planet. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance and most of all his unique and unparalleled composing Artistry. But in addition the listener is exposed to the intricacy and multi-layered arrangements, brilliantly executed by his ensembles, which produced the most interesting American recordings ever and considering that all this happened decades ago, clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius. 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: 24/03/2023Posted: 24/03/2023

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FOR PRESIDENT ZAPPA 20021 (Barcode: 824302002223) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1967 - 1993 Released: 2016 This is the 103rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2016. The album presents a collection of seven previously unreleased tracks, all composed by Zappa, with four tracks that were created by Zappa using the Synclavier and three live tracks played by different Zappa groups over the years. The common motif of these tracks is Zappa’s despise of American politics focusing on his satire and bitter critique of American folly, stupidity, political and religious hypocrisy and the entire range of issues Zappa was fighting against during his entire lifetime. The music reflects mainly Zappa’s fascination with the Synclavier, which enabled him to compose and record extremely complex music, which would have taken months to rehearse and record with musicians, and parts of which might be simply impossible to be performed by humans. Aware of his health crisis Zappa tried to leave for posterity the last phase of his musical development, which moved beyond anything he played earlier, and became truly “cosmic” music. The live tracks are of course a testimony of his brilliant musicianship and leadership of the best American musical ensembles that ever existed. Zappa was a genius composer, activist, bandleader, social prophet and genius comedian, and all these facets of his complex personality are well documented herein. He certainly was light-years of almost everything that happened in music before and after his relatively brief residency on this planet. He was also one of the most prominent American Freedom fighters / activists, weather recognized for it or not. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance and most of all his unique and unparalleled composing Artistry. His embracing of the Synclavier preceded the concept of contemporary electronic music, which involves advanced technology and even AI, and considering that all this happened decades ago, clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius.

Updated: 29/03/2023Posted: 29/03/2023

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FRANCESCO ZAPPA ZAPPA 3872 (Barcode: 824302387221) ~ USA ~ Classical Recorded: 1984 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 42nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1984. It continues Zappa’s interest in Classical Music, which started with the “London Symphony OrchestraFind albums with this title” albums recorded a year earlier and “Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect StrangerFind albums with this title” recorded the same year. The album presents ten compositions by 18th Century Italian cellist / composer Francesco ZappaFind albums by this artist, whose works were introduced to Zappa by clarinetist / copyist / Synclavier programmer David OckerFind albums by this artist, who worked with Zappa on his Classical Music projects. Since the music of Francesco Zappa (unrelated to Zappa himself) was barely known, Zappa decided not only to record it and release this album, but also published the music. The album is performed entirely using the Synclavier, making this the first Zappa album recorded entirely using this instrument, although Zappa did use it earlier on several albums. In Ocker’s liner notes, he describes the entire project in typical Zappaesque zany and highly humorous prose. This album remains amongst the least known of his works and perhaps also the most misunderstood. Zappa was obviously first interested in this music because of the composer’s family name, but he also felt a close affinity to his composing skills and talents. Not less importantly, he wanted to show the possibilities of the Synclavier, which represented the advancement in musical technology, of which Zappa was a great enthusiast and avid pioneer. Asked why he made this album, he answered that Francesco Zappa’s music, contemporary to Wolfgang Amadeus MozartFind albums by this artist, was “interesting and does a few strange things harmonically, which seem to be ahead of their time”, which of course best describes Zappa’s music as well. Overall, this album is another document of Zappa’s wide range of interest in all types of music and his dedication to unconventional projects. His Sisyphean workload during his lifetime produced an amazing variety of musical accomplishments, which scaled everything known about music as well as discovered new and uncharted territories, which at the end of the day made him the greatest musical Genius of the 20th Century and one of its most profound observers of the human nature. 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: 10/04/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FREAK OUT! ZAPPA 3834 (Barcode: 824302383421) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1966 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 1st 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 1966. The album presents fifteen original songs, all by Zappa. It was one of the first 2LP Pop / Rock albums ever released and the first debut 2LP album. The Mothers were a quintet and included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, guitarist Elliot IngberFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist. At least two dozen other musicians took part in the recording adding string and brass section arrangements and other contributions. The recording took just four days, which at the time was considered as “almost unlimited” studio time. 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 1966, for example “RevolverFind albums with this title” by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, “AftermathFind albums with this title” by The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist or “Pet SoundsFind albums with this title” by the Beach BoysFind albums by this artist, and see that already on his debut 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. The album also included a twelve minutes long track with completely Avant-Garde Rock music at the time. 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. 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. 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: 14/07/2022Posted: 03/12/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FREAKS & MOTHERFU*#@%! ESSENTIAL / FOO-EEE 958 (Barcode: 5017615515824) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1970 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 third album of the set. The music was recorded at the Fillmore East on November 13, 1970 and presents ten tracks. The lineup of the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, vocalists Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist and Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind 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: 13/03/2023Posted: 18/02/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FUNKY NOTHINGNESS ZAPPA 20043 (Barcode: 602455270504) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1967 - 1970 Released: 2023 This is the 126th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2023. It is called the “lost album” sequel to the "Hot RatsFind albums with this title" album and it presents mostly unreleased compositions and jams, recorded almost entirely at the Record Plant studio in 1970, with a few exceptions recorded earlier in 1967. The 3CD album offers a total of twenty-five tracks. The Record Plant recordings feature the following lineup: Zappa on guitar and vocals, violinist / vocalist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist, keyboardist / saxophonist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Max BennettFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. The music has a distinct jam session feel, with extensive instrumental improvisations, especially those by Harris, which are definitely some of his finest work ever caught on tape, great keyboard parts by Underwood and featuring some blood-curdling Zappa guitar solos. The rhythm section is Funky all the way through and offers perfect support to the soloists. The quality of the recording and sound are perfect and absolutely nothing stands between the music and the listener to enjoy a fury and orgy of the Zappa phenomenon. As usual, every note played by Zappa and his ensemble is perfectly unique and these tracks are an integral part of his heritage. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance. These early Jazz-Rock Fusion recordings are a perfect example of the emerging idiom and are brilliantly executed by the ensemble. Considering that all this happened over fifty years ago clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius.

Updated: 24/07/2023Posted: 24/07/2023

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ FZ:OZ VAULTERNATIVE 20021 (Barcode: 824302002124) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1976 Released: 2002 This is an archival album of live recordings by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded on January 20, 1976 at Hordern Pavillon in Sydney, Australia. The 2CD album includes all the music played during the second show that night, lasting together for almost two hours, all of which was previously unreleased. The album was released in 2002 as one of the series of complete live concerts, which also includes “BuffaloFind albums with this title”, “WazooFind albums with this title”, “Philly `76Find albums with this title”, “Hammersmith OdeonFind albums with this title”, “Carnegie HallFind albums with this title” and “Chicago `78Find albums with this title”. The music was compiled from several sources to reconstruct the show in its entirety. All the music was composed by Zappa. The lineup of the musicians playing in the band, which played this concert consists, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals of course, of saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Andre LewisFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist (a rare quintet only lineup). The repertoire covers past favorites going as far back as the debut album “Freak Out!Find albums with this title” and of course current (at the time) repertoire, including material from the forthcoming “Zoot AlluresFind albums with this title” album. 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 two 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: 23/03/2022Posted: 09/11/2021

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve 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 ~ GUITAR ZAPPA 3876 (Barcode: 824302387627) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1979 - 1984 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 50th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1988. It presents thirty-two tracks recorded live between 1979 and 1984, which are excerpts of Zappa’s guitar solos taken from various compositions, with given names often unrelated to the names of compositions they originate from. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar, includes guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist, Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist and Allan ZavodFind albums by this artist, bassists Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist and drummers Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist and Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The music is an incredible document of Zappa’s Genius both as a guitar player and as a composer, since most of these guitar solos are complete compositions of their own, quite separate from the compositions from which they were derived. Careful listening clearly shows the amazing diversity of Zappa’s guitar techniques and the complexity and multi-layered approach he utilized, which made him the most important guitarist of all times. As usual, despite the incredibly complex music, everything works like a Swiss watch, which of course is hardly surprising to Zappa followers. Overall, this album is another document of Zappa’s superb live performances. His colossal workload during his lifetime produced an amazing variety of musical accomplishments, which scaled everything known about music as well as discovered new and uncharted territories, which at the end of the day made him the greatest musical Genius of the 20th Century. 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: 17/04/2022Posted: 17/04/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HALLOWEEN DTS 01101 (Barcode: 692860110199) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2003 This is the 71st album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2003 in the DVD-A format and offering multichannel 5.1 surround sound mixes. The album presents music recorded during the live shows at the Palladium, NYC in October 1978, including the Halloween show on October 31. The album presents thirteen audio tracks and three bonus tracks, two video and one audio. All the music, except for one track, is by Zappa. The music was recorded by a lineup, which includes Zappa on guitar and vocals and the following musicians: guitarist Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. Additionally, there is a rare appearance of Indian violinist L. ShankarFind albums by this artist on two tracks. The material includes many Zappa’s compositions that were rarely performed by him live and unusual arrangements of other compositions, which makes this album quite special, although of course all Zappa albums are special one way or another. Another DVD-A release of Zappa’s music called “QuAUDIOPHILIAcFind albums with this title” was released in 2004, but thankfully the multichannel formats were abandoned by the Zappa Family Trust in their releases in the years to follow. Overall, although this music is now forty-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 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: 12/01/2023Posted: 12/01/2023

DVD-A 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HALLOWEEN 73 ZAPPA 20031 (Barcode: 824302003121) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2019 This is the 114th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2019. The live album was recorded during the Zappa Halloween shows at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago on October 31, 1973. There are two versions of this album: A Box Set version with 4 CDs, which includes the entire two shows played that day and collection of rehearsal tracks recorded on October 20 and 21, 1973, a total of fifty tracks, and various paraphernalia (a mask and gloves), and a single CD version with highlights from the Box Set version, with seventeen tracks, called the Z version. The lineup that recorded this music includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind 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. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. 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.

Updated: 29/07/2023Posted: 29/07/2023

CD 4 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HALLOWEEN 73 (HIGHLIGHTS) ZAPPA 20031Z (Barcode: 824302003152) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2019 This is the 114th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2019. The live album was recorded during the Zappa Halloween shows at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago on October 31, 1973. There are two versions of this album, a Box Set version with 4 CDs and various paraphernalia and this, the single CD version with highlights from the Box Set version, called the Z version. The lineup that recorded this music includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind 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. The album presents sixteen tracks, taken from both shows played on that date. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. 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.

Updated: 18/08/2022Posted: 18/08/2022

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HALLOWEEN 77 ZAPPA 20027K (Barcode: 824302002759) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1977 Released: 2017 This is the 110th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2017. The live album was recorded during the six Zappa Halloween shows at The Palladium in NYC on October 28 (two shows), October 29 (two shows), October 30 (one show) and October 31, 1977 (one show). There are two versions of this album, a Box Set version with all 6 shows (total of 158 tracks) on USB stick in 24 bit WAV format and various paraphernalia and this, 3CD version with the entire last show and four tracks form the show played a day earlier (total of 32 tracks), called the K version. The lineup that recorded this music includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, vocalist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Adrian BelewFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist and drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist. The music offers some of the absolutely finest instrumental work by the entire ensemble, including signature Zappa’s guitar virtuosic performances. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. Overall, although this music is now over forty-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.

Updated: 07/05/2023Posted: 07/05/2023

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HALLOWEEN 81 ZAPPA 20034 (Barcode: 824302003428) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1981 Released: 2020 This is the 117th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2020. The live album was recorded during the Zappa Halloween shows at The Palladium in NYC on October 31 (two shows) and November 1, 1981 (one show). There are two versions of this album: A Box Set version with 6 CDs, which includes the entire three shows played during the two days, a total of eighty-six tracks, and various paraphernalia (a mask and cape), and a single CD version with highlights from the Box Set version, called the Z version. The lineup that recorded this music includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist and Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. Overall, although this music is now over forty 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.

Updated: 13/09/2023Posted: 13/09/2023

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HALLOWEEN 81 (HIGHLIGHTS) ZAPPA 20034Z (Barcode: 824302003459) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1981 Released: 2020 This is the 117th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2020. The live album was recorded during the Zappa Halloween shows at The Palladium in NYC on October 31 (two shows) and November 1, 1981 (one show). There are two versions of this album, a Box Set version with 6 CDs and various paraphernalia and this, the single CD version with highlights from the Box Set version, called the Z version. The lineup that recorded this music includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist and Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. The album presents fourteen tracks, taken from all three shows played on these dates. The album presents an eclectic amalgam of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Rock and Pop songs, with sarcastic / satirical lyrics dealing with subject matter about many social issues. It is somehow absurd that Zappa’s music became so popular at the time, despite the fact that his bitter criticism of the American society and politics became more and more intense in time, and was never really shared by wide circles of American audiences. One can assume that his lyrics were simply too clever for most people to be understood. Overall, although this music is now over forty 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.

Updated: 01/10/2022Posted: 01/10/2022

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HAMMERSMITH ODEON VAULTERNATIVE 20101 (Barcode: 824302010129) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2010 This is an archival album of the live recordings by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded in January and February of 1978 at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, one of which yours truly had the pleasure to attend. The 3CD album includes a selection of tracks played during these concerts, all of which were previously unreleased. The album was released in 2010, to celebrate Zappa’s 70th Birthday. All the music 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 drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist, bassist Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist, guitarist Adrian BelewFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist and percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist (who played mallet percussion, i.e. vibraphone and similar instruments); a relatively concise septet without a brass section, which represented Zappa’s approach at the time. The repertoire covers past favorites going as far back as “Hot RatsFind albums with this title”, but also new material, which will materialize in the form of the brilliant 1979 “Sheik YerboutiFind albums with this title” album. 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: 23/03/2022Posted: 24/10/2021

CD 3 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HAVE I OFFENDED SOMEONE? ZAPPA 3890 (Barcode: 824302389027) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1973 - 1985 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 67th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released posthumously in 1997. This was the second (sort of) “best of” compilation of Zappa songs, similar in concept to the 1969 “MothermaniaFind albums with this title”, i.e. most of the material was previously released on various albums, but appears here in remixed form, often quite different from the original release. The album presents fifteen songs, all by Zappa, only one of which was previously unreleased. The songs on the album were recorded between 1973 and 1985 and feature dozens of musicians, who played with Zappa in his many different lineups over the years. The album’s title is a rethorical question of course, as the material was chosen from among the most sarcastic, satirical and bitterly mocking songs written by Zappa over time, which obviously offended hordes of politicians, religious fanatics and stupid people in general, i.e. the vast majority of our race. The material emphasizes Zappa’s role as keen observer of human folly and one of the very few Artists, who never eschewed saying whatever they thought was true and should be openly stated. This attitude was of course the reason why Zappa was loathed by mainstream media and the music industry. In retrospect his activism sadly changed absolutely nothing in the long run, with the world getting stupider by the minute. But at least he tried, and for this some of us are eternally grateful to him. Overall, although decades 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, 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: 22/05/2022Posted: 22/05/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HOT RATS ZAPPA 3841 (Barcode: 824302384121) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 Released: 1969 This is a reissue / remaster of the 8th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1969. The music was recorded in the studio during several weeks in 1969 and utilized a Sisyphean multi-tracking and overdubbing process, which can be studied in detail when listening to the 6CD Box Set “The Hot Rats SessionsFind albums with this title” released in 2019. The album presents six tracks, five of which are instrumentals, all composed by Zappa. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar, includes violinists Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist and Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, vocalist Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist (on one track), bassists Max BennettFind albums by this artist and Shuggie OtisFind albums by this artist, drummers John GuerinFind albums by this artist and Paul HumphreyFind albums by this artist and many other musicians adding minor contributions. The album presents a brilliantly innovative Jazz-Rock Fusion, intricate and complex and yet beautifully melodic, which became one of Zappa’s main musical avenues in years to come. It also presents some of his most recognizable compositions, which became trademarks during his concerts. In retrospect, if Zappa had recorded nothing else beyond this album, his musical Genius would have been already recognized in full, but of course this was just a beginning in many respects. The album became in time one of the most iconic recordings in American music. 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: 20/02/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ IMAGINARY DISEASES ZAPPA 20001 (Barcode: 824302000120) ~ USA ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2005 This is the 76th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2005. The album was prepared for release by Zappa before his death from material recorded during the 1972 “Petit Wazoo” tour. The album presents seven original compositions, five of which are lengthy pieces between ten and sixteen minutes in duration, all by Zappa. The music was recorded by a ten-piece band that included Zappa on guitar and vocals, who also conducted the band’s performances, trumpeters Malcolm McNabbFind albums by this artist and Gary BaroneFind albums by this artist, tuba player Tom MaloneFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Earl DumlerFind albums by this artist, trombonists Glen FerrisFind albums by this artist and Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, slide guitarist Tony DuranFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave ParlatoFind albums by this artist and drummer Jim GordonFind albums by this artist. The music reflects Zappa’s interest in Jazz oriented Big Band / Orchestral music, which he recorded for “The Grand WazooFind albums with this title” and other albums at that period. This instrumental music is complex, multi-layered and light-years ahead of its time musically. Since there are no lyrics, the element of satire and social critique are absent on this album, but for enthusiasts of Zappa’s incredible guitar playing there are plenty of delights here. Overall, although five decades 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 early 1970s Jazz / Fusion oriented explorations remain as one of his absolute peak achievements.

Updated: 23/05/2022Posted: 23/05/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JAZZ FROM HELL ZAPPA 3875 (Barcode: 824302387528) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1985 - 1986 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 47th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1986. The album presents eight original instrumental pieces, all by Zappa. It was the final studio album released during Zappa’s lifetime. Zappa won the 1988 Grammy Award for this album in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category, which was of course a bitter revenge by the Music Industry, which Zappa ridiculed and criticized for his entire life. Seven of the pieces on this album were recorded by Zappa alone, using mostly the Synclavier synthesizer, and only one piece is a live recording from 1982 with Zappa on guitar and keyboards and a brilliant lineup of musicians, which included guitarists Steve VaiFind albums by this artist and Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist, drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist and percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist. This album marks the new approach in Zappa’s convoluted musical path and marks a phase when his compositions become almost too complicated to be performed live. Zappa started to use the Synclavier to write his music as early as 1982, and scored several albums with it, with this album being the first also performed entirely on the Synclavier, which was later followed by the posthumously released albums “Civilization Phaze IIIFind albums with this title” and “Feeding The Monkies At Ma MaisonFind albums with this title” also created solely using the Synclavier. Zappa undoubtedly lives in his own Universe, which only partly coexisted and interacted in ours, but when it did, we have been blessed by the exposure to his Genius. As the years progressed, Zappa became even more detached and his music, including his Classical adventures, took him away from the Rock and Fusion fans, who refused to move forward with his creativity. In retrospect, the last period of his life proved to be the most fascinating of course. Overall, although almost thirty-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: 01/12/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JOE`S CAMOUFLAGE VAULTERNATIVE 20132 (Barcode: 824302013229) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2014 This is the 98th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2014. This album is the 5th 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 DomageFind albums with this title” (2004), “Joe`s XMASageFind albums with this title” (2005), and “Joe`s MenageFind albums with this title” (2008) all released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label. The album presents fifteen tracks, all composed by Zappa, recorded in 1975 by a rehearsal lineup which never recorded any official album or played any concerts. It includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Robert CamarenaFind albums by this artist, violist Novi NovogFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist. The material includes some of the regular Zappa repertoire of the time as well as material that appears here exclusively, with great guitar soloing and a strong Fusiony vibe. 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 from day one. 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. This is another piece of the puzzle of the Frank Zappa Genius.

Updated: 13/03/2023Posted: 13/03/2023

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JOE`S CORSAGE VAULTERNATIVE 20041 (Barcode: 824302004128) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1964 - 1966 Released: 2004 This is the 72nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2004. This album is the 1st release in the series of albums compiled by Zappa’s vaultmeister Joe TraversFind albums by this artist, which also includes “Joe`s DomageFind albums with this title” (2004), “Joe`s XMASageFind albums with this title” (2005), “Joe`s MenageFind albums with this title” (2008) and “Joe`s CamouflageFind albums with this title” (2014), all released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label. The album presents twelve tracks, some composed by Zappa and the rest covers, recorded in mid-1960s before the recording of the debut album by The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist “Freak Out!Find albums with this title”. The lineup includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarist Henry VestineFind albums by this artist, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist. The opening and closing tracks are excerpts from Zappa’s interviews and the rest are early versions / demos / live recordings of some the songs which will later appear on the debut album and others that appear only here. 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 from day one. 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. This is another piece of the puzzle of the Frank Zappa Genius.

Updated: 17/03/2023Posted: 17/03/2023

CD 1 Remastered 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 ~ JOE`S GARAGE ACTS 1, 2 & 3 ZAPPA 3861 (Barcode: 824302386125) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1979 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 28th and 29th albums by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1979 as “Joe`s Garage Act 1Find albums with this title” and “Joe`s Garage Acts 2 & 3Find albums with this title” and combined here into one release. The 2CD album presents eighteen studio tracks, which constitute a Rock Opera with the libretto involving a convoluted plot, as appropriate for Zappa’s way of looking at the world. The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist (on Act 1 only) and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, and Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist (on a couple of tracks only) and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. A brass section plays on Act 1 only. The music is absolutely brilliant, as usual, and offers a zany amalgam of Pop, Rock and Fusion, which is completely idiosynchratic and unmistakably Zappaesque. Supported by a brilliant crew, Zappa was able to create a wide sonic palette, which despite its complexity and sophistication, is completely accessible to a wide audience of listeners, with diverse levels of music understanding and appreciation. The libretto tackles the usual themes of Zappa’s criticism of American folly, rotten political system, corrupted organized religion and individual stupidity, which preoccupied him through his entire life. There was no limit to his irony or sarcasm, which sadly, as all prophetic criticism, was largely ineffective in retrospect. But Zappa’s sense of humor and of course the actual folly are still completely relevant today. And of course in comparison to other Rock Operas like “Tommy”, “Bat Out Of Hell” or “The Wall” this is a completely different level of depth. Overall, although over forty 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 remains mostly a mystery and his albums prove time after time that there was only one Frank Zappa, with nobody who could follow his path. 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: 26/12/2021

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JOE`S MENAGE VAULTERNATIVE 20081 (Barcode: 824302008126) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2008 This is the 84th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2008. This album is the 4th 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 DomageFind albums with this title” (2004), “Joe`s XMASageFind albums with this title” (2005) and “Joe`s CamouflageFind albums by this artist” (2014), all released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label. The album presents eight tracks, all composed by Zappa, recorded live by Zappa and his group in 1975 and features a rare appearance of vocalist / saxophonist Norma Jean BellFind albums by this artist, who was a member of this band for a very brief period of time. The other members in this lineup include Zappa on guitar and vocals, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Andre LewisFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist. The music reflects Zappa’s Jazz-Rock Fusion period, which produced some of his most fascinating studio albums, full of great songwriting and exceptional instrumental performances, as well as his razor-sharp satire and critique of the American society, politics, corruption and ideological / religious folly. Several explosive guitar solos are the highlights of this album, as well as the super tight band, which was like an instrument in Zappa’s hands. The sound quality is somewhat less brilliant here, but the source material was painstakingly restored by Travers, and is definitely listenable. Overall, although almost 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: 14/02/2023Posted: 20/07/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JOE`S XMASAGE VAULTERNATIVE 20051 (Barcode: 824302005125) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1962 - 1965 Released: 2005 This is the 75th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2005. This album is the 3rd 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 DomageFind albums with this title” (2004), “Joe’s MenageFind albums by this artist” (2008) and “Joe`s CamouflageFind albums by this artist” (2014), all released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label. The album presents eleven tracks, all composed by Zappa, recorded (most probably) between 1962 and 1965 with most of the participating musicians unidentified. It is a wonderful glimpse at the very early days of Zappa’s career and the music that influenced him at the early days and obviously became part of his musical persona later on. 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 from day one. 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. This is another piece of the puzzle of the Frank Zappa Genius.

Updated: 14/02/2023Posted: 14/02/2023

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 ~ JUST ANOTHER LIVE ALBUM P 910128 (Barcode: 4011778960492) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1976 Released: 1995 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. Although the artwork states the music was recorded live in 1984, it is in fact a rip-off straightforward copy of the “Zappa In New YorkFind albums with this title” live album, recorded in 1976. I decided to write about it now as a tribute to saxophonist Ronnie CuberFind albums by this artist, who was a part of the twelve-piece band playing on this album, who recently passed. For the rest of the lineup see the original album review. This bootleg was released in Germany in 1995, and as strange as it might sound it was a perfectly legal release at the time. Due to strange loops in copyright laws in Germany, Italy and other European countries at the time, live recordings were unprotected and could be released legally as long as the authors / composers copyrights were paid to the local publishing rights society (GEMA in Germany or SIAE in Italy), which turned these countries into massive bootleg manufacturers in the 1990s. The heyday was over when the EU modified and unified the copyright laws by the turn of the Century. Overall, although the music is sublime and the sound quality is very good, this bootleg offers nothing that is not available on official releases and as such is redundant to Zappa collectors, unless we are talking about completists, and as we know there are quite a few of those around.

Updated: 19/10/2022Posted: 19/10/2022

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ LITTLE DOTS ZAPPA 20026 (Barcode: 824302002629) ~ USA ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2016 This is the 109th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2016. The album was prepared for release by Zappa before his death from material recorded during the 1972 “Petit Wazoo” tour and is the second album originating from the same material, following the “Imaginary DiseasesFind albums with this title” album from 2005. The album presents five original compositions, which are lengthy pieces between six and twenty-four minutes in duration, all by Zappa. The music was recorded by a ten-piece band that included Zappa on guitar and vocals, who also conducted the band’s performances, trumpeters Malcolm McNabbFind albums by this artist and Gary BaroneFind albums by this artist, tuba player Tom MaloneFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Earl DumlerFind albums by this artist, trombonists Glen FerrisFind albums by this artist and Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, slide guitarist Tony DuranFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave ParlatoFind albums by this artist and drummer Jim GordonFind albums by this artist. The music reflects Zappa’s interest in Jazz oriented Big Band / Orchestral music, which he recorded for “The Grand WazooFind albums with this title” and other albums at that period. This instrumental music is complex, multi-layered and light-years ahead of its time musically. Since there are no lyrics, the element of satire and social critique are absent on this album, but for enthusiasts of Zappa’s incredible guitar playing there are plenty of delights here. Overall, although five decades 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 early 1970s Jazz / Fusion oriented explorations remain as one of his absolute peak achievements.

Updated: 16/06/2022Posted: 16/06/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA VOL. I & II ZAPPA 3868 (Barcode: 824302386828) ~ USA ~ Classical Recorded: 1983 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 38th and 48th albums by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1983 and 1987, both recorded at the same sessions in January of 1983 with the London Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Kent NaganoFind albums by this artist and expanded with Zappaesque spicing represented by percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist and clarinetist David OckerFind albums by this artist. The first CD presents two two-parts and one three-parts suites and the second CD presents four individual pieces. All the music was composed by Zappa. Other earlier albums by Zappa, which were recorded by orchestras include “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title”, “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” and “Orchestral FavoritesFind albums with this title”. Zappa’s obsession with orchestral music comes to its climax with this album, especially since his status as a “serious” musician is finally recognized by his Classical peers and one of the most prestigious orchestras in the world agreed to record his music. Despite his complete contempt and sheer hatred of musical business and establishment, he could not resist the temptation to “show” them who is really better, which reflects the omnipresent, but often deeply hidden inferiority complex of all non-Classical musicians / composers in relation to the Classical ones. Zappa’s music was always, from day one, as complex, ambitious, innovative, pioneering and Genius, and in most cases more so, than that of his Classical contemporaries, even when performed in the Pop / Rock / Fusion / Jazz environments, but this album is an opportunity to make an “equal ground” comparison, which of course easily proves his authority. For the avid listener, it is recommended to compare those parts of the material, which were previously recorded in different settings. Listeners not familiar with Zappa’s legacy (an unthinkable sin) might think that he is a bona fide Classical composer, as this music sounds as “Classical” as they come, which is again a proof of his Genius. This music is conceived and in fact realized to sound as modern Classical music, which for a person of no academic Classical music education is truly astounding in every respect. Overall, although almost forty 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: 06/04/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ LÄTHER ZAPPA 3893 (Barcode: 824302389324) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1969 - 1977 Released: 2012 This is reissue / remaster of the 65th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 1996. It is probably the album with the most convoluted release history, which reflects Zappa’s complex relationships with record companies and other contractual problems which riddled his career. The music was recorded between 1972 and 1977 but some earlier recording originates from the 1969 “Hot RatsFind albums with this title” sessions. The 3CD album offers a total of twenty-six tracks. This is also undoubtedly the most diverse album as far as stylistic / genre approaches are concerned, with mostly studio but also some live material included herein. The lineups vary between concise Rock formations to Big Bands and even full Symphony Orchestra recordings. The list of the participating musicians spans dozens of names, and includes all the members of Zappa’s groups active in the 1970s. The music offers everything between Blues and Rock influences, parody and comedy, Fusion and Orchestral Jazz, Avant-Garde contemporary Orchestral Music and everything in between, emphasizing Zappa’s complex personality both as a musician / composer / bandleader and social activist. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance. Considering that all this material was conceived and created over fifty years ago, clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius of a unique status, and nothing created in music since his premature departure equals his power of expression and everlasting aesthetic qualities. 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: 27/07/2023Posted: 27/07/2023

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ LUMPY GRAVY ZAPPA 3836 (Barcode: 824302383629) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Classical Recorded: 1967 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 3rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1968. The album presents just two continuous long tracks comprising of short fragments edited together, all composed by Zappa, with all of the material recorded in the studio in 1967 or earlier. This album was the second installment of the “No Commercial Potential” project, which also included the albums “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title”, “Cruising With Ruben & The JetsFind albums with this title” and “Uncle MeatFind albums with this title”. The album was the first Zappa’s solo project and he does not play on it, but rather conducts a large orchestra comprising of almost sixty musicians, which he called Abnuceals Amuukha Electric Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist, and which does not include any members of The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. The album was commissioned and initially released in 1967 by CapitolFind albums on this label Records, despite the fact that Zappa was under contract with VerveFind albums on this label Records, which of course resulted in immediate legal dispute, which led to the Capitol album being withdrawn and re-released by Verve almost a year later in 1968, after Zappa reedited and expanded the orchestral album, adding inserts of spoken word / dialogue and music recorded earlier. The orchestral music was a two-part oratorio, somewhat resembling symphonic musique concrête, which Zappa was interested in, and therefore is the first album on which Zappa demonstrates his interest and passion for Classical Music and large orchestral compositions, which of course would reoccur throughout his career. Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. 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: 10/07/2022Posted: 10/07/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ MAKE A JAZZ NOISE HERE ZAPPA 3883 (Barcode: 824302388327) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 57th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1991. The 2CD album presents twenty-five tracks, which include mostly original songs by Zappa, except for a couple of arrangements of Classical Music pieces by Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and Bela BartokFind albums by this artist, which is relatively a rare event on Zappa’s albums. The music was recorded live during Zappa’s 1988 tour, which was sadly his last. It is one of four live albums recorded during this tour, together with “Broadway The Hard WayFind albums with this title”, “The Best Band You Never Heard In Your LifeFind albums with this title” and “Zappa `88: The Last U.S. ShowFind albums with this title”. The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Mike KeneallyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Paul CarmanFind albums by this artist, Albert WingFind albums by this artist and Kurt McGettrickFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. It reflects Zappa’s love of orchestral arrangements, which of course were meticulously conceived and brilliantly executed by this excellent team. The undertones of a Broadway show, which this album presents, are a pinnacle of Zappa’s mastery and a cruel twist. With passing time, Zappa’s cynicism and radical criticism of American politics, organized religion, show business and general stupidity became more bitter and plain painful at times. His idea to shake his audiences, had sadly little effect, as we can see with the world getting worse and stupider consistently. The absurdity of the beautiful melodic songs crafted by Zappa, which were accompanied by his toxic lyrics is absolutely amazing. However, as we all know, protest songs never managed to make a dent in the way our world is being conducted, especially so in America – Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Pete SeegerFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and eventually Zappa, all failed miserably – a magnificent failure it was indeed! Overall, although over thirty 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: 13/03/2022

CD 2 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 ~ MEETS THE MOTHERS OF PREVENTION ZAPPA 3873 (Barcode: 824302387320) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1981 - 1985 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 44th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally 1985. The music was recorded over several years between 1981 and 1985, realized initially on the Synclavier and later extensively overdubbed in the studio. The album presents ten tracks, all composed by Zappa except one co-credited to Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and another to Johnny Guitar WatsonFind albums by this artist. The lineup that recorded these of tracks includes, in addition to Zappa on Synclavier, guitar and vocals, guitarists Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Johnny Guitar Watson, keyboardists Tommy Mars and Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. Stylistically the album presents the last period of Zappa’s creative period, with his interest in complex contemporary “Classical” compositions, with strong orchestral tendencies, even if performed by Rock instruments. But occasional excursions into Funk, Soul and vaudeville are also present. Of course the subject matter of social critique and ridicule of politics, censorship and other issues are present as vividly and strongly as ever, especially emphasized by the extensive collage of senate debate full of ridiculous statements. Overall, although this music is now forty 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: 10/03/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ MOFO (2CD EDITION) ZAPPA 20005 (Barcode: 824302000526) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1966 Released: 2006 This is the 78th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2006, This album is also the 1st release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Freak Out!Find albums with this title” album originally released in 1966. The Project/Object series also includes the following albums: “The Lumpy MoneyFind albums with this title” (2009), “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 “Freak Out!” album was recorded in March 1966. The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention that recorded the album 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 and guitarist Elliot IngberFind albums by this artist. At least two dozen other musicians took part in the recording adding string and brass section arrangements and other contributions. The recording took just four days, which at the time was considered as “almost unlimited” studio time. This 2CD edition of the “MOFOFind albums with this title” album includes the original stereo mix of the album (fifteen tracks) on CD1 and seventeen bonus tracks on CD2, mostly previously unissued. Seven of the bonus tracks are unique to this release and do not appear on the 4CD edition of the “MOFO” album, which includes more bonus tracks from the recording sessions of the “Freak Out!” album and earlier recordings. 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 1966, for example “RevolverFind albums with this title” by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, “AftermathFind albums with this title” by The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist or “Pet SoundsFind albums with this title” by the Beach BoysFind albums by this artist, and see that already on his debut 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. The album also included a twelve minutes long track with completely Avant-Garde Rock music at the time. 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. 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: 13/01/2025Posted: 14/07/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ MOFO (4CD EDITION) ZAPPA 20004 (Barcode: 824302000427) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1966 Released: 2006 This is the 77th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2006, This album is also the 1st release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Freak Out!Find albums with this title” album originally released in 1966. The Project/Object series also includes the following albums: “The Lumpy MoneyFind albums with this title” (2009), “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 “Freak Out!” album was recorded in March 1966. The lineup of The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist that recorded the album 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 and guitarist Elliot IngberFind albums by this artist. At least two dozen other musicians took part in the recording adding string and brass section arrangements and other contributions. The recording took just four days, which at the time was considered as “almost unlimited” studio time. This 4CD edition of the “MOFOFind albums with this title” album includes the original stereo mix of the album (fifteen tracks) on CD1, nineteen bonus tracks on CD2, fourteen bonus tracks on CD3 and twenty-four bonus tracks on CD4. These bonus track include a plethora of studio outtakes and alternate takes, radio interviews, live performances, and other goodies, which shed light on the atmosphere and circumstances surrounding the recording of the epic debut album. 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 1966, for example “RevolverFind albums with this title” by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, “AftermathFind albums with this title” by The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist or “Pet SoundsFind albums with this title” by the Beach BoysFind albums by this artist, and see that already on his debut 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. The album also included a twelve minutes long track with completely Avant-Garde Rock music at the time. 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. Overall, although almost sixty 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: 13/01/2025Posted: 13/01/2025

CD 4 Box Set 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 ~ MYSTERY DISC ZAPPA 3891 (Barcode: 824302389126) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1962 - 1972 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 68th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 1998. The music was recorded at various locations and studios between 1962 and 1969, except one track recorded in 1972. The tracks included here were originally released on two “Mystery Disc” LPs, which were bonus discs included with reissues of Zappa albums packed into the “Old Masters” Box Sets released between 1985 and 1987. The album presents thirty-five mostly very short tracks, all (except two) composed by Zappa. The accompanying booklet includes Zappa’s explanations about the circumstances in which these tracks were recorded. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the various versions of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which existed during these years. Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist guests on several tracks, and some tracks were recorded before the Mothers were formed. Although obviously highly diverse in sound quality and musical subjects, the album is a fascinating historical glance on the early years of Zappa’s activities. The music is mostly instrumental and shows Zappa as a great Blues and Rock guitarist, easily comparable with the icons of that era and already at that stage completely unique and “cosmic”, as well as an extraordinary composer. Zappa’s zany sense of humor and brilliant compositions are already clearly apparent of course. Overall, although this is just a collection of pretty randomly selected tracks, which have never been released earlier (with some minor overlaps to other albums but in different mixes or edits), it is a wonderful opportunity to hear the early creations of Zappa, which of course fit perfectly to his later years, when his extraordinary talents fully blossomed and he became the world’s most imaginative and creative musician of all times. 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: 25/01/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ONE SHOT DEAL ZAPPA 20007 (Barcode: 824302000724) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 - 1981 Released: 2008 This is the 83rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2008. It is a collection of nine live recordings captured over a period of nine years, between 1972 and 1981, featuring a different lineup on each track, except on two tracks, which were recorded at the same concert, featuring the thirty-seven-piece orchestra, called again (see the “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title” album) Abnuceals Amuukha Electric Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist, which recorded the “Orchestral FavoritesFind albums with this title” album. The music spans a wide range of stylistic inclinations, mostly Jazz-Rock Fusion oriented, which characterized Zappa’s 1970s output, performed by lineups varying in size from a trio to an orchestra, as mentioned above. Zappa’s guitar work is prominently featured as well, emphasizing his total control of the instrument and his highly original phrasing. As already stated repeatedly, every piece of Zappa’s music is an absolute gem, even if the music already appears elsewhere, since every performance is absolutely unique and different, always worth being heard, as this album proves beyond dispute. Although relatively less popular among the many Zappa releases, this album offers some absolutely brilliant music and playing, which do not appear on any other albums. Overall, although fifty to forty 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: 17/07/2022Posted: 17/07/2022

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ONE SIZE FITS ALL ZAPPA 3853 (Barcode: 824302385326) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1975 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 20th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1975. The album presents nine original songs, all by Zappa. Zappa assembled an absolutely brilliant lineup of musicians to record the album, which included keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummer Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist. The vocals were performed by Zappa, Duke and Brock. Guest appearances include Johnny Guitar WatsonFind albums by this artist (vocals), Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist (harmonica) and James YoumanFind albums by this artist (bass on one track). The album includes some of Zappa’s most notable guitar solos. This album marks the new approach in Zappa’s convoluted musical path and marks his passionate affair with Jazz-Rock Fusion, which has its sources some years earlier in “The Hot Rats Sessions”, but came into full bloom and dominated his 1970s output. He managed to combine a very complex music, both harmonically and rhythmically, with a seemingly Rock or even Pop glam, to expand his audiences, without losing an iota of his musical integrity. In retrospect the music on this album sounds a bit “timid” in comparison to the numerous live recordings of the same material, which was often expanded into lengthy improvisations and offered an explosion of energy and spontaneity. Nevertheless, these are the original versions of that gorgeous material, and have not only a nostalgic tinge, but are true Classics in every respect. Overall, although almost 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: 28/11/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES ZAPPA 3860 (Barcode: 824302386026) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2012 This is the reissue / remaster of the 27th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1979. The album presents five instrumental pieces, all composed by Zappa. The music was recorded live during September 17-19, 1975 by the thirty-seven-piece orchestra, called again (see the “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title” album) Abnuceals Amuukha Electric Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist. The recordings were done during two live concerts and one additional day of recording without audience. The music depicts Zappa’s fascination with large orchestral instrumental works and Jazz / Jazz-Rock Fusion influences, that culminated on this album, which is often considered as one of his most important releases. Zappa’s completely unique compositional approach, orchestration and cross-genre scope made him a pioneer of modern music, which is still largely misunderstood and underappreciated. This album is a superb example of his completely groundbreaking compositions and his ability to transport his compositions between genres, which he often did over time. The entire production cost of the recording, a staggering (at the time) sum of US$ 200,000, was entirely covered by Zappa himself, as no record label was ready to invest such sums in music with Avant-Garde orientation. Well, nothing changed in that respect to this very day. Overall, although almost 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: 24/07/2022Posted: 24/07/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ OVER-NITE SENSATION ZAPPA 3850 (Barcode: 824302385029) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 17th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1973. The sessions that produced this album also produced the 1974 album “Apostrophe (`)Find albums with this title”, which was Zappa’s next album. The album presents seven original songs, all by Zappa. Zappa assembled an absolutely brilliant lineup of musicians to record the album, which included French violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Sal MarquezFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummer Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist. The vocals were performed mostly by Zappa with a little help from several singers, including the uncredited appearance by Tina TurnerFind albums by this artist and the IkettesFind albums by this artist. The unique and exemplary guitar parts are of course his. This album marks a new approach in Zappa’s convoluted musical path and marks his passionate affair with Jazz-Rock Fusion, which has its sources some years earlier in "The Hot Rats SessionsFind albums with this title", but came into full bloom starting with album and dominated his 1970s output. He managed to combine a very complex music, both harmonically and rhythmically, with a seemingly Rock or even Pop glam, to expand his audiences, without losing an iota of his musical integrity. In retrospect the music on this album sounds a bit pale in comparison to the numerous live recordings of the same material, which was often expanded into lengthy improvisations and offered an explosion of energy and spontaneity. Nevertheless, these are the original versions of that gorgeous material, and have not only a nostalgic tinge, but are true Classics in every respect. Overall, although almost 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: 20/11/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ OVER-NITE SENSATION (50TH ANNIVERSARY SUPER DELUXE EDITION) ZAPPA 20044 (Barcode: 602455648563) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2023 This is the 127th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2023. As the title suggests, it compiles all the material connected with the iconic “Over-Nite SensationFind albums with this title” album, originally released in 1973, as well as concert recordings from that period. The music was recorded almost entirely at the Bolic Sound and Whitney Studio in 1973, with a few exceptions recorded earlier. The 4CD Box Set offers a total of fifty-four tracks, with over five hours of music. The bonus BD disc offers the original album in various alternate audio formats. The recordings feature the following lineup: Zappa on guitar and vocals, violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Sal MarquezFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummer Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist. Several vocalists appear on selected tracks. CD1 presents the original album (7 tracks), bonus session masters (6 tracks) and bonus vault sensations (3 tracks). CD2 presents more bonus vault sensations (10 tracks) and the first part of the Hollywood Palladium March 23, 1973 concert (3 tracks). CD3 presents the rest of the Hollywood Palladium concert (9 tracks). CD4 presents the Cobo Hall May 12, 1973 concert (16 tracks). The “Over-Nite Sensation” album is one the peaks of Zappa’s career, summarizing his Jazz-Rock Fusion spiced with zany humor period. The instrumental parts are all sensational, with constant twists and turns both harmonically and rhythmically, which characterized Zappa’s approach, reflecting his “out of the box” forward thinking and pioneering / experimental nature, all of which sets him far above most of his contemporaries, and remains absolutely relevant today. This Box Set offers a wealth of material and absolutely nothing stands between the music and the listener to enjoy a fury and orgy of the Zappa phenomenon. As usual, every note played by Zappa and his ensemble is perfectly unique and these tracks are an integral part of his heritage. Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance. These early Jazz-Rock Fusion recordings are a perfect example of the emerging idiom and are brilliantly executed by the ensemble. Considering that all this happened over fifty years ago clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius.

Updated: 30/05/2024Posted: 30/05/2024

4CD+BD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Audiophile Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ PHILLY `76 VAULTERNATIVE 20091 (Barcode: 824302009123) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1976 Released: 2009 This is an archival album of live recordings by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded on October 29, 1976 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia. The 2CD album includes all the music played that night, lasting together for over two hours, all of which was previously unreleased. The album was released in 2009 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”, “Hammersmith OdeonFind albums with this title”, “Carnegie HallFind albums with this title” and “Chicago `78Find albums with this title”. All the music (except one song) was composed by Zappa. The lineup of the musicians playing in the band, which is rarely documented, consists, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals of course, of vocalist / keyboardist Bianca OdinFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Lady BiancaFind albums by this artist), vocalist / rhythm guitarist Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, violinist / keyboardist Eddie JobsonFind albums by this artist, bassist Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist and drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist. The repertoire covers past favorites and of course current (at the time) repertoire, including material from the “Zoot AlluresFind albums with this title” album, as well as some rarities previously unreleased or rarely performed. 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 two 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: 23/03/2022Posted: 14/11/2021

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ PIQUANTIQUE ESSENTIAL / FOO-EEE 963 (Barcode: 5017615516326) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 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 eighth album of the set. The album presents five tracks, four of which were recorded in Stockholm on August 21, 1973 and one tracks was recorded about a month earlier in Sydney. The lineup of the Mothers Of Invention includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummer Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist. The music is some of the most advanced Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion ever played. 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: 13/03/2023Posted: 04/03/2023

CD 1 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 ~ PLAYS THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA: A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE ZAPPA UMRK 02 (Barcode: 824302996126) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1979 Released: 1996 This is the 66th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 1996. It presents what Zappa considered as his “signature” tunes, according to Dweezil ZappaFind albums by this artist, who talked about the subject with his father shortly before his death. The music was recorded between 1974 and 1979 and compares the studio and live versions of three compositions and adds one more tune, which only exists as a live recording, altogether seven tracks of Zappa’s prime compositions and performances. The musicians participating on this album include no less than twenty contributors, who were members of Zappa’s bands in the mid to late 1970s. The list reads like a who’s who of the collective Zappa clan, but Zappa’s guitar playing is the absolute focus of this album, which offers a concentrated dosage of mindboggling guitar madness. Guitar enthusiasts, who are keen to discuss heatedly the genius of their favorite Rock axe players, are sadly mostly unaware of Zappa’s genius. Listening to this album exposes Zappa as a player in his own class, completely outside of any known classification, light-years ahead of anybody else on this planet. Each of his lengthy soli on this album is an interplanetary journey into musical worlds way beyond our galaxy, which makes his legacy as a guitar player no less than a holy relic. Even when Zappa plays a straightforward Blues, his guitar sounds like absolutely nothing else done by hordes of other guitarist over the years. Overall, although over forty 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: 27/09/2022Posted: 27/09/2022

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ PUTTIN` ON THE RITZ GOLD FISH 009 (Barcode: 823564636320) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1981 Released: 2014 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released on CD in 2014. The music was performed at The Ritz in NYC on November 17, 1981 and the recording originates from the WLIR FM radio broadcast. The lineup of the band includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist and Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. The sound quality is surprisingly reasonable in view of the bootleg recording and of course it is an invaluable historic document of Zappa´s live performances.

Updated: 19/10/2022Posted:

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ QUAUDIOPHILIAC DTS 01125 ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1978 Released: 2004 This is the 74th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2004 in DVD-A format. The music was recorded over the entire 1970s decade with various lineups of The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and later groups. Zappa was not only a musical genius but also a pioneer in sound recording technology, as the recordings included here show. Mixed by Zappa originally for the Quadraphonic Sound format in 1970s (which was soon forgotten), these never previously released tracks sound simply breathtaking, utilizing the latest high-resolution remastering and Surround Sound technologies. Even though some of the tracks have been released in different form before, these new mixes are so much different that they sound completely new. No Zappa fan can possible live without this stuff!

Updated: 12/01/2023Posted:

DVD-A 1 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 ~ ROAD TAPES VENUE #2 VAULTERNATIVE 20131 (Barcode: 824302013120) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2013 This is the 96th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2013. This 2CD album was released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label and is the second 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 Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, Finland on August 23 & 24, 1973. The album presents nineteen tracks, all composed by Zappa. The lineup includes, in addition to Zappa, who plays guitar and sings, violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist and drummer Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist. This live material reflects the highly experimental / improvisational character of the music, played by one of the most Jazz oriented lineups of the Mothers. Not surprisingly, most of the music is instrumental. Six of the tracks on this album last for well over ten minutes, and one even over twenty minutes, which emphasizes the role of improvisation in Zappa’s music, which this superb collection of performers was able to execute with a staggering precision and unlimited imagination. This is also the most extensive document of Luc-Ponty’s live performances with Zappa, which of course is sensational. 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: 04/11/2022Posted: 04/11/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ROAD TAPES VENUE #3 VAULTERNATIVE 20161 (Barcode: 824302016121) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2016 This is the 103rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2016. This 2CD album was released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label and is the last 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 Tyrone Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN, USA on July 5, 1970. The album presents twenty-six tracks, all composed by Zappa, except one track by Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist. The lineup includes, in addition to Zappa, who plays guitar and sings, vocalists Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist and Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. This recordings capture one of the first of the (then) new lineup of the Mothers. None of the material included here is included on the “The Mothers 1970Find albums with this title” Box Set released in 2020. 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 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: 03/10/2022Posted: 30/09/2022

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 ~ ROXY BY PROXY ZAPPA 20017 (Barcode: 824302001721) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2014 This is the 99th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2014. The music was recorded live in concert at the Roxy Theatre, Hollywood, on 9 & 10 December 1973 by Zappa and the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. It is a companion release to the albums “Roxy & ElsewhereFind albums with this title”, “Roxy: The MovieFind albums with this title” and finally “The Roxy PerformancesFind albums with this title”. The album presents thirteen tracks, all composed by Zappa. The accompanying booklet includes a lengthy article by Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, describing the circumstances and the music included on the album. 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, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth Underwood, 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. Although most of this music is instrumental, Zappa’s introductions / commentary between the tracks is as zany as always and bitterly sarcastic, and includes one of my favorites: “Perverts help to make normal people look good”. 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.

Updated: 23/01/2022Posted: 23/01/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ROXY: THE MOVIE / ROXY: THE SOUNDTRACK EAGLE VISION 307279 (Barcode: 801213072798) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2015 This is the 102nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2015. It includes the DVD with the movie called “Roxy: The Movie” and the CD with the music from that movie, called “Roxy: The Soundtrack”, which was not sold separately. The movie and the music were captured live in concert at the Roxy Theatre, Hollywood, on 9 & 10 December 1973 by Zappa and the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. It is a companion release to the albums “Roxy & ElsewhereFind albums with this title”, “Roxy By ProxyFind albums with this title” and finally “The Roxy PerformancesFind albums with this title”. The DVD presents seventeen tracks (and three “hidden” bonus tracks), and the CD twelve tracks (due to time limitation), 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, keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind 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. Although most of this music is instrumental, Zappa’s introductions / commentary between the tracks is as zany as always and bitterly sarcastic, and includes one of my favorites: “Perverts help to make normal people look good”. 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.

Updated: 21/10/2022Posted: 21/10/2022

DVD+CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend