Record Reviews

DON ELLIS ~ SOARING MPS 4029759119777 (Barcode: 4029759119777) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1973 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of the first of two albums for the MPSFind albums on this label label by American trumpeter / composer / bandleader Don EllisFind albums by this artist, recorded with a twenty-two musicians lineup, which was somewhere between a Big Band and an Orchestra, including a string quartet. The Bulgarian keyboards wizard Milcho LevievFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Sam FalzoneFind albums by this artist and drummer Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist are among the better known names among the Orchestra members. The album presents eight compositions, four of which are by Ellis, one each by Leviev and Falzone, another one by the great Czech composer Alexej FriedFind albums by this artist and finally the first recording of the now famous "Whiplash" by Hank LevyFind albums by this artist, who composed many of his innovative works especially for Ellis´ bands. The music is absolutely stunning and completely different form the American Big Band tradition, which often leads to calling Ellis the most European of all American musicians / composers. His aesthetic approach to Jazz and to the Big Band / Orchestra idiom was ground-breaking and daring, and included a wide use of odd meters, World Music elements, non-conventional arrangements and many elements which are still fascinating today. In retrospect it was probably the reason why his success in the US was rather limited. The band was one of the top Big Bands at the time, consisting of exceptional, mostly young players, with total dedication to the music and their leader, which produced a unique sound and feel like no other Big Band in the history of Jazz. This is definitely a milestone recording, which should be a part of every decent Jazz collection, especially as far as connoisseurs of Big Band / Orchestral Jazz are concerned. As usual for MPS standards, the sound quality is truly sublime, with every instrument in the band clearly audible, in spite of the difficulties in recording a highly dynamic music. This is of course timeless music, which lost absolutely nothing of its vitality and aesthetic value over time. Essential listening! 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: 28/05/2018Posted: 25/02/2018

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE CRUX OF THE BISCUIT ZAPPA 20020 (Barcode: 824302002025) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2016 This is the 104th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2016, This album is also the 4th release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Apostrophe (`)Find albums with this title” album originally released in 1974. 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 “Meat LightFind albums with this title” (2016). The lineup that recorded this music between May of 1972 and June 1973 includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, 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. The album presents fifteen tracks, which are alternate takes, outtakes, mix outtakes and other previously unreleased gems from these sessions. 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: 03/10/2022Posted: 16/08/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE ROXY PERFORMANCES ZAPPA 20028 (Barcode: 824302002827) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2018 This incredible Box Set presents all the music recorded by Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his group MothersFind albums by this artist between December 8th and December 12th 1973, which includes the four shows at the Roxy Theater on Sunset Strip, West Hollywood on December 9th and 10th (two shows daily), the Roxy Theater rehearsals on December 8th and 12th, the Bolic Sound studio recording from December 12th and one previously unreleased track, altogether about eight hours of pure unadulterated Zappa Genius. Parts of these recordings were released, some of them overdubbed, on the "Roxy & ElsewhereFind albums with this title" double LP album and later on the "You Can`t Do That On Stage AnymoreFind albums with this title" series of albums and the "Roxy By ProxyFind albums with this title" album, but this Box Set is the only compilation of the entire proceedings in their original form. The Mothers featured on these tracks were: keyboardist George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist and drummers Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist and Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist; a hyper talented, highly experienced and superbly collegial bunch of musicians, who under Zappa´s leadership were practically capable of playing anything, including the most unearthly and bizarre inventions that Zappa managed to come up with. The music, or rather the phenomenon, which these recordings document, is beyond any classification and spans such diverse genres as Jazz, Fusion, Rock, Classical Music, Cabaret, Vaudeville, Circus Music, Pop and basically every form of music known to man, all this thanks to Zappa´s completely original approach to music creating, which a priori avoided any classifications or limitations and led to Cultural cross-pollination never before or after achieved in music by anybody else. Although the Mothers present herein were quite Jazz oriented, with excellent improvisational skills, the music pushed them well beyond the Jazz tradition, employing a plethora of compositional tools, which were mostly Zappa´s inventions. Of all American composers / musicians Zappa always was the most non-American one, with aesthetics much closer to the European music spheres, which exploded with new ideas right about the time when American Jazz froze following the Free Jazz / Improvised Music apogee, which terminated with the death of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. Zappa, who was quite aware of the developments in American Jazz, did not follow the Free path, in fact he chose the complete opposite direction and his music, which became in time ever more complex, was in fact ever more organized and composed. Zappa found his expression of Freedom in the complexity of his music, parallel to his outspoken anti-American views about political / social / cultural hypocrisy, which he loved to mock, criticize and hate. Although this Box Set includes several versions of the same tunes, the comparison of these tunes is a highly educational exercise, which proves the amount of spontaneity, inventiveness and instant composition that goes on during these performances. Not only are the individual solos different, bit often the entire approach to the music changes on the fly, which of course was one of the Zappa trademarks. As a result the eight hours of music do not become repetitious or tiresome at any time and often the listener might have the impression of listening to several different albums one after another. As time passes by and the date this music was made goes further back in time (almost 45 years before these words are being written), it becomes painfully obvious that music of that intensity, artistry and sophistication is not being made any more, which is actually pretty depressing. Zappa was surely the last great Artist to come up from the decaying American Culture (is there any Culture left there any more?) and his contributions, which this Box Set superbly represents, are all Cultural Treasures, which some people still cherish, even in the US of A. An interesting question that arises as a result of this beautiful trip back in time is how much if at all Zappa and his music influenced future generations? I have been often wandering about that and I hope someone, who truly understands music, writes a thesis about this. Personally I think that Zappa was simply living and making music way ahead of his time and most of the mankind has not arrived yet at a time frame when his music can be properly understood, and perhaps never will? One thing is sure, like all music Geniuses, Zappa was definitely an Alien. So if you really love music, take a day off, put theses seven CDs on one after another and have a Zappa Day!

Updated: 23/01/2022Posted: 19/05/2018

CD 7 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

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

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

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend