Record Reviews
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  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ `TIS THE SEASON TO BE JELLY
ESSENTIAL / FOO-EEE 961 (Barcode: 5017615516128) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1967 Released: 1991
This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the sixth album of the set.
The album presents ten tracks (on the European releases, like this one, one track is missing for copyright reasons), which were recorded at Konserthuset in Stockholm on September 30, 1967. The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist. The music is a typical selection of Zappa’s advanced Avant-Garde Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion.
The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.
| | Updated: 22/04/2023Posted: 22/04/2023 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ ABSOLUTELY FREE
ZAPPA 3835 (Barcode: 824302383520) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1966 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 2nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1967. The album presents fifteen original songs, all by Zappa, two of which are bonus tracks not present on the original album and taken from a single also released at the time.
For this album The Mothers were expanded to an octet and included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jim FielderFind albums by this artist (uncredited as he left the band before the album was released), keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist. Ten other musicians took part in the recording adding string and brass section arrangements and other contributions.
In order to fully understand the significance of this album, one would have to take a time travel trip back fifty-five years and compare the Pop / Rock albums that were released in 1967, for example “Sgt. Pepper`s Lonely Hearts Club BandFind albums with this title” by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, “Between The ButtonsFind albums with this title” by The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist or “Smiley SmileFind albums with this title” by the Beach BoysFind albums by this artist, and see that already on his sophomore album Zappa was light-years ahead of the time, writing a brilliant pastiche about the music business and American politics, which was not only hilarious but more importantly shockingly perceptive, whereas his contemporaries (with a few exceptions) were still writing love songs.
Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write Pop songs in any style he wants, with results as god or better than anybody else at the time. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the songs are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.
Zappa, who followed the Jazz scene closely, was of course aware of the Free Jazz scene reaching its peak at this time, and he prophetically tried to move the conceptual musical freedom also into Rock, to which the title of this album obviously hints.
Overall, although over fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 25/03/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ AHEAD OF THEIR TIME
ZAPPA 3887 (Barcode: 824302388723) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1968 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 61st album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1993 (the one before last album released before his untimely demise). The music was recorded live in concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on 28 October 1968 by Zappa and the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. The album presents twenty tracks, all composed by Zappa, divided into two parts, each consisting of ten tracks: part one, entitled “Progress?” features also fourteen members of the BBC Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist and part two is performed by Zappa and the Mothers.
The lineup of the Mothers includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, saxophonists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Art TrippFind albums by this artist and Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist.
The album’s title of course precisely describes Zappa’s musical vision, which was light-years ahead of all his contemporaries. The Avant-Garde piece of music / humor presented in the first part of this album is completely innovative and far beyond anything happening at the time musically, not only on the Rock scene, but in American music in general.
The second part of the concert is a “usual” Mothers performance, which of course is also absolutely brilliant, even though restricted to Rock / Jazz instrumentation. Although not one of the most popular or revered Zappa’s albums, it is, surely in retrospect, still a masterpiece of Avant-Garde music / comedy / satire / social parody and musical genius all mixed together.
Overall, although this music is now almost fifty-five years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 19/01/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ 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 ~ SHUT UP `N PLAY YER GUITAR
ZAPPA 3863 (Barcode: 824302386323) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1977 - 1980 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 31st, 32nd and 33rd albums by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1981 as “Shut Up `N Play Yer GuitarFind albums with this title”, “Shut Up `N Play Yer Guitar Some MoreFind albums with this title” and “Return Of The Son Of Shut Up `N Play Yer GuitarFind albums with this title” and combined here into one release. The 2CD album presents twenty tracks, which are guitar solos taken from original compositions by Zappa, except one track which was co-composed with Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist. The music was mostly captured during live performances between 1977 and 1980, with some of the dates, places and lineups unknown.
The lineups that recorded the music include Zappa on guitar, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist, Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, Steve VaiFind albums by this artist and Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, Eddie JobsonFind albums by this artist and Andre LewisFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist and drummers Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist and Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist.
The music is entirely instrumental and focuses on Zappa’s extraordinary guitar virtuosity, which gets here the full exposure. The tracks testify to his diversity and inventiveness as a guitarist, which often gets lost within the complexity of his music, especially so when it is performed by one of his big ensembles. Although cut off from their “natural” context, the soli form perfectly coherent kaleidoscope of styles, techniques and genres, as well as a collection of performances, which are all Zappa’s idiosynchratic spontaneous creations, totally unlike any other guitar work by any other musician on this planet.
Despite the fact that these are “only” guitar soli, the album is perfectly listenable and these selections are so intense and unadulterated that they require an absolute attention from the listener, who has to overcome the harmonic and rhythmic complexities in order to enjoy this music in full.
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 guitar playing should be a bottomless source of inspiration to all musicians trying to play the guitar, even if they (hopefully) realize that there was only one Frank Zappa.
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: 23/12/2021 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE ARK
RHINO / FOO-EEE 70538 (Barcode: 081227053826) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1969 Released: 1991
This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the second album of the set.
The music was recorded at The Ark in Boston on July 1969 and the lineup of the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Art TrippFind albums by this artist.
The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.
| | Updated: 16/02/2023Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE LUMPY MONEY
ZAPPA 20008 (Barcode: 824302000823) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2009
This is the 85th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2009, This 3CD album is also the 2nd release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title” and “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title” albums originally released in 1967 and 1968. The Project/Object series also includes the following albums: “MOFOFind albums with this title” (2006), “Greasy Love SongsFind albums with this title” (2010), “The Crux Of The BiscuitFind albums with this title” (2016) and “Meat LightFind albums with this title” (2016).
The “Lumpy Gravy” album was recorded in February 1967 by a large orchestra with over fifty participants, which also includes the members of The Mothers Of Invention. The orchestra was conducted by Zappa, who did not play on the album but of course composed all the music. It was the first of Zappa’s albums involving orchestral music.
The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention that recorded the “We`re Only In It For The Money” album between March and October of 1967 includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalists Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist and some other musicians playing on selected tracks.
The music is a brilliant assemblage of anything between Pop and Avant-Garde Rock, with contemporary Classical and Jazz influences, light-years ahead of its time. The complexity of the music is staggering, especially in retrospect, where Zappa’s contemporaries were mostly creating quite simplistic music. As usual in his case it presents a pastiche, but sometimes also a loving tribute, to other songwriters and music genres. Zappa also proves his amazing abilities as a recording studio wizard, creating orchestral effects by enormously time consuming overdubbing of dozens of tracks.
Overall, although fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
| | Updated: 07/06/2022Posted: 05/06/2022 | CD 3 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE MAN FROM UTOPIA
ZAPPA 3866 (Barcode: 824302386620) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1980 - 1982 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 36th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1983. The music was recorded between 1980 and 1982 and combines Zappa’s advanced instrumental explorations and his social satire. The album presents eleven tracks, all composed by Zappa, except for the title track, which is a 1950s Pop song.
The lineup that Zappa put together in the studio to record this music includes, in addition to him playing guitar and keyboards, guitarists Steve VaiFind albums by this artist and Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, vocalists Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist, Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and Jay AndersonFind albums by this artist, drummers Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist and Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist and a few others.
The music is completely eclectic and moves between Pop, Rock, Jazz and anything in between, and features some extravagant musical experiments like Vai copying Zappa’s recitation / singing note for note in a virtuosic guitar extravaganza and other tricks which can only be found on Zappa’s albums.
Although not one of the most popular or revered Zappa’s albums, it is, surely in retrospect, still a masterpiece of comedy / satire / social parody and musical genius all mixed together, including a hilarious parody of Beach Boys surf music and dozens of other gems.
Overall, although this music is now almost 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: 16/01/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ UNCLE MEAT
ZAPPA 3839 (Barcode: 824302383926) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 6th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, originally released as a 2LP album in 1969. The album presents thirty-one original songs, all (except two) by Zappa, with most of the material recorded in the studio but several live performances are also included. This album was the fourth installment of the “No Commercial Potential” project, which also included “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title”, “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title” and “Cruising With Ruben & The JetsFind albums with this title”.
The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Don PrestonFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (still known at the time as Ruth KomanoffFind albums by this artist) woodwinds players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, Art TrippFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist.
The music was initially intended as a soundtrack for a movie of the same title, which was based on a script as zany as the music, mixing Sci-Fi elements and biographical experiences by the band members, which was never actually realized, until released in 1987 as a “making of” documentary, and the expanded CD edition of this album was released. Zappa was always interested in cinematography and he tackled several other movie projects during his career.
Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the music are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.
Ironically, despite the album’s Avant-Garde nature, it was exceptionally well received at the time of its release and even charted on the album list. This could have only happened in 1969, when the last evidence of Human intelligence was still present on earth.
Overall, although over fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 03/04/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ WE`RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY
ZAPPA 3837 (Barcode: 824302383728) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 4th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1968. The music was recorded at several studios during 1967 and Zappa considered this album as part of an organic music stream, which also includes also the albums “Lumpy GravyFind albums with this title”, “Cruising With Ruben & The JetsFind albums with this title” and “Uncle MeatFind albums with this title”, collectively known as the "No Commercial Potential" project. The album presents nineteen tracks, all composed by Zappa.
The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the then current version of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which comprises of vocalists / bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, drummers Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Billy MundiFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist and many other people adding minor contributions
The album presents a comic / bitterly satirical view of American politics (both left and right wing), society and music business. The album’s cover, which of course is a parody of The BeatlesFind albums by this artist “Sgt. Pepper`s Lonely Heart Club BandFind albums with this title” album cover as well as the album’s title, which coined a catchphrase still bitterly actual today, are all manifestation of Zappa’s view of our world, which remains sadly somewhat naïve in comparison to what we experience today.
Musically the album is a zany amalgam of Pop, Rock Psychedelia, Contemporary Classical Music and Avant-Garde Rock, with spoken word collages and beautiful melodies here in there, completely Zappaesque and incomparable to anything done at the time and since. Zappa applied unprecedented studio trickery, so advanced that it’s considered a wizardry, even with today computerized studio technology.
Overall, although this music is now over fifty-five years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 18/02/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH
ZAPPA 3843 (Barcode: 824302384329) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1967 - 1969 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 10th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1970. The music was recorded at various live and studio locations between 1967 and 1969. The album presents eleven tracks, all (except one) composed by Zappa.
The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the expanded version of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which includes a brass section: pianist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, woodwind players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Buzz GardnerFind albums by this artist, violinist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist and several others.
The music is mostly instrumental and includes many references to Avant-Garde Jazz (Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist) and Classical Music (Claude DebussyFind albums by this artist, Charles IvesFind albums by this artist and Luciano BerioFind albums by this artist) and features Jazzy improvisations similar to Free Jazz, and has a Jazz-Rock Fusion ambience, which was already very prominent on the earlier albums “Hot RatsFind albums with this title” and “Burnt Weeny SandwichFind albums with this title”. Only one track is Zappa’s arrangements of a Pop song, full of his usual zany humor.
Overall, although this music is now over fifty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 04/02/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ WHISKY A GO GO, 1968
ZAPPA 20045 (Barcode: 602458671568) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1968 Released: 2024
This is the 128th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2024. As the title suggests, it compiles all the material recorded live with his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist at the iconic LA club Whisky A Go Go on July 23, 1968. The 3CD album offers almost three hours of music (32 tracks), carefully re-mixed and restored, and a couple of bonus vintage mixes. Most of the music is previously unissued, except a few tracks / fragments that “sneaked in” on other Zappa albums.
The recordings feature the following lineup: Zappa on guitar and vocals, vocalist Ray CollinsFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and drummers Art TrippFind albums by this artist and Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Kim FowleyFind albums by this artist guests on four tracks and the all-girl group GTOsFind albums by this artist guest on one tracks.
The music is absolutely sensational and shows Zappa’s untamed brilliance at its wildest, incorporating anything between Free Rock Improvisation to Doo-wop, spaced with unadulterated humor and pure musical Genius. The entire show is an orgy of musical ideas and sparks with the pleasure of performing, unabridged by conventions and pseudo-ethical rules.
Although Zappa obviously developed over time as a composer and musician, changing his focus and stylistic preferences on the fly, these early recordings already clearly exemplify his out of the box musical attitude and openness, as well as moral and social ideology, which always steered his career and made him such a fascinating figure.
Overall, this is an absolutely essential piece of the Frank Zappa legacy and a fitting tribute to his brilliance. These early Avant-Garde Rock recordings are a perfect example of the emerging idiom and are brilliantly executed by the ensemble. Considering that all this happened over fifty-five years ago clearly proves that Zappa was a visionary / prophetic Genius.
| | Updated: 26/09/2024Posted: 26/09/2024 | CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ ZAPPA `75: ZAGREB / LJUBLJANA
ZAPPA 20040 (Barcode: 602448169624) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2020
This is the 123rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2022. The album was recorded live on November 21 & 22, 1975 in ex-Yugoslavia during Zappa’s only visit behind the Iron Curtain. The 2CD album presents twenty-seven tracks, all composed by Zappa.
The lineup of the musicians that recorded the album includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, saxophonists Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist and Norma BellFind 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. This was the last tour on which Zappa used the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist moniker and this is the only (so far) release which features the short-lived lineup featuring Norma Bell, except for one track included on this album, which was previously released on “Plays The Music Of Frank ZappaFind albums with this title” from 1996.
The electrified atmosphere and reception by the East European audience influenced the musicians to give some amazing performances and especially so by Zappa himself, who offers some of his most impressive guitar playing here. There is also the usual portion of Zappa’s zany humor and critique, which obviously is somewhat limited by the language barrier, with Zappa trying his outmost to explain his ideas to the natives, which is brilliantly hilarious.
Despite the minimal lineup and obvious equipment limitations present behind the Iron Curtain at the time, the music is fabulous. The sound is somewhat murky, but considering the fact that we can listen to this material at all is a miracle.
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: 03/11/2022Posted: 03/11/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ ZOOT ALLURES
ZAPPA 3855 (Barcode: 824302385524) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1973 - 1976 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 22nd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1976. The music was recorded mostly in the studio in 1976 except for a couple of tracks originating from earlier sessions and one track was recorded live. The album presents nine tracks, all composed by Zappa except one co-composed with Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist.
The lineup that recorded most of the of tracks includes, in addition to Zappa on guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals, drummer Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, bassist / vocalist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and harmonica player Captain BeefheartFind albums by this artist. The live track features also keyboardist Andre LewisFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist. The two earlier tracks feature brass players: saxophonist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Sal MarquezFind albums by this artist.
The album includes several tracks, which would become Zappa’s signature pieces in the following years. Some of the music recorded during the sessions for this album and not included on it were about to resurface of the “Sleep DirtFind albums with this title” album.
Stylistically the album is significantly different from the series of Jazz-Rock Fusion albums that preceded it, and presents a caricature of such diverse musical styles as Heavy Metal and Disco, which dominated the scene at the time. The sarcastic lyrics are sharp and cynical as usual, with a tendency towards absurd and ridicule.
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.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 04/03/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
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