Day two of the Mosae Zappa Festival was a blast!
First up were The Yellow Snow Crystals. This german quartet was a very pleasant surprise. The combination of a double bass (or tuba), a trombone, drums and vocals worked out fine.
The band brought Zappa's tunes in a German version, and even small parts in Dutch, plus some excellent instrumentals.
This might not have been everybody's cup of tea, but I liked it. I liked it a lot. The Yellow Snow Crystals brought a jazzy and humorous approach to the music of Frank Zappa. A perfect opener for day two.
The Beefheart Project, as I understood it, was a one-time event, put together by musicians from around Maastricht. This was pure energy. A great guitar player, a fine vocalist, an excellent keyboard player, and a drummer. I did have the impression that the drummer had a hard time keeping up, but then again, who wants to be a drummer in a Beefheart Band...
But still, very impressive!!
I heard at least two people say that they had been unfamiliar by The Captain's music, but that this concert had been an eye-opener.
Closing the festival was Tarentatec. With Tarentatec, you get a band that's used to playing Zappa, Hendrix and The Doors. For Mosae Zappa, the had opted for a Zappa set. This was fun. A fine set of musicians performing Zappa Classics. If it hadn't been that hot, you might even have caught me dancing...
Most memorable event was special guest LiLo on stage with Tarentatec. Swapping licks and playing some great guitar.
In all, Mosae was very impressive.
Lilo was great and I was glad to find out that he's working on a new Zappa Project. The Wrong Object did a fine job and drummer Laurent Delchambre showed everyone what drumming is all about. The Yellow Snow Crystals proved that Zappa, jazz and humour are a perfect combination. The Beefheart Project fitted in perfectly, bringing the raw and bluesy Beefheart Train. And Tarentatec was fun. Big fun.
Thank you Chantal, thank you Tim, thank you Muziekgieterij. I had a great time, and I wasn't the only one.
Spot on Peter! Mosae Zappa was a blast, and you've nailed it with your thoughts on the excellent bands we were treated to. My only quibble is when you describe Tejo Verstappen of The Beefheart Project as "a fine vocalist". That's like calling James Brown "a little funky". Verstappen's growling vocals - so unlike The Captain's and yet so perfect for the material - were one of the major highlights of the night for me. A voice like a shot of whiskey with a rusty nail in it - until Tom Waits does a Beefheart tribute this is the best anyone's going to make The Captain sound now that Don is gone.
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