Wednesday, August 31, 2011

ALESSANDRO CARBONARE & AKI KURODA PLAY ZAPPA




-- Stef Vanstiphout (on Facebook)

MATS ÖBERG UPDATE

BEFIVE, the new group with Bengt Ernryd, Jonas Knutsson, Mats Öberg, Christian Spering and Bengt Berger will play three concerts in Stockholm in september: At 'Fasching' on september 1 and at 'Glenn Miller' on september 13 & 14.

The concerts will be recorded for a future album release.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

ANOTHER ATTACK BY THE ZAPPA FAMILY TRUST

The Zappa Family Trust is going to court again.
Again, the Arf Society and the Zappanale festival are the target.
I don't understand why Gail Zappa is attacking the Arf Society and the Zappanale festival.
The Arf Society and the Zappanale festival celebrate the music of Frank Zappa.
WTF is wrong with that?



PRESSEMITTEILUNG

ZAPPA Family Trust, vertreten durch Gail Zappa ./. Arf-Society e.V. u.a.
The Torture never stops! – Zappanale goes BGH

Kaum ist die Zappanale vorbei, holt uns das “normale” Leben wieder ein. Soeben erreichte uns die Nachricht, dass der I. Zivilsenat des Bundesgerichtshofs am 17. August 2011 folgenden Beschluss gefasst hat:

Auf die Nichtzulassungsbeschwerde des Klägers wird die Revision gegen das Urteil des 20. Zivilsenats des Oberlandesgerichts Düsseldorf vom 15. Juni 2010 zugelassen.

Von einer Begründung wird gemäß § 544 Abs. 4 Satz 2, 2. Halbsatz ZPO abgesehen.

Wieder muss Energie für einen unsinnigen Streit verschwendet werden der schon längst aus der Welt geschafft sein könnte, wenn Gail Zappa sich auch nur einmal den Fans öffnen würde.

Wir werden weiter für den Erhalt der Zappanale kämpfen!
Wir wissen, dass wir uns nichts vorzuwerfen haben!
Wir bitten Euch uns treu zu bleiben und uns zu unterstützen!

Music is the best!

Thomas Dippel
President Arf-Society e.V.

SUN RA ARKESTRA AT DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011 09 03

The Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen has returned from the Field Day Festival in London and will be appearing Saturday, September 3, 2011 at the Detroit Jazz Festival, Detroit, MI. The Arkestra will perform 7:00 - 8:15 pm at the Ampitheatre Stage adjacent to Hart Plaza in Downtown Detroit. This show is free to the public.
Additional information about the Detroit Jazz Festival can be found at:

http://www.detroitjazzfest.com/index.html


Sunday, August 28, 2011

CHICK COREA AND ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA

"Chick comes out for a song with Dweezil Zappa 8-26-11 at the Midland theater in KC"

Friday, August 26, 2011

TRANSPARENCY UPDATE

Word just reached me that the Transparency label will be having six new releases out between now and the middle of September.

The best news is that Sun Ra's "The Eternal Myth"-box will arrive in the pressing plant next week.
The other new albums are by Alessandra Celletti, Helios Creed, a reissue of the Los Angeles Free Music Society's "Blorp Esette" 4-CD set (with Don Van Vliet artwork) and two albums with Lane Steinberg.

GRYPHON LABS

Gryphon Labs is a project of bassist / composer Pete Griffin.

Pete has performed and recorded with Zappa Plays Zappa, Hanson and Edgar Winter, and started with Gryphon Labs around 2007.
He recruited fellow Zappa Plays Zappa members Joe Travers and Jamie Kime and began recording with producer Roger Cole.

The band has been performing regularly in the Los Angeles area with the core band of Griffin, Travers, and Kime, with guest appearances from Paul Barrere as well as Scheila Gonzalez and Aaron Arntz.

At this moment, Gryphon Labs consists of:


  • Pete Griffin: bass

  • Joe Travers: drums

  • Jamie Kime: guitar

  • Chris Norton: keys

  • Rick Mussallam: guitar

http://www.gryphonlabs.org/


So far, Gryphon Labs has released three albums: "The Blinded EP" (2008), "Modern Mythology" (2010), and the very recent "The Red Room" (2011).

"The Red Room" is available as a free download from http://www.gryphonlabs.org/, and you should really check this out.


THE ZAPPANALE REPORT - PART 3

Every year, the Zappanale festival takes its start in the center of Bad Doberan. The Kamptheater is the town's theater and during the first days of the festival, it's the place for lectures, movies and concerts.
The Kamptheater also is a pub / restaurant, so it's the perfect place for people to meet.

When you get outside of the Kamptheater, you see the little town's park, and that's where the Truckstage is located.

Imagine a truck of which one side has been folded. This enables everyone to see the inside of the truck. And it's this part that has been turned into a stage. Hence, truckstage.

Wednesday afternoon, 2011/08/17, the first band went on the truckstage at the Kamptheater. German band Killmenoc.
The played for something between 50 and 100 people and did a good job.
The band's website will give you an idea of what Killmenoc sounds like:
www.killmenoc.de
I liked it.


Thursday, August 25, 2011

VARIOUS ARTISTS - ZAPPANALE #22




"Zappanale #22" was the promotional sampler for the latest Zappanale festival. It was a present for the people that bought their ticket well in advance.
'The early bird gets the CD', as they say over here.

The disc totals 19 tracks and presents most of the participating bands.
There's some familiar songs, but also some fine surprises.

This little "Zappanale #22" album was the perfect invitation for the festival. Listening to it one week after the festival is like browsing through a photo-album (or some YouTube movies if you like).

Excellent.
And it includes some fine versions of well-known Zappa tunes as well.

ENSEMBLE AMBROSIUS - ZAPPA SPIELT FÜR BACH




The last couple of years, the Zappanale festival opened with a concert at the St Katherinen church in Hamburg, Germany. The organ (once played by J.S.Bach) is being restored, and the J.S.Bach Society and the Arf Society combined their forces to produce some fine Zappa related concerts.
Previous concerts included german band Sheik Yerbouti, and U.S. band Bogus Pomp, but that couldn't prepare us for the fabulous concert that took place last year when the Ensemble Ambrosius took the stage.


It can't get any better then this.
Zappa music, played by top musicians on baroque instruments in a fitting environment.


This is top.
Essential listening.


If you were there, I'm pretty convinced that you'll want this on a little silver disc. If you weren't there, this is the perfect opportunity to get a top performance of Zappa music.
Napoleon Murphy Brock guests on a couple of tracks. Perfect.

THE ZAPPANALE REPORT - PART 2

OK, so where was I?
Ah, yes, my first day in Bad Doberan.

Well, I should probably start with two things that happened even earlier:
- The SJS Stiftung released last year's Zappanale opening concert on CD: the Ensemble Ambrosius Hamburg concert,
- and then there's also the Zappanale sampler CD, introducing the bands that were to play at Zappanale.

Here's what the Ensemble Ambrosius concert looked like live:
(thanks to Till for the video footage)

MIKE KENEALLY / BRYAN BELLER ON TOUR IN OCTOBER

The Mike Keneally Band and the Bryan Beller Band will be touring the u.s. west coast in october.

October 2011 West Coast Tour

Mike Keneally: guitar, keys, vocals
Rick Musallam: guitar
Griff Peters: guitar
Bryan Beller: bass
Joe Travers: drums


  • 2011/10/12 concert ‘Don Quixote's International Music Hall’, Felton, CA, usa

  • 2011/10/13 concert ‘Biscuits & Blues’, San Francisco, CA, usa

  • 2011/10/14 concert ‘Music Max’, Palo Cedro (Redding), CA, usa

  • 2011/10/15 concert ‘Humbrew's’, Arcata, CA, usa

  • 2011/10/17 concert ‘Mt. Tabor Pub’, Portland, OR, usa

  • 2011/10/18 concert ‘The Rendezvous’, Seattle, WA, usa

  • 2011/10/21 concert ‘Winstons’, San Diego (Ocean Beach), CA, usa

  • 2011/10/22 concert ‘The Baked Potato’, Studio City, CA, usa

  • 2011/10/23 concert ‘The Lark Barn’, Anaheim, CA, usa

PROJECT/OBJECT IN LONDON

The day before yesterday, Project/Object performed in London.

André Cholmondeley: guitar and vocals
David Johnsen: bass and vocals
Eric Svalgard: keyboards and vocals
Ryan Berg: drums
with
Ike Willis: guitar and vocals
Ray White: guitar and vocals

  • 2011/08/23 concert 'The Half Moon', London, UK
    Filthy Habits, Can't Afford No Shoes, The Three Yorkshiremen Sketch, Montana, Big Swifty, Crew Slut, From the Begining (part) (ELP), The Idiot Bastard Son, Keep it Greasy, Outside Now, zappacheers dave, Cosmik Debris, Andy, Inca Roads, Apostrophe, Flakes, Pound for a Brown on a Bus, Peaches En Regalia, City of Tiny Lites

For those of you who like this sort of thing, there's an audience recording of the gig up at the Zappateers website.

http://www.zappateers.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=21963

THE ZAPPANALE REPORT - PART 1

The previous years, the Zappanale festivities had started with a concert in Hamburg. This not only resulted in some fine concerts, but also in some impressive releases: Bogus Pomp, Sheik Yerbouti, ...

Zappanale #22 had no Hamburg leg this year, so the party started on Wednesday in Bad Doberan.
For me, that meant meeting up with lots of nice people, visiting the expo, checking in, and getting ready for the first concerts.

Some of the people that I talked to were a bit worried about the program because it looked like there wasn't as much Zappa music and bands scheduled as in the previous years. In my opinion, the line-up looked good and I would prefer bands like Doctor Nerve, Jono El Grande and Chris Opperman to almost any Zappa coverband anytime.

Here's a picture of the program booklet. 60 pages with time schedules and info on all of the participating musicians.


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

DWALMACAT 437

Go to
http://www.fmbrussel.be/programmas/dwalmacat.aspx
and click on “Luister”
to enjoy


  • HERB ALPERT – Rotation

  • ANDY GIORBINO – Made in Japan

  • QUINTRON – Meet me at the club house

  • CARLOS PERON & ISA NAGORA – Et

  • THE MORPIONS – Point blank

  • ANDRE BRASSEUR – Holiday

  • THE JOKERS – Tabou

  • ELVIS PRESLEY – Fever

  • JAC BERROCAL – Rock ‘n roll station

  • GONJASUFI – Dedn’d (remix Broadcast & the Focusgroup)

  • KAMIEL KAFKA – Twee gekken

  • SUPERELVIS – Mujer Joven

  • NASH THE SLASH – Dead man’s curve

  • SAMMY DAVIS JUNIOR & BUDDY RICH – Come back to me

  • BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE – Constant fear

  • NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – The moon is in the gutter

  • KINGDOM SCUM – The science of superstition

  • GRUPPO SPORTIVO – Sleeping bag

  • CERRONE - Supernature

MORE AKA MOON

There's nothing like listening to a fine album on a rainy day.

Listening = Headphones on & typing the data for the United Mutations Archives.

Today I added two more Aka Moon albums. The first one is "Invisible Sun" which has Fabian Fiorini (piano) listed as the fourth member of Aka Moon, plus a lot of guests.
The second one is "Live At The Kaai", 'The Kaai' being a club in Brussels. Beautiful.
Both are about ten years old, but sound as if they were recorded yesterday.
Or tomorrow.




TOM FOWLER HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT

Bass player and composer Tom Fowler has a new album out. You should know Tom as the bass player in Zappa's Mothers on albums such as "Apostrophe" or "Roxy & Elsewhere", but he has also worked with The Grandmothers and with The Band From Utopia, to name just two Zappa-related bands.
The new album is entitled "Let's Start Over" and will (probably) be distributed by Muffin Record Productions.
The album is also available as download from all of the major outlets like iTunes and such. You can listen to some snippets over there as well.
Smooth jazz, and featuring Walt Fowler and Mike Miller.
More info soon.


SWEATY KNOCKERS

I told you that signing up for the Aristocrats' newsletter would get you a free download track from the new album.
Well, the track in question is called 'Sweaty Knockers' and it sounds great.

So give it a go.
http://the-aristocrats-band.com

MOSAE ZAPPA REVISITED

Over at the Zappateers website (www.zappateers.com), audience recordings of the various Mosae Zappa concerts have been made available. Some of these were up before, but had disappeared after the attack from about a month ago.
Check them out.
- LiLo
- The Wrong Object
- The Yellow Snow Crystals
- The Beefheart Project
- Tarentatec

THE ARISTOCRATS

In his latest newsletter, Bryan Beller says:

"The Aristocrats (Guthrie Govan, Marco Minnemann and me) have our debut album coming out on September 13. To celebrate, we are giving away a free download of a complete song - one that I wrote, incidentally - to anyone who wants it!"

All you have to do, is sign up for the Aristocrats newsletter.

http://the-aristocrats-band.com/news/














Tuesday, August 23, 2011

T.C.BOYLE

Frank Zappa is being mentioned in this fine ARTE documentary on T.C. Boyle, as a collegue professor calls T.C. Boyle 'The Frank Zappa of literature'.

The documentary has been put up on YouTube. Here's part one (of five):



-- info & link: Harald H.


THE MUFFIN MEN IN CONCERT IN LIVERPOOL ON THE 28TH OF AUGUST

The Muffin Men
in concert
at 'The Abbey'
in Liverpool
on 2011/08/28
starts at 21.00 h

PROJECT/OBJECT WITH IKE WILLIS AND RAY WHITE IN CONCERT IN LONDON TONIGHT

It kicks off at 20.30 h.
Saw them in Bad Doberan, and they were great !

Check them out if you're in the neighbourhood.
It's their only UK gig.

The Half Moon, Putney
93 Lower Richmond Rd
London, United Kingdom

KIMONO DRAGGIN' NEWSFLASH

Kimono Draggin' rocked the stage of Zappanale #18. Those who were there will surely remember this.

Recently, Spaynsive Productions released a split 7" that features Bobbie Peru and Kimono Draggin'.

http://www.kimonomusic.com/

ZAPPANALE ON ROSTOCK TV

I don't know how long that this will stay up, but the 'Monday' page of Rostock TV has a snippet on Zappanale.

http://www.tvrostock.de/de/startseite/montag

-- info: Torsten Starke (on FaceBook)

ZAPPANALE #22

Zappanale was great.

Let me rephrase that.
Zappanale was GREAT!
Saw some great concerts, hooked up with friends & found some fine releases.
And, for me, that's what Zappanale is all about.

I'll be happy to share some of my thoughts and memories with you the next couple of days.

-- to be continued --

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

ZAPPANALE * * * THE PROGRAM

Program Zappanale #22

Information is not knowledge!
(subject to modifications - www.zappanale.de)

The festival ground is open from Friday 8.00 p.m. until Monday 1.00 a.m.


Extra Event
Zappanale #22 Exhibition: Lothar Taube, Helmut King, Carlos Zerpa


Wednesday August 17, 2011 - Kamp

05:00 p.m. Killmenoc
06:30 p.m. Oozing Goo
07:30 p.m. SoundSchleuder
08:00 p.m. Hot Fur

Cinema
09:00 p.m. Film The Face of Don - a tribute to Captain Beefheart


Thursday August 18, 2011 - Kamp

04:00 p.m. ZAPPNOISE
05:00 p.m. Evil Dick
06:00 p.m. SoundSchleuder
06:30 p.m. Tonlast - Film The Face of Don - a tribute to Captain Beefheart
08:45 p.m. Die Reise

Cinema
07:00 p.m. Jörg Wulf - Film The sickness never stops - Part II
07:45 p.m. Co de Kloet und Gary Lucas: I Have A Cat


Friday August 19, 2011 - Kamp (Cinema)

01:00 p.m. Jim Cohen

Festival grounds- Main Stage

01:00 p.m. Terence Hansen
03:15 p.m. The Yellow Snow Crystals
05:00 p.m. Doctor Nerve
07:30 p.m. Essra Mohawk - Sandro Oliva
09:45 p.m. Project/Object feat. Ike Willis / Ray White
00:00 a.m. Hot Fur

Truck Stage

12:15 p.m. Panama Picture
02:30 p.m. Satyre
04:30 p.m. SoundSchleuder
06:30 p.m. Ben Watson Quiz
09:00 p.m. Tante Tofu
11:15 p.m. Glasscage

Saturday August 20, 2011 - Festival grounds

Main Stage

12:30 p.m. The Vegetarians
02:15 p.m. Jono El Grande
04:15 p.m. FIDO plays Zappa
06:30 p.m. Colosseum
09:15 p.m. Raoul Petite
00:15 a.m. Lazuli

Truck Stage

12:15 p.m. Bob & Ben Show (Green Tent)
03:30 p.m. Tante Tofu
05:45 p.m. Doctor Nerve
08.30 p.m. Ellenschneider
11:30 p.m. Die Reise
02:00 Session


Sunday August 21, 2011 - Festival grounds

Main Stage

11:30 a.m. Gary Lucas
12:00 a.m. Evil Dick
02:00 p.m. The Plastic People of the Universe
04:00 p.m. Jazzhunde feat. Chris Oppermann / Project/Object
06:15 p.m. Eddie Jobson Band
08:00 p.m. Goodbye to Zappanale #23 Session

Truck Stage

11:30 a.m. Tante Tofu
01:30 p.m. Revelation Ben Watson Quiz
05:30 p.m. Gary Lucas
09:30 p.m. Tonlast - Film The Face of Don - a tribute to Captain Beefheart

DWALMACAT 437

Go to
http://www.fmbrussel.be/programmas/dwalmacat.aspx
and click on “Luister”
to enjoy


  • HERB ALPERT – Rotation

  • ANDY GIORBINO – Made in Japan

  • QUINTRON – Meet me at the club house

  • CARLOS PERON & ISA NAGORA – Et

  • THE MORPIONS – Point blank

  • ANDRE BRASSEUR – Holiday

  • THE JOKERS – Tabou

  • ELVIS PRESLEY – Fever

  • JAC BERROCAL – Rock ‘n roll station

  • GONJASUFI – Dedn’d (remix Broadcast & the Focusgroup)

  • KAMIEL KAFKA – Twee gekken

  • SUPERELVIS – Mujer Joven

  • NASH THE SLASH – Dead man’s curve

  • SAMMY DAVIS JUNIOR & BUDDY RICH – Come back to me

  • BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE – Constant fear

  • NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – The moon is in the gutter

  • KINGDOM SCUM – The science of superstition

  • GRUPPO SPORTIVO – Sleeping bag

  • CERRONE - Supernature

AKA MOON




Stéphane Galland, Michel Hatzigeorgiou and Fabrizio Cassol visited the Aka pygmies to study their music.
The result can be heard on the first Aka Moon album, the first album to get released on the Carbon 7 label almost twenty years ago.
Polyrythmic jazz.
Fabulous.

TRANSPARENCY NEWSFLASH

The Transparency label will be reprinting some hard-to-find Sun Ra titles.

"The Complete Detroit Jazz Center Residency", "Myron's Ballroom" and "Club Lingerie" will all be reprinted shortly after the current "The Eternal Myth" box set.

PROJECT/OBJECT IN CONCERT IN LONDON 2011 08 23

Project/Object with Ike Willis and Ray White at the Half Moon, Putney, London, UK

Tuesday, August 23, at 20:30 h

PREPARING FOR ZAPPANALE * * * PART TWO

Tomorrow, I'll be leaving for Bad Doberan.
Meeting friends, listening to live music, and having an occasional beer.
Ain't that what living is all about?

The checklist looks good:


  • My desk is empty. Well, almost that is;

  • I've done a bit of reseach of the various bands that will be playing;

  • I've packed everything, and got a bunch of CDs to keep me busy on the road.

Hope to see you there !!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

ALTERNATIVE TV

British punk band Alternative TV recorded and released Frank Zappa's 'Why Don't You Do Me Right' on their 1978 "The Image Has Cracked" album.
The album has been re-released on CD in the ninetees, but did, more recently, also get a 180 g vinyl re-issue on the Italian Get Back label.

Friday, August 12, 2011

A SHORT CHAT WITH PETE BRUNELLI

Pete Brunelli entered my musical world as the bass player of Doctor Dark, performing the music of Captain Beefhart & The Magic Band.
Later, together with Steve Chillemi, he founded Doot!, a duo that was the basis of various musical project. At different moments in space and time, Doot! included Nate Trier, André Cholmondeley, Michel Delville, Killissa Cissoko and Eugene Chadbourne, to name just a few.
More recently, Pete has been performing and recording with The Mayhem Circus Electric, an improvisational collective from around New Haven, CT.

After a couple of memorable performances at Zappanale, Pete Brunelli has now been asked to join the impressive line-up for the Rochfort-En-Accords festival that will be held in France from August 25 - 27, 2011. Time for a short chat.

UniMuta : Hi Pete, I heard that you will be flying to France to participate in the Rochefort-en-Accords festival. You'll be replacing Roy Estrada who won't be able to make it. How did this come about?

Pete Brunelli : Yes, the travel plans are set and I will be heading over to France for the Rochefort-en-Accords festival. The more I learn about the fest, the more I think I am going to enjoy it very much. I can't say that I am replacing Roy at anything. After seeing him at Zappanale 20, and how solid he sounded, I am just hanging on for dear life.
The request came through Christopher Garcia, drummer for the Grande Mothers and lots of other great projects. I have met him a few times and somehow my name came up when Napoleon Murphy Brock started looking for a bass player for this gig. My experience with Doctor Dark was good preparation for this, but many of the tunes I have seen on setlists for Rochefort are not in the Doctor Dark repertoire, so all I have is those practice habits and a few more years of experience under my belt.

UniMuta : As I understood from Philippe Thieyre, there's a timetable that lists artists at a certain venue, but the goal is to have artists collaborating with each other to find unique combinations. And then there's also the Beefheart tribute on Saturday evening, and the Hommage aux Demoiselles on Saturday afternoon.

Pete Brunelli : That is the way I understand the format. I think there will be more structure, at least on my end, as we get closer to the actual dates. I have been asked to play on a few other sets, and am currently trying to keep the workload manageable. As much as I don't like saying "no", I also don't like saying "I forgot how to play the parts on your songs because my brain just exploded"...
So I will be focusing on Beefheart material, and it looks like I will be playing with Moris Tepper on a few things.
Also, I own a harmonica and am not afraid to use it!

UniMuta : Can you elaborate a bit on what is expected from you, who you will be playing with, & what material?

Pete Brunelli : I know that I am expected to be there and be prepared. My job now is to keep working, and try and get an idea of the scope of what I need to be up to speed on. Some pieces are very straightforward, but some are really tricky if you are going to nail the parts. Plus, and I know this from experience, this is a huge leap of faith that the groups can make it work. Luckily, I have a lot of faith in things working out. As for the Beefheart material, I have an idea of what is on tap, and Nicolas Mignot has been great at communicating with me. The set lists seem loaded toward the later albums, which is good considering the headliners. Also, it was just pointed out to me that I might be the only "unattached" bass player at Rochefort... no pressure!
I think, hope, there will be some sharing of the workload... please...

UniMuta : The list of participating artists is quite incredible. I hope that you will be keeping some sort of a diary. It sure looks like it will be great.

Pete Brunelli : That word pops out at me: "artists"... this festival has a super arty lineup. Music as a craft, an art, an obsession... I am getting all wobbly just thinking about it! A player like Gary Lucas is all about the art of the thing, and you can go up and down the lineup and say the same thing about them all. I don't want to start singling people out because I'd have to gush too much. I'll leave that to my bloggings at http://petebrunelli.com I already started with a few introductory posts and I hope I can do some live blogging from Rochefort, even if it is just iPhone photos with captions.

UniMuta : Sounds great. Have fun!

Pete Brunelli : Thanks, Peter. Have a great time at Zappanale 22 and be sure to tip back a Rostocker for me!

www.rochefort-en-accords.fr

SHEIK YERCORRECTION

The Sheik Yerbouti open air concert in Osterspai, Germany, on the 2nd of September, will not be the band's last concert.

THE LAST Sheik Yerbouti concert is scheduled for October 31 at Café Hahn in Koblenz!

I mixed up the data a couple of days ago. Guess I was too shocked...

info & correction : Chantal

MORE EUGENE CHADBOURNE TOUR DATES

Sunday, August 28 at 8:00 PM:
Calgary, Alberta CANADA - Ironwood Stage and Grill - 1229 9th Ave SE / Doc Chad solo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, September 01 at 7:00 PM:
Logan's Pub, 1831 Cook Street, Victoria, British Co V8T 4K7 CANADA -
Doc Chad solo plus typically demented Victoria talent

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday September 5 at 7:00:00 PM:
Kozmik Zoo Vancouver, British Co, CANADA
Doc Chad with Darren Wiilliams

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, September 06 at 7:00 PM:
Nyala African Restaurant, Main @ King Ed, Vancouver, British Co CANADA -
Doc Chad at Experimental Accordion Night

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, November 02 at 7:00 PM:
Les Instants Chavirés, 7, rue Richard Lenoir, Montreuil, Ile-de-Fra 93100 FRANCE - Doc Chad Solo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, November 03 at 7:00 PM:
Cafe Oto, London, UNITED KINGDOM - Doc Chad Solo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, November 04 at 7:00 PM:
La Malterie, 96 rue Chanzy, Lille, Nord-Pas-d 59000 FRANCE - Doc Chad Solo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, November 05 at 7:00 PM:
Venue to be Announced SOON! , Kortrijk, BELGIUM - Doc Chad Belgian Freak Out

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, November 06 at 4:00 PM:
DBs matinee - Utrecht, Utrecht NETHERLANDS - Doc Chad solo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, November 12 at 7:00 PM:
Loco/Wray, Strandgade 14, Christianshavn, København, DENMARK - Doc Chad solo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, November 13 at 2:00 PM:
Worm, Boomgaardsstrasse 71, Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS - Protest Song Workshop and evening performance

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, November 18 at 7:00 PM:
Recyclart Brussels, BE - Doc Chad solo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, November 19 at 7:00 PM:
Playhouse (at La Brasserie) Rivieres, FRANCE - Doc Chad solo

Thursday, August 11, 2011

A SHORT CHAT WITH PASCAL GRÜNENFELDER

Fido Plays Zappa will be performing on Zappanale, so here's a short chat with Pascal Grünenfelder (bass & arrangements).

UniMuta : Hello Pascal, are you getting ready for Zappanale? I imagine that playing at Zappanale is the ultimate goal for a band like Fido Plays Zappa?

Pascal Grünenfelder : Once all 10 musicians are available for a rehearsal (which is not that easy, as you can imagine, cos I don't have the budegt/the authority of the big Z..) we always enjoy playing his masters music. We have some new tunes for Zappanale, eg a very nice version of a long-time favorite Evelyn, with some weird poly-rythmic &balcanic influences..And of course its fantastic to play Zappanale & to meet some hardcore fans/bands/musicians. Ultimate goal though is to rule the world!!

UniMuta : I know that Stef played at Zappanale with ARF a number of years ago. Have any of the other bandmembers been at the festival before?

Pascal Grünenfelder : No

UniMuta : There's ten members in the band, which probably does not make it easy to schedule a trip to Bad Doberan. Will the entire band be there? And have you convinced other Swiss Zappa fans to come along?

Pascal Grünenfelder : Of the maybe 50 concerts we played till today, we had a horn-sub only once, which I think is quite surprising with all the busy musicians. Zappanale is full band & even our sponsor/tec Regine is gonna be there. It's rumoured we gonna have some ex-zappa-vips on stage too..

UniMuta : On your latest album, FPZ presented beautifully arranged acoustic versions of FZ compositions. Is this something that we should expect at Zappanale?

Pascal Grünenfelder : Thanks for the flattery, but Bad Doberan has to be rocked!

UniMuta : And there's one thing that I've always wanted to know. You guys regularly play on a boat?!? What's the story behind it? What's it like? What's the difference with playing in a club?

Pascal Grünenfelder : The "Kulturfloss" as its called, is a platform/raft on the river rhine in the middle of the city, where on 2 weeks every summer various bands are playin to the audience on the bank. It's been existing for some years now and has gotten kind of an "institution" in Basel. Its a very nice place to play music, as you find yourself in the middle of streaming water in a very special ambiance, and theres tons of people when the weather is nice (the gigs are free/Kollekte).
It can be hard sometimes though for a band to reach the crowd, as the "Floss" is some 30 meters or so away from the bank.
Heres their website: - www.imfluss.ch


UniMuta : Excellent. Thanks for your time & see you at Zappanale. Looking forward to the concert.

Fido Plays Zappa will be playing at Zappanale on Saturday, August 20, 2011.

SUN RA TRIBUTE BY PLANET D NONET

a message from RJ at the Sun Ra Trading group

3rd Annual Sun Ra tribute by Planet D Nonet
Saturday, August 27
from 9:00pm to midnight
3rd Bar, 699 W Forest Ave, Detroit, MI

Yes, this is our third annual tribute to that great kozmic jazz composer, bandleader & pianist, Sun Ra. As we do every year, we've moved to a new venue & this time we're at the 3rd Bar in Detroit's mid-town, near WSU.
Ra has been a big influence band members going back for decades and now with three consecutive years, we've really amassed quite a book of tunes by the master. Also as we do every year, there will be lots of new tunes added.

Special guest this year is trombonist Vincent Chandler! He has played with Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis with Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Marcus Belgrave, James Carter and Regina Carter to name a few. We released a double CD last year culled from the first two Ra tributes and it won a DMA for best Jazz CD in 2011.


  • Justin Jozwiak: alto sax, tenor sax & flute

  • Jim Holden: tenor sax

  • Joshua James: bari, alto sax

  • James O'Donnell: trumpet

  • Gibron Lockhart: trumpet

  • Vincent Chandler: trombone

  • Dave Gadd: piano

  • Bill MacLeod: string bass

  • RJ Spangler: drums

  • Jerry LeDuff: congas

Nice big FREE parking lot right next door! Outdoor smoke friendly patio.

SUN RA - THE ETERNAL MYTH - - - UPDATE

Here's the snapshot preview of the cover of the Transparency Sun Ra box.
Click on the album title below to get an idea of the content.
Release date has been set for October 1, 2011.
14 CDs, and a 150 page book.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

PREPARING FOR ZAPPANALE * * * PART ONE

Cleaning up my desk, I always come across things that I had lost, or stuff that I still have to classify.
So yesterday, I relocated a Gary Lucas album and today, it was time for dEUS.
It's a lot of work, because I don't just want to put everything away like that. I like to listen to all of it as well.
& while listening, I added a bit of data to the United Mutations Archives.





CROSSFIRE NEWSFLASH

Here's a message from Greg Russo:

Candy's album and both of Nolan Porter's albums are available as downloads. Here are the links:

Candy Zappa: To Be Perfectly Frank
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/candyzappa

Nolan Porter: No Apologies
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nolanporter

Nolan Porter: Nolan
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nolanporter2

The other big companies (Amazon, iTunes, etc.) already have these.

All of Crossfire's products (including the Paul Buff set) are on sale during August. Sale and ordering information can be obtained from writing me at gregrusso@verizon.net.


PETE BRUNELLI AT ROCHFORT EN ACCORDS

When I received word that Pete Brunelli would be participating in the Rochfort En Accords festival, I immediately sent Pete a message to congratulate him.

Around the same time, Pete had already posted the following comment on FaceBook:
"This Just In... the increasingly unlikely story of "Pete Brunelli, International Rock Star" continues with an appearance at Rochefort En Accords festival, August 25-27. Playing the music of Captain Beefheart, and probably other music as well, with a group of likeminded players. More as it happens..."

MUFFIN RECORDS PRODUCTIONS USA IS BACK

After 15 years of silence, Reinhard Preuss is reviving Muffin Records Productions USA.

Remember, this is the label that brought you fine albums by The Grandmothers, The Band From Utiopa and The Muffin Men, to name a few.

Wowie zowie...

WILD RUMPUS FEAT. COSMO AND GARY LUCAS

In 2007, Gary Lucas collaborated with DJ/engineer Cosmo. The results got released on the Bitches Brew label as 3 12"s. Below is the promo video for "Rock The Joint", a track that also features Beardyman.



  • wild rumpus feat. cosmo and gary lucas: musical blaze-up
    (2007, 12", uk, bitch012)



  • wild rumpus feat. cosmo and gary lucas: purple somersault
    (2007, 12", uk, bitch013)



  • wild rumpus feat. cosmo and gary lucas with beardyman: rock the joint
    (2008, 12", uk, bitch014)

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

AKA MOON - AKASHA VOL.1




Aka Moon's third album got released in 1995 on the late Carbon 7 label. "Akasha Vol.1" got recorded in Bombay and features a couple of Indian guests.
Modern jazz integrated with indian flavours.


This is great...



ADDITIONS TO THE ZAPPA BOOTLEG LIST

I recently acquired 3 more Zappa bootleg titles. They're a bit older, I guess, and two of them most probably originate from Italy.
Factory pressed CDs that don't add anything new music-wise, but that feed the collector in me.

There's "Ahoy Rotterdam June 24th 1980" that has an FM source, but the wrong date as Zappa did his 1980 Rotterdam show in May;
Next up is "Just Another Live Album", with stuff from the US from 1984;
And it ends with "Live" with well-known tracks from 1963 and 1968.

Data and pictures have been added to the Zappa bootleg section over at the United Mutations Archives.





Monday, August 8, 2011

OSYMYSO - THE ART OF FLIPPING CHANNELS




Cabbage Boy, real name Simon Begg, recorded Frank Zappa's 'King Kong' for one of his albums. The track didn't make it, but eventually got released on "The Lost Tapes, Vol.1".
Osymyso used this track on his remix / dj-release, "The Art Of Flipping Channels".

"Osymyso, real name Mark Nicholson, is a musician, producer and a DJ that employs cutting edge digital technology to create a sound with elements of electro, hip-hop, synth pop and plunderphonics."

I like this album. And Cabbage Boy's take on 'King Kong' is superb.

To give you an idea, here's the album tracklist:



  • city of prague philharmonic, the & nic raine - close encounters of the third kind 1:36
    osymyso - flipping channel frag 1
    city of prague philharmonic, the & derek wadsworth - ufo theme
    daniel caine orchestra - buck rogers in the 25th century
    city of prague philharmonic, the & nic raine - the black hole
    city of prague philharmonic, the & nic raine - battle beyond the stars

  • dj jazzy jeff & the fresh prince - human video game
    featuring - ready rock c
    producer - bryan "chuck" new, dj jazzy jeff & the fresh prince, pete q. harris 1:38

  • the rip-off artist - wobbly 1:14

  • mark ayers - miami vice (crockett's theme) 2:12

  • wagon christ - the funnies 1:43

  • coldcut - more beats & pieces (kid koala obsessive behaviour mix)
    remix - kid koala
    producer - coldcut 2:09
    daniel caine orchestra - hill street blues

  • prefuse 73 - whisper in my ear to tell me you hate me 1:16
    osymyso - flipping channel frag 2

  • ennio morricone - indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto (kid sundance remix)
    remix - kid sundance 3:09

  • bomb the bass - dynamite beats
    percussion - 23 skidoo
    drums - bruce smith 1:42
    city of prague philharmonic, the & nic raine - ghostbusters (main theme)

  • osymyso - flipping channel frag 3 1:02

  • cabbage boy - king kong (f.zappa) 2:40
    osymyso - flipping channel frag 4

  • nightmares on wax - playtime 1:14
    royal philharmonic orchestra, the & mike townend - star trek

  • osymyso - the return of an old friend 2:13

  • depth charge - bounty killer III (the eyes of johnny ringo) 2:48

  • peter wyngarde - neville thumbcatch 3:54
    osymyso - flipping channel frag 5

  • city of prague philharmonic, the & nic raine - march of the oysters 3:17
    osymyso - flipping channel frag 6

  • city of prague philharmonic, the & nic raine - alfred hitchcock presents theme of the marionette 0:24

  • jack planck - the universe is an accident 2:24

  • dj signify - fly away
    producer - dj signify 1:13

  • osymyso - flipping channel frag 7 1:06

  • city of prague philharmonic, the, crouch end festival chorus & nic raine - the adams family 0:28

  • royal philharmonic orchestra, the & mike townend - kojak 0:25

  • osymyso - clonque rock 2:02

  • city of prague philharmonic, the & nic raine - bewitched 1:33

  • pop will eat itself - there is no love between us anymore
    producer - robert gordon 3:14

  • rjd2 - since we last spoke
    producer - rjd2 2:47

  • kid koala - more dance music 2:18

  • daniel caine orchestra - the incredible hulk 1:53
    osymyso - outro goodbye

Sunday, August 7, 2011

ZAUSS - ÜBERALL / IN TERRA STRANIERA / BORDERS BEYOND




Put Italian guitar player Francesco Zago and Swiss saxophone player Markus Stauss together and you get Zauss.
You might know Francesco Zago as the man behind italian chamber rock band Yugen, where he mixes classical music and progressive rock. And Markus Stauss has been mentioned a number of times in this blog as he is one of the driving forces behind Trank Zappa Grappa In Varèse? with whom he performs the music of Frank Zappa alongside his own compositions.

"Überall" shows that both Francesco and Markus have no borders in music. The first track, 'Hymn' sounds like a slow classical piece. Francesco's use of the volume pedal (or knobs) and Markus' low notes on the saxophone makes you think that you're listening to an old organ. The second composition, 'Senza Nessuna Eleganza' takes you to the other side of the musical spectrum as it is a very contemporary sounding, free, maybe even improvised piece.
The entire album is an impressive collection of experiments, of sound colllages. There are a lot of suprises. A lot of beautiful sounds and soundscapes. I really like this.


"Überall - In Terra Straniera - Borders Beyond".
Music from the other side of the fence.


Recommended listening.

http://www.fazzulmusic.ch

ADDITIONS TO THE SUN RA DISCOGRAPHY

In 1990, British magazine The Wire made a Sun Ra recording availble to the subscribers. The album was entitled "Live London 1990". It was offered as a box set of three 10" vinyl records, and as a CD.
Both releases were a joint effort between Wire magazine and the Blast First record label.

the vinyl box
the cd

6 years later, Blast First released the recording as a regular album. This is the one you still might come across in the record store (and the album that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago).

ADDITIONS TO THE ZITA SWOON DISCOGRAPHY

I pasted two more items into the Zita Swoon discography. Two promo singles from 2004. Both have a radio edit and the original (album) version.



  • zita swoon: de quoi a besoin l'amour
    (2004, cd5"-promo, bel, chikaree records asaag 305)



  • zita swoon: josiesomething
    (2004, cd5"-promo, bel, chikaree records asaag 308)

Saturday, August 6, 2011

SUN RA - LIVE AT THE STORYVILLE




Earlier today, I went to Antwerp to catch an expo of comic book artist & illustrator Philip Paquet. I know Philip from his beautiful black & white illustrations about jazz. Check out his website at http://www.philippaquet.com/.
And at this very moment Philip has this expo called "Heroes", about his pop and jazz heroes, showing some fifteen drawings / paintings of Bowie, Zappa, Hendrix, ...
Here's a shot of the wall :
http://tuneuprecords.ilibris.be/art-wall/expo-heroes-extended/?album=21&gallery=33


The expo was held at the "Tune Up" independant record store.
Vinyl only. Melkmarkt, Antwerp.


And that's were I found this new Sun Ra release. I had read something about it, a little while ago, so I was glad to find it.
Haven't listened to the record yet, so all that I can tell you is that it's a limited release (of 500 copies) on red vinyl. The actual sleeve is transparent plastic with blue lettering. A quite spectacular view, if I may say so.
Out on a russian label that has released more jazz albums in the same manner.

NEW SUN RA VINYL BOX * * THE MYSTERY OF BEING




January 1978, Sun Ra, Michael Ray, Luqman Ali and John Gilmore recorded two albums in Italy: "New Steps" and "Other Voices, Other Blues". Both albums got released on the italian Horo label in the same year.


"New Steps" got re-released on CD on a little while ago, but the "Other Voices, Other Blues" album has been unavailable for quite a while.
And now, the Klimt record label (also from italy) is re-releasing both albums as a triple LP set.

SUN RA ARKESTRA IN CONCERT AT FIELD DAY TODAY

For the occasion, The Quietus features a fine extensive article on Sun Ra by Daniel Baker.

http://thequietus.com/articles/06716-sun-ra-arkestra


Thursday, August 4, 2011

A SHORT CHAT WITH GARY LUCAS

Guitar player, composer, producer and music legend Gary Lucas will be performing at Zappanale. The perfect reason to ask Gary some questions.

UniMuta : Hi Gary. I've seen you in concert a number of times (solo, with Jozef van Wissem, with Fast 'n Bulbous) and I've heard most of your albums, and what keeps on suprising me is the diversity of the music that you make. You play electric rock, acoustic blues, Beefheart, Chinese pop, ... How do you do it? I mean, are you always on the search for new music or are these things that just happen to cross your path?

Gary Lucas : Well I would put it down to being a double Gemini, like Walt Whitman said "I contain multitudes"... I like a zillion different kinds of music and I like playing it all too, why go around through life with one hand tied behind your back? I can find something worthy in just about any genre of music you might care to name as long as real soul shines through it--the sound of human struggle--that's what moves me the most.

UniMuta : Saying that you play the guitar is an understatement. You play electric, acoustic, dobro, and use slide, fingerpicking,... How does it work when you're composing. Do you pick the guitar and the sound in function of the composition, or is it the other way around?

Gary Lucas : I don't really know, its kind of a mysterious process, I just pass my fingers over the strings until I hit magic sounds that move me (Brian Wilson, fellow Gemini, does this as well on the piano apparently--he calls them "feels") and then I obsessively work the material and push it around through subjective intellection unjtil the composition takes on a definite shape, guided by my own sensibilities. If I compose an instrumental and then can remember it in the morning I think I have a keeper song-wise.

UniMuta : Do you have favourite guitars? For recording? For touring?

Gary Lucas : I play the same guitars everywhere I go pretty much in the studio and on the road--a '66 Fender Strat , a '46 Gibson J-45, and a National steel Duolian from 1926. I have some more but really am not a collector per se, I beat the shit out of these guitars constantty and I think they sound the better for it. I met a collector in Tokyo once who came to see me play a '64 Strat (which I lost on a train--boo hoo--but I had it insured--and I collected on it!) and he told me he owned 3 like them and kept them in a temperature controlled vault in his house. I laughed and said I had just the one and that I took it with me and played it everywhere I go. I hate being too precious about anything,

UniMuta : You're coming over to Europe in August for the Zappanale Festival and for the Captain Beefheart tribute at the Rochefort festival in the south of France. Do you think that the world is finally catching up on the music of Captain Beefheart?

Gary Lucas : Well I hope so! But we'll see, one should never underestimate the limitless capacity of--let's face it-- fundamental human indifference of the majority of people to art that is not automatically mainstream.

UniMuta : Besides doing concerts, you've recently also been doing a "Captain Beefheart Lecture / Symposion". http://garylucas.com/www/capt/ What is it like to dive into the Beefheart years again? Has it changed the way you look back on things?

Gary Lucas : I find it bracingly refreshing, like taking a swim in the Bering Sea. Yes, it definitely warped my perspective as far as having a similar window on the world/weltanschaung-- I learned so much from the guy in terms of the games people play. He ultimately wanted nothing to do with them--me, I am out to confront them and convert them :-)

UniMuta : Your Zappanale schedule looks rather packed. You will be performing the Don Van Vliet tribute "I Have A Cat" with Co de Kloet on the main stage, you might be playing a solo set, and you might even do a couple of guest appearances. Can you already tell us a bit about it?

Gary Lucas : Sure, I probably will be sitting in with Essra Mohwak, my old friend, a great singer/songwriter who should be much better known. Also my pals the Plastic People, fellow Bohemians I have performed with many times in NYC (I am of Czech ancestry on my father's side, and we hit it off right away when I met several of them in the late 80's). And perhaps I will sit in with my pals Project Object, whom I have guested with in the past. I really like their approach to Frank's music.

UniMuta : That sounds great. I know where I will be in a couple of weeks !
Really looking forward to see you again.
Thanks for the interview.

Gary Lucas will be performing at various times at the Zappanale Festival.
On Saturday, August 20, 2011, he'll be performing "I Have A Cat" with Co de Kloet, but he'll be performing solo and guesting with other bands as well !!
Zappanale - August 17 - 21, Bad Doberan, Germany

INTERVIEW WITH NICK DIDKOVSKY ON CKCU-FM TODAY

CKCU-FM 93.1 or www.ckcufm.com

Start Time: 5 pm ...An interview with Nick Didkovsky.
Doctor Nerve hails from NYC , and will be performing at ZAPPANALE.

5 pm EST in Canada/USA
2 pm PST in Canada/USA
10 pm in the UK
11 pm in Europe

www.ckcufm.com on the net

SHEIK YERBOUTI SOME MORE

So when I mentioned that German band Sheik Yerbouti will be performing the music of Frank Zappa in (open air) concert in Osterspai, Germany, on the 2nd of September, I didn't know what I know now !!

This will be THE LAST Sheik Yerbouti concert.
Incredible. So if you're in the neighbourhood, you know where you've got to be.

www.sheikyerbouti.be

2011/09/02 concert 'Burggarten', Osterspai, Germany

A SHORT CHAT WITH ANDRE CHOLMONDELEY

Project/Object is returning to Zappanale !! In a couple of weeks, the band will be giving their fourth concert in Bad Doberan.
Here's a short chat with André Cholmondely, guitar player, vocalist and the man behind Project/Object.

UniMuta : Hi André, how are you doing? It seems like you've been pretty busy lately, touring the world. Can you share some of it with us?

André Cholmondeley : Thanks Peter, yes, a slow couple months , but since the spring I've been very busy with projects.
In April I did a tour with the historic "UK Reunion" of Eddie Jobson and John Wetton, with Marco Minnemann & Alex Machacek. Zappa fans know Eddie well from the Zappa in New York and recently, Philly 1976 albums. Some of them know Alex from his band with Bozzio, and Marco from his CDs with Mike Keneally. So -- lots of Zappa connection there -- and both Marco & Alex will be with Eddie at Zappanale. They did material from their legendary UK and DANGER MONEY albums, we toured NY, Boston , San Francisco and three gigs in Japan, shortly after the tsunami. It was a fantastic tour to be a part of -- I did guitar & bass tech for John Wetton, and some of the advance planning for the shows. Great stuff, Wetton is my favorite prog vocalist, he's still towering in what he does, as is Eddie. At this moment I am finishing up a month-long tour with YES and STYX, working for Steve Howe...we're just winding down a month of crisscrossing the USA, pretty much every region. A fantastic time as it always is working with the heroes of my youth. Such a learning experience on all levels, and Steve is just astounding, so on top of his game on the guitar. Yes in general has been doing some great shows, and working with the Styx band & crew has been a total pleasure as well. Super people.

UniMuta : And how is Project/Object doing? You did another short tour earlier this year with special guests Ike Willis and Ray White. Are you getting accustomed to sharing the stage with these monuments?

André Cholmondeley : It's really great, I mean I grew up looking up to those guys of course, and the 1984 tour was the first one I saw, so they really had an effect on the 19 year old Andre´. Getting to meet them on that tour was unimaginably cool. Yes, I'm accustomed now to working with them, we're close friends offstage for ages. It's still amazing when I think about it, though. Again -- I learn so much from those guys - on so many levels, performance, Zappa history, guitar skills & ideas. The stories we've heard from them , and from the many other alumni, priceless. It's also been great just seeing the fans enjoy seeing the actual guys from their favorite 70s and 80s albums. It's one of my favorite periods of Frank, and clearly a fave of many people actually.

UniMuta : In the years that you've been touring and performing the music of Frank Zappa, have you seen an evolution in the public, in the appreciation? I guess that it's never been easy to find gigs performing the music of Frank Zappa. Has it been getting easier throughout the years, or is it getting more difficult instead?

André Cholmondeley : That's a great question actually. I'd say BOTH things are true..... In the many years since I added this insane task to my life, I've seen a great evolution, countless people who still write in and say "I never 'got' Zappa until I saw the music live" and now they are big fans and have tons of the records. I'm not sitting here taking credit for that, either -- I hear this from our colleagues the Muffin Men, Bogus Pomp, Ed Palermo Big Band, Zappatistas and all the great bands who play Zappanale. Every time I'm there in Germany I meet people who are novices amongst the total hardcore freaks....and on our own tours I meet people all the time who say "I had two or three Zappa albums when my friend brought me to see you guys.... now I've seen you 6 times and I have 35 albums ! Thanks for bringing the guys back every year...." So that feels great.

Having said that - - and to the other side of the coin, it's tougher for EVERYONE in the music biz these recent few years, the economy worldwide affects attendance, and other factors like the shifting into a generation with a high percent of dance and DJ music fans. Also there are so many more Zappa-tribute bands, including the great tours put on by Dweezil, of course. Despite the many lawsuits and attacks directed from them towards my band , and towards the Zappanale & others, I heartily recommend that people see his ZPZ show, it's a great and honorable tribute to his dad's music. However, it's clear that each of us various and worldwide bands also brings a valid voice to celebrating Frank Zappa.

UniMuta : And Project/Object is coming to Zappanale again. For the fourth time. Are you looking forward to it?

André Cholmondeley : Very much so! First off I always love coming to Germany. Despite their reputation as gruff, humorless people, I find the Germans warm, friendly and fantastic. The food and beer are superb, people are always shocked that as a 27 year vegetarian I say that -- but it's true!! A very veg-friendly country, along with the cornucopia of pork sausages, they love their mushrooms, greens, dark bread and vegetables. I also love the old architecture and amazing green landscape on long drives. Fantastic place. I've now been there also on tour with Al Di Meola and Adrian Belew, as well as several cities with Project/Object in 2010. So those memories alway frame the Zappanale visits. So we do look forward to checking out a lot of bands, playing there twice (PO will also be the backing band for Chris Opperman as well).

It'll be great to see old friends, meet new ones, and a special part of the trip for me will be to remember & reflect on the grounds for my lost partner Cheri Jiosne, who attended with me three times, performing there once with Don Preston's Akashic. She is/was half-german and loved it there immensely as well.

UniMuta : I heard that you were trying to put together a small European tour before or after Zappanale. What's the status on that?

André Cholmondeley : It's very difficult to book gigs anywhere in Europe in August!! Why do I make myself crazy and keep trying to do it? But yes , after Zappanale we will play in London UK at Half Moon in Putney on 23 August, then two nights in Lithuania, 26th Vilnius LT and on the 27th Palanga LT.

UniMuta : Let's talk Zappanale some more. Who will you be bringing with you? What's the line-up going to be?

André Cholmondeley : We will continue the run we've been having reuniting Ike Willis & Ray White, it's just such a great combination of voices. Returning also are longtime keys player Eric Svalgard and bassist Dave Johnsen. New to the band since February is our fantastic drummer Ryan Berg, doing his first gigs in Europe. Our special guest on violin will be the lovely and talented Liz Cary, she's been playing shows with us in the US, between tours with her band Igor's Egg, and her place as touring violinist with Ritchie Blackmore's medieval/renaissance acoustic music group "Blackmore's Night".

UniMuta : Have you seen the Zappanale program? What's the band that everybody's got to see? (besides P/O, of course)

André Cholmondeley : Well I'm biased, and I've seen most of his return-to-live-music shows since 2009 since I work for him, but definitely the Eddie Jobson show. It's incredible that Eddie has decided to get back to live music after a quarter century, that's a whole interview right there. But also Gary Lucas, Essra Mohawk, fantastic!! Gary actually has played with us a few times, he's on our one CD from 2000. I'm very excited to finally meet and hear Co de Kloet, who has some fantastic synth based music out on iTunes, and has been a very supportive friend of the band for many years. Seeing legendary bands like Colosseum and Plastic People is also a very exciting prospect. Performing again with Robert Martin is sure to be a highlight as well.

UniMuta : It'll be fun. Thanks for the interview & see you soon.
Looking forward to the P/O concert.

Project/Object, featuring Ray White and Ike Willis, will be performing at the Zappanale festival on Friday, August 19, 2011.
Not to be missed.