KEENROH - KEENROH XL

• keenroh: keenroh xl
      (2015, cd, bel, negocito records)

As suggested by my pal Danny, I'm checking out Keenroh XL (at this very moment).

2014, Keenroh got the Jong Jazztalent Gent award.
At that time, Keenroh was a duo : Jan Daelman (flute) and Thijs Troch (piano).
One year later, they're back as Keenroh XL, featuring 9 musicians (including Bart Maris and Teun Verbruggen).

Lot's of soundscapes and improvisations. Very nice.

Check it out at :
https://soundcloud.com/keenroh

FLAT EARTH SOCIETY ON TOUR IN BRAZIL

I'm a couple of days too late with this, but I guess that if you live near Sao Paulo or Rio De Janeiro, that you can still catch Flat Earth Society in concert.

25 november - Festival Música Estranha, São Paulo
27 november - Festival Música Estranha, São Paulo
28 november - Club GIG, São Carlos
29 november - Festival Música Estranha, São Paulo
2 december - Festival Música Estranha, Rio de Janeiro

The band's new album "Terms Of Embarrassment", a tribute to the music of Frank Zappa, will be released March 2016 !!

THE MAGIC BAND - MAGNETIC DRAW

• the magic band: magnetic draw
      (2015, 2dvd, uk, urban apache)

Fans of the music of Captain Beefheart should know that there are two new releases out by the Magic Band.
"Magnetic Draw" is a 2DVD set. The recoding on the first disc sees the band in action in Lincoln, UK on May 23, 2014. The second disc features interviews with the band memebers.
John 'Drumbo' French, Mark 'Rockette Morton' Boston and Denny 'Feelers Reebo' Walley, plus Eric Klerks and Andrew Niven.

Very nice.

ZAPPANALE 26 - - - PART 22 - - - BANNED FROM UTOPIA

• the banned from utopia: zappanale 26
      (2015, dvdr, ger, arf society)

Flashback to July 2015 with the Band From Utopia performing at Zappanale. Next to core memebers Robert Martin, Ray White, Tom Fowler and Albert Wing, the band featured Morgan Agren on drums and Robbie 'Seahag' Mangano on the guitar.
To me, the best line-up as of yet.
Nice setlist and a superb performance. One of the best concerts of the recent Zappanale (and of older Zappanales too).
Special guests Mats Öberg and Denny Walley were the icing on the cake.

The concert was released on DVDR in a very limited run.

CLARK COLBORN - FRANK MADE ME DO IT!

• clark colborn: frank made me do it
      (2014, cd, usa, radio alarm sr5305)

Last year, Clark Colborn released "Frank Made Me Do It", the Frank in question being none other than Frank Zappa.

Clark Colborn is inspired by Frank Zappa. On this mini album, the listener is treated to four original compositions that indeed show Zappa's influence (Gimpy The Weasel, Elephant Hoosegow, The Stalker Song, and Happy Happy Man Parts), plus Clark's version of the Frank Zappa classic 'My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama'.
Musical madness and superb guitar playing.

This is good. This is really good.

http://store.clarkplaysguitar.com/album/frank-made-me-do-it

BUNKY MOON - SCHTUFF WE LIKE

• bunky moon: schtuff we like
      (2011, cd, usa, lo note 109)

Bunky Moon is Ron Brendle on electric bass, Troy Conn on guitars and Chris Garges on drums and percussion. The trio recorded an excellent version of Frank Zappa's 'King Kong' and released it on their "Schtuff We Like" album from 2011.
11 tracks. 4 original tunes, 7 fine classic (prog) rock songs (one of which is FZ's 'King Kong').

FLYING HORSEMAN - NIGHT IS LONG

• flying horseman: night is long
      (2015, cd, bel, unday)

Flying Horseman is a project of guitarist and songwriter Bert Dockx (Dans Dans).
Dark sounding folk / blues.
"Night Is Long" is album number four for Flying Horseman.

STUFF.

STUFF. most definitely needs your attention.

The band got formed in Ghent, Belgium, and has one (fabulous) album out.

They were featured in the "Vrije Geluiden" tv-show last week.

-

A SHORT CHAT WITH MUFFIN MAN RODDIE GILLIARD

The Muffin Men are celebrating their 25th anniversary.

Celebrate it with them and join them on one of these dates:
Nov 20 at The Continental in Preston;
Nov 27 at The Box in Crewe
Nov 28 at Greystones in Sheffield
and
Dec 20 at The Cavern in Liverpool

Presumably very occupied baking the birthday cake, Chief Muffin Roddie could be convinced to answer some questions.

UniMuta : Roddie, please let me congratulate you with 25 years of Muffin Madness.
I'm happy to hear that you will be doing a couple of gigs to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Muffin Men.
Tell us a bit about these upcoming gigs.

Roddie : Thank you Peter. We never thought that things would go so far! There have been many ups and downs over the years, but somehow we have managed to keep things moving. The best thing is, we are playing a gig exactly 25 years to the day of that very first gig. There will be at least 13 Muffins at The Cavern Gig, including all of the original line-up except for Roy Stringer who sadly passed away almost 15 years ago. Everyone involved is living in or around the Liverpool area, sadly we can’t have any of our friends from the US with us, due to the expense of flights etc., so this will be very much a home grown event.

We couldn’t be sure that everyone would be available, or want to do it, but we are pleased that everyone has agreed to turn up. For the last 4 years the core band has been a quartet, consisting of 3 original members, Rhino, Jumpy and me, along with Phil Hearn on keyboards. It will be great to extend the band, especially with horns, and different guitars, drummers and bass.

When we asked Mike Kidson if he was available to play, we were happy to learn that he has a few months off from his real job with The Australian Pink Floyd. He has agreed to join us in the 3 November gigs, so they will be as a quintet. It is 20 years since he played with us, so anyone who has never seen him will be in for a suprise, he is a one off and one of the true spirits of the original band.

As for the Cavern gig, we will be joined by Bammo, our original singer/guitarist, Naraish on bass and Waco on keyboards, then we will have Steve Belger who played drums on the 1993 tour, Friz on bass, then Carl, Tilo and Martin will also be joining in. Mike Smith is also coming. So we are trying to plan some sort of evolving line-up. No doubt there will be some sort of massed big band chaos towards the end. The gig will take place in the afternoon between 3-6pm.

UniMuta : Sounds great. I also heard / read somewhere that you're considering a tour in Germany early next year.

Roddie : We had Ulli look at the possibility of doing a short German tour next May, but so far nothing arrange.

UniMuta : Too bad. But if it does happen, just be sure to add some dates in Belgium and in The Netherlands.
During your latest German tour, you had a female guest vocalist. How did that come about?

Roddie : The last short German tour was very interesting, especially having Silke Gonska singing with us, the first female Muffin! Silke is from Thuringia, she is a voice tutor at Erfurt University. She had previously sang Zappa with Ensemble Creativ. Ulli has known her for many years, so he suggested it might be an interesting collaboration. We found out the she had seen us several times back in the old days, when she was studying in Weimar in 1992. She used to see us playing in the old East German student clubs. ...

UniMuta : You've done numerous concerts with The Muffin Men, recorded an impressive lot of albums and toured and recorded with Jimmy Carl Black, and Denny Walley, just to name two.

Roddie : Well, do you know, Jimmy actually played with the Muffin Men for longer than he played in The Mothers, he is a big part of our history, and a dear friend, we missed him so much. We have been fortunate to play with many of the Zappa guys, some of them many times. Jimmy was always in contact with Denny and often told him about the Muffin Men. So when Denny started coming back to England with The Magic Band we got together.

UniMuta : You even drove the Magic Band around in the UK, right? Pretty incredible. Is there something that you still have on you bucket list, music-wise?

Roddie : Yep, I drove The Magic Band around for 6 weeks in 2005, it was great spending time with those guys, we became good friends and I got to see and hear the music up close. It was a joy to watch Rockette and Drumbo each night. Who knows what’s around the next corner, let’s just wait and see.

UniMuta : One of my fondest MMM (Muffin Men memories) is the concert that you guys did with Ike Willis at 'De Wollewei' in my home town Turnhout somewhere in the ninetees. Hard to believe, but I recently got a copy of the poster from that gig from one of my friends. Out of the blue. After 20 years...

Roddie : Ike Willis played a 9 week tour with us in 1994, that was the first time he had been on the road since the 1988 Zappa tour. It was a long hard tour, the weather was bad and we travelled many miles. Ike got sick and missed a few gigs, but we did have a great tour, with that real voice at the front. That was probably the line-up that sounded most like a Zappa band, we had 2 keyboard players, 3 guitars and horns.

UniMuta : The good old days...
20 years ago, The Muffin Men were the only band to perform the music of Frank Zappa.
Nowadays, you've got Zappa Plays Zappa, the Banned From Utopia, The Grandmothers, and lots of other bands.

Roddie : Well, there were several bands who played Zappa music before we did, if fact 2 of them were Dutch, Gruppo Sportivo did a bunch of Zappa/Mothers songs, then there was Bleeding Romeo from Eindhoven led by Marco, they were fun guys. I suppose we were the first band to cross borders in Europe, certainly before most of the ex-Zappa guys started performing the music again.
The Band from Utopia actually came together through Reinhard Preuss, who arranged the Jazz Open gig in Stuttgart in 1994, that came about after we had done the tour with Ike. Originally the plan was for the Muffins to be the house band, with various ex-Zappa guests playing with us, but it soon grew into something bigger and before we knew it, there was a full band of alumni.

UniMuta : Do you have the impression that there's more interest in Zappa's music now than 20 years ago? Did time finally catch up with Zappa's music?

Roddie : Obviously when we first started out, the majority of the audience were 1st and 2nd generation Zappa followers, but over the years there have been younger people turning up as well as the original audience. Younger musicians who search for interesting sounds and harmony come to see and hear it live. Although the audience is not massive, there is a small appreciative audience for it. The fact that there are so many bands playing the music live now is living proof that Good Music will always stand the test of time.

We are currently finalising the details of a 2 week UK tour with Denny for April 2016. It is great to have Denny in the band, his unique slide guitar sound is a joy to have in the band, and he is a fine person to spend time with.

UniMuta : Something to look forward to !!
Thank you for your time, Roddie. We have to do this again real soon.
Music is the best !!

DWALMACAT 625

This week's Dwalmacat radio show

https://www.mixcloud.com/Dwalmacat/dwalmacat-625/

BARRY ADAMSON – Le matin des noire
KIERAN HEBDEN & STEVE REID – The sun never sets (Holden remix)
THE CHAP – Jammer
LUCIANO MARGORANI – Ridens / Orbiston Parva
FRANCOISE HARDY – Le temps des souvenirs
SUN CITY GIRLS – Esta Susan en casa? / It’s underneath the house
DARK DAY – Nudes in the forest
DAVID MOSS – Stride
AMBROSE KELLY REYNOLDS – Automatic pop shot guns
MX-80 SOUND – White night
TAV EXOTIC – French girls
BOYD RICE – There was never a moment that evil was real
ARCHIE SHEPP & JOHN COLTRANE – Le matin des noire

ZAPPA TALKS

Zappa Talks is duo (Wan Kemper on keyboards and samples and Marco Onstenk on percussion) that experiments with audio fragments of Zappa quotes and electronic music.
The duo performed at the Zappaloween party in Apeldoorn on October 31, 2015.

ZAPPA BASSIST MIKE URSO

Mike Urso, of Rare Earth, filled in on bass for Zappa when Tom Fowler broke his arm in November 1974. The only gig that we know for certain that he played was 11-23-74, at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. There is a tape of this show, and if Mike Urso played any other dates with Zappa, We don't know about them.

James Youman would shortly replace Urso, and Tom Fowler eventually took over again when his arm healed.
Mike played with Rare Earth from 1971 to 1974, sat in with The Mothers for at least that one date, then a group called HUB from 1975-76, and then Rare Earth again from 1977 to 1983.

A recent message from Steve Trapani, Mike Urso's brother-in-law, gives some extra info:

My understanding of Mike's time with Zappa begins when he moved to LA from Detroit with a band called Head Over Heels in the late 60's, I believe. The band didn't stay together long, and somehow Mike ended up actually living in the back of Zappa's studio sometime maybe in '71 or '72? Anyhow, it was before he joined Rare Earth in 1972. I also seem to remember Mike said they weren't the Mothers yet, or weren't officially calling it the Mothers of Invention during the time he was with Zappa.
Mike said that he did play and tour with Zappa around that time, and I want to say that he was on the road with Zappa when he got the call to join Rare Earth in 1972. At the time Rare Earth was at a high point of popularity and he had the unbelievable choice of remaining with Zappa or joining a very busy rock band in full swing.
The band broke up, like the United Mutations site says, in July of '74 and Mike, Pete Hoorelbeke, and Tom Baird formed HUB, which ended when Baird was killed in a boating accident in '75.

In any case, that is when United Mutations says Mike joined Zappa, but he had actually known, played, and toured with Frank before that.

More recently, Mike Urso has been performing / recording with Last Train South.
http://www.lasttrainsouth.com/

Track from the cowboy angel cd by Last Train South; Robby King ,vocals,guitar.Garth Hudson; keyboards.Mike Urso,bass.b. vocals.Paul Clayton,Guitar.Johnny Bredau,drums,b. vocals.Maud Hudson,b.vocals and b. vocal arrangements..buy cd @ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lasttrainsouth

SNAKEFINGER'S VESTAL VIRGINS - LIVE AT THE VIC, FRIDAY JUNE 20TH, 1986

• snakefinger's vestal virgins: live at the vic, friday june 20th, 1986
      (1998, cdr, usa, esoteric music group)

Adding data to the United Mutations Archives, here's Snakefinger's Vestal Virgins' "Live At The Vic". Released on CDR by the San Francisco-based Esoteric Music Group in 1998.
The album presents a concert that Snakefinger and his cohorts  (including former Magic Band member) Eric Drew Feldman.
Sounds great. And it includes a couple of tunes that Snakefinger wrote with The Residents.

MORE MUFFIN MEN

The Muffin Men have 3 upcoming gigs this month, followed by the 25th anniversary cavern gig on dec 20th

November 20 at The Continental, Preston
November 27 at The Box, Crewe
November 28 at Greystones, Sheffield

and
December 20 at The Cavern, Liverpool

Here's a flash-back to 1990 !!

FRANK WONNEBERG - ZAPPANALE EXHIBITION JULY 20, 2014

• frank wonneberg: zappanale exhibition, july 20, 2014
      (2015, dvdr, ger, rr production zapp-e-dvd017)

Frank Wonneberg, author of the "Grand Zappa" book (about all the different pressings of every Zappa record) did a lecture on counterfeits at the Expo Space in 2014.
It got recorded and released by the expo crew.

A MUFFIN MEN UPDATE

A message from Roddie

Suddenly Available: as part of the 25th anniversary activities a limited edition of 50 copies of this strange artifact from the archives has been produced. this 68min CD was issued in very limited form in 2000, to celebrate the first 10 years of muffage. It comprises of improvisations, solos and madness from various line-ups. WARNING! this album features NO SONGS and VERY FEW WORDS.

yours for a fiver, plus 1 pound p&p for UK, or 2 pound elsewhere.

THE GRANDSHEIKS - ZAPPANALE EXHIBITION JULY 19, 2014

• the grandsheiks: zappanale exhibition, july 19, 2014
      (2015, dvdr, ger, rr production zapp-e-dvd015)

Zappanale 2014 was packed with concerts. A warming-up party, the actual festival, and, for four days in a row, an impressive number of morning concerts at the expo space. Don Preston and Bunk Gardner, Jeff Silvertrust, the String Trash Project, and The Grandsheiks.

I was sitting on the second row. Enjoying every second while Jörg Doc Heuser, Max Hilbrand and Daniel Guggenheim performed a beautiful set of Zappa tunes.

OSSI DURI AND IKE WILLIS

Performing an Ike Willis original, 'The Doctor Is In'.
Recorded live on April 2011 in Rivoli (TO) Italy

ED PALERMO SAYS "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"

And what could be happier than a brand spanking new EPBB t-shirt!

The shirt is displayed at the bottom of this email.

If you buy the shirt, you get a FREE EPBB Christmas EP (8 tunes) included!

This is the best deal I’ve ever offered. A deal that guarantees I’m losing money. What could be better?

Seriously, I am SO proud of the shirt and especially the Christmas cd.

Some day the music on the Christmas cd will wind up on a full length CD, but for now, it’s free!

Just send a check made out to ED PALERMO for $25 to

ED PALERMO
27 WESTWOOD DRIVE NORTH
WEST ORANGE, NJ 07052

or VENMO or PAYPAL me (edward palermo at gmail dot com).

Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanakkah—the whole deal!

ed

JEFF SILVERTRUST - ZAPPANALE EXHIBITION JULY 18, 2014

• jeff silvertrust: zappanale exhibition, july 18, 2014
      (2015, dvdr, ger, rr production zapp-e-dvd013)

Multi-instrumentalist / street musician Jeff Silvertrust has quite a number of Frank Zappa compositions on his repertoire. 'Multi-instrumentalist' is the most significant word describing Jeff Silvertrust. He drums, plays the trumpet and keyboard, and whenever possible, even together.

He has performed at various 'after-parties' at the Zappanale festival in Bad Doberan, Germany.

Two years ago, in 2014, Jeff did a morning concert at the exhibition space.
The concert got recorded and released on DVDR by the expo team.
Includes a lot of bonus material.

ARISTOCRATS TOUR STARTS TODAY

THE ARISTOCRATS
"TRES CABALLEROS" EUROPE TOUR
WINTER 2015/2016

November 16th: Cologne (Germany) – Kantine
November 17th: Dortmund (Germany) – Piano
November 18th: Frankfurt (Germany) – Zoom
November 20th: Nurnberg (Germany) – Luise Cultfactory
November 21st: Stuttgart/Winterbach (Germany) – Strandbar 51
November 22nd: Reichenbach (Germany) – Bergkeller
November 24th: Munich (Germany) – Strom
November 25th: Bratislava (Slovakia) – Majestic Musik Club
November 26th: Nove Mesto (Slovakia) – Blue Note
November 27th: Bochnia (Poland) - Oratorium Sw. Kingi
November 28th: Warszaw/Grodzisk Mazowiecki (Poland) – Centrum Kultury
November 30th: Berlin (Germany) – Kesselhaus
December 1st: Osnabruck (Germany) – Gaste Garage
December 2nd: Hamburg (Germany) – Fabrik
December 4th: Larvik (Norway) – Bolgen
December 6th: Istanbul (Turkey) – Garajistanbul
December 7th: Bucharest (Romania) – Silver Church
December 9th: Zoetermeer (Netherlands) – De Boerderij
December 10th: Verviers (Belgium) – Spirit of 66
December 12th: Dublin (Ireland) - The Grand Social
December 13th: Edinburgh (Scotland) – Liquid Room
December 15th: Manchester (England) – Club Academy
December 16th: Birmingham (England) – O2 Institute 3
December 17th: Bristol (England) – Bierkeller
December 18th: London (England) – Heaven
December 19th: Brighton (England) – The Haunt
December 20th: Paris (France) – La Maroquinerie

January 15th 2016: Äänekoski (Finland) – Painotalo (band clinic + concert)
January 16th 2016: Espoo (Finland) – Sellosali
January 18th 2016: Lisbon (Portugal) – RCA Club
January 20th 2016: Sevilla (Spain) - Custom
January 21st 2016: Murcia (Spain) - Garaje
January 22nd 2016: Madrid (Spain) - Caracol
January 23rd 2016: Valencia (Spain) - Rockcity
January 24th 2016: Barecelona (Spain) - Razzmatazz 2
January 26th 2016: Nice (France) – Le Palace
January 27th 2016: Genova (Italy) - La Claque
January 29th 2016: Athens (Greece) – Athina Live
January 30th 2016: Athens (Greece) - Athina Live
February 2nd 2016: Milan (Italy) – Blue Note
February 3rd 2016: Zurich (Switzerland) – Moods
February 4th 2016: Rubigen (Switzerland) - Muhle Hunziken
February 6th 2016: Verona (Italy) – Officina degli Angeli
February 7th 2016: Bologna (Italy) – Zona Roveri
February 8th 2016: Pordenone (Italy) – Il Deposito
February 10th 2016: Florence (Italy) – Teatro Puccini
February 11th 2016: Terni (Italy) – Auditorium Gazzoli
February 12th 2016: Malta (Malta) – Ir-Razzett l’Ahmar
February 14th 2016: Siracusa (Italy) – Venue TBA
February 16th 2016: Roccaforzata (TA) (Italy) – Saloon Public House
February 18th 2016: Rome (Italy) – Planet Live Club
February 20th 2016: Tel Aviv (Israel) – Reading 3

LEX BRONKOWITZ ORCHESTRA

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa
October 31, 2015 soundcheck @ Zappaloween / Artcafé SamSam, Apeldoorn, Netherlands

FIDO PLAYS ZAPPA TOUR STARTS NEXT WEEK

Fido says:

Off we go! Looking forward to FiDO’s first '75-Years' - Show this Sat 21.11.2015 at KAMMGARN in HARD, AUSTRIA.

On board the brandnew 7-Inch Single BOBBY BROWN vs DIRTY FINGERS.

Mi 2.12.15 NL-Hoofddorp, Duycker
Do 3.12.15 DE-Hamburg, Indra Musik Club
Fr 4.12.15 DE-Schwerin, Speicher
Sa 5.12.15 DE-Sazwedel, Hanseat
Do 10.12.15 DE-Arnstadt, Rockjungfer
Fr 11.12.15 DE-Weinstadt, Armer Konrad
Sa 12.12.15 DE-Lorsch, Rex Kulturhaus

Kammgarn Kulturwerkstatt Hard (A)
Kleinkunstbühne im Dreiländereck A-D-CH am Bodensee

PANZERBALLETT - BREAKING BRAIN

• panzerballett: breaking brain
      (2015, cd, ger, gentle art of music)

Jan Zehrfeld's Panzerballett quintet has a new album out.
We had to wait a couple of years for this one, as "Tank Goodness" got released in 2012, but it was worth the wait.
With "Breaking Brain" (a rather applicable title if you'd ask me), the band continues on their ultradynamic jazz-metal path.
Virtuoso performances, interspersed with a dose of humour (Piero Umiliani's / the muppet show's 'Mahna Mahna' and Henry Mancini's 'Pink Panther Theme' are included in the tracklist)

Indian percussionist and vocalist Trilok Guurtu is featured on two tracks, adding another layer to Panzerballett's polyrhythmic pallette.

Recommended !!

http://www.panzerballett.de/

Here's 'Typewriter II' from "Breaking Brain" :

NEW BOOK ON ZAPPA BY GEOFF WILLS

zappa and jazz

by geoff wills    (2015, book, uk, matador)

The subtitle of Geoff Wills' "Zappa and Jazz" book gives it all away : "Did It Really Smell Funny, Frank?".
In "Zappa and Jazz", Geoff takes an in-depht look at 'the jazz' in Zappa's music. In the compositions, but also in the contributions, solo sections and improvisations, by the various band members.
Geoff takes a chronological journey, comparing FZ's output with what was happening in the jazz scene at that very same time.
I especially liked the chapter on Jean-Luc Ponty's "King Kong" album.

Very well written. Very informative.
Recommended reading !!

Published by Matador.
http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=3374

AKA MOON - THE SCARLATTI BOOK

• aka moon: the scarlatti book
      (2015, cd, bel, outhere music out 658)

Album number 19 for Aka Moon.
Belgian avant-garde jazztrio Aka Moon is best known for using complex rhythmic structures and for mixing jazz with world music.
Their latest journey was made on request of the Italian Cultural Institute of Madrid and had the trio plus pianist Fabian Fiorini explore the rhythmic and harmonic properties of Scarlatti's music.

Music inspired by Scarlatti's sonates.
I can only say this a couple of times each year, but "The Scarlatti Book" will most definitely be in my top five list of 2015.
Playful, energetic, modern jazz.
Superb.

Here's a flashback to 2011 :

JOE'S LITERAGE, THREE NEW BOOKS ON ZAPPA

"Joe's Literage - Die Mutter aller Artikel und Interviews" got published about three or four months ago.
This paperback book counts 250 pages and collects some thirty major articles about or interviews with Frank Zappa. In the German language.

"Joe's Literage Act 1ne - Articles and Interviews 1962 - 1979" is quite something else.
Huge (A4-format), hardbound and 550 pages.
This first volume includes over 250 interviews and articles. All in English.Plain text, as found on the internet (but treated with OCR software).
Pretty incredible.

"Joe's Literage Act 2wo - Articles and Interviews 1980 - 1993" is the twin brother of the above mentioned volume one..
600 pages this time. About 200 articles and interviews...
Massive.

FRANK ZAPPA - 200 MOTELS (THE SUITES)

New Zappa album scheduled for release in one (or a couple of) week(s) !!

A new two-CD release showcases the live performance of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels (The Suites) by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and L.A. Master Chorale at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on 23 October 2013…

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted this complete orchestral recital of Zappa’s 200 Motels to launch the L.A. Philharmonic’s tenth anniversary season in the venue. The occasion echoed the first public performance of the songs by the same orchestra way back in May 1970, then conducted by Zubin Mehta at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

The music was written mostly in motel rooms while Zappa and his backing band The Mothers Invention were on tour, and a selection of the ‘suites’ were then used as the soundtrack to the surrealist 1971 musical movie 200 Motels, co-written and directed by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer, which depicted rock musicians’ high-jinks on the road and starred Zappa himself (and Ringo Starr, among others).

The new two-CD set takes the listener back to sold-out show in October 2013 and with suites boasting such magical names as This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich, The Pleated Gazelle and Penis Dimension, what’s not to like?

The audio is complemented by photos from the evening and essays by, amongst others, the show and recording’s producers, Zappa’s widow Gail Zappa and Frank Filipetti and performers including Diva Zappa and Michael Des Barres.

Written to be played by a rock band with a full orchestra, chorale and 15 soloists, Gail Zappa said in the build-up to the show that the score had been adapted to give the orchestral elements due prominence. It seemed to go down well. ‘Esa-Pekka Salonen – who led a large L.A. Phil enhanced with rock musicians and the Los Angeles Master Chorale – was cheered like a rock star,’ reported the Los Angeles Times correspondent in attendance on the night.

The release of this set has been given added poignancy with Gail Zappa’s passing last month. “This marks the 101st Frank Zappa album release and the last record Gail creatively worked on, as well,” comments Frank and Gail’s son, Ahmet Zappa. “It was an incredibly important project for her and a real labour of love to see it through to completion. It was an amazing night of music – the performances were extraordinary and the maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen was phenomenal. This is an especially emotional release for my family and I know both Gail and Frank are smiling down with pride at this record. Enjoy!”

200 Motels (The Suites) is released on 20 November 2015.

STEVE VAI UPDATE

from the Steve Vai newsletter

Steve Vai and Sony Records will be publishing a special 25th Anniversary Edition of "Passion and Warfare" that includes an entire album that Steve calls "the missing link between Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare." This package will include a newly mastered "Passion and Warfare", a DVD of snippets of vids in the studio while recording PAW, interview footage from the period, and the promotional videos that were released for PAW. The package will also include a CD of re-worked material that was recorded or written between the releases of Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare.

If you are aware of the music on "Flex-Able" and "Passion and Warfare" it may seem as though two different people made those records. The growth was exponential on all levels. There was a lot of music that was tracked but never finished, and a lot of material that was written but not recorded between these two records and Steve thought it appropriate to take a handful of that music and work it up into a new release. The record sounds like the cro-magnon missing link between the guy that made "Flex-Able" and the guy that made "Passion and Warfare"." The name of this record is "Modern Primitive". Largely recorded or written during the 1984-1990 time period, these songs will satisfy the deepest fans; music that ranges from intensive, to delicate melodic chasms to the masterpieces that some might agree are magnificently bizarre! Steve is now recording additional guitar parts and breathing the last 25 years of recording advances and musicality into these songs.

Look for this release in mid 2016 and for info on the unique promotional Anniversary release tour Steve will be scheduling for summer and fall of 2016.

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS - ROXY THE MOVIE

It doesn't get any better than this.
Essential listening !!

• frank zappa & the mothers: roxy the movie
      (2015, cd+dvd, eu, eagle vision eagdv050)

• frank zappa & the mothers: roxy the movie
      (2015, dvd, eur, eagle vision)

• frank zappa & the mothers: roxy the movie
      (2015, blu-ray, eur, eagle vision)

OSTRICH VON NIPPLE

Not only does Ostrich Von Nipple has his own website, http://ostrichvonnipple.com/, there's also the news that the Geman Psychofon Records label will be releasing an Ostrich Von Nipple 10" shortly !

It might look something like this :

STEVE VAI AND THE VAI ACADEMY GUITAR ARMY - FLASH MOB

• steve vai and the vai academy guitar army: flashmob
      (2015, download, -,  light without heat / vaitunes #9)

Steve Vai and band, plus about 125 guitarists that took part in the Vai Academy clinic.
It has been released as the ninth release in the Vai Tunes series.

Info has been added to the United Mutations Archives.

EL NIÑO GUSANO - S/T

• el niño gusano: el niño gusano
      (2015, 5cd, spain,grabaciones en el mar)

A couple of months ago, I discovered that El Nino Gusano's contribution to the first volume of the Spanish Unmatched series (by Hall Of Fame, 1997) could also be found on an album that the band released three years after the Unmatched tribute album. The song in question was Frank Zappa's 'Baby Snakes', the album was called "Fantástico Entre Los Pinos" (2000).
It became even more interesting when I found out that El Niño Gusano's label had released the band's complete works in a 5CD-box earlier this year.
Music without compromises, wrapped in beautiful albums.
Here are the album covers (artwork by Oscar Sanmartin Vargas !!)

THINKING PLAGUE - IN THIS LIFE

• thinking plague: in this life
      (2015, cd, usa, cuneiform)

Twenty-five years ago, Thinking Plague released "In This Live". It was their third album at the time and it got released by Recommended Records.
Cuneiform is now re-releasing the album, newly remastered.

Thinking Plague's music is a mixture of progressive rock and jazz elements. Some call it Rock In Opposition, or also Avant Rock.
"In This Life" is considered by some as the band's best album. I only know that I like it. Especially the contrast of Susanne Lewis' vocals and the solemn sounding instruments.

Despite some ups and downs and changes in line-ups, the band is still around.

Here's a track from "In This Life" :


-
and a recent live clip


Out on Cuneiform
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com

Available from Mandai:
http://mandai.be/

THE THING - SHAKE

• the thing: shake
      (2015, cd, austria, the thing records / trost records.)

Scandinavian power trio The Thing has a new release out.
Mats Gustafsson, Ingebrigt Haker and Paal Nilssen-Love go at it again.
This is pure energy.
A private release, but in close cooperation with Trost Records.
Out on CD and on LP.

Mats Gustafsson - soprano, tenor baritone and bass saxophone
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - electric bass
Paal Nilssen-Love - drums

Here's a little teaser, 'The Nail Will Burn' .

It's jazz, Jim, but not as we know it.


Out on Trost Records
http://www.trost.at/label/the-thing-records/

Available from Mandaï
http://mandai.be/

JIMMY CARL BLACK

A 3-day exhibition was held to commemorate the life of Jimmy, his art and his music on the 8th Anniversary of his death [Nov 1st 2008]

Visit www.jimmycarlblack.com to view photo galleries of his impressive sculptures as well as find out how to see Jimmy's movie, now out on DVD and much more.

There's also photos of the exhibition !

WARREN HAYNES AT CONAN

Warren Haynes has announced new U.S. 2016 tour dates, part of his Ashes & Dust World Tour which currently underway in Europe, making a return to the U.S. at the end of the year. The new dates, which include stops in Dallas, Austin, Cleveland, St. Paul, Knoxville and Albany, will take the tour to more intimate venues, a sure thrill for fans who will have a chance to experience the new music from Ashes & Dust up close and personal. Once again, Warren will be backed by the Ashes & Dust Band, consisting of progressive bluegrass trio Chessboxer and acclaimed drummer Jeff Sipe.

FIDO PLAYS ZAPPA IN CONCERT

Fido Plays Zappa

in Austria, The Netherlands and Germany !!

75 YEARS TOUR 2015

• Sa 21.11.15 AT-Hard, Kammgarn
• Mi 2.12.15 NL-Hoofddorp, Duycker
• Do 3.12.15 DE-Hamburg, Indra Musik Club
• Fr 4.12.15 DE-Schwerin, Speicher
• Sa 5.12.15 DE-Sazwedel, Hanseat
• Do 10.12.15 DE-Arnstadt, Rockjungfer
• Fr 11.12.15 DE-Weinstadt, Armer Konrad
• Sa 12.12.15 DE-Lorsch, Rex Kulturhaus

SPAGHETTI EASTERN MUSIC

'Nap Dust' is a composition by Spaghetti Eastern Music.
To be more precise, it's a variation on Frank Zappa's 'Sleep Dirt' theme.

You can check it out here:


The track can be found on Spaghetti Eastern Music's most recent album: "Sketches Of Spam".
Available from CDBaby and from various download shops.

More info soon.

THE RESIDENTS

The Residents' website is showing new concert dates for Europe and for Australia.
Check it out.
http://www.residents.com/home/

And Klanggalerie will be releasing "The Rivers Of Hades" on CD in about a month.

FIDO PLAYS ZAPPA RELEASES A 7" SINGLE

Swiss band Fido Plays Zappa is releasing a 7" single !!
Side A presents Fido perfoming FZ's 'Bobby Brown' against a mixture of various rock riffs, while side B includes 'Dirty Love vs Magic Fingers'.

More info soon.
http://www.fidoplayszappa.com/wp/

FLYING HORSEMAN HAS NEW ALBUM OUT

From "Night Is Long", the brand-new album by Flying Horseman.

SUN RA REPRESSING ON THE KINDRES SPIRITS LABEL

Sun Ra's "Disco 3000" LP is getting a repressing on the Kindred Spirits label.

Originally released in 1978, with recordings from The Arkestra's concert in Milan, Italy in 1978.

Art Yard released the complete concert on a 2CD set in 2007.
The orignal single album got re-released on vinyl (and also on CD) by Kindred Spirits in 2009.
Out of print for a while, so a repressing was due.

Here's the album cover of the 2009 CD release :

ZAPPATIKA - THE PONY SUITE

Written by Zap Mcinnes and Ike Willis.
Performed by ZAPPATiKA with guests Jeff Hollie, Craig Steward and Ike Willis

DOWNLOAD the full official Single (released Sept.2015) here : https://www.reverbnation.com/zappatika/song/24253616-the-pony-suite

or go to Spotify or i-Tunes - "The Pony Suite"

FIREWORKS ENSEMBLE HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT

The Fireworks Ensemble is released a new album last month, entitled "American Tapestry".

Works by Bill Monroe, Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ives, ...

You can  check it out at
http://fireworksensemble.org/audio/

THE LEX BRONKOWITZ ORCHESTRA

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa
October 31, 2015 live @ Zappaloween / Artcafé SamSam, Apeldoorn, Netherlands

EDUARDO KUSDRA

SONAR - BLACK LIGHT

• sonar: black light
      (2015, cd, usa, cuneiform)

Two years ago, Swiss rock band Sonar released "Static Motion". Keeping up with great album titles, they just released "Black Light".
Two guitars, a bass and drums. That's all that this quartet needs to supply you with an hypnotic, mesmerising dose of soundscapes.
Minimal, yet complex.
This is nice.

Out on the Cuneiform label.
www.cuneiformrecords.com

Available from Mandaï:
http://mandai.be/

GARY LUCAS : CONCERTS AND BEEFHEART SYMPOSIUM

Gary Lucas is Artist in Residence at Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Nov. 26th - 29th
There's also an upcoming Italian Tour Nov. 20th - 23rd

On Thurs. Nov 26 through Sun. Nov. 29th, GARY LUCAS has been invited as ARTIST IN RESIDENCE at the newly-renovated Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in England, where he will perform 6 different solo projects over 4 days and nights.

For this occasion, Gary will premiere his new Jeff Buckley Symposium on Thurs. Nov. 26th at 8pm to kick off his engagement, with guest vocalist Jay Mathy.

Thurs. Nov. 26th
8pm Gary Lucas-- Jeff Buckley Symposium
with Gary's special guest vocalist Jay Mathy

On Fri. Nov. 27th, Lucas performs his original live solo score accompanying James Whale's "Frankenstein" (1931), originally commissioned by the United Palace Theatre in Harlem's chief programmer Mike Fitelson.

Fri. Nov. 27th 8pm
Gary Lucas-- "Frankenstein" with live score

Gary will present two Masterclasses on Sat. and Sun. afternoons Nov. 28th and 29th at 2pm.
He gives a solo concert on Sat Nov. 28th at 8pm, featuring guest vocalists Dave McCabe from Liverpool band The Zutons, and Scottish singer/songwriter Jay Mathy:
He closes his residency on Sun. night Nov. 29th with his Captain Beefheart Symposium at 8pm, with special guests Beefheart biographer Mike Barnes, Dave McCabe from The Zutons, and Bryan Biggs of the Bluecoat Gallery.

Sat. Nov. 28th
2pm Gary Lucas Masterclass
8pm Gary Lucas-- In Concert with special guests

Sun. Nov. 29th
2pm Gary Lucas-- Masterclass
8pm Gary Lucas-- Captain Beefheart Symposium

Prior to his Liverpool engagement, Gary tours Italy, his third appearance there this year. Dates include solo shows in Salerno, Livorno, Bologna and Venezia, with special guest vocalists Alessio Franchini and Francesco Di Bella of the band 24 Grana. 

Fri. Nov. 20th
9pm
Modo, Salerno Italy
Gary Lucas performs a solo concert with his special guest vocalist Alessio Franchini


Sat. Nov. 21st
9pm
Goldonetta Theatre, Livorno Italy
Gary Lucas plays at the Premio Ciampi Festival with his special guest vocalist Alessio Franchini
and with Sinfonico Honolulu


Sun. Nov 22nd
9pm
Freak Out, Bologna Italy
Gary Lucas performs a solo concert with his special guest Alessio Franchini


Mon. Nov. 23rd
9pm
Paradiso Perduto, Venice Italy
Gary Lucas performs a solo concert

MAGIC BAND TOURDATES

The Magic Band Tour Dates & Tickets

MATTIAS IA EKLUNDH

DON PRESTON'S AKASHIC ENSEMBLE

NOVEMBER 2015 - ON TOUR

Don Preston's Akashic Ensemble

2015/11/13 FRI ATLANTA GA RED LIGHT CAFE

2015/11/14 SAT ASHEVILLE NC THE MOTHLIGHT

2015/11/15 SUN BIRMINGHAM AL SYNDICATE LOUNGE

2015/11/16 MON HATTIESBURG MS THIRSTY HIPPO

2015/11/17 TUE NEW ORLEANS LA CAFE ISTANBUL



DON PRESTON's AKASHIC ENSEMBLE 2015

DON PRESTON at 83 is a synth originator that toured with everyone from Nat King Cole to Leo Sayer and brought synths to the classic Zappa/Mothers albums, and to soundtracks like Coppola’s Apocalypse Now.

MIKE DILLON: percussionist, punk rock provocateur & jazz vibraphone visionary, just off tour with Primus, will sandwich this run between tours with his own MIKE DILLON BAND.

ANDRE CHOLMONDELEY: electronic guitar & textures, founded the alumni-based Frank Zappa tribute band Project/Object.

ADAM RUDOLPH - TURNING TOWARDS THE LIGHT

• adam rudolph: turning towards the light
      (2015, cd, usa, cuneiform)

Adam Rudolph's first release on the Cuneiform record label has him leading a group of 11 guitarists through a set of 13 composed (or improvisatinally conducted) works.

The result sounds rather impressive.

From Roulette:

This is the 10th release of Adam Rudolph’s Go: Organic Orchestra since he began developing the concept in 2001. With “Turning Towards the Light” Rudolph has envisioned and realized a new kind of orchestral sound. He says: “I try to do something new with each performance and recording I do. This time I wanted to experiment with a new kind of orchestration. I felt that the range of sound and rhythm these 11 electric guitars could generate a sonic palate that had never been heard before. I was looking for a new kind of “future orchestra” and I think we found it.”

released by Cuneiform records.
www.cuneiformrecords.com

available from Mandai.
www.mandai.be

SUN RA

A message from Erwin Chusid on the Saturn newsgroup :

Michael and I have now completed and released 50 digitally remastered Sun Ra albums (+ nine iTunes-only samplers). Most were remastered from tape, a few from rare vinyl when tape was unavailable. All are available in AAC+ 24-bit format from iTunes, and as mp3s (distributed by Virtual) thru Amazon, eMusic, and other surviving digital retail outlets.

A large part (but not all) of the iTunes Sun Ra catalog is here:
http://iTunes.com/SunRaMusic?ls=1&app=itunes

(If you dislike Apple, iTunes, or digital formats in general, please refrain from gripes here. If not for a passionate Ra fan on the editorial staff at iTunes, none of these remasters—and the vinyl and CDs which have and will continue to emerge from them—would have happened. One guy with an idea started it all. He prefers to downplay his role.)

Our recent digital releases are:

Antique Blacks (1974)
http://apple.co/1MwrZ5i

Beyond the Purple Star Zone (1980)
http://apple.co/1WlsYEQ

God Is More Than Love Can Ever Be (1979)
http://apple.co/1SbYtRa

Aurora Borealis (1981)
http://apple.co/1e7FwQO

Oblique Parallax (1980)
http://apple.co/1G68U07

Dance of Innocent Passion (1982)
http://apple.co/1NQLMt4

Antique Blacks is differently configured than the Saturn LP and Art Yard CD. It mirrors the original session tape (which includes a 24-minute Antique Blacks "suite"), sounds cleaner, and is sequenced according to the tape. Art Yard's CD is still available, but our digital version has replaced AY's. Aurora Borealis = solo piano. God Is More Than Love = solid jazz trio set with Sunny, Samarai, and Hayes. Oblique and Purple Star Zone are Detroit residency sets.

Strut has issued two double LPs & CDs: "In the Orbit of Ra" (compiled by Marshall Allen) and "To Those of Earth and Other Worlds" (curated by Gilles Peterson). These albums largely consist of material from our catalog of digitally remastered recordings.

https://strut.greedbag.com/buy/marshall-allen-presents-sun-ra-a/

https://strut.greedbag.com/buy/to-those-of-earth-and-other-worl/

We're partnering with a new Sundazed imprint, Modern Harmonic, on a series of vinyl releases. First up will be a 2-LP vocal/song compilation (Space Age is Here to Stay) that will contain remastered catalog tracks and some previously unreleased material from Michael's archive. Target release: March 2016. After that, a collection of Sun Ra Exotica. Sundazed has also signed on for a series of 7" and 10" singles, which should roll out in early 2016.

We've partnered with Virtual to issue remastered LP/CD editions of classic Saturn catalog albums, some containing bonus material. This project is taking longer than anticipated to launch because of technical logistics. We have Ben Young (ex-WKCR) and Joe Lizzi (Ben's partner at Triple Point Records) on board for new tape transfers and album mastering.

Art Yard (Peter Dennett) will soon be issuing on LP/CD "I Roam the Cosmos," a 51-minute live 1972 performance spotlighting a call-and-response between Sunny and June. The previously unreleased track was mastered last year and released digitally. Earlier this year, in conjunction with Strut, AY issued the previously unreleased "Planets of Life or Death: Amiens '73," also featuring Sunny and June. Next year AY will issue a double LP/CD of a previously unreleased Sun Ra piano and Moog performance with vocals recorded in Rome 1977.

Michael and I are currently working on remastered versions of Soul Vibrations of Man, Discipline 27-II, Crystal Spears, Cymbals, Pathways to Unknown Worlds, Friendly Love, Discipline 99, Taking a Chance on Chances, and Unity (complete Storyville shows). There will be some bonus material and in some cases new mixes from 4-track tapes.

...

Regards

Irwin Chusid

IKE WILLIS, JEFF HOLLIE AND ZAPPATIKA TOURDATES

Ike Willis, Jeff Hollie and Zappatika
performing the music of Frank Zappa

17 March - The Big Buttinsky, Osnabruck,Germany (+.CHATO)
18 March - Le Zebre, Paris, France. (+ Zapmospheres II )
19 March - Corn Exchange,Stamford,England
20 March - Roadhouse, Birmingham.
22 March - The Scene Club - Swansea, Wales
23 March - Talking Heads,Southampton (+.Acton Zappa)
24 March - The Zanzibar Club, Liverpool,(+ Charlies Gorilla)
25 March - Arden Social Club, Halifax,England
26 March - Jazz Café, London, England (+ The Dyr Sister)

TONI EBERLE / MARKUS DE PRETTO - NACHTFLUG

• toni eberle / markus de pretto: nachtflug
      (2005, cd, eu, private release)

Toni Eberle (electric guitar) and Markus De Pretto (electric bass) released a CD with various (mostly) jazz standards in 2005. Track number 9 is Frank Zappa's 'Blessed Relief'.
Great version.

Another fine addition to The Others Of Invention.

JOHN TRUBEE AND THE UGLY JANITORS OF AMERICA - NUDE WOMAN EXDOCRIUS

• john trubee and the ugly janitors of america: nude woman exdocrius
      (2015, lp, usa, trubee records 6900837)

Earlier this year, John Trubee released three records.
"Gloop Nox And The Stik People" was a collection of material that John Trubee and Jim Nevius had written in the seventies. It got re-recorded and put on an album. It sounded good. Very seventies, but good.
"A Blind Man's Penis And Other Smash Hits" had us listening to recordings from 1999 and 2004. Sounded really good. It made me wonder what JT had been up to lately, music-wise.
But there's also "Nude Woman Exdocrius", presenting recordings from 2013 and 2014, and that's just awesome.

This is it. This is the real deal. This is the brand-new John Trubee album that we've been waiting for. Parts recorded in L.A. and parts in San Francisco, the album sounds heavier and funkier than what I've heard before.
Excellent vocals by Mark Langton and by Laurie Amat. Superb guitar playing by John Trubee.
I love it.

Highly recommended !!

LE REX - WILD MAN

• le rex: wild man
      (2015, cd, usa, cuneiform)

Swiss jazz quintet Le Rex has been making music since 2009. "Wild Man" is their third album.
Their combination of two saxophones, a trombone, a tuba and drums results in a very specific brass sound.
Instrumental jazz.
Joyful. Playful. Energetic.
Worth checking out.

Out on the Cuneiform Records label.
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/

Available from Mandaï.
http://mandai.be/

After two well-received CDs recorded with transportable gear on different specifically chosen locations in Corsica (the group named themselves after an abandoned cinema they found on the island) and Switzerland, the Swiss quintet, decided to take it one step further. The material on this third record is inspired by a very successful first tour through the United States of America, composed and then rehearsed in Chicago, premiered on their second U.S. tour and then recorded in Chicago by the sound engineer Griffin Rodriguez, who has recorded most of the exponents of the vibrating Chicago jazz scene as well as more rock oriented projects like Beirut and his own Icy Demons. Griffin was a perfect fit for the band, understood the preferred rawness and directness the group was trying to achieve and therefore suggested recording in his father's garage. Without trying to imitate the great American jazz innovators but to give them tribute, Le Rex found their own, European approach to the inspirations provided by the people, places, parties, stories, styles, long car drives, food and life they encountered as musicians on the road.

JOHN TRUBEE AND THE UGLY JANITORS OF AMERICA - A BLIND MAN'S PENIS AND OTHER SMASH HITS

• john trubee and the ugly janitors of america: a blind man's penis and other smash hits
      (2015, lp, usa, trubee records 6900838)

I mentioned the John Trubee / Jim Nevius collaboration, Gloop Nox & The Stik People a couple of weeks ago, telling you that John Trubee had recentely released three records.
Here's "A Blind Man's Penis And Other Smash Hits", presenting a fabulous bunch of new material next to some older songs. The older songs being 'A Blind Man's Penis' and 'Your Stupid Friends' from the excellent "World Of Lying Pigs" album.
The new material is from a December 1998 / January 1999 session and from the 2004/2005 project "Satan Killed Me Today".

I'm playing the album right now (and pretty loud too, if I may add) and it is great.
Honest album artwork (you see what you get), excellent info on the different recordings sessions and the participating musicians, and printed-out lyrics...  Great package.
An excellent job by John Trubee. Featuring Richie Hass, Marc Mylar, Kurt McGettrick (who recorded an toured with Zappa in 1988) and Laurie Amat (who recorded and toured with The Residents).

Highly recommended !!

Here's the story on 'Blind Man's Penis':
http://www.songpoemmusic.com/trubee.htm

Here's a track from "Strange Hippie Sex Carnival", 1989.

NEW FRANK ZAPPA BOOTLEGS

A recent visit to Brussels had me spot two new Frank Zappa vinyl bootleg albums.
Sort of counterfeits as they're vinyl versions of the "Roxy By Proxy" CD.
Both limited to 150 copies. On clear and on blue vinyl.

Here are some pictures :

volume 1

the on clear vinyl

volume two

on blue vinyl

SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA - TO THOSE OF EARTH... AND OTHER WORLDS

• sun ra and his arkestra: to those of earth... and other worlds
      (2015, 2cd, ger, strut/art yard strut125cd)

Compiled by BBC DJ Gilles Peterson.
Impressive booklet with lengthy sleeve notes and nice pictures.
Includes, as one could imagine, two previously unreleased tracks.
Also out on vinyl, but different.

Listening to it now. Sounds great.

Read more here :
http://www.strut-records.com/tag/sun-ra/

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND THE MAGIC BAND - BATLIGHT CLEARKID 1970s

• captain beefheart and the magic band: batlight clearkid 1970s
      (2015, lp, uk, ozit records) 

Earlier this year, the Ozit record label released another album with various live recordings from Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band.

Ozit adds:
Batlight Clearkid 1970's is an LP compilation of great Captain Beefheart live material recorded in the UK and in Europe. The tracks are taken from John Peels personal collection of live reel to reel tapes and this album was put together by John Peel in 2002 and passed across for release on the Dandelion label. The gatefold sleeve contains many previously unseen Captain Beefheart images. The initial pressing will be 1000 units in 180 gram yellow vinyl.

Food for collectors.

THE NEW TRIER WEST RECORDING JAZZ ENSEMBLE - CONQUEST IN TIME

• the new trier west recording jazz ensemble: conquest in time
      (1973, lp, usa, br 246)

June 1973, the New Trier West High School jazz ensemble performed a concert in which they played Frank Zappa's 'Peaches En Regalia'. It got recorded and released the very same year by the school as a private release.

I remember reading about this album in Nobbie's Zappalog. The album got mentioned but he did not have all the data. Years (and I mean 'years') later, I got some extra info (and the above picture of the album cover) from Hans-Peter Schmidt who had been able to acquire a copy.
I contacted the school and I even exchanged e-mails with someone who had worked on the project. They told me that they could hardly remember the project as they had done so many...
Anyway, I was finally able to obtain a copy a couple of weeks ago. Happy me.

The ensemble plays a fine version of Zappa's most famous tune. Re-arranged and very nice.

Another fine addition to The Others Of Invention.
http://www.united-mutations.com/z/frank_zappa/fz_ooi_albums.htm

ROBBIE SEAHAG MANGANO - FULL MOON FEVER

• robbie 'seahag' mangano: full moon fever
      (2015, cd, usa, private release) 

Robbie 'Seahag' Mangano brought along a new release on his recent tour with The Banned From Utoppia.  "Full Moon Fever" actually is his second solo album, his first one being "We'll Got To Be About Da Bidnus".
"Full Moon Fever" is a great album. And not just because it has Betty Page on the album cover.
The disc presents 15 tracks plus about 12 demos. It displays an excellent mixture of styles including some very zappa-esque pieces and guitar solos.
Lots of guest appearances as well. Lots of familiar sounding names including former Project/Object colleagues, but also Don Preston, Napoleon Murphy Brock and Ed Mann.

Subtitled "Limited European Edition", this might not be the easiest album to track down once the BFU tour finishes, so get it while you can !

Recommended.

Unfortunately, the Seahag's first album is sold out (which is not too surprising if you consider that it was released in 2002).. It's still available as a download, but those of us who like to surround themselves with the real deal physical object will not have an easy task tracking it down.
Robbie was telling me that he was considering to remix his first album as it was very lo-fi. That would be nice. And even nicer if it would get a CD-release.
In the meantime, "Full Moon Fever" will do nicely.

The Seahag has performed with Project/Object, The Grandmothers and witih The Banned From Utopia (and I'm just mentioning the Zappa tribute bands).
Here's a guitar solo from a concert with The Grandmothers !!

FRED HANDL - PLAYS THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA

• fred händl: plays the music of frank zappa
      (2015, cd, nl, private release)

You might already have encountered Fred Händl as joined forces with Zappatika about a year or two ago. He also hosted last year's Frank Zappa Day in Tilburg, NL.
All this to say that Fred Händl is familiar with the music of Frank Zappa.

"Fred Händl Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa".
Mixed between a couple of original compositions, we get to experience Fred Händl's view on the music of FZ.
Mixed with some spoken word fragments, and with the help of the Giacomo di Lindini Trio, Herrie Friend, Fuckpig and Paul Walford, we're treated to an orchestrated, yet chaotic world where Fred Händl pays tribute to the music of Frank Zappa.
I like it a lot.