CARL KING

Carl King said:

This is an instrumental mix of the 46-minute sci-fi prog-rock title track from my "Grand Architects of the Universe" album (2017).

 

JOHN TRUBEE AND THE UGLY JANITORS OF AMERICA

A message from Cordelia Records :

The final Cordelia release of 2022 is a new album by John Trubee. There is also an offer to buy our two John Trubee albums for less money. Go here and have a look:

http://www.cordeliarecords.co.uk/Pages/Buy%20Records.html

ED PALERMO BIG BAND IN CONCERT

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/an-intimate-evening-with-ed-iridium-tickets/12544605

STEPHAN THELEN - FRACTAL GUITAR 3

Stephan Thelen released "Fractal Guitar 3".
Polyrhythms and all sorts of strange sounding guitars.

PIERRE VERVLOESEM - ARTSY - FARTSY

A new release by Pierre Vervloesem always makes me very curious as one never knows the direction he will be taking.
I'm only five minutes into the first piece ('Artsy') but this sounds great.

SUN RA - ART ON SATURN

"Art On Saturn" is a brand-new book that focusses on the artwork of Sun Ra's albums that got released on the Saturn label.
12" book. 240 pages. Hardback. With lots of full-size colour pictures. Gorgeous.

As the book was released by Fantagraphics, it's available from your local comic book shop. At least, that's where I ordered my copy.

https://www.fantagraphics.com/products/sun-ra-art-on-saturn-the-album-cover-art-of-sun-ras-saturn-label

AARON PARKS

I got invited to check out Aaron Parks, New York-based keyboard player and composer.

Melodic feel good music.
Love the interaction between the guitar and the keyboard.

-

-- info: Mick Zeuner

JOSSE DE PAUW

• josse de pauw, peter vermeersch, pierre vervloesem: weg
      (1998, cd, belgium, viakra)

Actor Josse De Pauw teamed up with Peter Vermeersch and Pierre Vervloesem to perform "Weg" in 1998.
The album got released on the Viakra label in 1998 and got re-released in 2010 on the Off Records label with different artwork.
Highly recommended, but you need to understand the Flemish language.

Josse has a great voice. When he starts talking, you listen. And for some reason, it merges beautifully with music.

Here's Josse with the Corrie van Binsbergen Band, from 2006.

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - CLEAR SPOT RECORD STORE DAY RELEASE

Captain Beefheart's "Clear Spot" album is getting extended and released (on 2 LP clear vinyl) for record store day.

The second LP (info from Discogs) :

C1 Nowadays A Woman's Gotta Hit A Man (Early Mix) 4:00

C2 Clear Spot (Rough Mix) [Instrumental] 3:48

C3 Crazy Little Thing (Rough Mix) [Instrumental] 3:06

C4 Dirty Blue Gene (Rough Mix) [Instrumental] 3:43

C5 Big Eyed Beans From Venus (Rough Mix) [Instrumental] 4:41

C6 Kiss Where I K'aint 2:43 

D1 Sun Zoom Spark (Rough Mix) [Instrumental] 2:28

D2 Nowadays A Woman's Gotta Hit A Man (Rough Mix) [Instrumental] 4:25 

D3 Little Scratch 2:59 

D4 Low Yo Yo Stuff (Rough Mix) [Instrumental] 3:47 

D5 Dirty Blue Gene (Alternate Version 3) 3:04 

D6 Circumstances (Alternate Version 2) 3:21

VINCENT PRESLEY & THE SECRET CREEPS - VOL. 1

• vincent presley & the secret creeps: volume 1
      (2022, lp, usa, secret records)

It's a pity that Secret Records isn't distributed in Europe.
Belgium customs makes it rather impossible to order this stuff out of the U.S.

Anyway, Vincent Presley (the man behind Secret Records) and The Secret Creeps (feat. Renaldo M, Nolan Cook, Lonesome Wyatt, Kirilola and Zebulon Whatley) released an LP.

A Secret Records super group with members / collaborators of The Residents. Those Poor Bastards, eX-Girl, Renaldo & The Loaf, Zebras, Sons Of Perdition

NORDMANN - NORDMANN

• nordmann: nordmann
     (2013, cd ep, belgium, private release)

Nordmann is a fascinating Belgian jazz / rock ensemble.
It all started when they won the silver medal at the Humo's Rock Rally competition in 2014, but they had already released an eponymous EP in 2013 !
There wasn't much info to be found on this release as it was a limited private release, but my pal Danny alerted me to it a couple of years ago.
More recently, I was able to find a copy myself.
Beautiful. It sounds the way the artwork looks.

• Mattias De Craene - tenor sax
• Edmund Lauret - guitar
• Dries Geusens - bass
• Elias Devoldere - drums

More recently, in 2020, the quartet released "In Velvet".

WIPPY BONSTACK HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT

Wippy Bonstack is Ben Coniguliaro's project.
And Wippy Bonstack has a new album out, and that's good news.
I really liked last year's "Dataland" and I'm as impressed by "22".

And if you like this, you should also check out Sun Colored Chair, the band in which Ben Coniguliaro plays the drums.

-

DAVE LIEBMAN & RICHIE BEIRACH - UNSPOKEN

• dave liebman / richie beirach: unspoken
      (2011, cd, --, out note records)

Dave Liebman on sax and flute.
Richie Beirach on piano.

"Unspoken" collects homages, a hymn and even a prayer.

Intense because of its simplicity.

Impressive.

-- info: Danny Mathys 

FIDO 2023 TOURDATES

Fido Plays Zappa

Hey FiDO Friends!

We're happy to announce the second leg of our 20th anniversary tour.
Looking forward to share stage again with great Mr Bobby Martin on vocals, sax, keys + Zappa touring-anectotes. Get yout tix and see you soon!
Best, Pascal & the FiDOs

Do 23.02.23 Bensheim – Rex
Fr 24.02.23 Torgau – Kulturbastion
Sa 25.02.23 Bordesholm – Savoy
So 26.02.23 Bremen – Meisenfrei
Di 28.02.23 Ettenheim – Gallagher´s Nest
Mi 01.03.23 Wetzlar – Franzis
Do 02.03.23 Dortmund – Piano
Fr 03.03.23 Halle (Saale) – Objekt 5
Sa 04.03.23 Hildburghausen – Route 66

Tickets: https://www.eventim.de/artist/fidoplayszappa/?affiliate=TUG
Follow us on Bandsintown: https://bnds.us/45025p

STEVE VAI & METROPOLE ORKEST

 Upcoming concert in Eindhoven, NL:

Steve Vai & Metropole Orkest

At the Bridge Guitar Festival

2023 05 13

https://www.muziekgebouweindhoven.nl/nl/agenda/4630/BR_DGE_Eindhoven_Guitar_Festival/Steve_Vai_Metropole_Orkest

BRIAN NEWMAN

Sunday afternoon jazz ?
Brian Newman would be a good choice.

Trumpet player and vocalist Brian Newman released "Showboat" in 2018.
Fun.
Featuring none other than Lady Gaga on one of the tracks.

"Showboat" was followed by "Lounge Act" in 2020.
The album opens with 'Some Skunk Funk', a track that we know from The Brecker Brothers.
Next up is an up-tempo version of Mr. Sting's 'Murder By Numbers'.
Nice.

Here's a YouTube video to give you an idea :

HEAVEN HOTEL SAMPLER

The Library Music / ​Easy Listening Side Of Heaven Hotel Part One.
With stunning album artwork by Rudy Trouvé.

Streaming / download & CD

MDOU MOCTAR - ILANA THE CREATOR

• mdou moctar: ilana the creator
      (2019, cd, usa, sahel sounds)

Nigerian guitarist and songwriter Mdou Moctar mixes blues rock with Sahara desert blues (also known as Tuareg ).
His "Ilana The Creator" album was published internationally by the Sahel Sounds label in 2019.
A very nice introduction.

Here's a recent KEXP studio concert by Mdou Moctar :

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

MAURITS PAUWELS - IN DE STRATEN VAN BERCHEM (STERRENSCHIPVERSIE)

Next to the regular version of this wonderful track, Mauro Pawlowski also did a 'sterrenschipversie' (star ship version ?) of 'In De Straten Van Berchem'.

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

MOSAE ZAPPA TIME TABLE

VRIJDAG 25/11/22 - PRE PARTY
Café Bluff – Heerlen (20:00 uur)
- The Dogbreath Duo
- The Disco Boyz DJ Set

ZATERDAG 26/11/22 - HEERLEN MIJN STAD MATINEE
Betahuis – Heerlen (13:00 uur)
- Tim op het Broek: The Best Lecture You Never Heard In Your Life
- Remko Serban

Café Tess – Heerlen (14:25 uur)
- Jeff Silvertrust

Juwelier Vaessen – Heerlen (15:00 uur)
- The Carillon From Hell

De Tapperij – Heerlen (15:15 uur)
- Mr Hendrixson

MOZAE ZAPPA FESTIVAL tickets – regular and VIP
Oefenbunker Landgraaf (20:00 uur)
- The Others Of Invention
- Eak+
- Sugar Plum Fairy
- The Disco Boysz Freak Out DJ Set

ZONDAG 27/11/22
HEERLEN JAZZ MATINEE
Oefenbunker landgraaf (15:00 uur)
- Power To The Pipo
- The Disco Boyz DJ Set

KARL JENKINS - PENUMBRA II

• karl jenkins: penumbra
      (2022, cd, uk, jazz in brittain)

Karl Jenkins is a bit of a legend.
He was part of Nucleus when the band recorded their first albums, and he joined Soft Machine in 1972.

More recently, the Jazz In Brittain label released an amazing recording:
Karl Jenkins' 10 piece band in concert in London in 1971 !!

This is amazing. Utterly amazing.

Three lengthy pieces, composed by Karl Jenkins

Featuring :

• Karl Jenkins – piano
• Ian Carr - flugelhorn
• Brian Smith - soprano saxophone
• Ray Warleigh - alto saxophone
• Alan Skidmore - tenor saxophone
• Chris Spedding - guitar
• Dave MacRae - piano, electric piano
• Roy Babbington - bass, bass guitar
• John Marshall - drums
• Frank Ricotti – percussion

-- info: Danny Mathys

JIP - GLEE

• jip: glee
      (1994, cd, usa, spoke records)

Mike Keneally produced (and performed on) Jip's "Glee" album in 1994.
I knew about this but I had never heard the actual album.

Until this morning, that is.
Nice. Very nice.
I'm glad I was able to give this a listen !

On his website, Mike added:

MK involvement: Produced the album, played lead guitar and keyboard, background vocals.

Comments: If you’re a Keneally fan, this is the first thing you need to get after you’ve bought the solo albums and the Zappa stuff. Jip are a San Diego trio who were kind enough to ask me to produce this album for them, and I’m very proud of the result. The band (Brad Teaby on vocals and guitar, Paul Denton on bass and vocals, K. Kenworthy on drums and percussions) performs beautifully, and the songs are hypnotic and groovacious in the extreme. I play all over the thing. The solo in “Staying” is likely one of my best on record. The album was recorded in Double Time (where I do my solo albums) and is my first major non- Keneally production, so if you’re collecting me, it’s essential.

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

THE MUFFINS - BAKER'S DOZEN

• the muffins: baker's dozen
      (2022, 12cd+dvd, usa, cuneiform)

12 CD's and 1 DVD make up a baker's dozen.
At least for Maryland-based prog rock band The Muffins.

Released by Cuneiform as a box set, and also available for streaming / download through Bandcamp.
Unreleased demos, live recordings,...
This is an amazing collection.
I just listened to the first tracks and I already know that it will be a joy to discover all this new material.
Comes with extensive liner notes.

-- info: Danny Mathys

FRANK ZAPPA LINK ON A BELGIAN TV QUIZ

Canvas, the belgian national TV channel for politics, culture, art and a critical view of the world in general, recently started with a quiz / celebration entitled "25 Years Of Canvas".

I got alerted that one of the questions had a Zappa link.

One of the assignments for the candidates consisted of connecting intros (music and images) to the correct shows.
One of intros that was shown was for "Mannen Van De Macht" and, much to my surprise, the intro music was FZ's 'We Are Not Alone'.
(although it did not exaclty sound like the track from "The Man From Utopia"...)

It made me revisit Saxofourte's "We Are Not Alone" album from 2004, on which the piece can be found as a part of a Frank Zappa Suite.

But I guess that wasn't the recording they used either...

-- info: Filip Schepers

AKA MOON

Bijloke Magazine #10, December 2022, has an article on Aka Moon in an attempt to present the band in five albums.
An impossible task, but a nice article and a fine selection:

• Aka Moon - Aka Moon (1992)
• Aka Moon - Ganesh (1997)
• Aka Moon - DJ Grazzhoppa's DJ Bigband + Aka Moon (2010)
• Aka Moon - The Scarlatti Book (2015)
• Aka Balkan Moon - Alifbata

Here's what I would say:

SONJA KRISTINA

 -- from GlassOnyon PR

Sonja Kristina of Curved Air Narrates Neuschwanstein’s 1976 Progressive Rock Epic “Alice in Wonderland” Album

The original version of Neuschwanstein’s “Alice in Wonderland” had narration in German but, for the first time, this has been replaced with English language parts read by Sonja Kristina of Curved Air.

Musically this 1976 album belongs among the great prog albums and sits between Rick Wakeman’s and Jeff Wayne’s iconic narrated rock albums. This edition has been re-mastered with a booklet that includes two separate sets of liner notes (with rare images) on the history of the band and Sonja Kristina’s 2022 vocal sessions.

Sonja Kristina said of the release “I was delighted to narrate this wonderful psychedelic musical version of Alice’s dream in a dramatic instrumental landscape. I loved Alice in Wonderland as a child and I’ve really enjoyed returning to the magic of this story. This album deserves to be thought of as a classic progressive rock album of the 1970s, so I’m pleased to have recorded the narration for it.”

This was the only mid-1970s album in the ‘Narrated Rock’ genre to be unavailable in English…until now.

TODD RUNDGREN & NAZZ

Deluxe Box Set LOST MASTERS & DEMOS Features Unreleased Recordings From TODD RUNDGREN’s ‘60s Power-Pop Project NAZZ!

Los Angeles, CA – Attention music collectors and Todd Rundgren enthusiasts everywhere! Purple Pyramid Records, a subsidiary of Cleopatra Records Inc., is proud to announce the release of an extravagant box set of long-lost studio recordings by the ‘60s power-pop/psych project that brought Todd Rundgren his first taste of musical notoriety and, Nazz. These tracks are taken directly from the original master acetates of the originally conceived 1968 rough mix of Nazz's sophomore album Nazz Nazz. It was at the sessions that Rundgren took his first turn behind the mixing board, developing the production skills and techniques that made him the highly acclaimed producer he is today!

Rundgren’s ambitious vision for the second Nazz album actually encompassed 26 songs spread across 2 LPs. And although the recordings were eventually scrapped and most of the songs reserved for the band’s third album III, these early versions of the songs would profoundly shape not just Nazz’s sound but the trajectory of Rundgren’s own career. In addition, the other recently discovered acetates contain alternate mixes of Nazz’s signature tune “Open My Eyes” as well as the future Rundgren hit “Hello, It’s Me.”

Set for full release on December 2, Lost Masters & Demos brings all of these rarities into one gorgeous package, available as either a 3CD set or 4LP set, that includes a full-color booklet with detailed liner notes from music historian Michael Armes as well as an extensive interview with Nazz engineer and future engineer on Rundgren’s first three solo albums PLUS tons of rare photos! Fans can get a small taste of what’s in store with the single “Forget All About It,” which is being released on all digital platforms prior to the box set’s full release.

Stream the single: https://orcd.co/nazz_forget_all_about_it_acetate

Order the CD/Vinyl: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=nazz+lost+masters&post_type=product

Pre-order/pre-save Nazz Nazz – The Lost Masters: https://orcd.co/nazz_the_lost_masters

Stream/download Acetates: https://orcd.co/nazz_acetates

MATS ÖBERG & NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK - ZAPPA SPIELT FÜR BACH

• mats öberg & napoleon murphy brock: zappa spielt für bach
      (2022, cd, Germany, stiftung johann Sebastian)

July 13, 2022, Mats Öberg and Napoleon Murphy Brock performed at the St. Katharinenkirche in Hamburg, Germany.
The first set featured Mats solo on the grand piano, performing pieces from his “Frankful” album.
The second set saw Napoleon Murphy Brock joining Mats. The duo (also known as Colour Flash performed standards, including several Frank Zappa compositions.

 
The “Zappa Spielt Für Bach” album captured some of the highlights of this concert.
The setlist also included Lionel Hampton’s ‘Midnight Sun’, a piece from which Frank Zappa borrowed the marimba riff.
Post-production by Ralph Kessler.

Love it.
And not just because we were at this concert but because this is one amazing album.
It doesn't get much better that this...

Essential listening.

• Lumpy Gravy
• Läther (= I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth)
• Zoot Allures
• Outside Now
• Toads Of The Short Forest / Inca Roads
• Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
• What’s The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?
• Oh No
• Son Of Orange County
• More Trouble Every Day
• Somewhere Over The Rainbow (H. Arlen)
• Midnight Sun (L. Hampton)
• Uncle Remus (George Duke, Frank Zappa)
• My Ship (K. Weill)
• Yo' Mama

RALLY - 2

• Rally: 2
      (1998, cd, Sweden, start klart records)

Rally was a humorous radio show on Sweden's Radio P3, broadcast on Friday evenings between 1995 and December 27, 2002. 

The hosts or producers of the show were also referred to as "Rallygänget". They produced six albums (and one single). 

The second album, simply called “2”, included their cover version of Frank Zappa’s ‘Bobby Brown’.

STING - THE ART OF THE HEART

• Sting: The Art Of The Heart
      (1992, 3cd-bootleg, Italy, red phantom)

March 3, 1988, Sting performed as a special guest with Frank Zappa’s band at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, IL, performing ‘Murder By Numbers’.
According to Mike Keneally’s tour diaries, afterwards, Sting wrote a note to FZ saying that he enjoyed playing with the band and that he would like to help Frank out with registering voters in America. In the same note, Sting asked Frank to mail him the sheet music for ‘The Idiot Bastard Son’.

July 27, 1988, Sting did a concert at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, where he performed ‘The Idiot Bastard Son’. He even had serious plans to release a live album of parts of this show but eventually, this never happened The complete recording of the L.A. show surfaced on this Italian 3 CD bootleg box, “The Art Of The Heart”. The box set included Sting’s performance of ‘The Idiot Bastard Son’, a track that found its way to several other bootleg albums as well.

It took me quite a while to locate a copy of this box.
Very happy with this.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - BRITISH ROCK AT THE BBC 1967 - 1973

• various artists: british rock at the bbc 1967 - 1973
      (2019, 2lp, Europe, maida vale)

“British Rock At The BBC 1967-1973” was an unofficial release that compiled live tracks from various BBC promotional albums and recordings, including commentary from BBC DJ Brian Matthew.

The 2 LP set included a recording of Babe Ruth’s live version of FZ’s ‘King Kong’.

Limited edition of 500 copies.

KARMIC JUGGERNAUT - KARMIG JUGGERNAUT

• karmic juggernaut: karmic juggernaut
      (2012, download, --, bandcamp)

Asbury Park, New Jersey-based band Karmic Juggernaut released an eponymous EP in 2012.
It was their first release.
Four tracks.

Unpredictable, melodic, uplifting.

Right up my alley.

-- info: Jan van Kemenade

ANOTHER RADIO SHOW ALBUM TO REVISIT THE 1980 ROTTERDAM CONCERT

This Japanese 2 CD import revisits the broadcast of the Rotterdam 1980 concert.

THE ARF-DOSSIER VOL.113

• arf-dossier vol.113
      (2022/09, fanzine, germany, arf society)

Volume 113 of the Arf Society's journal touches the usual subjects.
Enjoyable reading.

• zappanale #31 by birgit mahner
• the hot platters heaven from the arf office
• the greenaway essays: the secret life of dweezil
• the fine but unauthorized cd kaleidoscope
• the rare pictures gallery
• the vinyl bootleg releases
• news from belgium - live from United Mutations
• back in time - 1978
• ullis ecke
• info behind the photo(s)

 

ZAPPANALE #10

• various artists: zappanale #10
      (2000, vhs, Germany, arf society)

 I always assumed that the Arf Society had released two VHS tape compilations of the Zappanale festival: "Zappanale #11" and "Zappanale #12". Released in 2000 and 2001.
Both compilations were issued on VHS, plus an audio version on CD.
To my surprise, I came across a VHS copy of #10 recently. I knew about the CD but didn't know about the VHS.
My copy says: "2. Auflage" (2nd edition) and it's copy number 5 out of 60.
I wonder how many copies were made of the first edition.

Highlights by the Arne Frukts Kvartett,. Zapway, Sheik Yerbouti, Black Kreuz, Band Project Hamburg, Newts, and the Tinsel Town Rebellion Band.

KARMIC JUGGERNAUT - FRUNOBULAX

Prog rock band Karmic Juggernaut’s “The Dreams That Stuff Are Made Of” included a piece entitled “Frunobulax”, which most probably is a reference to Frank Zappa’s universe. 

The album (and the separate track) were made available for streaming and download through Bandcamp.

The band shares some members with Than You Scientist !

 -- info: Jan van Kemenade

TYLER TUNCER - COLLECTION OF RECORDINGS 2018 - 2022

• tyler tuncer: collection of recordings 2018 - 2022
      (2022, download, --, amazon music)

There's not much info to be found on Tyler Tuncer, except that "Collection Of Recordings 2018 - 2022" is his second release through Amazon Music.

The collection includes 'What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?'.

THE FERTILITY RITE BORTHERS - ...AT LAST

• the fertility rite brothers: ...at last
      (2003, cd, USA, jargon records)

U.S. band Fertility Rite Brothers combined FZ’s ‘What’s The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?’ with Lemmy Kilmister’s ‘Motorhead’ on their “…At Last!!! Album.

HOT CLUB DE NORVÈGE - STARDUST

• hot club de norvège: stardust
      (2017, cd, Norway, hot club records)

Jon Larsen's Hot Club De Norvège released "Stardust" on several streaming platforms and on CD.
The album included the gypsy jazz ensemble's version of FZ's 'Blessed Relief'.

This is one superfine album.
Great tunes. Amazing performances.
'On The Sunny Side Of The Street', 'It Had To Be You', 'The Bear And The Strawberry Tree' (with Eva Scholten on vocals),...

The rendition of Zappa's 'Blessed Relief' is downright brilliant.
Jon Larsen on the guitar and Finn Hauge on the chromatic harmonica. Wow.
Love the dynamics and the lyrical approach.

A fine addition to the never-ending world of bands and artists that have recorded the music of Frank Zappa.

THANK YOU SCIENTIST - THE PERILS OF TIME TRAVEL...

• thank you scientist: the perils of time travel...
      (2011, cdep, usa, private release)

The very first release by Thank You Scientists was entitled "The Perils Of Time Travel...".

Listening to this EP does indeed feel a bit like time travelling: This mini album got released over ten years ago but it feels like music for tomorrow.
Fascinating.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - JAZZ ROCK

• various artists: jazz rock
      (2008, cd, europe, verve records)

Another nice find.

The “Jazz Rock” compilation album that got issued in the Jazzclub Trends series on the Verve Records label in 2008 included George Duke’s ‘Old Slippers’, from his 1974 “Feel” album. The track features Obdewl’l X on guitar (= Frank Zappa).

GEORGE DUKE - THE BEST OF THE MPS YEARS

• george duke: the best of the mps years
      (2022, cd, Germany, mps)

The MPS record label started with a "The Best Of The MPS Years" series. The first two artists to be featured are Oscar Peterson and George Duke.

The George Duke included tracks from "The Inner Source", "Feel", "Faces In Reflection", "The Aura Will Prevail", "I Love The Blues, She Heard Me Cry" and "Liberated Fantasies".

'Love' from the "Feel" album features FZ on guitar;

'Uncle Remus' from "The Aura Will Prevail" is the famous George Duke piece for which FZ wrote the lyrics.
'Seeing You' has Janet Ferguson and Napoleon Murphy Brock on vocals.

Out on CD and on 2 LP. Both present the same tracks.

FROM 2017 - AL DIMEOLA AND STEVE VAI - CLOWNZ ON VELVET

AL Di MEOLA with STEVE VAI "Clowns on Velvet" Frank Zappa The Canyon Club 9/15/2017

GEORGE DUKE

Co de Kloet, George Duke (& Napoleon Murphy Brock)

2009

video by Paul Berkholst

THANK YOU SCIENTIST - PLAGUE ACCOMODATIONS

• thank you scientist: plague accomodations
      (2021, cd, usa, flying jangus records)

I was blown away when I heard this EP on Bandcamp, which resulted in me buying the actual CD EP the very same day.

Four tracks on this "Plague Accomodations" EP.
And some great / bizarre dystopian artwork.

I love it.

Give it a listen !!

BARRY MILES - FRANK ZAPPA

 Barry Miles' biography on Frank Zappa has been translated & published in Japan.

https://www.afka.net/Books/miles.htm

FRANK ZAPPA - YOUR MOUTH (TAKE 1)

Janet Ferguson and Chris Peterson on vocals, take 1.

From the upcoming Waka / Wazoo release.

OUT TO LUNCH

"Out To Lunch", the Soho radio show.
By Ben Watson.

The October 14, 2022, episode featured Gabba Zappa Hey.

https://archive.org/details/the-otl-show-14-x-2022

PLASTIC CRIMEWAVE SOUND - DARK DEBRIS

• plastic crimewave sound: dark debris
      (2008, 2cdr, usa, private release / pcs)

Chicago-based illustrator, writer and musician Steve Krakow was the main force behind the Plastic Crimewave Sound.
Subtitled “Rare, Unreleased And Live”, the Plastic Crimewave Sound’s “Dark Debris” compilation presented the band’s recording of FZ’s ‘Willie The Pimp’. The track had previously been contributed to the 2 CD set that was part of the Galactic Zoo Dossier number 7 music zine, in 2007.

An introduction to Steve Krakow's work:

JANE GETTER PREMONITION

A short documentary on Jane Getter's "On" album.
From 2015 !
Feat. Chad Wackerman and Bryan Beller.

Chad can also be heard on Jane's later albums.

 

POIL UEDA

PoiL Ueda is a meeting and a musical creation between the french rock/contemporary music band of PoiL + Benoit Lecomte (bassist of the band Ni) and the Japanese traditional music singer / satsuma-biwa player Junko Ueda. The theme of the creation is around the Japanese epic story ‘Heike-Monogatari' from the13th century.

The composition is based on this traditional epic singing accompanied by the satsuma-biwa and Buddhist Shomyo chant. This project is a great opportunity to explore a new musical universe by meeting between an European super modern musical formation and a Japanese ancient traditional music.

The album is scheduled for March.

 

HAWKWIND - WE ARE LOOKING IN ON YOU

• hawkwind: we are looking in on you
      (2022, 2cd, uk, cherry red records)

Space rock giants Hawkwind have just released "We Are Looking In On You", a 2 CD set featuring 19 tracks performed live throughout 2021.

I'm not that familiar with the Hawkwind discography, but the selection is said to include quite a number of their classic songs.

Nice.

-- info: Danny Mathys

FRANK ZAPPA - TRICK OR TREAT IN NYC

• frank zappa: trick or treat in nyc
      (2021, lp, --, mind control records)

Catching up on the radio show releases, I spotted "Trick Or Treat In NYC".
A single LP that offers the famous "King Biscuit Flower Hour" broadcast (a mix from the October 1977 Palladium Halloween shows in NYC that got broadcast on several radio stations at the time).

PAULINE BUTCHER - FREAK OUT! MY LIFE WITH FRANK ZAPPA - REVISED AND UPDATED

The revised and updated edition of Pauline Butcher's "Freak Out ! My Life With Frank Zappa" arrived last week.
I remember enjoying reading the book when it came out, some ten years ago, so I'm looking forward to dive in to this revised and updated edition.

When ordering Pauline's book, I also came across this Spanish translation from 2016.
Translated by Manuel de la Fuente.
Couldn't resist.
A beautiful looking hardback with a dust jacket.

Manuel de la Fuente's name might ring a bell as he wrote a book on Zappa's political activities in the 1980's.

MUNIMÚN

"Aye Forneign Eye", the exciting Residents tribute album by Muni Aprile & Friends, lead me to the website of Munimún (= Muni Aprile).

There's lots of Residents related stuff to be found on Munimún's Bandcamp page.

There's "The Commercial Album Album":

Or the "Heaven" EP,

And that's just for starters...

STEVE VAI - GASH

Steve Vai announced a new album, and he recorded it 30 years ago.
It's called "Gash", after the late John “Gash” Sombrotto with whom Steve recorded the album.

Out in January.

On facebook, Steve added:
Gash would have absolutely been the greatest rock lead singer you would ever want to know. All the elements were in place, but he was gone. Disheartened, I put the entire project on the shelf, and would listen to it at least once a year for the past 30 years, especially around the anniversary of his passing. Then recently something compelled me to want to put it out now. I wish you would have had a chance to get to know John. I believe you would have loved him just as we all did. For now, he is "In the Wind." "Vai/Gash" will be released on January 27th, 2023. "In the Wind" is available now! Click here to listen and pre-order: https://lnk.to/VaiGash

 

 Soon.
Very soon.

JONAS LINDEBORG - THE BLACK PAGE

Swedish trumpet player Jonas Lindeborg (who recorded with Mats Öberg on the Black Coffee project) recorded FZ's 'The Black Page'.
Available for streaming on Spotify a.o.

https://open.spotify.com/album/395iQTcarrdHxSH8xaLHio?

ADOLF PLAYS THE JAZZ

Greek band Adolf Plays The Jazz released an EP entitled "Muzzle The Birds" in 2005.
It included a piece called 'Frank Zappa Needs Haircut'.

The EP got re-released in 2015 as part of a 7 CD/ CDR box. Private release by the band.

NORMA JEAN BELL - I'M THE BADDEST BITCH

Featured on FZ's "Zappa '75 - Zagreb / Ljubljana" album: 

Norma Jean Bell

'I'm The Baddest Bitch'

 -- info: Harald Häring

STRATOSPHEERIUS STARTS INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN FOR THEIR NEW ALBUM

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stratospheerius-new-live-and-studio-albums?

 

BLACK MIDI

 OK.

So the band is called Black Midi, and the released "Cavalcada".

I got that mixed up...

But it has been corrected.

BLACK MIDI - CAVALCADE (WITH BONUS FLEXI)

• black midi: cavalcade
     (2021, lp + flexi), uk, rough trade)

Last year, Black Midi released "Cavalcade"
It was my first encounter with Black Midi and I was pleasantly surprised as it's an impressive album.

For some reason or another, it was decided that different editions of the album would be presented. Not just the casual black vinyl LP, but also a fine looking picture disc, and even black vinyl editions with different bonus one-sided flexi discs in different colours: green, white, blue and red (and maybe even more).
It was the red flexi that caught my interest as I had been informed that it presented Black Midi's version of Captain Beefheart's 'Moonlight On Vermont'.

It did take me quite a while to eventually locate and buy a copy of the LP with the red flexi but I won't go in too much details about that. It involved a malicious and deceitful on-line seller...

Anyway, I finally acquired both the album (stunning artwork!!) and the flexi (separately), and I'm quite happy with these, but the preceding story kept me from playing the actual album for quite a while.

You can get a taste over at Bandcamp as both are also available for streaming / download.

-

and 'Moonlight On Vermont':
https://bmblackmidi.bandcamp.com/album/cavalcovers

FRANK ZAPPA - AHOY THERE

Frank Zappa's 1980 Rotterdam concert got broadcast on Dutch radio at the time, resulting in excellent recordings (and bootleg albums) being available.
In 2020 the show got released as a set of "radio show concert albums".
"Ahoy There!"

• frank zappa: ahoy there - live in rotterdam 1980 part 1
      (2020, lp, --, cult legends cl83056)

• frank zappa: ahoy there - live in rotterdam 1980 part 2
      (2020, lp, --, cult legends cl83582)

THE BRAINIAC 5 - EXPLODING UNIVERSE

• the brainiac 5: exploding universe
      (2015, cd, uk, reckless records)

The Brainiac 5's "Exploding Universe" is from 2015 and includes 'Ordinary Man', a piece that quotes Don Van Vliet / Captain Beefheart. Reason enough to investigate.

The Brainiac 5 kick around in their usual punk attitude.
Nice.

FRANK ZAPPA - POUGHKEEPSIE

A little while ago, I came across the two "Poughkeepsie" radio show albums that got released by the Parachute Recording Company a couple of years ago.
1978/09/21 Poughkeepsie.
The same recording has been used for a couple of bootleg albums in the past, and has now also found its way to the 'radio show' series.
If I'm not mistaken (although I can't locate my copy), there's a 2 CD 'radio show' version out there as well. Different artwork and different label, though.

• frank zappa: poughkeepsie volume one
      (2020, 2lp, --, parachute recording company para238lp)

• frank zappa: poughkeepsie volume two
      (2020, 2lp, --, parachute recording company para239lp)

ARCHITECTS OF HYSTERIA

I mentioned Spanish composer and guitarist David Abad’s Architects Of Hysteria a little while ago, when I recommended his ”Tangerines & Banana” album.

Actually, "Tangerines & Banana" was the Architects Of Hysteria's fourth release.
And to make life easier, David has packed the three previous albums in one sweet box set.
Check the albums out below.

Zappa-esque, as one might say.
And, yes, there's a couple of FZ references in the liner notes.

-

-

dEUS ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM AND TOUR

Today dEUS announced their new album, "How To Replace It", set for release on 17 Th February 2023 through [PIAS] Recordings.

THE VEGETARIANS - DECOVERS

• the vegetarians: decovers
      (2022, download, --, bandcamp)

Last month, Hans Annéllsson's band, The Vegetarians, released "Decovers", a fine selection of deconstructed cover versions.

The collection included Frank Zappa / L.Shankar's 'Touch Me There', and FZ's 'Amnerika'.

FLAT EARTH SOCIETY - R.I.P.

• flat earth society: r.i.p.
      (2022, cd, belgium, igloo)

Belgium's prime big band, Flat Earth Society ( or FES or Flat Earth Society Orchestra) has just released "R.I.P."
12 pieces, and after each piece at least one of the members leaves the stage, only to rejoin for the final track.

In this project FES creates its own funeral repertoire and Perpetuum Mobile: 12 farewell songs for the funeral of the members of the orchestra. All fifteen of them must die, through illness, plain bad luck, old age or a stupid accident, there is no shortage of causes. As the suite progresses, the orchestra dwindles until no one is left: a tragicomic preview of what is to come. As the last musician leaves the stage, the whole orchestra is reunited, as in Roland Topor’s story “Blues for Gaston”. And they celebrate that reunion exuberantly with a wild Death defying Danse Macabre.

Absurd and funny. Yes.
But also multi-layered as it is a tribute to the late Tom Wouters, and a glimps of the future as we're all getting older.

Download-only.  (R.I.P., physical carriers?)
https://www.igloorecords.be/album/rip-flat-earth-society/?lang=en

Give a listen at the Radio France podcast:

https://www.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/podcasts/open-jazz/flat-earth-society-la-toussaint-version-humour-belge-8718057

Or check out the recent Belgian Radio 1 'Culture Club' podcast that included an interview with Peter Vermeersch,
or the Radio Klara special on the 30th of October.

FRANK ZAPPA - THE BROADCAST ARCHIVES

• frank zappa: the broadcast archives
      (2020, 4cd, --, the broadcast archive)

"The Broadcast Archives" comes in a closed package. Inside are three jewel cases, three radio show albums that have been previously released.
I guess it was an easy way to get rid of some old stock...

• frank zappa: the rare tapes broadcast
      (2016, cd, --, hobo hb016)

• frank zappa & the mothers: have a little tush
      (2017, 2cd, --, lef field media lfm2cd567)

 

• frank zappa: halloween in the big apple
      (2015, cd, --, sutra sucd099)

I've heard of a package that included "The New Maternity" instead of "Halloween In The Big Apple", despite the box mentioning the tracks for "Halloween In The Big Apple" on the back side of the package...