MOHINI DEY

Mohini Dey jams to Jamiroquai's 'Travelling Without Moving'

 

MASAYOSHI TAKANAKA - AN INSATIABLE HIGH

Masayoshi Takanaka – An Insatiable High

Released in 1977.
Recorded by Bob Stone.

Excellent Japanese fusion / jazz / funk.

-- link: Yosuke FKd

THE RESIDENTS - DOCTOR DARK

• The Residents: Doctor Dark
      (2025, cd, UK, cherry red)
      (2025, 2lp, UK, cherry red)

"Doctor Dark" is out !
And it's different. Quite different, actually, but that's why we like The Residents, right?

"Doctor Dark" is presented in three acts and tells the story of Anastasia Zatemnyat (Dark), Maggot and Mark.
A mirror of our dissonant society.
Brilliant.

So what's this new album all about? We asked Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation, principle handler of The Residents since before anybody can remember, who told us the following.....

"After consuming too much pot, alcohol and heavy metal music, two teenagers in Reno, Nevada, committed suicide in 1985. Several years later their parents, taking no responsibility, sued Judas Priest and Warner Bros, claiming their children were corrupted by backwards messages hidden in the band's music. David Van Taylor, a filmmaker, flew to Reno to document the trial, only to discover that one of the teenagers had actually survived the shotgun blast that blew off half his face. Van Taylor’s film, 'Dream Deceivers', was later seen by one of THE RESIDENTS, who, obsessed by the indelible images, attempted to convince the group to create an album based on the haunting incident. But somehow the grotesque episode alone didn’t seem like enough.

Check out the interview on Psychedelic Baby Mag :

https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2025/02/the-residents-interview-new-album-doctor-dark.html

And Psychofon Records (https://www.psychofonrecords.com/) will be releasing a special edition !

SNAKEFINGER - GREENER POSTURES (DELUXE VERSION)

• Snakefinger: Greener Postures (Deluxe Version)
      (2025, 2cd, Austria, klanggalerie)
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Another excellent release and upgrade by the Klanggalerie record label.
True, Klanggalerie already released a remastered version in 2016. With 9 bonus tracks.
This edition, however, presents the original album, the 9 bonus tracks, AND (!!) the 1987 remix of the original album.

Snakefinger surely needs not much of an introduction. Born Philip Charles Lithman in London, he moved to San Francisco in 1971. His roots lie in the British blues scene, but he soon became friends with The Residents who also gave him the name Snakefinger based on a photograph of Lithman performing, in which his finger looks like a snake about to attack his violin. In 1972 Lithman returned to England and formed the pub rock band Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers. After the lack of success of the second album, he returned to the states and work on his first solo album began. "Greener Postures", his second album, was co-written and produced by The Residents again. It features such classic tracks as "The Man In The Dark Sedan" and "Golden Goat". The original album has been remastered, and to add to your listening pleasure, we have added 9 bonus tracks which were recorded live in Australia in 1981. Very recently, a so far unknown remix of the whole album was discovered in the Residents' archive. It was made in 1987 in preparation for the Snakey Wake by The Residents and has never been published in any form. Klanggalerie are now proud to present you this lost gem for the first time ever on this double album.

ANOTHER DWEEZIL ZAPPA VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

DO YOU EVEN BLUES, BRO? Solo by Dweezil Zappa!

Dweezil Zappa: The Down N’ Dirty Series continues, so drop the rest of your pressing affairs and devote your attention to me! Triple-threat Zach Tabori kicks off this blues-inspired jam. Then I go off the rails with reckless abandon and solo with some different colors, inspiring the title, ‘Do You Even Blues, Bro?’ Enjoy the sounds of my dad's Roxy SG and the tongue n’ cheek cosmik visuals!

 

GOWY - I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU

Gowy recorded an hilarious version of 'I Only Want To Be With You'.
Check it out: 

• Gowy: guitars
• Aurélien Ouzoulias: drums
• Vincent Scotté: bass

The Bandcamp link:

ADDITIONAL INFO ON THE KEITH EMERSON TRIBUTE

Fanfare For The Uncommon Man

Additional info:
https://fanfarefortheuncommonman.com/

-- info: Jan van Kemenade

EDDIE JOBSON AND VINNIE COLAIUTA PARTICIPATED IN A KEITH EMERSON TRIBUTE ALBUM

• Various Artists: The Official Keith Emerson Tribute Concert – Fanfare For The Uncommon Man
      (2021, 2cd + 2dvd, UK, cherry red)
  

 Feat. (a.o.) Rachel Flowers, Joe Travers, Eddie Jobson, Vinnie Colaiuta

-- info: Jan van Kemenade

NEW PANZERBALLETT ALBUM OUT IN MARCH !!

On April 25th, 2025 the eighth Panzerballett album, "Übercode Œuvre", will be released.
Check out the first single "Pick Up The Pieces", which is available now. 

Here's the brand new video.

 

THE ROSE ENSEMBLE

Beautiful music from The Rose Ensemble, featured in The White Lotus, an HBO tv series.

• The Rose Ensemble: Nā Mele Hawai'i: A Rediscovery of Hawaiian Vocal Music
      (2007, cd, --, rose records)

-

 

GEORGE DUKE / BILLY COBHAM

Announced for a March release:
Billy Cobham and the George Duke Band: "Live In New York 1976"

A radio show release on the offbeat record label, and a well-known recording, including two Zappa pieces.

WARPED DREAMER

Improv ensemble Warped Dreamer has just released a new album.

• Teun Verbruggen (drums)
• Jozef Dumoulin (keyboard)
• Stian Westerhuis (guitar)
• Arve Henriksen (trumpet, flute)

"Live At Moers", out on Teun's Rat Records label.

MF DOOM - MM.. FOOD

• MF Doom: Mm.. Food
      (2024, 2lp, USA, rhymesayers entertainment) - orange vinyl
      (2024, cd, USA, rhymesayers entertainment)

The 20th anniversary of MF Doom's "Mm.. Food" album got celebrated by a large series of re-issues. In every imaginable color variations.
I mentioned these earlier, but last week, I finally received the orange vinyl version, a Rough Trade exclusive, and the CD.

Repacked with new artwork.
And the album still sounds fascinating. Even after 20 years.
Zappa freaks will probably know that two tracks include Zappa samples !!

There's also 2 LP picture disc re-issue but that one escaped me.

SUN RA - PINK ELEPHANTS ON PARADE

• Sun Ra: Pink Elephants On Parade
      (2024, cd, USA, modern harmonic)

Released on pink transparent vinyl as a 2024 Record Store Day release (April 2024), Sun Ra's "Pink Elephants On Parade" got released on CD later the same year (November 2024).
With three CD-only bonus tracks.

"Pink Elephants On Parade" presented live versions of songs from the Disney universe.
Beautiful.

Here's 'Whishing Well' (originally from the Snow White movie).

THE GRANDMOTHERS

In their numerous mutations, The Grandmothers released quite a number of albums.
With lots of Frank Zappa tunes.
Always fun.

I recently found a copy of "Who Could Imagine" on the Brain Records label.
The official release was on Munich Records, but the album got re-issued a couple of times (on CDR) by Don Preston on his Brain Records label.
This probably is one of the several variations as most Brain Records re-issues were different from the previous version.

FRANK ZAPPA SINGLES

Bjørn Olav Herheim has reworked / updated / refurbished his ZappaFrenzy website.

https://www.home.zappafrenzy.com/

There's an INCREDIBLE amount of info to found. And not just for the 'hard-core collectors'.

To celebrate, I dusted my stock copies of The Hollywood Persuaders' OS-39 and of The Penguins' OS-27.

WARREN HAYNES & DEREK TRUCKS

Warren Haynes - These Changes ft. Derek Trucks (Live)

PART TWO OF DWEEZIL ZAPPA'S "THE VAULT" SERIES...

Zappa Plays Zappa
'Billy The Mountain'
Live at The Roxy in 2007.

 

"MAKE MATS/MORGAN GREAT AGAIN"

"Make Mats/Morgan Great Again", the latest album (audio Bandcamp release) by Mats & Morgan got uploaded (as video !!) to YouTube a couple of days ago.

This is magic. Check it out.

MARCO MINNEMANN - ONE BY ONE (THE SCENES MOVE ON)

Bandcamp release: 'One By One (The Scenes Move On)'

Written and performed by Marco Minnemann with special guest vocal performance by Victoria Vechera.

BLIND IO, A NEW PROJECT BY TEUN VERBRUGGEN

Teun Verbruggen's latest project is called Blind Io.

It features

• Teun Verbruggen (drums)
• Bram De Looze (piano)
• Ingrid Laubrock (saxophone)
• Ikue Mori (electronics)

Their first album has just been released : "Pillars Of Creation (Part 1)".
Improvised music.
Out on LP (on Teun's Rat Records label) and through Bandcamp.

KLANGGALERIE RELEASES DELUXE VERSION OF SNAKEFINGER'S "GREENER POSTURES"

Bandcamp download & 2 CD set.

Klanggalerie:

"Greener Postures", Snakefinger's second album, was co-written and produced by The Residents again. It features such classic tracks as "The Man In The Dark Sedan" and "Golden Goat". The original album has been remastered, and to add to your listening pleasure, we have added 9 bonus tracks which were recorded live in Australia in 1981. Very recently, a so far unknown remix of the whole album was discovered in the Residents' archive. It was made in 1987 in preparation for the Snakey Wake by The Residents and has never been published in any form. Klanggalerie are now proud to present you this lost gem for the first time ever on this double CD.

SELAH SUE - SOMETIMES IT SNOWS IN APRIL

Belgian weekly national TV show "Ik Vraag Het Aan", where famous (Belgian) people have to share their favourite song and (are meant to) get super emotional when an (unexpected) artist performs that very song.

I'm not a fan of these kind of cheap and forced emotional moments as they make me cry, but some of the performances really stand out.

Earlier this week, Selah Sue (who opened for Prince in 2010 in Antwerp) performed 'Sometimes It Snows In April'.

THE CHAD WACKERMAN GROUP

March 15, 2025, will see the Chad Wackerman Group performing at The Baked Potato.

• Chad Wackerman: drums
  
• Jimmy Johnson: bass
• Alex Machacek: guitar
• Steve Hunt: keyboards

KOENJI HYAKKEI WILL BE TOURING EUROPE

The only dates I found so far:

Kōenji Hyakkei

• Monday, 26.05, Neue Zukunft, Berlin, Germany
• Tuesday, 27.05, MS Stubnitz, Hamburg, Germany
• Wednesday, 28.05, Imemrhin, Würzburg, Germany
• Friday, 30.05.2025, Les Lilas, Paris, France
• Saturday, 31.05.2025, Cafe Oto, London, UK

 

MORE DWEEZIL (AND FRANK) AT THE UPCOMING BRIDGE GUITAR FESTIVAL

 Adding to the fun of the upcoming Dweezil Zappa / Metropole Orkest concert in Eindhoven, NL, on June 1, an interview with Dweezil and screening of "Frank Zappa - Phaze II" has been scheduled.
On the same day, but in the morning.

https://mge.nl/en/agenda/a-zappa-morning/

SOFT MACHINE TOUR DATES

SOFT MACHINE Tour Dates 2025

JOHN ETHERIDGE guitar
THEO TRAVIS - sax, flute, Fender Rhodes el. piano
FREDDY BAKER - bass guitar
ASAF SIRKIS - drums

March 4 - Manchester, UK (Band On The Wall)
March 5 - Kinross, UK (Green Hotel)
March 7 - London, UK (New Cross Inn)
March 9 - Exeter, UK (Phoenix Arts Center)
March 15 - Worcester, UK (Huntington Hall)
March 18 - Milton Keynes (The Stables)
March 21 - Lichfield, UK (Guildhall)
May 9 - London, Uk (Signature Brew)
May 13 - Malmoe, Sweden (Babel)
May 14 - Halmstad, Sweden (Kulturhuset)
May 15 - Goteborg, Sweden (Playhouse)
May 16 - Oslo, Norway (Cosmopolite)
May 18 - Stockholm, Sweden (Fasching)
May 20 - Pori, Finland (Validi Karkia)
May 21 - Espoo, Finland (Louhisali)
May 24 - Muenster, Germany (Hot Jazz Club)
May 25 - Zoetermeer, The Netherlands (De Boerderij)

MOLTEN PENGUIN

Molten Penguin, a band that features Pieter Claus and Jan Ghesquière (whom we both know from Sinister Sister !!), will be doing a concert at café / bar Zappa in Scheldewindeke (near Gent), BE.

DARKO THE SUPER - - - YOU'RE MY HERO

Darko celebrates Valentine's Day...

 

DWEEZIL ZAPPA - - - THE VAULT SESSIONS

 

RICK BEATO TALKS TO ROBBY KRIEGER AND JOHN DENSMORE

In The Room With The Doors: Robby Krieger and John Densmore

EIDON - WATER WHEELS (PIANO VERSION)

I mentioned Eidon's 'Water Wheels' a little while ago.
More recently, the piece has been made available in a piano version.

PAMELA DES BARRES' PAJAMA PARTY PODCAST

Pamela Des Barres’ Pajama Party Podcast

https://www.pameladesbarresofficial.com/pdb-pajama-party-podcast

MISS MERCY'S BOOK IS OUT

"Permanent Damage: Memoirs of an Outrageous Girl"
by (the late) Mercy Fontenot (Miss Mercy) with Lyndsey Parker

Mercy Fontenot was a Zelig who grew up in the San Francisco Haight Ashbury scene, where she crossed paths with Charles Manson, went to the first Acid Test, and was friends with Jimi Hendrix (she was later in his movie Rainbow Bridge). She predicted the Altamont disaster when reading the Rolling Stones’ tarot cards at a party and left San Francisco for the climes of Los Angeles in 1967 when the Haight ‘lost its magic.’

Miss Mercy’s work in the GTOs, the Frank Zappa-produced all-female band, launched her into the pages of Rolling Stone in 1969. Her adventures saw her jumping out of a cake at Alice Cooper’s first record release party, while high on PCP, and had her travel to Memphis where she met Al Green and got a job working for the Bar-Kays. Along the way, she married and then divorced Shuggie Otis before transitioning to punk rock and working with the Rockats and Gears. This is her story as she lived and saw it.

Written just prior to her death in 2020, Permanent Damage shows us the world of the 1960s and 1970s music scene through her eyes, and the fallout of that era, experiencing homelessness before sobering up and putting her life back together. Miss Mercy’s journey is a can’t miss for anyone who was there and can’t remember, or just wishes they’d been there.

PAMELA DES BARRES ON THE ZAPPACAST

Scott Parker, Phil Surkis, and the world's most polite drummer, Joe Travers, welcome critically acclaimed author and indisputable queen of the groupies, Pamela Des Barres. Saint Valentine meets St. Alfonzo in this especially lovely edition of the ZappaCast!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/268746/episodes/9975383

LES BOUCLES ABSURDES - J'ENTENDS LE SABLE MURMURER

'J'entends le sable murmurer' (I hear the sand whispering) was originally a track from the previous Les Boucles Absurdes album 'L'homme qu'on oubliait vite' released in 2023. 

Jean-Pierre went then to ask some of his most favorite musicians to do a rework of the piece with total freedom. Here is now 6 completely different interpretations of the track.

Re-worked by Pierre Vervloesem, Wataru iwata, Ruben Van Rompaey, Alinovsky, Tetsuroh Konishi, and Bruno Vansina !

A great idea with a beautiful result !!

MARSHALL ALLEN - NEW DAWN

• Marshall Allen: New Dawn
      (2025, download, --, bandcamp)

Two days after his 100th birthday, Marshall Allen started recording New Dawn, his debut solo album. A member of Sun Ra’s Arkestra since 1958, Allen assumed leadership of the band in 1995. Throughout his nearly seventy-year career, Allen has never released a solo album under his own name, and yet, instead of capping such a legendary output, New Dawn seems to herald a new beginning. A love letter to spacetime, it channels a century of musical intelligence into seven tracks, showing Allen at his most protean — freely moving from relaxed, transdimensional palettes to bluesy big band and beyond.

One of music’s vanguard avant-saxophonists, Allen continues to deliver durational feats during the Arkestra’s gigs. Still, the compositional energy contained on New Dawn is striking. Allen was approached with the idea of a solo record by Week-End Records’ Jan Lankisch. The Arkestra’s Knoel Scott — who has lived with Allen at the Arkestral Institute of Sun Ra since the 1980s — worked with Allen to pore over the archive of unrecorded material and develop this debut. Scott assembled some of Philadelphia’s brightest jazz stars as well as some Arkestra veterans for the sessions. New Dawn was then recorded over a couple of days in Philadelphia, with additional recordings added in the following weeks and months.

Brand-new, as in 'released yesterday'.
A beautiful album.
With special guest Neneh Cherry on the title track.

NUGS DOT NET TO RELEASE MORE KING CRIMSON CONCERTS

Nug.net has announced a second series of King Crimson concerts to be released:

KING CRIMSON

Europe 1996

Our second archival drop from the prog-rock pioneers is in, featuring 26 SHOWS from their 1996 European tour! Dating back to the Double Trio era, the 'Thrakattak Tour' brought “21st Century Schizoid Man” back into the set for the first time in 22 years, with the rarity "The Sheltering Sky" also manifesting itself again. Exclusive to nugs, stream every show now with a free 7-day trial. CDs and downloads are also available.

https://www.nugs.net/king-crimson-concerts-live-downloads-in-mp3-flac-or-online-music-streaming-1/ 

DWEEZIL ZAPPA - THE DEATHLESS HORSIE (2025)

From YouTube.
The complete track is available from Dweezil's RewardMusicPlatform.

Dweezil Zappa : The Down n' Dirty YouTube series rides on with 'The Deathless Horsie.' What made this extra special was playing it each night on my dad's Les Paul - the very one featured on the cover of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar! This heavily modified favorite of his is capable of making some very unique and compelling tones, unlike any other Les Paul I've played.

JAMES BRANDON LEWIS - APPLE CORES

"Apple Cores".
Excellent new release by James Brandon Lewis.

BOHOUŠ ARTWORK

Bohumil "BOHOUŠ" Jůza started a series called "My Favourites LPs".

Here's his rendition of the Sheik Yerbouti album picture,

also referring to an antiwar book by Jaroskav Hašek: Dobrý voják Švejk (Brave soldat Shveik)

MOSAE ZAPPA 2025

Despite the recent setback (a fire destroyed the Oefenbunker hall in Heerlen, NL), the Mosae Zappa team has announced the date for the next edition of the festival.

MEMORIES OF EL MONTE (F. ZAPPA, R. COLLINS)

The Penguins' 'Memories Of El Monte', re-issued in 7" in the "Oldies But Goodies" series on the Original Sound record label in 1984. Uncredited !

The track could also be found in the excellent CD series that got released around the same time.

I bought the CD's when they came out. And quit after volume 9 for a reason that I can't remember.
Only added the 7" to the collection recently.

-

ZAPPAFEST 2024 - - - GOZORTENPLAT FEAT. RAY WHITE

Gozortenplat with Ray White - Zappafest 2024
December 14, 2024

RICHIE & ANTTI - GENERATOR (REMASTERED°

• Richie & Antti: Generator
      (2013, cd, The Netherlands, private release)

Originally released in 1995 and remastered and re-released in 2013, "Generator" features guitar wizards Richard Hallebeek and Antti Kotikosi. Plus guests...

Beautiful instrumental jazz / fusion.
Super-tight. Melodic and breathtaking at the same time.
Top album.

EIDON - WATER WHEELS

a new piece by Eidon : 'Water Wheels'.

 

RECORD STORE DAY

Magma's "Slag Tanz" album will be re-released for Record Store Day. 
By Music On Vinyl.

Rhino will release Prince's "Live At Glam Slam" as a 3 LP set on colored vinyl.
This was a download-only album, released in 2023.

The New Ralph record label will release a third volume in The Resident's leftovers series:
"Leftovers Again?! Again?! (Again)

The Soft Machine demos will get a viny release on Charly Records: "Turns On '67".

Two Sun Ra albums have been announced as well. "Stray Voltage" on the Modern Harmonic label, and "Nuits de la Fondation Maeght", a 6 LP box set on the Strut label (no artwork yet).

PAPIR - 7

• Papir: 7
      (2022, cd, Germany, stickman records)

Denmark trio Papir's latest release hails from January 2022.

"7" presented four long pieces.
.Stayin with the tradition, the tracks are '7.1', '7.2', '7.3', and '7.4'.

Soundscapes.
Meandering melodies.
Atmospheric.

- Nicklas Sørensen - guitar
- Christian Becher Clausen - bass
- Christoffer Brøchmann Christensen - drums

BEPPE CROVELLA - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ON THE MOON ?

Fifteen years ago, Beppe Crovella released "What's Rattlin' On The Moon?", his tribute to the music of Mike Ratledge / Soft Machine.

I only recently learned that Beppe's also part of Arti & Mestieri (a band that recorded and released FZ's 'King Kong' on one of their albums).

Anyway,, "What's Rattlin' On The Moon?" is also out on Bandcamp. Check it out !

 

THE ENSEMBLE INTERCONTEMPORAIN

The Ensemble Intercontemporain, cond. Pierre Bleuse, will be doing a concert at 'De Bijloke' in Ghent, BE on May 17, 2025.

The concert is part of the "À la manière de Boulez" series.

There are no Zappa pieces scheduled to be performed, but it should still be quite the experience...

Pierre Boulez
Incises (versie 2001)
Sur incises

Claude Debussy
En blanc et noir

Gérard Grisey
Stèle

DWEEZIL ZAPPA - ZOMBY WOOF

Dweezil Zappa released ‘Zomby Woof’, performed by the Zappa Plays Zappa band, through his Reward Music Platform. 

Recorded in Jacksonville, Florida, on January 24, 2015. 

Featuring Dweezil Zappa (guitar, vocals), Kurt Morgan (bass, vocals), Scheila Gonzalez (saxophones, flute, duck call, vocals), Ryan Brown (drums), Zach Tabori (vocals, guitar, drums, percussion), and Bobby Victor (keyboards, vocals).

A video recording of the guitar solo is up on YouTube,
while the complete 'Zomby Woof' trackcan be bought as an audio track through Dweezil's music platform.

 

JOE SATRIANI, ERIC JOHNSON, STEVE VAI - G3 REUNION LIVE

• Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai: G3 Reunion Live
      (1997, 4lp + 2cd + book, worldwide, ear music)

Recorded live at The Orpheum in L.A. on February 9 and 10, 2024,
with the same 3 G's that kicked off Joe's project in 1996!

It doesn't get any better than this...
3 excellent concerts and a beautiful picture book.

DIRTY SOUND MAGNET - ACTIVATE THE MAGNET

• Dirty Sound Magnet: Dirty Sound Magnet
      (2009, cd promo, Switzerland, private release)

Swiss trio Dirty Sound Magnet released a first (mini & promotional) album in 2009.
I only discovered the band a little while ago & thought I'd try the scientific and logical approach: checking out their first release.
This is quite good.
Guitar-oriented funk / rock.

- Stavros Dzodzos - guitar, vocals

- Maxime Cosandey - drums
- Marco Mottolini - Bass

Here's a live snippet from 2017.

'ANDY' - - - FRANK ZAPPA 1974 03 08 KANSAS CITY, MO

Frank Zappa 1974 03 08 Andy

 

SCOTT THUNES

https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/the-lowdown/scott-thunes-bass-journey

RADIO MASSACRE INTERNATIONAL - GALACTIC FURNACE

The Cuneiform record label is one of those record labels that I love to keep an eye on.
One of the latest releases on the label is Radio Massacre International's "Galactic Furnace".

Radio Massacre International consists of Steve Dinsdale, Duncan Goddard, and Gary Houghton.
The three of them create soundscapes, mostly by electronics and keyboards.
The result is very dreamlike.

“Galactic Furnace was made over the course of a week, in the middle of summer, in beautiful North Yorkshire. We inhabited a cottage space which was very kindly loaned to us by a good friend and unlike many recording environments, it was extremely pleasant with plenty of natural light and air. As is our wont, we always keep a live microphone somewhere in the mix and this one was outside on the decking pointing towards woodland and good old Yorkshire countryside. This album is unique, you could say, because it was recorded in this certain space which we know will not be available to us again (it now belongs to someone else, we didn't trash it or anything).

When assimilating the music we have made, certain images and pictures arrive unconsciously, there is a loose visual impression created. Whilst we never set out to paint literal sound pictures, or describe specific images, the music suggests these things to us afterwards. Certain sections of this music seemed to convey a vast turbulent cosmic fire, while others a peaceful sunlit place. You could maybe say this is our `Anthem To The Sun’.”

BLACK FLOWER - INTERMEDIATE STATE

Hybrid jazz band Black Flower released a 10" entitled "Intermediate State" in 2018.
Available through Bandcamp, the 4-track mini album also got a 10" vinyl release.

Musicians make albums. But in this case it's different. The four tracks on this ten inch release were created in between. It's an intermediate piece that sits between two albums, reflecting on a series of special moments and special evolutions of Black Flower.
The inspiration came from Salvador Dali's creative dreaming ritual. With a pair of scissors in his hand, he sat back, closed his eyes and slid into sleep. The moment his body and mind enter deep sleep, the scissors dropped and waked him up. Dali then started painting using the inspiration he gathered from his dreams. These paintings can be considered the result of an intermediate state between consciousness and subconsciousness, a zone between being awake and sleeping. Black Flower has derived four dream-tracks from their individual intermediate state, materialised into microscopic grooves on a black vinyl disc.

I somehow missed the 10" when it got released & was quite happy with the Bandcamp thing (as the 10" sold out rather quickly).
That being said, I did come across the 10" recently...
Reason enough to mention it again.

Beautiful.

EMIL RICHARDS, KERRY MCNABB, HENRY DILTZ

• Brothers: The Prophet
      (1973, lp, USA, columbia) - featuring Emil Richards

Another release by Brothers, "Rainbow Rider", also from 1973, featured Kerry McNabb as engineer.

"Rainbow Rider" pictures taken by Henry Diltz.
Diltz mentioned The Mothers on his Facebook page:
Frank Zappa was my neighbor down the road in Laurel Canyon. I went to a rehearsal of The Mothers of Invention (second incarnation) one day in Hollywood to hang out and shoot a few pictures. Herb Cohen was Frank's manager and the MFQ's former manager...

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/iconic-rock-star-photos-by-henry-diltz/

-- info: Jan van Kemenade

R.I.P. MIKE RATLEDGE

a message from MoonJune Records

R.I.P. Michael Roland Ratledge (6 May, 1943 - 5 February, 2025), the founding member of Soft Machine. A musical hero of mine, an amazingly fascinating person, a true gentleman. One of his best and closest friends John Etheridge just called me to give me this utterly sad news. Mike passed away early this morning after a short illness. And I was thinking about my upcoming trip to London in a few weeks to meet my son who is visiting from NYC, and my planned meeting with John Etheridge, and the usual question I always ask John: "What's Rattlin' with Mike?, can we meet for a coffee or tea and chat somewhere in Soho?"

Our heroes are leaving this earthly dimension one after another, that's life, and while no one lives forever, it's always very sad to hear of the death of your friends or your heroes, or someone you are admiring. Mike Ratledge was my favorite keyboard player by far, the man who left the live music business almost 5 decades ago, leaving an eternal legacy of a true legend. One of my favorite musicians of all time. And I was really looking forward to seeing him again. The world is a sad and weird place right now, and this adds to the general sadness, and I was curious to know by the man himself, what Mike would think about what is going on in the world. He was one of the most knowledgeable, wise and read people I have ever met. Another Soft Machinist who is gone forever, but Mike and his Soft Pals Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, John Marshall, Daevid Allen, Kevin Ayers, Allan Holdsworth will never be forgotten.

Leonardo Pavkovic
MoonJune Records

ZU & THE SATANIC SAMBA TRIO

ZU will be sharing the bill with the Satanic Samba Trio at the 4AD club in Diksmuide on the 21st of March !!

• Satanic Samba Trio (BR) - 20/03/205 AB, Brussels, BE
• ZU / Satanic Samba Trio (BR) -  21/03/2025 4AD, Diksmuide, BE
• ZU - 22/03/2025 Magasin 4, Brussels, BE

SOMETIMES IT SNOWS IN APRIL

Aliocha T.'s solo guitar version of Prince's 'Sometimes It Snows In April'

ADRIAN ZARATE - MR. GREEN GENES

 

A NEW BANDCAMP RELEASE BY JONO EL GRANDE

It seems like Jono El Grande is releasing new material on Bandcamp every couple of months.

After his "The Avant-Gardist's Dilemma" November 2024 release, my favorite Norwegian composer has  now returned with "Everyone Is Kitschy".

Zappa-esque progressive rock.

NEW BANDCAMP RELEASE BY MEN & VOLTS

The band that once started out as a Captain Beefheart cover / tribute band, Men & Volts.

 

ELLIOT INGBER

Elliot Ingber passed away about two weeks ago.
Next to having performed and recorded with both Frank Zappa and with Captain Beefheart, Elliot also released one excellent solo album:  "The4", in 2001. a Japan-only CD release.

You can find some fine tributes to the man here:

http://www.beefheart.com/elliot-ingber-rip/

And a beautiful tribute by Henry Kaiser:

Henry Kaiser and his pals Scott Colby, Morgan Ågren, Jimmy Ågren, and Max Kutner play in tribute to the amazing Elliot Ingber, who joined the Great Ancestors on January 21, 2025. Plus a classic performance of ALICE IN BLUNDERLAND with HK, Mike Keneally, Prairie Prince, and Andy West from 1995.

NEW BANDCAMP RELEASE BY ALAN JENKINS AND THE KETTERING VAMPIRES

Back in the old days this would have been called an E.P. The title track is from the album "Painting the Horse's Nose in the Wrong Place". There are two unreleased tunes and a new mix of the Columbo song.

 

THUNDERCAT

Thundercat, covering a George Duke tune

-- link: Harald Häring

"ZAPPA TALKS" IN CONCERT

March 22, 2025, Mark Onstenk and Wan Kemper will be performing "Zappa Talks" in Loenen, NL.
(near Apeldoorn)

I've seen the "Zappa Talks" show during a previous edition of the Mosae Zappa festival (in 2019), and I can only tell you that it will be worth your while.

https://spritshz.eventgoose.com/event/zappa-talks

LOS PERSUASIVOS

Paul Buff's Hollywood Persuaders released 'Tijuana Surf / Grunion Run' in 1963.

The 7" got released in Argentina on the Fermata label.
The Hollywood Persuaders were renamed Los Persuasivos.
The Zappa-penned 'Grunion Run' was retitled 'El Gruñon'.

DWEEZIL ZAPPA 2-DAY MIXING MASTERCLASS

Dweezil Zappa says:
I've teamed up with my Mix Bus TV mixing engineer friend David Gnozzi for a special event in Nashville on February 15-16 2025. Check out the details below:

https://www.learn-immersive.com

Join me and David Gnozzi for an exclusive 2-Day Masterclass on Mixing Deep Purple in Dolby Atmos at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio on February 15-16. This is a one-of-a-kind masterclass with only 12 seats available with tons of prizes and a Big Machine Distillery private Brunch and Whiskey tasting included both days.

J.M. SMIG - APOSTOLATUS

• J.M. Smig: Apostolatus
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Originally intended to be released in September 2022, J.M. Smig's "Apostolatus" only came online a couple of days ago.

J.M. Smig added:
an unfinished collection of tracks, mostly demos, a few since released as singles, that I had planned to have completed by my Dad's birthday in 2022, then 2023, then 2024, but life keeps on getting in the way, so I'm releasing this "as is".

The collection kicks off with "Requim For Vinnie". Listen to it. Read the lyrics. Beautiful.

18 tracks.
Demos.
Vastly different but worth a listen.

And including J.M.'s ‘Zappacrite’ pieces. (separately made available last year)

WEST, SPACE & LOVE - WEST, SPACE & LOVE III

• west, space & love: west, space & love III
      (2024, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Here's an excellent album to start any day: "West, Space & Love III" (or "Vol. 3" as the album artwork says).

Billy “Love” Forsberg on drums,
Scott “Dr. Space” Heller on modular and keyboard synths,

KG Westman on sitar, bass, guitar, Mellotron and synths.

The trio released their first collaboration in 2012 and their second in 2016.
"Vol. 3" was made available about a month ago.

Love that sitar sound !!
Beautiful.

FRANCESCO ZAPPA

The last couple of years, Francesco Zappa has been put back in the spotlight.

In 2009, the Pentatone record label released "Zappa Symphonies", an album by the New Dutch Acadamy, cond. Simon Murphy, presenting 7 pieces by 18th century composers (and only one by Francesco Zappa).
A bit of a misleading title if you would ask me. I guess some people even ordered it thinking it would be an album with compositions by Frank Zappa, and not Francesco...

There's the 2021 "Francesco Zappa - Duette für Violine & Cello Nr.1-6" album by Giacomo Coletti and Anna Camporini, released on the Italian Urania record label.

And last year, another release on the Urania record label:
"Francesco Zappa - 6 Symphonies", by the Atalanta Fugiens Orchestra, cond. Vanni Moretto.
This one did mention Frank Zappa on the back cover:

In 1984 Frank Zappa released an album titled “Francesco Zappa”, unknowingly becoming the first contemporary interpreter of the work of this unknown Milanese author, and effectively marking the beginning of his rediscovery. It was an incredible fate that of Francesco Zappa who, after a long life of success and honors in the Dutch and German courts, died in poverty and even experienced a kind of ‘damnation memoriae’ due to the contempt shown to him by Leopold Mozart.

BANDCAMP'S GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL JAZZ

The article kicks off with Sun Ra, so it can't be bad...

https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/new-spiritual-jazz-album-guide

 

EIDON - IKE BANA

Frank Zappa is mentioned in the liner notes of Eidon's most recent (Bandcamp) album, "Ike Bana".

My gratitude is forever due to the stars that bring me light and inspiration -- first and foremost, contemporary stars Frank Vincent Zappa and Gentle Giant.

ASTRAL MAGIC - AM I DREAMING?

Santtu Laakso (of Finnish band Dark Sun) has released another album: "Am I Dreaming?"

I received a download of the album, but it's also out on vinyl. Even in different colored vinyl versions.

Psychedelic space rock, with the focus on 'psychedelic'.

ECLECTIC MAYBE BAND - COSMIC LIGHT CLUSTERS

• eclectic maybe band: cosmic light clusters
      (2025, cd, UK, discus music)

The fifth release by the EMBand is entitled "Cosmic Light Clusters".
Again the album was puzzled together by Belgian composer and bass player Guy Segers.

For his Eclectic Maybe Band project, Guy invites musicians to perform his pieces, or to improvise. Sometimes live by performing together, but also by contributing from a distance.

The recordings are then arranged and puzzled into pieces and compositions by Guy.

The summary of participating musicians is rather large, but it's an impressive list. It's also an invitation to check out some of the names that do not sound familiar.

Somewhat more introspective and textural than its predecessor, Cosmic Light Clusters builds steadily from an opening trio of mood pieces through increasing activity and complexity as the album moves forward. Particularly engaging is Segers' use of voices and poetry on this recording.

I can only add that I enjoyed listening to it.
I'm also very happy with the detailed information on who played what on each track.
(It's Jimmy Agren playing the fine guitar solo on track 9, 'Bottle Opener'!)

Out on the UK-based Discus Music label, but (fortunately) also with a distribution center in Berlin, which is used for the mainland Europe customers.

UPCOMING ED PALERMO BIG BAND SHOWS

The Ed Palermo Big Band

February 22 - Falcon, Marlboro, NY
March 24 - Iridium, NYC
April 26 - Falcon, Marlboro, NY
May 19 - Iridium, NYC
June 14 - Falcon, Marlboro, NY
July 28 - Iridium, NYC
August 23 - Falcon, Marlboro, NY
October 25 - Falcon, Marlboro, NY
December 20 - Falcon, Marlboro, NY

DWEEZIL ZAPPA IS TOURING AT THIS VERY MOMENT

STEVE VAI INTERVIEWED BY CASSIUS MORRIS

Cassius Morris talks to Steve Vai