THE OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY COWBOY MARCHING BAND - 1997 OSU COWBOY MARCHING BAND

• Oklahoma State University Cowboy Marching Band: 1997 OSU Cowboy Marching Band
      (1997, cd, USA, osu)

Fans of Frank Zappa's music know that different marching bands have performed and recorded Frank Zappa's music: The Asphalt Orchestra, The Fantomatik Orchestra, The Robiano Zirkuskapelle,...

And there's the Oklahoma State University Cowboy Marching Band !
On their 1997 album, "1997 OSU Cowboy Marching Band”, included a medley that featured an abridged version of FZ’s ‘Echidna’s Arf (Of You)'.

Not just your ordinary marching band. Check out this audience recording of one of their performances...

MERIDIAN ARTS ENSEMBLE - SEVEN KINGS

• Meridian Arts Ensemble: Seven Kings
      (2016, cd, USA, innova)

I remember getting introduced to the Meridian Arts Ensemble in the early 1990s. Their "Smart Went Crazy" album presented beautiful arrangements of five (!) Frank Zappa tunes, plus some other fascinating stuff by contemporary composers that I had never heard of.
Brass and percussion... Amazing.

The ensemble kept bringing this mix for their next albums, also including compositions by members of the MAE.
I do admit that I'm not that familiar with the albums they released after "Ear Mind I" but I'm catching up. Fortunately, I have to add.
"Seven Kings" got released in 2016 and, again, shows the MAE in top shape, performing pieces by Daniel Grabois, David Sanford, Dave Ballou, Edward Jacobs, and Robert Maggio.

Here's 'Seven Kings - II. Contrapunctus I'

-- info & more: Danny Mathys

STEFANO BOLLANI - ARRIVANO GLI ALIENI

• Stefano Bollani: Arrivano Gli Alieni
      (2015, cd, --, decca)
      (2015, lp, --, decca)

Stefano Bollani released his "Sheik Yer Zappa" album in 2014.
One year later, Stefano released "Arrivano Gli Alieni".
No pieces by Frank Zappa, but a beautiful album and worth your attention. Original pieces next to compositions by Horace Silver, Duke Ellington, and others. All performed solo on a Fender Rhodes piano. What a sound...

DEVIL'S JAM - STONED AGAIN

• Devil’s Jam: Stoned Again
      (1995, cd, Denmark, bums records)

Devil's Jam's ‘Zappa’s Not Dead’ song had already been released on the 1994  “Metaltrax Part II” sampler, an album that featured the most promising hard rock bands from Holland.

In 1995, 'Zappa's Not Dead' got released on the Amsterdam-based Dutch rock band's first album, "Stoned Again".
“Stoned Again” was their only album. It got released on the Danish Bums Records label.

DON ELLIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA - AUTUMN

Don Ellis And His Orchestra's "Autumn" album got released in 1968.
It featured, a.o. Glenn Ferris, Ralph Humphrey, and Dave Parlato, musicians that would also perform / record with Frank Zappa.

-- info: Jan van Kemenade

VAAGUE

Check out this EP by Vaague (= Belgian drummer Antoine Pierre's project).
Track 4, 'Wraath' features Jean-Paul Estiévenart on trumpet !!

THE OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE - CBDNA THIRTY-FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE

• Oklahoma State University Wind Ensemble: CBDNA Thirty-First National Conference
      (2001, 2cd, USA, cbdna)

 The Oklahoma State University Wind Ensemble performed at the College Band Directors National Association Thirty-First National Conference in Denton, Texas, on February 23, 2001.

The performance, as well as the 2 CD set that got released with recordings from this concert, included Frank Zappa’s ‘G-Spot Tornado’, orchestrated by Michael Raiber.

I stumbled upon this by accident. Quite happy to learn of its existence and even more happy with the copy that I found.

I couldn't find a clip of the ensemble's performance of 'G-Spot Tornado', but the below video will give you a fine idea of what they sound like:

THE REVOLUTIONARY SNAKE ENSEMBLE - I WANT THAT SOUND !

• Revolutionary Snake Ensemble: I Want That Sound !
      (2016, cd, USA, innova recordings)

"I Want That Sound !"
And what a sound it is. The Revolutionary Snake Ensemble takes funky brass music to another level.

• Ken Field - alto sax
• Jerry Sabatini - trumpet
• Dave Harris - trombone, tuba
• Tom Hall - tenor sax 
• Blake Newman - bass
• Phil Neighbors - drums

You can check it out here:
https://revolutionarysnakeensemble.org/albums/i-want-that-sound/

THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION - WOWIE ZOWIE

 

• The Mothers Of Invention: Wowie Zowie
      (1994, cd, Germany, charly)

In 1994, the German Charly record label re-released "Freak Out", 
They did mix up the order of the songs, used different artwork, and retitled the album "Wowie Zowie".
All for a good cause. Well, if the cause is misleading the buyers, that is...

MEMORIES OF EL MONTE

Frank Zappa wrote 'Memories Of El Monte' together with Ray Collins.
It got recorded by The Penguins and released in 1963.

Strange little fact: when the Chief record label combined The Five Discs' 'Never Let You Go' with The Penguins' 'Memories Of El Monte', the latter got (mistakenly) attributed to Cleve Duncan, one of the vocalists of The Penguins.