Wednesday, February 29, 2012

HUMBLE GRUMBLE - FLANDERS FIELDS




Last week, Humble Grumble did a couple of performances in Belgium and Holland. I went to see them in Sint-Niklaas, and it was a blast.
The band has been performing and recording for almost fifteen years and although the band resides in Ghent (which only is a one-hour drive from where I live), I had never seen them in concert before. I guess they just don't do that many concerts, or maybe the announcements never made it to the United Mutations Headquarters.


At the Sint-Niklaas concert, the band mostly played songs from their latest album, "Flanders Fields". The concert was great, and so is the album.
Humble Grumble has the ability to mix different musical styles and genres. Some might say that this makes them sound zappa-esque. Others, however, might add that they just make excellent music.


Excellent stuff. And fun.


http://www.humblegrumble.com/


The band will be performing at the next edition of the Zappanale festival.
I know where I'll be...

ARF - ARF AND THE BLACK BRAINBOW MACHINE




Arf is an experimental rock trio from Switzerland. The band consists of Yanik Soland (bass), Flavio Gallacchi (drums) and Stefan Strittmatter (guitar).


Stefan Strittmatter's name should ring the proverbial bell as he's also the guitar player in FidoPlaysZappa, a band that already has released some fine albums and that made quite an impression at last year's Zappanale festival.
The Arf trio has also performed at Zappanale. July 2004. Still one of the best concerts that I saw in my Zappanale career.


And now there's "Arf And The Black Brainbow Machine". It's album number four and I'm happy to tell you that Arf is still kicking ass.
The music of Arf combines dense drumming, some terrific guitar playing, an unbelievable bass and some great vocals. I'm a fan.
Just take a look at the below videos and you can see / hear what I mean.


"Arf And The Black Brainbow Machine" is an impressive album. Love the artwork and the service manual. Great.


Recommended listening!!


http://www.arftone.com/






WRITERS IN CONCERT IN AMSTERDAM 2012 03 14

March 14, 2012, Elvis Peeters, Josse De Pauw and Tonnus Oosterhoof will be reciting from their literary works.
Corrie van Binsbergen will take care of the music.

Corrie van Binsbergen gitaar, Tineke de Jong viool, Baptist Kurvers altviool, Saartje van Camp cello, Jan Willem van der Ham fagot/altsax, Jasper Blom tenorsax/klarinet, Joost Buis trombone, Albert van Veenendaal (geprepareerde) piano, Hein Offermans bas, Alan Purves percussie

http://bimhuis.nl/concerten/schrijvers-in-concert-met-josse-de-pauw-en-elvis-peeters

DE BROKKENFABRIEK PLAYS ZAPPA

Last Sunday, Yudjin and I drove to Amsterdam to catch De Brokkenfabriek for a Sunday afternoon concert.

Stichting Brokken organises workshops. Each workshop ends with a concert. The band that plays these concerts after each workshop, is called De Brokkenfabriek.
So there's always different musicians.
Last February (or This February, if you prefer), the workshop was around the music of Frank Zappa. It all happened under the supervision of Joost Dieho.

Quite interesting. And worth crossing the border.

YP was there also, so there's a couple of audience recordings to be found on Zappateers. And PB was there as well, and he brought his camera...

Son Of Mr. Green Genes
Blessed relief
I'm The Slime
King Kong
Watermelon In Easter Hay
Zappa Medley (Let's Make The Water Turn Black / Harry, You're A Beast / Son Of Orange County)










THE GRANDE MOTHERS TO TOUR THE U.S.

featuring
NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK
TOM FOWLER
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA
ROBBIE SEAHAG MANGANO
DON PRESTON

2012/04/24 concert 'Stubbs', Austin TX
2012/04/26 concert 'Tipitinas @ at French Qrtr', New Orleans LA
2012/04/27 concert 'Smith's', Atlanta GA
2012/04/28 concert 'Cat's Cradle', Carrboro NC
2012/04/30 concert 'Ramshead', Annapolis MD
2012/05/01 concert 'Hamilton', Wash DC
2012/05/02 concert 'Infinity Hall', Norfolk CT
2012/05/03 concert 'Iridium ', New York NY (2 shows)
2012/05/04 concert 'Iridium ', New York NY (2 shows)
2012/05/05 concert 'World Café Live', Wilmington DE
2012/05/06 concert 'Rex Th.', Pittsburgh PA
2012/05/08 concert 'Beachland Ballroom', Cleveland OH
2012/05/09 concert 'Magic Bag', Detroit MI
2012/05/10 concert 'Martyrs', Chicago IL
2012/05/11 concert 'Cedar Cultural Ctr.', Minneapolis MN
2012/05/12 concert 'Bourbon Th.', Lincoln NE
2012/05/13 concert '', Denver CO or Boulder CO
2012/05/15 concert 'State Room', Salt Lake City UT

BONGO FURY (THE BAND) LIVE IN LARVIK 2012 02 11

Another excellent video by Luuk.
And a fine 'King Kong' by Bengo Fury.

DWALMACAT 460

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


  • KLAUS NOMI – I feel love

  • MONEY MARK – Information contraband

  • KING OF WOOLWORTHS – Colcannon

  • DOOD WIMBISH – Life in the arena

  • LOOP LIZARD – Walkman

  • TOMAHAWK – Rape this day

  • FRONT 242 – Funkhadafi

  • DJ ME DJ YOU – New you

  • SWEET ROBOTS AGAINST THE MACHINE – Hello baby

  • PIZZICATO FIVE – Go go dancer

  • MARK EITZEL – Move on up

  • THE KNIFE – Tomorrow in a year

  • BIOSPHERE – Mir

THE MIKE KENEALLY CONCERT CALENDAR

Thursday, March 1, 2012
Mike Keneally plays keyboards with Chickenfoot
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
NBC TV
11:34 p.m. Eastern & Pacific
10:34 p.m. Central & Mountain

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

Friday, March 2, 2012
Mike Keneally guests on a few songs with his pals The Aristocrats
Bryan Beller, Guthrie Govan, Marco Minnemann
Brick By Brick
1130 Buenos Avenue
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 275-5483
Showtime: 8:00 PM
Tickets $20

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

Sunday, March 4, 2012
Wes Fest 7, featuring
The Aristocrats (Bryan Beller, Guthrie Govan, Marco Minnemann)
The Casualties of Jazz
Danny Mo and the Exciters
and The WesFest All-Stars (featuring music by Mike Keneally, Jackie Daum, Joe Brooks and Colin Keenan)
The Roxy
9009 West Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tickets:
$35 per pair in advance (until 3/3/12)
$20 per individual ticket in advance
$30 per ticket at the door

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

TETZEPI - SEED




I once described the music of this big band / free jazz collective as "funky, modern, yet angular jazz" which was just another way of saying that I really liked it.

Founded by Esmée Olthuis and Hans Leeuw, Tetzepi has been around for about ten years, and "Seed" is the band's fourth album. It got released in 2009.
At Tetzepi's request, John Korsrud composed a number of so-called seeds, small musical cells. Other composers took these seeds as a starting point for their compositions. The result, this final album, sounds great: beautiful compositions and excellent solos.
Compositions by Fabrizio Puglisi, Hans Leeuw, Esmée Olthuis, Corrie van Binsbergen, Marco C. de Bruin, Natalio Sued and Jorrit Dijkstra.

THE RESIDENTS - SONIDOS DE LA NOCHE * COOCHIE BRAKE




  • the residents: sonidos de la noche - coochie brake
    (2012, cd, usa, mvdaudio mvd 5294a)

A million years ago a big rock fell out of the sky and landed rith in the middle of Louisiana.


Well, it wasn't Louisiana at that time. But that rock fell, and it hit hard making a giant dent. It gradually filled in, but no matter what, it still left a dent. And that dent held just enough water that it became a primeval swamp known as Coochie Brake.


Now this was not one of those swamps down on the coast. Those made sense. This one was two hundred miles from the Gulf. It just sat there, being a misfit to its surroundings. The locals avoided it. Always did. They said strange things go on in that swamp.
Things that should not go on.


Some young guys used to camp in Coochie Brake. They climbed the massive granite boulders that common sense said should not be there. They explored the caves that some said still hid a fortune in Spanish gold. Most importantly, they sat still and let the Brake speak to them as only the Brake can. Those teens grew up to become The Residents.
Their music is full of memories. Memories of misty fog, dark shapes and the unexplained sounds of Coochie Brake.


The limited 2CD edition of Coochie Brake got released last year. This one's the regular version.
Out on MVDaudio.
Foggy and dark. The intro says it all.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE HARRISON * * 2004

TOM PETTY, JEFF LYNNE, STEVE WINWOOD, DHANI HARRISON and PRINCE !!

GARY LUCAS TO PLAY IN NYC IN A COUPLE OF DAYS

THURSDAY MARCH 1st
GARY LUCAS SOLO @
IRIDIUM NYC
1650 Broadway and 51st St. Manhattan
2 sets at 8 and 10pm
with his special guest French underground chanteuse Beatrice Demi-Mondaine sitting in

A BRYAN BELLER UPDATE

March 4, The Aristocrats will be playing at Wesfest 7. And so will Mike Keneally.
It's taking place at The Roxy in L.A.

Shortly thereafter, The Aristocrats will take off to the U.K. for the kick off of their European tour.

Wed. 3/7: London - The Peel
Thurs. 3/8: Bilston (Birmingham) - The Robin - with Beller Bass Clinic before the show
Fri. 3/9: Manchester - Night And Day
Sat. 3/10: Newcastle - The Cluny
Sun. 3/11: Edinburgh - The Voodoo Rooms

THE YELLOW SNOW CRYSTALS IN CONCERT NEXT WEDNESDAY

THE YELLOW SNOW CRYSTALS



  • PAUL HUBWEBER Trombone, Vocals

  • ALEX MORSEY Double Bass, Sousaphone, Guembri, Vocals

  • SIMON CAMATTA Drums, Vocals

  • GERHARD HORRIAR Vocals, Narration
will be performing a concert in Duisburg next Wednesday !!
Mittwoch, 29.Februar 2012 - 20 h
STEINBRUCH Duisburg
Lotharstraße 318-320 (Naehe Uni)
D-47057 Duisburg
Germany

Here's the YSC at the truckstage at lat year's Zappanale.

NEW ON LEO RECORDS

British Leo Records has announced four new titles


  • ulysses: s.mangia - a.la volpe - s.ladisa
    (2012, cd, uk, leo records cd lr 627)

  • simon nabatov: solo piano - sppinning songs of herbie nichols
    (2012, cd, uk, leo records cd lr 632)

  • 4tet: different song - step in to the future
    (2012, cd, uk, leo records cd lr 635)

  • lapslap: granita
    (2012, cd, uk, leo records cd lr 636)

www.leorecords.com

DWALMACAT 459

Go to
http://www.fmbrussel.be/programmas/dwalmacat.aspx
and click on “Luister” to enjoy the latest Dwalmacat radio show.


  • BOOM BIP – Cimple

  • RENALDO & THE LOAF – Honest Joe’s indians get the goat on the way to the cowboy’s conga

  • PEAKING LIGHTS – Tiger eyes (laid back)

  • WEEN – Flutes of Chi

  • JOHN LENNON – Aisumasen (I’m sorry)

  • YOU’VE GOT FOETUS ON YOUR BREATH – Thank heaven for pushbutton phones

  • STONE ROSES – She bangs the drums

  • MARTHA & THE MUFFINS – Swimming

  • JEFF & JANE HUDSON – Los Alamos

  • BERND WITTHÜSER – Wer schwimmt da?

  • TIPSY – Mr. Excitement

  • HEMATIC SUNSETS – Am Nullpunkt

  • FAUST – Läuft... Heisst das es läuft oder es kommt bald.... Läuft

  • CAPTAIN BEEFHEART – Deputy’s horse (instrumental)

THE MUFFIN MEN IN LARVIK 2012 02 11

Here's my favourite Liverpool band with special guest Denny Walley.
Shot by Luuk at the Yellow Snow Festival in Larvik earlier this month.

Friday, February 24, 2012

BOB HARRIS UPDATE

Former Zappa band member Bob Harris joined melodic hard rock band Axe in 1996.
Axe has just released an anthology on the Cleopatra label.


  • axe: axeology 1979 - 2001
    (2012, 2cd, usa, cleopatra) - feat.bob harris

Here's a track from their 1998 album "Twenty Years Volume II", with Bob Harris on keyboards and vocals.


ANY DOWNERS?

And all around
At the side of the grave
Stood Charlie's friends
Who could not save
This stupid girl
From the way she behaved
But among the mourners
And the frowners
A cry were heard . . . (aaaargh!)

ANY DOWNERS? (Oh, no!)
ANY DOWNERS? (Oh, no!)
ANY DOWNERS? (Oh, no!)
ANY DOWNERS? (Oh, no!)

No I ain't got any more
No I ain't got any more
No I ain't got any more
No I ain't got any more

Your downers is gone
They was all you could get
To ease your mind
And your deep regret
Over Charlie's mouth
So enormous 'n wet
Now all you got
Is your T.V. set

You turn it on
You watch and dream
A dream of love
On your tiny screeen
But what do you see
As you lay in bed?
It's a bald kinda girl
With a pointed head
Oh no . . .



Conehead . . . she ain't really dumb
She's just a
Conehead . . . 'tater chip crumbs
All over her face
Is there any more beer
Stashed away at her place? She's just a
Conehead . . . she can't help herself
"She's a Conehead kind of a girl . . . "
(Ha ha ha!)
Pitch her a ring
That is the thing
That's getting her hot-uh
A hoop or a ring
Goin' over the top of her Conehead
"She is from a small town in France
'N she's a Conehead kind of a girl, kind of guy"
That's what she gives me is-uh Oooh!
Conehead
When she's on her knees
The point is so high
(High!)
I keep sayin' please
Keep it out of my eye, 'cause she's a
Conehead
(She's a Conehead kind of a girl, kind of a guy, kind of a girl-thing . . . )

Saturday Night
You're home alone
The TV lights up
As her dad comes home
He's been workin' all day
At the drivin' school
In a stupid-lookin' hat
That he uses to fool
The people of Earth
Who might get back
If they knew he was really
From Remulak, where the
Conehead . . . people are from, where the
Conehead . . . people go to, when the
Conehead . . . people are done with their
Conehead . . . things that are fun

Connie the Cone
Is dressed real neat
Like a teen-age girl
From down the street

But Mom 'n Dad
They don't approve
Carbohydrates
Is all they groove
Connie's eye
Has a tiny tear
But they rinse it away
With a case of beer

A bag of chips
'N fiberglass
Her diet's a riot
I can't keep quiet
I'd love to try it
But I think I'll pass
To eat that kind stuff they pack
(Yes, they're packin' it!)
You'd hafta be from Remulak, where the
Conehead . . . people are from, where the
Conehead . . . people go to, when the
Conehead . . . people are done with the
Conehead . . . things that are fun, where the
Conehead . . . people are from, where the
Conehead . . . people go to, when the
Conehead . . . people are done, with the
Conehead . . . things that are fun, where the
Conehead . . . people are from, where the
Conehead . . . people go to, when the
Conehead . . . people are done with the
Conehead . . . things that are fun, where the
Conehead . . . people are from, where the
Conehead . . . people go to, when the
Conehead . . . people are done with the
Conehead . . .

Thursday, February 23, 2012

1000

1000 is the name of the Jan Klare, Wilbert de Joode, Michael Vatcher & Bart Maris quartet.
The ensemble will be performing at the 'Plusetage' in Baarle Nassau, NL on March 3, 2012.

ROY ESTRADA IMPRISONED

Roy Ralph Estrada, a 68-year-old Del Valle man who was convicted of contiuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 in a Tarrant County court last month.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/02/22/3754559/former-frank-zappa-bassist-imprisoned.html

Former Frank Zappa bassist imprisoned, again, for child molestation
Posted Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012


BY MITCH MITCHELL

FORT WORTH — A founding member of the band Little Feat who also played bass for Frank Zappa will serve 25 years for molesting a child younger than 14 over an extended period, the Tarrant County district attorney's office said.

Roy Ralph Estrada, who performed with Zappa's The Mothers of Invention, abused the female family member in Tarrant County after he was released from a California prison for another child abuse case.

Estrada, 68, is being temporarily housed at the J. Middleton prison unit near Abilene. He pleaded guilty in January to a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child.

"The victim's family was unaware that he was a convicted sex offender,” Melody McDonald, spokeswoman for the Tarrant district attorney's office, said in an email.

"Estrada was sentenced to 25 years in a plea bargain agreement and is not eligible for parole. He will be 93 years old before he is released from prison."

On Dec. 9, 1994, Estrada was convicted in Orange County, Calif., of the felony offense of committing a lewd act with a child, according to records from the Tarrant County district attorney’s office.

After he served his six-year sentence, he reconnected with his family in Texas, McDonald said. He was indicted on the new charge in March 2008.

Zappa, a musical innovator described by The New York Times as rock’s most committed iconoclast, died at his Los Angeles home at age 52 in 1993.

The stage shows of his band, the Mothers of Invention, were renowned for precise musicianship and uninhibited, sometimes scatological humor, his Times obituary said.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

FIDO PLAYS ZAPPA

The Fidos have posted a couple of fine YouTube movies on their blog.

Here's a horny 'Black Napkins':


Straight from
http://www.fidoplayszappa.com/wordpress/?p=335

CHAD WACKERMAN AND MARCO MINNEMANN ON JASON SADITES' WEVE ALBUM

Chad Wackerman and Marco Minnemann are among the featured guest musicians on Jason Sadites' "Weve" album. Data has been added to the U.M.Archives.



You can check out the album at:
http://overdoseoffingalcocoa.blogspot.com/2012/02/jason-sadites.html


-- info: Jan van Kemenade

THE RESIDENTS - ERA B4-74




  • the residents: era b4-74
    (2012, download, --, --)


The Residents' latest album is entitled "Era B4-74", which probably should be pronounced like the era before 1974, as it's a collection of pre-residents works.



The RSD (robot selling device) says:


PRE-SIDENTS
A collection of tracks recorded earlier than 1974

Aircraft Damage
Mad Sawmill
I Hear Ya Got Religion
Blow Blusy Baloon
Ballad of Stuffed Trigger
Goodbye Lover
King Kong
Maggie's Farm
Party of 71
D for Doorknob
Hallowed Be Thy Ween

including Zappa's 'King Kong'.


The RSD has offered more new Rz material the last couple of months. There was "Cube E Dynasone 3EZ", "GMB(i)", "The Mole Suite", and "VF". (that's GingerBreadMan and Vileness Fats).




Monday, February 20, 2012

THE GRANDE MOTHERS IN ASCHAFFENBURG 2012 02 13

pictures by Dieter Jakob !

Don Preston


Napoleon Murphy Brock

Tom Fowler

ADDITIONS TO THE SANDRO OLIVA DISCOGRAPHY

I added another couple of albums to the Sandro Oliva discography.



Classical / meditative music. Performed on sequencer and classic guitar. It features Jimmy Carl Black on one track.
Impressive.


This deluxe version of the 2004 "Heavy Lightning" album is another impressive SO release. Music by Oliva, Zappa and The Beatles.
Love it.
Features Jimmy Carl Black, Don Preston & Bunk Gardner.



Re-release of Sandro Oliva's first album. Originally released in 1987.
Includes 4 bonus tracks: pre-production demos for the album.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE RESIDENTS - NIGHT TRAIN TO NOWHERE

The Residents are preparing a book/CD set. It will be called "Night Train To Nowhere", and it's available on pre-order only.

"The book contains 20 pages of photos recalling Randy, Chuck and Bob's successful "Talking Light" tour and 6 pages of images and lyrics for the CD. The CD contains early demo recordings of several Talking Light stories."

There will be three editions:
a super-deluxe edition: hardcover book + CD
a deluxe edition: softcover book + CD
a regular edtion: photobook only

pre-orders can be made through ebay.com, but have to be made before the end of february !!

CABALLERO REYNALDO & THE GRAND KAZOO - LI-I-I-I-I-I-VE AT LARVIK




About a year ago, February 4 and 5, Caballero Reynaldo & The Grand Kazoo did two concerts at the Yellow Snow Festival in Larvik, Norway.
With the recordings that were made by the Yellow Snow Team and the Zappateers, Caballero Reynaldo was able to produce this CD and DVD set.
A nice memory for those who attended, and a fine introduction for those of us who weren't there.


Nice.

ADDING RESIDENTS DATA

Adding bits and pieces to the United Mutations Archives, here are the covers of the promo edition of The Residents' "Animal Lover" album, a one-CD / jewelcase edition,

plus the single CD edition of "Demons Dance Alone".

SANDRO OLIVA - LIVING WITH A MOUSTACHE




Sandro Oliva recorded his "Living With A Moustache" album in 1988 and 1989. The album got released in 1989, but only after Sandro has sold most of his equipment to finance the costs.

When Sandro Oliva joined the Grandmothers in 1994, both the Grandmothers and Sandro got the opportunity to release an album on the Muffin Record Productions record label. The Grandmothers released their famous "Who Could Imagine", and Sandro released "Who The Fuck Is Sandro Oliva". Playing with the Grandmothers and releasing an album on the Muffin Record Productions label did get Sandro a bigger audience. Many people consider "Who The Fuck Is Sandro Oliva" an excellent album, but not all of them know that the album was a follow-up to the "Living With A Moustache" album. Most of the tracks on "WTFISA" are unreleased tracks from the "LWAM"-sessions.


The original LP is rather hard to find, so I guess that everyone should be happy that Sandro re-released the album on CDR on his own Obvious Music record label a couple of years ago. He even included a couple of extra tracks.

The music on "LWAM" is superb. You get Mother-esque madness, Zappa-influenced compositions, and great guitar solos.

If you want to check out the music of Sandro Oliva, this is the album that you should buy (togher with "WTFISA".

http://www.sandroliva.com/obvious.html

THE GRANDE MOTHERS RE:INVENTED

the Grande Mothers are doing a concert in Saarbrücken tonight.
As far as I know, this is the last concert of this tour?

2012/02/19 concert 'Waldsee', Saarbrücken, Germany

NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK
TOM FOWLER
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA
ROBBIE MANGANO
& special musical guest
DON PRESTON

For those of you who missed them, here's a couple of setlists.
(Audience audio recordings of these concerts are up at Zappateers.)

2012/02/04 concert 'Scala', Leverkusen, Germany
set one
intro, A Pound For A Brown, Let’s Make The Water Turn Black, Harry, You’re A Beast, Florentine Pogen, I'm The Slime, Oh No, Son Of Orange County, More Trouble Every Day, Peaches En Regalia
set two
Montana, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf (Of You), Twenty Small Cigars, Holiday In Berlin - Aybe Sea, Little House I Used To Live In - Stormy Monday, Sofa
encore
King Kong

2012/02/05 concert 'De Bosuil', Weert, Holland
set one
intro by Co de Kloet, intro by Napoleon, A Pound For A Brown, Let’s Make The Water Turn Black / Harry You’re A Beast / Florentine Pogen, I'm The Slime, Oh No / Son of Orange County / Trouble Every Day, Peaches En Regalia, Montana,
set two
Chunga's Revenge, The Idiot Bastard Son, Village Of The Sun / Echidna's Arf, Twenty Small Cigars, Holiday In Berlin / Aybe Sea / The Little House I Used To Live In, Sofa
encore
King Kong

Saturday, February 18, 2012

ARTHUR BARROW UPDATE

Arthur Barrow says:
Anyone in North Texas - Tommy Mars and I will be performing a concert of Zappa music in Denton at Voertman Hall on April 16, 8 pm, in asssociation with a Zappa class being taught there by Dr. Joseph Klein. We will be performing with a group of students - about 20 of us all together. We have been working really hard on the arrangements since November, and we are almost finished. Come on down!

DENNIS TEUNISSEN

Painter (& Zappateer) Dennis Teunissen is having an exhibit in Utrecht.
March 2 - March 4
Oudegracht 329 & Oudegracht 341
Utrecht, NL

Friday 2nd of march 17-19h
Saturday 3rd of march 13-19h
Sunday 4th of march 13-19h

1 Exhibition / 2 Locations
Check it out !

Thursday, February 16, 2012

THINKING PLAGUE - DECLINE AND FALL




  • thinking plague: decline and fall
    (2012, cd, usa, cuneiform)

If you're into experimental rock, you're probably already familiar with the music of Thinking Plague.
Denver-based Thinking Plague has been around for thirty years, but has only released six album to date. "Decline And Fall" combines beautiful interwoven melody lines (vocals, guitar, keys and clarinet) with an excellent bass and drums rhythm section.
Lovely.


Below are some samples.

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

and available from Mandaï
http://www.mandai.be/



MORE CHATO FROM LARVIK

Chato goes Beefheart.
Great !!

Thanks to Luuk & Ob for the video/audio.



JERRY CUCCURULLO & JON KIEBON

Jerry is Warren's brother. Both Jerry and Jon contributed to Warren's fabulous "Roadrage" album.
Here's Jerry and Jon jamming in Jon's living room.

A 20-MINUTE ZAPPATIKA SPECIAL ON YOUTUBE

"Strictly Frankly was a project undertaken by the band ZAPPATiKA to pay tribute to the music of Frank Zappa, The recordings were taken from various shows around Europe in 2010 and 2011. This compilation is the culmination and last part of this project. In 2012 ZAPPATiKA are currently working on their own music again for a while."

In my humble opinion, this is not the best Zappatika I've seen or heard, but here it is:

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

WYNONIE HARRIS & SUN RA

thanks to the Saturn Newsgroup

Dating back to 1946, these Wynonie Harris recordings feature Herman Blount (who later would be known as Sun Ra).
78 rounds per minute...

Wynonie Harris (born in Omaha, NB. on 7/24/1915) was a successful "jump blues" singer in the 1940's and 1950's. He made his recording debut in 1945 for the Philo and Apollo labels. Later that year he also recorded with "The Hamptone All Stars" backed by jazz musicians such as Arnett Cobb and Milt Buckner for the Hamp-Tone label. In 1946 Jim Bulliet invited him to Nashville, Tn. to record for his Bullet label. The sessions produced two 78 RPM records. When Wynonie showed up to the studio he brought along with him an unknown piano player by the name of Herman Blount. Blount wouldn't be a sideman for long as he later became known in music circles as the space/jazz artist Sun Ra. I have included some photos of Sun Ra in the intro, one is an early photo of his group "Arkestra". The rest of the photos are of Wynonie Harris himself. Jim Bulliet rounded out the sessions with some local R&B musicians. Wynonie made his last recordings in 1964. He passed away in Los Angeles, CA. on 6/14/1969).



RUINS ALONE - RUINS ALONE




  • ruins alone: ruins alone
    (2011, cd, --, skingraft records)

The man behind Ruins Alone is drummer and vocalist Yoshida Tatsuya.
It has only been two days since I mentioned Yumi Hara Cawkwell's "Statement Heels", an album on which Yoshida Tatsuya plays an important role. I really liked his collaboration with Yumi Hara Cawkwell, so I was glad that I was able to give "Ruins Alone" a listen.


"Ruins Alone" is a very powerful, high-energy album. This is prog rock taken to the next level. Up-tempo, with changing and shifting rhythms, Yoshida Tatsuya will take you on a ride that you will not easily forget.
This is great stuff. Very intense. Lots of energy.


Check it out.


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

Here's Yoshida Tatsuya in concert. It should give you an impression of what to expect...
And while you're at it, check out the band's history: http://www.skingraftrecords.com/bandhtmlpages/ruinspg.html

NURSE WITH WOUND

Somewhere in 2000, Nurse With Wound released their 'Subterranean Zappa Blues' on their "Second Private Session - Rock 'N Roll Station Special Edition" album.
The album itself exists in two editions: a 2 CD set, and limited edition (500 copies on red vinyl) LP. The 'Subterranean Zappa Blues', which in fact was a cover of Zappa's 'Trouble Every Day', could be found on both releases, and in a different version: the LP carries an 'alternative mix'.

Nurse With Wound also released an album with outtakes from the above album as "Second Private Session". This is version number three, the outtake.

And some people might even want to know that the very same 'Subterranean' track could also be found on the 2005 2 CD compilation: "Livin' Fear Of James Last".
Data have been added to the United Mutations Archives.
Below are the album covers.

The CD.

The LP.


The CD with outtakes.


The compilation album.

NEW ZITA SWOON ALBUM DUE OUT




The new Zita Swoon album, "Wait For Me", will be out in a couple of weeks. I saw Stef Kamil in concert with this project a while ago and was very impressed.
Looking forward to the album.


http://crammed.greedbag.com/buy/wait-for-me-18/

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

CABALLERO REYNALDO & THE GRAND KAZOO - LIVE AT LARVIK CD/DVD


CABALLERO REYNALDO & THE GRAND KAZOO
Li-i-iVE AT LARVIK - THE YELLOW SNOW FESTIVAL 2011
HOF-069-CD+DVD
Price: 12 euros
http://www.halloffame.es/caballero-reynaldo-the-grand-kazoo-live-at-larvik/



Shipping cost for any quantity:
- to Europe 6 euros
- to rest of the world 10 euros
Way of payment:
- by paypal to halloffame@halloffame.es

Last year, in February 2011, Caballero Reynaldo & The Grand Kazoo was invited to perform at the second Yellow Snow Festival in Larvik (Norway) with his country show of Zappamusic. They all had a terrific time, played with the snow, licked a few of Larvik landmarks, enjoyed the magnificent theatre and are more than grateful for the hospitality of Jan, Erik, and everyone at the YSF.

And now, right when the third edition is about to take place, Hall of Fame Records is proud to present a limited edition (only 100 copies pressed) of the performance at the Bølgen Kulturhus recorded by the Zappateers team, edited by Luis G. and mastered by Luis Ruiz.

As a bonus, the CD comes with a DVD with the live recording in video of several tracks (only one camera/angle) made by our dear zappateer friend Luuk (aka Ludznl) plus a few extras. With no overdubs but plenty of mistakes, Live In Larvik is a perfect opportunity to take a glimpse at the show that Caballero Reynaldo & The Grand Kazoo performed all around Europe during 2009 and 2010.

*Buy Live At Larvik + Made In Zappanale for only 18 euros! (+ shipping)


Monday, February 13, 2012

YUMI HARA CAWKWELL - STATEMENT HEELS




"Statement Heels" is a collection of Yumi Hara Cawkwell's pieces originally written for other performers in the past twelve years, newly recorded by Yumi and Tatsuya Yoshida, plus some additional pieces.
I really like this.
Listening to this album, is like traveling the skies. Yumi Hara Cawkwell knows how to draw pictures with her music.
Mostly instrumental, the compositions on this album move between contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz.
One of my favourite pieces on this disc is 'Cosmos Massive No.901', an up-tempo, polyrhythmic avant-garde piece. Short, but very powerful.


"Statement Heels" is an album that you need to hear.


http://www.yumiharacawkwell.co.uk/



BRYAN BELLER RELEASES INSTRUCTIONAL DVD

Bryan Beller has released an instructional video on the subject of the bass guitar: "Mastering Tone And Versatility".
I found this nice picture at Bryan's site, so I just pasted it into the United Mutations Archives.


  • bryan beller: mastering tone and versatility
    (2011, dvd, usa, alfred music publishing)

Sunday, February 12, 2012

SANDRO OLIVA - TOOK ME / THIS WORLD




On the "Took Me / This World" single, Sandro Oliva shows that he can write fine pop songs. Both 'Took Me' and 'This World' are about Sandro's passion for guitars. Both tracks would fit perfectly on a Traveling Wilburies album.
A beautiful melody, a fine arrangement, and excellent guitar playing. That's what makes a good pop song.


Info has been added to the United Mutations Archives.


www.sandroliva.com

CAPT.CHEESEBEARD 2011 11 05 CONCERT ON YOUTUBE

The Pygmy Pony Riding club is proud to announce that after one month of post production, 90% of the concert "Capt. Cheese-Beard & The 7 Sisters Of Prevention" played on the 5th of November 2011 at the Atelier 210 has been uploaded on Youtube.

The full HD and DVD version will be made available for free download in the near future.

What's to know:
The band was in real good shape and the performances are just great.
This was the Premiere of "marimba and vibraphone guru Bart Quartier" with Capt.Cheese-Beard and he did an Outstanding job.
The concert was recorded and mixed by Mathias Widtskiöld of Mottowsound. Of course he also did an outstanding Job. We wouldn't have it any other way…
The gig was filmed by Bert Corsius, Benoit Servais, Christophe Ausloos and Serge Brassine
And..
That we sincerely hope you will enjoy watching these clips!
Kind Regards

Johan

Stinkfoot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrAJkA7GWFc&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=10&feature=plcp

Pound For A Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YsZ1a0YRMs&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=9&feature=plcp

Dirty Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvBD0Ux3UmI&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=8&feature=plcp

Sharleena
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwv1_HmBNkU&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=14&feature=plcp

Village Of the Sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC6da8vpcwI&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=4&feature=plcp

Peaches En Regalia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtcrUYYesMg&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=6&feature=plcp

St Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast & Father O'Blivion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x5qPNz7bds&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=3&feature=plcp

Outside Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cJLV1CD1pA&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=2&feature=plcp

City Of Tiny Lites
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BFozOAGYDY&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=11&feature=plcp

Dynah-Moe-Humm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXzx8GzlM7w&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=13&feature=plcp

Black Napkins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bab0tamruzk&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=12&feature=plcp

Advance Romance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_fgGQrqvo8&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=15&feature=plcp

Yo Mama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc2gweVvbYQ&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=5&feature=plcp

Inca Roads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s30jepmOW0&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=7&feature=plcp

Sofa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XrQXyzwjas&list=UUOZn9y4rmQKR11emvxkdcqg&index=1&feature=plcp

Strictly Genteel (This time with Piano)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOQpVnKakQ0&feature=youtu.be

TARENTATEC IN LARVIK YESTERDAY

Almost live for Larvik: Tarentatec at The Yellow Snow Festival



-- thanks to clint

ANTONIO MAURO PAWLOWSKI - DYNAMIC WIND LOAD MAN




Mauro Pawlowski is a Belgian guitar player, composer and bandleader. Since a couple of years, he's part of dEUS, but he's also the man of thousand projects: Mitsoobishy Jackson, The Evil Superstars, Mauro and the Grooms, Nieuw Zwart Trio, Othin Spake, and many, many more.

A bit over a year ago, the melomaniac in me got treated with an evening of Mauro Pawlowski at "Mauroworld".
"Mauroworld" was a one-evening music festival in which four or five bands would perform, the link being that Mauro played in every one of them:.

The very same evening, "Dynamic Wind Load Man" got presented. It's a compilation CDR that presents a bunch of homerecordings. All unreleased stuff.
I played the album again today, and I must say that I really like it. You get improvised music next to soundscapes or psychedelic tunes. And more.
A fine addition to the United Mutations Archives.

Here's Mauro's Evil Superstars.

FILIA IRATA - TILTEN & PIER




Filia Irata recorded a German version of Zappa's 'Titties and Beer'.
The track can be found on their "Tilten & Pier" album, and also on the "Des Mittelalters Weibliche Gesänge 1" compilation album. Both got released in 2004.


A great album cover and a fine coverversion as well. Filia Irata specialises in midieval music, so you get something special.

SUN RA'S JAZZ IN SILHOUETTE GETS A VINYL REISSUE




Sun Ra's classic "Jazz In Silhouette" album gets a vinyl rerelease on the Groove Merchant label.
The original edition came out in 1959 on the Saturn label. It got rereleased on Impulse in 1974, and it did get a couple of CD reissues, and now Groove Merchant is making it available as an exact repro of the Saturn release, on 180 g vinyl.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

JONO EL GRANDE - THE CHOKO KING




While my Zappateer friends are in Larvik, listening to various artists performing the music of Frank Zappa, I'm enjoying Jono El Grande's latest album.
Jono El Grande is a Norwegian composer, guitarist and band leader who performed at Zappanale last year. Zappa never is far away in Jono El Grande's compositions.


"The Choko King" is Jono El Grande's fifth album and it's a collection of pieces from 1995 to 2005. It's nice to hear some of the older stuff and some of the earlier versions of certain compositions.


Impressive.
There's also a vinyl edition of this album. The CD has a bonus track, but does omit the liner notes.


Jono El Grande performed at last year's edition of the Yellow Snow Festival. Here's a snippet:

CHATO & JAN AT THE YELLOW SNOW FESTIVAL 2012 02 10

yes, that's right.
Straight from Larvik, here's Chato (with Jan) at the Yellow Snow Festival.
Performed & recorded last night...



-- thanks to Clint

BOGUS POMP + JERRY OUTLAW & FRIENDS AT ZAPPANALE

Jerry Outlaw says:
Oh Hell Yes!!! It's now official. Zappanale 23!!! Bogus Pomp will perform Saturday, August 4th at 3:30 p.m. Jerry Outlaw & Friends will perform Sunday, August 5th at 4:00 p.m. I am personally awestruck because I get the honor of playing right before one of my all-time heros, Uli Jon Roth. WOW!!!

ALESSANDRA CELLETTI CONCERT ON ITALIAN RADIO 3

Pianist and composer Alessandra Celletti plays original music from her Crazy Girl Blue album and other originals - along with music by Baldassarre Galuppi, Erik Satie, Philip Glass, John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen - Live from the Quirinale presidential palace, Rome, Broadcast over the Italian Radio 3 channel, streaming worldwide at

http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/popup/player_radio.html?v=3

Please note the above concert date & time
Sunday March 4th at 11:50 a.m. in Rome -
The Los Angeles concert time is March 4th at 3:50 a.m. -
New York concert time is March 4th at 6:50 a.m. -

THE BROTHERS OF INVENTION



2012/08/02 at Zappanale, Bad Doberan, Germany

SANDRO OLIVA & THE BLUE PAMPURIO'S EXTRAVAGANZE - BIRRA & SALSICCE




May 7, 2010, Sandro Oliva and The Blue Pampurio's Extravaganza played a concert in Rome. The concert got recorded and got released on Sandro's Obvious Music label as "the official bootleg" of the show: "Birra & Salsicce" (Beer & Sausages).
The concert itself sounds great. The setlist is a mixture of original material and Zappa compositions. The performance is excellent. The five piece band sounds very tight, and Sandro's guitar playing is great.

This is excellent. A fine addition to the United Mutations Archives.

Sandro Oliva will be playing at Zappanale on Wednesday, August 1.
Something to look forward to.


http://www.sandroliva.com/obvious.html

DWALMACAT 458

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


  • DANNY ELFMAN – Peewee’s breakfastmachine

  • MECANO – bECIIPN3OpHbIE

  • ONEIDA – Cold rain and snow

  • DAVID THOMAS & THE PEDESTRIANS – Enthusiastic

  • HOLY TOY – Wojtek

  • DEPTH CHARGE – The legend of the golden snake

  • JUANA MOLINA – Son

  • JAC BERROCAL – Signe particulier

  • MOON DUO – When you cut

  • SMEGMA – The breathing method

  • THE BONZO DOG BAND – Jazz, delicious hot, disgusting cold

  • ORCHESTRE MURPHY – The pot calling...

  • GRIZZLY BEAR – Colorado

  • GHEDALIA TAZARTES – Merci Stéphane

  • TINARIWEN – Tenere taqqim tossam

THE FOOLZ ARE PERFORMING AGAIN

It has been a while, but Dutch Zappa (re)coverband The Foolz have scheduled a couple of concerts.

The Foolz will be doing 3 shows this spring, two in Apeldoorn and the last in Gorinchem at the annual Hippiefestival... www.hippiefestival.nl . More information available shortly on www.foolz.nl

Friday, February 10, 2012

GEORGE DUKE & JEAN LUC PONTY "THE BROTHERS OF INVENTION"

The best news that I heard all day: It has been confirmed that George Duke and Jean-Luc Ponty will be performing at Zappanale 2012. They are announced as The Brothers Of Invention.
Better reschedule your holidays...

www.zappanale.de

Thursday, February 9, 2012

BAZBO'S GRANDE MOTHERS IMPRESSIONS

The Grande Mothers – De Bosuil, Weert – Sunday, February 5, 2012

Find Bazbo's pictures and movies at
http://www.bazbo.net/wp/?p=17782













MR GREEN GENES

Actually, it's Robert Martin who's talking about his fruit diet.



-- info: Jan van Kemenade

DAVE BURRELL / SILKE EBERHARD

Tomorrow, 2012/02/10 Dave Burrell & Silke Eberhard will be performing at 'De Singer' jazzclub in Rijkevorsel, Belgium.

Free jazz, avant-garde pianist Dave Burell will team up with German saxophone player Silke Eberhard...

Here's Silke Eberhard with Aki Takase:



www.desinger.be

SUN RA ARKESTRA TO PERFORM IN BRAZIL ON 2012/02/10 & 11

from the Saturn newsgroup

The Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen will make a return visitation to Brazil when it lands at the Nublu Jazz Festival in San Paulo with performances on February 10 & 11, 2012. The Sun Ra Arkestra first arrived in Brazil 8 years ago and there is great enthusiasm in anticipation of these two upcoming concerts. Details about each performance are shown below:

Friday, February 10, 2012 - Nublu Jazz Festival, Teatro Municipal, Riberao Preto, San Paulo Brazil, 9:00 pm.

http://www.sescsp.org.br/sesc/programa_new/mostra_detalhe.cfm?programacao_id=213715

Saturday, February 11, 2012 - Nublu Jazz Festival, Sesc Pompeia, San Paulo, Brazil, 9:30 pm.

http://www.sescsp.org.br/sesc/programa_new/mostra_detalhe.cfm?programacao_id=213388

GARY LUCAS WILL BE CONDUCTING HIS CAPTAIN BEEFHEART SYMPOSIUM AT ZAPPANALE

Thursday Aug. 2nd
time tba
Bad Doberan Germany
Gary Lucas conducts his Captain Beefheart Symposium at Zappanale 2012


Friday Aug. 3rd
time tba
Bad Doberan Germany
The return of Fast 'N' Bulbous, the Captain Beefheart Project on the main stage of Zappanale 2012
co-led by Gary Lucas and Phillip Johnston, with Jesse Krakow, Richard Dworkin, Joe Fiedler, Rob Henke and Dave Sewelson

ARISTOCRATS TOUR DATES

from Bryan Beller's newsletter:

The Aristocrats Are Headed To The U.K. (with Godsticks) & Europe & The Middle East In March (but first we're going to Costa Rica and SoCal)

There's been so much going on that I haven't really laid into this yet promotionally, but now it's time. People of the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Turkey and Israel, The Aristocrats are coming your way! (Don't worry about the lack of links - you can get the full details from my website calendar anytime.)
www.bryanbeller.com

Let's lay out the whole itinerary. First, some fun in the sun:

Sat. 2/25 - Curridabat, Costa Rica - Pepper
Fri. 3/2 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
Sun. 3/4 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy/WesFest 7

Then it's off to Blighty:

Wed. 3/7: London - The Peel
Thurs. 3/8: Bilston (Birmingham) - The Robin
Fri. 3/9: Manchester - Night And Day
Sat. 3/10: Newcastle - The Cluny
Sun. 3/11: Edinburgh - The Voodoo Rooms

The U.K. leg features opener Godsticks, who are doing unspeakable things to make this tour leg happen for us. We're deeply grateful to them for everything they're doing. Plus they rock.

We are hearing that more folks should know about the Manchester and Newcastle gigs in particular, so if you're in the U.K. and you're nearby, please help us to spread the word. This is Guthrie Govan's FIRST EVER proper tour of the U.K. with his own band, and you wouldn't want to discourage him in any way from doing this again, would you? :-)

Plus, I think I may be doing a bass clinic at the venue before the Bilston/Birmingham show. More info on that soon, I hope.

Then we head to the European Mainland:

Tues. 3/13: Zoetermeer, The Netherlands - Boerderij
Wed. 3/14: Paris, France - La Scene Bastille
Thurs. 3/15: Bordeaux, France - Le Krakatoa
Fri. 3/16: Bordeaux, France - La CIAM (masterclass)
Sat. 3/17: Madrid, Spain - Sala Ramdall
Mon. 3/19: Barcelona, Spain - Sala Bikini
Tues. 3/20: Bilbao, Spain - Sala BBK

That should be fun. Even more so because my smokin' hot wife Kira Small will be along for the ride from Paris through Barcelona! She's never seen Yurp before. I sense comedy gold.

And finally, the Middle East:

Thurs. 3/22: Istanbul, Turkey - Old City/Indigo Pub
Fri. 3/23: Tel Aviv, Israel - Reading 3

I've never been to either of these countries. Also, I'm Jewish, so my parents are thrilled that I'm finally going to see Israel. (OK, I am too.)

It's going to be a grand multi-national adventure. Despite whatever hype is out there, we're a very modest outfit with no real crew and massive DIY energy fueling the project. Please wish us luck, and if you're Over There, come out and say hi.

GRANDE MOTHERS ON TOUR


I saw the Grande Mothers Re:Invented in concert in Weert, NL, the other day. I liked it. I liked it a lot.
They're still touring, and you should really try to catch them!



  • 2012/02/09 concert 'Amager Bio', Copenhagen, Denmark

  • 2012/02/10 concert 'Kesselhaus', Berlin, Germany

  • 2012/02/11 concert 'Hanseat', Salzwedel, Germany

  • 2012/02/12 concert 'Bergkeller', Reichenbach, Germany

  • 2012/02/13 concert 'Colos-Saal', Aschaffenburg, Germany

  • 2012/02/15 concert 'sgpitas', Sonov, Czechia

  • 2012/02/16 concert 'Porgy & Bess', Vienna, Austria

  • 2012/02/17 concert 'vlny-musicag', Karlovy Vary, (Czechia)

  • 2012/02/18 concert 'Sudhaus', Tübingen, Germany

  • 2012/02/19 concert 'Waldsee', Saarbrücken, Germany

NEW HANS ANNELLSSON ALBUM FEATURES JIMMY AGREN AND MATS OBERG

Hans Annéllsson has released a new album: "Radioskugga med Överdrag". It features Jimmy Agren and Mats Oberg as guest musicians.



Tuesday, February 7, 2012

YELLOW SNOW FESTIVAL 2012 02 10 & 11 IN LARVIK

The Yellow Snow Festival in Larvik, Norway
Friday 10th /Saturday 11th of February

Friday February 10th
(Activities in the restaurant and on the small stage ("Blåboks"):

21.00 Doors open "Blåboks" (The small stage)
21.30 Concert Chato Segerer
22.30 Concert Zappa Time
24.00 Concert end

Saturday February 11th:
(Activities in the gallery, small stage, big stage and the restaurant)

14.00 Art Gallery opens
16.00 Festival opens
16.00 Start record-fair in "blåboks" (The small stage), mingling
18.00 Festival intro by Kjeld-Willy Hansen
18.05 Concert Bongo Fury
18.45 Pause - Session with Ben Watson
19.15 Concert Bongo Fury (Part 2)
19.45 Pause, mingling, record fair, raffle
20.15 Talk/Interview - Ben Watson and Ike Willis
20.45 Quiz
21.00 Record fair closes in "Blåboks" (The small stage)
21.15 Concert Muffin Men with Denny Walley
22.45 Pause, mingling. raffle winners
23.00 Concert Terantatec
00.30 Festival ends
01:30 Bar closes

Monday, February 6, 2012

GENE PRITSKER - WILLIAM JAMES'S VARIETIES OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE




A bit over a year ago, the Innova record label released Gene Pritsker's "VRE Suite" (Varieties of Religious Experience Suite) as recorded by the Sound Liberation ensemble. It was a pretty impressive album, mixing contemporary classical music with rock and jazz. I remember being very impressed by the nice melodies and by the interaction of the cello and the guitars. I definitely have to play that album again.

Imagine my suprise when I found out that the "VRE Suite" had been re-recorded. The complete title reads "William James' Varieties of Religious Experience - A Chamber Opera by Gene Pritsker". It turns out that the album that got recorded by the Sound Liberation ensemble only carried the soundtrack for Gene Pritsker's chamber opera. This time, you get the complete package: a cast of six vocalists (singers & narrators) and a quartet (two electric guitars, a cello and contra bass).
It's rather astonishing how much diffent this version sounds. The Sound Liberation ensemble recording had more of a rock feel (with the electric bass and drums), but this chamber opera performance has these beautiful vocals. I like it.

I will have to give this disc a couple of extra listenings, and I will be searching for the libretto on Gene Pritsker's website, but I already find it fascinating.


If you liked what the Sound Liberation did with Gene Pritsker's "VRE Suite", you definitely have to check out the chamber orchestra recording.


Recommended listening.


http://www.genepritsker.com/

I wasn't able to find a soundclip of this album, so here's a little video of the Sound Liberation ensemble performing the VRE Suite in concert.

A ZAPPANALE UPDATE

It has been a little while since we took a look at this years' Zappanale line-up...

For the moment, it looks like this:

» Zappanale #23
01.08. 2012 - 04.08. 2012



  • The Mother Hips & Scott Thunes

  • Fast 'n' Bulbous & Gary Lucas

  • Tarentatec

  • Doctor Dark

  • Bogus Pomp

  • Humble Grumble

  • Dead Dino Storage

  • Ya Hozna

  • The Yellow Snow Crystals

  • Seth Faergolzia

  • Sandro Oliva

  • Jazzprojekt Hundehagen

  • Cró!

  • Quantum Fantay

  • MagNiFZnt

  • Riverside

  • DeWolff

  • Magma

  • Triggerfinger

  • Motorpsycho

Sonntag 05.08. 2012
Heavy Guitar Day



  • Alice Cooper

  • Uli Jon Roth

  • Jerry Outlaw and Friends

  • Lapis Lazuli

And since a couple of days, I have had various people telling me that Jean Luc Ponty and George Duke will be headlining the festival, performing "King Kong".
How about that...

Sunday, February 5, 2012

SUN RA ARKESTRA - SUNRISE IN DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS




"Sunrise In Differnt Dimensions" takes us back to Willisau in Switzerland, February 24, 1980.
With a line-up that reads like a best-of-Arkestra (Sun Ra - Marshall Allen - John Gilmore - Noel Scott - Danny Thompson - Michael Ray - ...) the band did not include a trombone or a bass, and only one trumpet. Apparently, this was the first date of the European tour, and the other bandmembers had not yet arrived...

Werner X. Uelhlinger (who compiled the album) picked the old originals and chose to omit the better-know space-related compositions. The result sounds great. You get some Ra compositions alongside some fine classic jazz tunes, all with far out improvisations. I love it.

The album got released as a 2LP set on the Hat Hut record label in 1981, and has recently been reissued on CD.

ADDING DATA TO THE RESIDENTS' DISCOGRAPHY

Hopping to 2004, here are a couple of Residents album covers that have been added to the United Mutations Archives.





  • the residents: the king & eye: rmx
    (2004, cd, germany, euroralph 031)

In 2004, two so-called RMX (remix) albums got released: "WB-RMX" (Warner Brothers Remix) and "The King & Eye : RMX". The latter one got released by Euroralph in Germany. Both on CD and on vinyl.





  • the residents: the 12 days of brumalia
    (2004, cd, usa, ralph america ra017)

2004 also saw the release of "The 12 Days Of Brumalia", a project that had started on the internet. It was a limited release o 1000 copies, but as there was an error in printing the covers. The first 475 copies have the above faulty cover (this was meant to be the inside).





  • the residents: the 12 days of brumalia
    (2004, cd, usa, ralph america ra017)

And this is what the album should have looked like. The second part of the first edition (525 copies) carries the corrected cover.

THE RESIDENTS - HEAVEN? HELL!

In 1986, Ryko Records released two samplers. The first one was called "Heaven?" and the second one "Hell!". Both albums were Residents compilations.
These were The Residents' first compact discs.

We're 25 years later now, and record labels are dropping like flies. In a time were music is turning completely digital, The Residents celebrete the 25th anniversary of "Heaven?" and "Hell!" with a beautiful reissue: a 2CD set in a fold-out cardboard cover. Nice.

DEAD SHERIFF PERFORMS BEEFHEART

Very powerful version of 'Sure Nuff 'N' Yes I Do' by norwegian hard rock band Dead Sheriff.
Recorded on August 11, 2011 for AudioTree Live.



-- info: Thomas Starvik on Facebook

ALLAN HOLDSWORTH & DWEEZIL ZAPPA

This will be a very busy touring year for Allan Holdsworth. Guesting with Dweezil Zappa and Chad Wackerman, and touring USA, Europe, Asia and Australia and possibly South America with his new power jazz-rock trio.

more info at:
http://mim.io/be5942

DWEEZIL ZAPPA with special guest ALLAN HOLDSWORTH
February 14 - Anaheim, CA (House Of Blues)
February 19 - Agoura Hill, CA (Canyon Club)

CHAD WACKERMAN BAND featuring ALLAN HOLDSWORTH
with Jimmy Johnson - bass; Jim Cox - keyboards
Allan performing at Chad Wackerman CD launch of "Dreams, Nightmares and Improvisations"
February 16 - Studio City, Los Angeles, CA (Baked Potato)
February 17 - Studio City, Los Angeles, CA (Baked Potato)

Saturday, February 4, 2012

ANDY TAYLOR - THUNDER




'Andy Taylor', I hear you say, 'Isn't that the guitar player in Duran Duran?'.
Well, yes, he is.
And his "Thunder" album got added to the United Mutations Archives as the album features former Zappa bandmembers Patrick O'Hearn, Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan...

you can give it a try at
http://aornightdrive.blogspot.com/2012/01/andy-taylor-thunder.html


-- info & link: Jan van Kemenade

SANDRO OLIVA - 30 ROTOLI DI BUGIE...




On "30 Rotoli Di Bugie..." Sandro Oliva guides you through his musical career. This 18-track album collects material from 1980 (his first single) until 2005 (re-recorded tracks from one of his first albums), all remixed in 2006.
It's no secret that Sandro's biggest influence comes from Zappa's Mothers Of Invention. The music is just fabulous. And when you hear Sandro play the guitar... Wow.


There's also a couple of nice suprises on "30 Rotoli Di Bugie". Besides the great music and the fine guests (Jimmy Carl Black sings 'Money', The Grandmothers perform 'Who Do You Think You Arf?', ...), there's also a couple of unreleased songs to be found on this CD.


I love it.
And Sandro will be playing at Zappanale !!!

http://www.sandroliva.com/obvious.html

Here's The Grandmothers in concert in Paris in 1998.

BLESSED RELIEF BY JAY DITTAMO & FRIENDS

Jay Dittamo has played the drums for The Band From Utopia, performing the music of Frank Zappa.

Here's some more Jay Dittamo : a recording session of Jay & Friends at The Cave Studio in 2008, performing Zappa's 'Blessed Relief'.

*********************************
Kenny Shanker - Sax
Daniel Falik - Piano
Takashi Otsuka - Acoustic Bass
Jay Dittamo - Drums

BEESWAMP - SWEET STICKY STUFF




I guess it was last week, or maybe even the week before, that someone asked if the 'Space Is The Place' piece that Corrie van Binsbergen performed with her Grote Brokken Ensemble was the famous Sun Ra tune.
The answer was 'No', as the 'Space Is The Place' tune that the subscribers to the NederZappa newsgroup were discussing was written by Beatrice van der Poel.
Beatrice does the lead vocals in Corrie en de Grote Brokken, and the ensemble performs compositions from various members of the band. Mostly Corrie's, but also other stuff.


The nice thing about this NederZappa Newsgroup topic was the fact that I learned that two of the pieces that were written by Beatrice van de Pool got recorded and released by Beeswamp (Beatrice's band) in 1996.

I received the album yesterday and listened to it for the first time this morning.
"Sweet Sticky Stuff" is a funky, pop / jazz album. It underscores (again) the beautiful voice of Beatrice van der Poel, and it includes both 'Space Is The Place' and 'Break A Normal Day'. As I'm familiar with these two tunes, they immediately stand out, but I really like the entire album.
This is fun. This is funky.


Beeswamp. Nice.


Here's Beatrice with Corrie en de Grote Brokken, performing 'Break A Normal Day'.


And here's Beatrice and Vera van der Poel (both in Beeswamp - 'Poel' is dutch for 'Swamp') performing a couple of Prince tunes...


Friday, February 3, 2012

SANDRO OLIVA - WHO THE FUCK IS SANDRO OLIVA




Sandra Oliva released his "Who The Fuck Is Sandro Oliva" album in 1995. At the time, it got released on the Muffin Records Production label.
2011 not only saw the return of the Muffin Records Production label. It was also the year that Sandro released a remixed version of his "WTFISO" album, including five bonus tracks.


I've been a big fan of Sandro Oliva since the first time I heard him. If you're not familiar with his work, "WTFISO" is the perfect place to start. Every Zappa fan needs to have this album in his collection. Fun, twisted, zappa-esque and great guitar playing.

The album features various Mothers (Don, Bunk, Motorhead, Roy, Jimmy Carl) and includes the classic 'Junk Food (Oliva) / Mr. Green Genes (Zappa)'.


http://sandroliva.com/