THE LEX BRONKOWITZ ORCHESTRA IN CONCERT IN COLOGNE ON JUNE 5

Cologne, Germany, might just be the place to be on the 5th of June, 2015, as The Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra will be doing a concert at the 'Lichtung' club.

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra
June 5, 2015
KULTURCAFE LICHTUNG
Ubierring 13
D-50678 Köln
Germany

FIDO PLAYS ZAPPA * * * THIS AFTERNOON IN BASEL

Fido Plays Zappa will be performing in Basel, Switzerland, this afternoon.

Liebe Leute
FiDO geht baden: Diesen So 31.Mai um 17h im Marina, Uferstrasse, 4057 Basel, Switzerland.

SUN RA'S HELIOCENTRIC WORLDS

ESPDISC is re-releasing both volumes of Sun Ra's "Heliocentric Worlds" to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of the original albums.

CHRISTOPHE GODIN & GUTHRIE GOVAN

GNÔ - CRASS PALACE

• gnô: crass palace
      (2013, cd, france, sene the wood music)

Christophe Godin might have put the Gnô project on hold shortly after the release of this album, but "Crass Palace" is a very enjoyable album.

Gaby Vegh on bass and vocals, Christophe Godin on guitar and vocals, and Julien Rousset on drums and percussion.
Guitar oriented heavy metal pop.

ANOTHER ZAPPA RADIO SHOW RELEASED ON CD

the promo talk :
With the success of his Apostrophe and Roxy & Elsewhere albums, 1974 saw Frank Zappa at his commercial peak. Evidently feeling a surfeit of goodwill towards his fans, at the close of the year he prepared a personally mixed reel of live performances from the previous year for broadcast on WLIR-FM in Garden City, New York on New Year’s Eve. Not to be confused with a show he was playing the same night in Long Beach, California, this is a typically adventurous and humorous compilation, and is presented here with background notes and images.

1. announcer's introduction
2. zappa's introduction - aka tango chat (wayne, nj, 1973/11/11)
3. pygmy twylyte / dummy yp (with irma coffee, location & date unknown)
4. be-bop tang excerpt (location & date unknown)
5. the story of dupree's paradise (nyc, 1973/11/22)
6. yellow snow suite (sydney, australia, 1973/06/24)
7. guitar event (lowell, 1973/11/30)
8. be-bop tango contest (waterloo, canada, 1973/11/18)
9. announcer's closing remarks

Scheduled for release in June. On the Keyhole record label.

QUEEN OF JAPAN - TOKYO RISEN

• queen of japan: tokyo risen
      (2006, cd, ger, echokammer 040) 

Queen Of Japan's version of Frank Zappa's 'Bobby Brown' got released in 2001 on their "Nightlife In Tokyo album. It can also be found on this compilation CD from 2006.

FRANK ZAPPA - DUMB ALL OVER LIVE 1981

• frank zappa: teenage rockin' combo - dumb all over live 1981
      (2015, 2cd, uk, broadcasting radio records brr5011)

Here's another brand-new edition of the 1981/11/17 New York City Palladium concert.
An excellent concert but it's weird that they left out 'Clownz On Velvet'. (and a couple of other tracks as well.)
FZ's introduction is there, just no 'Clownz On Velvet'...

And before you run to the record shop, you need to know that this is another 'radio show' release. Released without permission of the Zappa Family Trust.
A more complete and better-sounding recording can be downloaded at Zappateers. For free.

CHRIS SCHLARB UPDATE

The Chris Schlarb album that I talked about earlier today, is also out on 180 g white vinyl.

It includes FZ's 'Sofa no.2'.

CHATO! NEWSFLASH

Chato's latest album, "Prog Fusion With Balls" includes a track that got recorded at the Yellow Snow Festival in Larvik, Norway in February 2012. The track got recorded by my pal Eric Meulenbroeck and is entitled 'I'm Only In You For Your Money'. It's a zappa-esque guitar solo and it does include a short Zappa tease...

I also corrected some data regarding "Prog Fusion With Balls". This isn't a private release. It's out on Wave Men Records".
And while I'm at it. The Crosswalker EP (to which Chato contributed the guitar parts) is rather new as well. It got released in 2015 and not in 2014.

HANS ANNELLSSON / MATS ÖBERG - FRAN A -> Ö

• hans annéllsson / mats öberg : fran a -> ö
      (2015, cd, sweden, annellssongs)

When Hans Annéllsson and Mats Öberg team up, my expectations go up as well.
On "Fran a -> ö", both Hans and Mats contribute about half of the songs.
Hans Annéllsson's songs are more laid-back pop and rock, while Mats Öberg's adds a bit more spice.

Biggest surprise on this album is a Swedish version of Frank Zappa's 'Penis Dimension', entitled "Penisens Storlek' and sung by female vocalist Pia Aprea !
A different angle, to say the least.

I also have to mention 'Pivo', a track by Björn Jason Lindh that gets some sort of 'zappa-treatment'.
Excellent.

Available at CDBaby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hansannellssonmatsoberg2

LE SINGE BLANC - S/T

• le singe blanc: s/t
      (2015, cd, france, whosbrain records / la face cachée)

Le Singe Blanc is a trio from Metz, France.
Experimental with a twist.
This is nice. This is very nice.

Out on vinyl and on CD.

Available from Mandaï.
www.mandai.be

DAIKIRI - TAP!

• daikiri: tap!
      (2015, lp, france, whosbrain records / la face cachée)

Daikiri has released a second album.
Described by some as a demented duo, making savage music, Daikiri does indeed make a strong impression. "Tap!" presents 11 tracks, 10 of which are about one minute long. The only exception is the last track, 'Aouibaouainan' that clocks around 12:23.

Available on colored vinyl and on CD.

If you need a musical shot, Daikiri might be just what you need.

Available from Mandaï.
www.mandai.be

Check them out:

THE FOOLZ / SLAGWERKENSEMBLE KNA LUNTEREN - ZAPPA EXPERIENCE

• the foolz / slagwerkensemble kna lunteren: zappa experience
      (2015, dvd, nl, private release) 

November 8, 2014, brought me to Barneveld in The Netherlands.
The place to be was the 'Schaffelaartheater', where The Foolz, together with percussion ensemble Slagwerkensemble KNA Lunteren, brought "Zappa Experience".
Intro by Co de Kloet.

I didn't count them, but the 25-plus percussion ensemble and the Foolz rock band did an excellent job.
A couple of months ago, a video recording of the concert got released on DVD.
Superb. The perfect way to relive the concert.

Just look at that setlist :

set one

• zoot allures
• echidna's arf (of you)
• florentine pogen
• little umbrellas
• peaches and regalia
• bamboozled by love
• the black page
• alien orifice
• baby snakes
• let's move to cleveland
• big swifty

set two

• t'mershi duween
• pygmy twylyte
• what's new in baltimore
• mr.green genes
• you didn't try to call me
• inca roads
• watermelon in easter hay
• tush tush tush
• sofa no.1
• ms pinky

Here's a report :

ZAPPA UNION IV

The fourth edition of the Zappa Union festival will (as usual) take place in Oslo, Norway, from October 23 until October 25.

Featuring The Banned From Utopia, The Grandmothers of Invention, the Mats/Morgan Band, and the Norwegian Wind Ensemble.

TOM O'DELL - FRANK ZAPPA 1969 - 1973, FREAK JAZZ, MOVIE MADNESS AND ANOTHER MOTHERS

• tom o'dell : frank zappa 1969 - 1973 - freak jazz, movie madness and other mothers
      (2013, dvd, uk, chrome dreams / sexy intellectual sidvd580)

I watched this Tom O'Dell documentary again, the other day.
About the break-up of the original Mothers Of Invention, recording Hot Rats, Jean-Luc Ponty's "King Kong", 200 Motels, Flo and Eddie, Fillmore East, Just Another Band, Montreux, the Rainbow Theatre incident, Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo.

Nice, although it's pretty strange to hear so little Zappa music in a documentary about Zappa. And when you do get some Zappa music, it's with rather stupid footage...
But the interviews and comments are great.
Featuring Billy James, Ian Underwood, Max Bennett, George Duke, Aynsley Dunbar, Sal Marquez and many more.

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART

A couple of days ago, comic book artist, painter and musician Kamagurka was asked to pick some of his favourite TV-moments during "Alleen Elvis Blijft Bestaan", a Belgian TV-show.

It did not come as a surprise that Kamagurka went for Captain Beefheart at Sjef Van Oekel's Discohoek, from 1974.

Up for one week at the Canvas TV station :

http://alleenelvis.canvas.be/reeks-3/kamagurka/kamagurka-van-oekels-discohoek/

GOV'T MULE - ISLAND EXODUS

• gov't mule: island exodus
      (2013, dvd-bootleg, ??, pignon-209)

"Island Exodus" is a bootleg-dvd with recordings from Gov't Mule's 2013 Bonnaroo and Island Exodus festival appearances.
One of these sets included Gov't Mule doing Frank Zappa's 'Trouble Every Day' !

Another fine addition to The Others Of Invention, bands or artists performing the music of Frank Zappa.

THE GRANDMOTHERS OF INVENTION - DUKE OF PRUNES

• the grandmothers of invention: duke of prunes - live at the fabrik, hamburg, germany
      (2014, dvd, ger, pinguin)

March 13, 2014, The Grandmothers performed at the 'Fabrik' in Hamburg, Germany.
They also played at Zappanale a couple of months after that and it was at Zappanale that I got hold of this 'limited-presale' DVD.

The Hamburg concert featured former Mothers Don Preston (keys and vocals), Bunk Gardner (sax and flute) and Dave Parlato (bass), plus Chris Garcia (drums) and Mad Max Kutner (guitar)

A beautiful addition to the Grandmothers discography.
Produced by Ralph Kessler (who also did the 2012 "Mothers Day" album).

all compositions by frank zappa, except where noted

1. mother people
2. absolutely free
3. the eric dolphy memorial barbecue
4. the eternal question (don preston)
5. you didn't try to call me
6. the orange county lumber truck
7. who needs the peace corps
8. go cry on somebody else's shoulder
9. hey joe / flower punk
10. duke of prunes

JOE SATRIANI TO TOUR EUROPE

september > november 2015

http://www.satriani.com/road/

SUPERSONIC PLAYS SUN RA

March 8, 2016, at 'De Casino' in Sint-Niklaas (B), Supersonic will be performing the music of Sun Ra.

STEPHANE GALLAND PRESENTS LOBI

Lobi is

Stéphane Galland (Belgium / drums), Misirli Ahmet (Turkey / percussion), Petar Ralchev (Bulgaria / accordeon), Carles Benavent (Spain / bass), Magic Malik Mezzadri (France / flute and vocals) and Malcolm Braff (Brazil / piano)

And Lobi will be performing at 'De Casino' in Sint Niklaas (Belgium) on October 9, 2015.

-

NEW SUN RA RECORDINGS

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/indies/6575897/new-sun-ra-recordings-to-be-released-this-fall-exclusive

GEORGE DUKE

George Duke's "A Brazilian Love Affair" is getting a 180 g vinyl re-release on the Dutch MOV (Music On Vinyl) record label.

STEFANO TAMBURINI

Italian comic book artist and writer Stefano Tamburini has used a Zappa-like figure in some of his comics.

Stefano is also the writer of RanXerox, a comic that he made with Tanino Liberatore.
The album cover of "The Man From Utopia" shows Frank Zappa as RanXerox.

The picture below shows Stefano Tamburini - Frank Zappa - Tanino Liberatore in Rome 1982.

Stefano Tamburini's "Fuzzy Rat" comic.

The page is taken from the "Banana Meccanica" anthology, published by Coniglio Editore in 2006.

Originally, "Fuzzy Rat" appeared in :

as "Fuzzy Rat" in Combinazioni n° 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11
as "Morning Glory" in Zombie International, oct/nov 1977
as "Carrara" in Stampa Alternativa, dec 1975
as "Ekonomia E Finanza" in Hot Minestrone, 1976

-- info: Luc Verbeeck

QUEEN OF JAPAN - NIGHTLIFE IN TOKYO

• queen of japan: nightlife in tokyo
      (2001, cd, autriche, angelika köhlermann) 

It looks like the CD version of Queen Of Japan's "Nightlife In Tokyo" is different from the vinyl edition (that I mentioned some months ago).
A couple of different tracks, and another album cover, but both of them carry Queen Of Tokyo doing Frank Zappa's 'Bobby Brown'.

17 HIPPIES - BIESTER

• 17 hippies: biester
      (2014, cd, ger, hip 016)

Last year, 17 Hippies released "Biester", an album that included their version of Frank Zappa's 'Peaches En Regalia'.

KAMIKAZE - BETA

• kamikaze: beta ep
      (2014, cdep, switzerland, private release)

I got to see and hear electronic pop band Kamikaze at the Zapperlot! festival in Switzerland last August.
The band has released two albums to date. "Alpha" in 2012 and "Beta" in 2014.

No Zappa links whatsoever, but a welcome relief at any festival, I would imagine.

Data has been added to the United Mutations Archives.

CHRIS SCHLARB - PSYCHIC TEMPLE II

• chris schlarb: psychic temple II
      (2013, cd, usa, akr105)

The album title made me expect a wild and freaky album.
Actually, "Psychic Temple II" is quite the opposite of wild and freaky.

It's intimate, maybe even meditative, and it includes a short and very sweet version of Frank Zappa's 'Sofa no.2'.

MÖRGLBL - LIVE AND LOUD FOR THE DEAF

• mörglbl: live and loud for the deaf
      (2010, dvd, france, private release)

As I was looking for the 2014 Zapperlot! festival booklet, I came across this Mörglbl DVD that I had brought home from the cosy little Swiss festival.
I can't recall mentioning it on the blog, so here it is.

Released one year after their "Jäzz For The Deaf" album, "Live And Loud For The Deaf" features Christophe Godin (guitar), Ivan Rougny (bass) and Aurélien Ouzoulias (drums) in concert at Digne Les Bain in January 2009.

Professional recording. Multi-camera. Released by the band.

Excellent stuff.
Brings back nice memories of their Zapperlot! concert.
Data have been added to the United Mutations Archives.

CAPTAIN CHEESE-BEARD - SYMPHONY FOR AUTO HORNS

• captain cheese-beard: symphony for auto horns
      (2015, cd, bel, mottow soundz)

It must have been early 2007 when I went to see Cpt. Cheese-Beard & The 7 Sisters Of Prevention in concert for the first time. I guess it was one of their first gigs. The band, fronted by Johan 'Cpt. Cheese-Beard' De Coninck performed classic Zappa seventies material.
In the meantime, I have seen the band live quite a number of times. They combine a laid-back attitude with a tight performance. I had fun each and every time.

Highlights might include the band's appearance at the Zappanale festival in 2009 and their contribution to the Arf Arf Arf festival in Antwerp, with special guest Robert Martin (vocals, keyboards, sax, horn,... in Frank Zappa's band from 1981 until 1984).

When Johan told me that he had started working on an album of original material, I was quite surprised and very curious to hear what the end result would sound like.
We're one year later now and "Symphony For Auto Horns" has been released on the Mottow Soundz label.

One word. Superb.
Notwithstanding the fact that these are all original compositions, this is as zappa-esque as it gets.
Great Zappa flavoured compositions, absurd tongue-in-cheek humour, and impressive musicianship.

Johan De Coninck on guitar and vocals, Pascal Houben on bass, Didier DeMeestere on drums, Vanessa Spay on lead vocals (!!), Todor Stefanov on keyboards and rhodes, Pierre Chevalier (Univers Zero, Present, Aranis) on keyboards and piano, Bart Quartier (Muze Jazz Orchestra) on marimba and vibes, Maayan Smith (Sinister Sister) on tenor sax, Mo Franken on trumpet, and Edouard Walleyn on trombone.
As a special treat, former Zappa vocalist Robert Martin sings the lead on 'Tash And A Guitar'.

Love it.

Get your copy at :
http://www.mottowsoundz.com/cs-symphone-for-autohorns

There aren't many musicians / composers who are able to pull this off.
Stefan Signer (Infrasteff) comes to mind. Or Marc Guillermont with his "Zappostrophe" album, and Sandro Oliva...

SINISTER SISTER & JAZZLAB SERIES

Sinister Sister plays the music of Frank Zappa.
With Pieter Claus (vibes), Maayan Smith (tenor sax), Jan Ghesquière (guitar), Michel Hatzigeorgiou (bass) and Lander Gyselinck (drums).

Jazzlab Series promotes Belgian jazz by organising concerts in Flanders.
Next December, Jazzlab fixed some dates for Sinister Sister.

• Dec 02, 2015, 20:00 - SINISTER SISTER - Muziekcentrum Track*, Kortrijk, Belgium
• Dec 04, 2015, 20:00 - SINISTER SISTER - Rataplan, Borgerhout, Belgium
• Dec 10, 2015, 20:00 - SINISTER SISTER - GC de Muze van Meise, Meise, Belgium
• Dec 11, 2015, 20:30 - SINISTER SISTER - De Werf, Brugge, Belgium
• Dec 16, 2015, 20:15 - SINISTER SISTER - Handelsbeurs, Gent, Belgium
• Dec 17, 2015, 20:15 - SINISTER SISTER - Flagey, Elsene
• Dec 20, 2015, 20:30 - SINISTER SISTER - CC Muze, Heusden-Zolder

BRUNO VANSINA ORCHESTRA

You will not get the opportunity to see the Bruno Vansina Orchestra in concert too often, so you'd better take note...

September 24, 2015, concert 'Dommelhof', Neerpelt, Belgium
September 25, 2015, concert 'Paradox', Tilburg, The Netherlands
January 20 2016, concert 'De Bijloke', Ghent, Belgium

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS - MUDSHARK LIVE

• frank zappa & the mothers: mudshark live
      (2015, cd, uk, keyhole)

Another new 'release' on the Keyhole label.

Invigorated by having shaken up the personnel of the Mothers, in 1971 Frank Zappa was enjoying himself more than ever. Having played a gig earlier in the evening, the band taped this largely acoustic set for broadcast on the local CKGM-FM radio station. It finds Zappa backed by ex-Turtles Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (aka the Phlorescent Leech & Eddie), as well as Jim Pons, Ian Underwood, Bob Harris and Aynsley Dunbar.

Don't forget that a recording of this radio show is also available (for free) at the Zappateers website.

-- info: Danny Mathys

SECRET CHIEFS 3

Secret Chiefs 3 will be performing at the Freakshow Artrock Festival in Würzburg next September.
25, 26 and 27 September 2015.

http://www.freakshow-in-concert.com/fsf15.html

SOFT MACHINE

Announced for release next June : Soft Machine "Live At The Paradiso", presenting a recording of the 1969 Amsterdam concert at Paradiso.

JACOB MILLER & GENE PRITSKER - MANHATTAN IN CHARCOAL

• jacob miller / gene pritsker: manhattan in charcoal
      (2015, cd, usa, naxox / composers concordance comcon0021)

Poet, fiction author, editor and teacher Jacob Miller wrote a story / libretto about a struggling graphic artist in New York City. The artist is working on a piece entitled "Manhattan In Charcoal, he meets Beatrice and they start a releationship. That's the setting.
Composer and guitar player Gene Pritsker turned this libretto into a chamber opera. Actually, it's an opera with contemporary and jazz elements.

The result is quite impressive. Both musically and storywise.
Check it out!

More info:
http://noizepunk.wix.com/manhattan-in-charcoal

CAPTAIN CHEESE-BEARD UPDATE

The new album is out !
Available from http://www.mottowsoundz.com/

ZAPPA KARAOKE

http://darkmp3.ru/album-karaoke-in-the-style-of-frank-zappa-8204736.html


-- info: Zjakki Willems

NEW SUN RA ALBUM ANNOUNCED ON THE ROARATORIO LABEL

In their latest newsletter, Roaratorio mentions :

"Sun Ra & His Astro-Ihnfinity Arkestra The Intergalactic Thing 2LP"
(recorded in 1969 at the house of Ra, chock-full of never-before-heard Sun Ra compositions)

in their "NEW" section.

WEASELS RE-RIPPED

The latest Cordelia Records / Idiot Bastard (http://www.idiotbastard.com/) collaboration is a CD entitled "Weasels Re-Ripped".

The world's foremost Frank Zappa covers bands are performing the entirety of his "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" album on this one.

The record shop page at www.cordeliarecords.co.uk has it.

CDBaby has it : http://cdbaby.com/cd/weaselsreripped

And here is a track to listen to: https://soundcloud.com/cordelia-records/spanner-jazz-punks-didja-get-any-onya

CHATO! - PROG FUSION WITH BALLS

• chato!: prog fusion with balls
      (2015, cd, ger, private release)

Zappa freaks and other Zappateers should already know Chato Segerer from his contributions to some of Andrew Greenaway's excellent Zappa tribute compilations on the Cordelia record label.
Last year, Chato released his first EP with The Crosswalkers (playing The Beatles), and now he's back with his first solo album.
Chato has got an impeccable musical taste and he was able to translate this into his own music.
Inspired by Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Jan Zehrfeld, Christoph Godin and Mattias IA Eklundh (just to drop some names...), "Prog Fusion With Balls" will blow you socks off.

Definitely worth checking out.

www.chato.bandcamp.com

NELLIE MCKAY - MY WEEKLY READER

• nellie mckay: my weekly reader
      (2015, cd, usa, 429records ftn16045) 

Brought to my attention by someone mentioning it on Facebook. Might have been Idiot Bastard / Andrew...
Nellie McKay is a British-born American singer-songwriter. "My Weekley Reader" is her sixth album and it includes thirteen pop songs. All coverversions: Steve Miller, The Kinks, The Beatles,...
Some familiar tunes, but also some less familiar ones.
Huge surprise is Nellie McKay doing Frank Zappa's 'Hungry Freaks, Daddy', and an even bigger surprise is Dweezil Zappa performing the outro guitar solo on it.
Nice.

Here's 'If I Fell' (Lennon, McCartney) from the same album :

And 'Sunny Afternoon' (Ray Davies):

ADRIAN BELEW'S 2008 ROCKPALAST CONCERT TO BE RELEASED ON CD/DVD

Repertoire Records will be releasing the Adrian Belew Power Trio's Rockpalast concert from 2008.
Rockpalast is a German rock music tv show that has been around for over thirty years.

ZNR

ZNR's 1976 "Barricade 3" album in being re-released (on vinyl).
The original album included an insert with artwork by Don Van Vliet.

Album cover (of the 1981 re-issue)

insert with Don Van Vliet artwork

STRATOSPHEERIUS

Stratospheerius has put out a new release through CD Baby!

It is called Take Your Medicine.
Hear a sample at : http://cdbaby.com/cd/joedeninzonstratospheeri3

HAMSTER AXIS OF THE ONE-CLICK PANTHER & MAURO PAWLOWSKI - INSATIABLE

• hamster axis of the one-click panther & mauro pawlowski: insatiable - play the peter houben songbook
      (2015, lp+cd, bel, starman records)

On their second (and brand-new) album, Hamster Axis Of The One-Click Panther team up with musical mastermind Mauro Pawlowski.
"Insatiable", subtitled "Play The Peter Houben Songbook", has the band performing the music of Peter Houben, the man behind illustrious projects as Benny Zen & The Syphilis Madmen, Nemo, Ultra Cowboy and Mitsoobishy Jacson.
Peter Houben's pop songs get a jazz treatment with Mauro Pawlowski as the featured crooner / vocalist of the band.

Excellent.

SEPULTURA FEATURING STEVE VAI

Steve Vai was special guest at a recent Sepultura gig in Las Vegas.
(starts at about 40 minutes into the show)

SEDAA

Sedaa was on a recent episode of Dutch TV show "Vrije Geluiden".

AKA MOON UPDATE

Fancy a good reason to visit Brugge ?
October 3, 2015, Aka Moon, with guest Fabian Fiorini will be performing "The Scarlatti Book", a study / improvisations based on the sonates of Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757).
The performance will take place at the Concertgebouw in Brugge, BE.

Or Ghent?
Where "The Scarlatti Book" will be performed at the Handelsbeurs on November 26, 2015.

"Scarlatti Book" album release is scheduled for later this year...

GOV'T MULE FEATURING JOHN SCOFIELD - SCO-MULE

• gov't mule featuring john scofield: sco-mule
      (2015, 2cd, eu, provogue)

"In late September of 1999, John Scofield teamed with Gov’t Mule, then featuring original bass player the late Allen Woody, in Georgia for two legendary shows. These shows were recorded with the intention of it being a live release after the studio album Life before Insanity. After the passing of Woody, and the start of The Deep End project, those plans had been set aside. There are no audience recordings from these shows, so this will be the first time that anyone will be able to hear or relive what took place that night. Newly mixed and mastered, Sco-Mule features 2.5 hours of music and will be available as a 2-CD set and as a Double Vinyl Release."

Excellent stuff.
The Mule are still touring Europe while I'm typing this. Check out the dates.

TERRY BOZZIO ON TOUR

Terry Bozzio:
"I am currently finishing the running order of my new box set “Terry Bozzio Composer Series” with 3 CDs & a solo drum performance DVD, as well as 60+ compositions, with 60+ of my paintings to go with each title and liner notes in a book in a vinyl size package! Also coming soon my Art of Drumming Series Books in Print form, Live DVD Performances form my US Solo Tour, Japan tours in September and December and a Euro Tour in October-November and more SceneFour Art Collaborations!"

At least two dates have been confirmed :

October 31, 2015, concert 'Muziekgebouw', Eindhoven, The Netherlands
November 1, 204, concert 'De Zwerver', Leffinge, Belgium

THE CROSSWALKERS - FUNKIN' UP THE BEATLES

• the crosswalkers: funkin' up the beatles
      (2014, cd, ger, private release)

Last year, at the Zapperlot festival in Switzerland, Chato Segerer told me about a project that he was involved in. The band was called The CrossWalkers and they performed the music of The Beatles. A recording was in the making.

Well, the actual record is called "Funkin' Up The Beatles', and besides Chato on lead guitar, it features Kirill Vorwald on keyboard, Benjamin Gutzeit on bass and Benjamin Keil on drums.
The boys do a nice set of Beatles instrumentals.
Contemporary. Mixing jazz and funk.
Fun.

1. Ticket To Ride
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. Taxman
4. Here Comes The Sun
5. Drive My Car
6. Come Together

www.the-crosswalkers.de

STEVEN WILSON - THE RAVEN THAT REFUSED TO SING

• steven wilson: the raven that refused to sing (and other stories)
      (2013, cd, ger, kscope  242)

I have been listening a lot to Steven Wilson's "The Raven That Refused To Sing" last week.
The album includes 6 pieces of beautifully arranged progressive rock music.
Features Nick Beggs, Adam Holzman, Theo Travis, Marco Minnemann and Guthrie Govan (!!).

CASSOL, HATZIGEORGIOU, GALLAND & FRIENDS - AKA BALKAN MOON / ALEFBA

• cassol, hatzigeorgiou, galland & friends: aka balkan moon / alefba
      (2015, 2cd, bel, outhere music out 657)

Album number 18 for Aka Moon, according to the United Mutations Archives.
On this latest and long-awaited release, Fabrizio Casso, Michel Hatzigeorgiou and Stéphane Galland present two of their most recent musical encounters : "Aka Balkan Moon" investigates Bulgarian music and musical traditions, where "AlefBa" takes the listener to the Arab region (Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey).
Two projects, two albums and an exquisite selection of guest musicians, all in one beautiful package.
Essential.

May 12, Aka Moon presented this album with a concert for which musicians from both projects were present, performing pieces from both "Aka Balkan Moon" and "AlefBa". Together.
It was superb.

Aka Moon:
Fabrizio Cassol (direction artistique & saxophone), Stéphane Galland (batterie), Michel Hatzigeorgiou (basse)

Guests:
Tcha Limberger (voix, violon - Belgique), Magic Malik (flûte, voix – Côte d’Ivoire, Guadeloupe & France), Nedyalko Nedyalkov (kaval - Bulgarie), Mustafa Saïd (oud, voix – Egypte & Liban), Amir El Safar (trompette, santur, voix – Irak & USA), Khaled El Hafez (voix - Syrie), Tima Nedyalkova (voix - Bulgarie)

Here's a little soundcloud snippet, for the new album :

LES BOUCLES ABSURDES - INTO MY BRAIN

• les boucles absurdes: into my brain
      (2015, cd, bel, off records / p.v.presents)

Jean-Pierre Jonckheere and Pierre Vervloesem had worked together previously in Itza Uchen in 1982, releasing a 7" record entitled "(They'll) Mix You Up".
They got together again in 2013 and formed Les Boucles Absurdes, releasing "Boîte A Tartines" the same year.
In fact, "Boîte A Tartines" collected a number of songs that Jean-Pierre had recorded in his Zottecrolle studio in previous years. The songs got remixed, remastered and re-tweeked by Pierre Vervloesem and got released on "Boîte A Tartines".

One year later, Les Boucles Absurdes released "Lines". Download only, presenting different versions of one composition. A beautiful set.

And now, there's "Into My Brain".
Again, Jean-Pierre Jonckheere shows his fascination for electronic and experimental music from the nineteen eighties.
11 beautiful, cinematic compositions featuring Jean-Pierre Jonckheere, Pierre Vervloesem and a select group of guests: Seesayle, Dominique Van Cappellen-Waldock and Luc Van Lieshout.

Check it out !

FRANK ZAPPA - PICK ME I'M CLEAN

Keeping up wih a yearly tradition, the Zappa Family Trust is releasing something on Mother's Day.

http://zappa.com/

http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?cp=971_70348&pc=ZPDD37

"Pick Me I’m Clean" – Single, Download

FRANK ZAPPA, Ike Willis, Ray White, Arthur Barrow, Tommy Mars, Dave Logeman
The Olympiahalle, Munich Germany, 3 July 1980
Produced by Frank Zappa
Mixed by Frank Filipetti, 2015

OSTRICH VON NIPPLE - SO DO WE

from the Ostrich Von Nipple "Quantifies Absurdity" album.
featuring Nolan Cook on guitar
art by Poxodd

psychofonrecords.com

CAPTAIN CHEESE-BEARD, FEATURING ROBERT MARTIN

Captain Cheese-Beard.
'Tash And A Guitar'.
The radio edit.

ZAPPA-SYRIUS

Hungarian Zappa tribute band Zappa Syrius might be known to you as Zappa Circus (or maybe even as Cosmic Debris).
The band performed at Zappanale in 2008 and recently celbrated their 15th anniversary.

Check them out through Bálint's blog :

http://frankzappa.blog.hu/2015/05/03/zappa_emlekzenekar

Here's part one (of seven).

AKA MOON - - - INTERVIEW FABRIZIO CASSOL

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

JAMES HARMAN - WANDERLUST

• james harman: wanderlust
      (2014, cdr, usa, private release)

Guitar player James Harman released his debut album, "Wanderlust", about a year ago.
James is an accomplished guitar player and his selection of tunes is a joy for the ear.

Among compositions by Charlie Christian, Chick Corea, Jobim and Airto Moreira, there's also an excellent rendition of Frank Zappa's 'Son Of Mr Green Genes' to be found.

Private release on CDR.

www.jamesharmanmusic.com

TOM WAITS - GLITTER AND DOOM LIVE

• tom waits: glitter & doom live
      (2009, cd, usa, anti)

If anyone wants to check out a Tom Waits live album, he or she should put the recently released adio broadcasts and concert recordings aside, and he or she should try "Glitter And Doom Live".

A superb album that presents Tom Waits in his familiar habitat.

BJÖRK - VULNICURA

• björk: vulnicura
      (2015, cd, uk, little indian records)

As this blog also serves a bit as looking glass to show you what I'm listening to, please meet Björk.
"Vulnicura" already has gotten a lot of media attention but that does not imply that it's something that I have to neglect. On the contrary, I'm quit glad that such an beautiful album can be a commercial success.

SCHNTZL IN CONCERT IN GHENT THIS AFTERNOON

This afternoon, in Ghent.
SCHNTZL

As part of the Ham Sessions festival.
At 15h00.
At Achterham, Ham 12, in Ghent.

LET'S ZAPPALIN WITH NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK - CAFE PIU PIU & ELSEWHERE

• let's zappalin with napoleon murphy brock: café piu piu & elsewhere
      (2015, dvdr, brazil, private release)

Let's Zappalin (Fred Barley, Erico Jonis, Jimmy Pappon and Rainer T. Pappon) did a Zappa tribute concert with none other than Napoleon Murphy Brock.
The concert took place in Café Piu Piu in São Paulo, Brazil on December 21, 2014.

Those who couldn't be there, should be very happy with the fact that the show got recorded and has been made available on DVDR.
And a very nice show it was.

• dog breath variations / uncle meat
• cosmik debris
• village of the sun
• echidna's arf (of you)
• don't you ever wash that thing?
• uncle remus (george duke, frank zappa)
• cheepnis
• son of orange county
• more trouble every day
• pygmy twylyte / dummy up
• peaches en regalia
• take your clothes off when you dance
• pound for a brown
• inca roads
• black napkins
• florentine pogen
• sofa
• montana
• san ber'dino
• carolina hard-core ecstasy
• zomby woof
• andy
• muffin man

MIKE KENEALLY & BEER FOR DOLPHINS

Mike Keneally's Beer For Dolphins (with Bryan Beller and Joe Travers) will be doing a couple of gigs in June !

Saturday, June 6, 2015
Alva's Showroom
1417 W 8th Street
San Pedro, CA 90732
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25
All ages welcome
Info: 800-403-3447

Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Biscuits & Blues
401 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $24 1st show & $20 2nd show
All ages welcome
Info: 415-292-2583

Saturday, June 20, 2015
The Baked Potato
3787 Cahuenga Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
9:30 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25
21 and over
Info: 818-980-1615

AN ARISTOCRATS UPDATE

New album will be called Tres Caballeros and should be out soon.

And the new tourdates have arrived.

Date                   City/State                       Venue

Mon 6-Jul            Sacramento, CA               Harlow's
Tues 7-Jul            San Francisco, CA            Slim's
Wed 8-Jul            Santa Cruz, CA                 Don Quixote's
Fri 10-Jul             Portland, OR                     Star Theater
Sat 11-Jul             Seattle, WA                        Studio Seven
Sun 12-Jul           Vancouver, BC, CANADA     Rickshaw Theatre
Tues 14-Jul          Boise, ID                            Reef
Wed 15-Jul           Salt Lake City, UT           Club X
Fri 17-Jul              Denver, CO                       Quixote's True Blue
Sat 19-Jul             Omaha, NE                        Slowdown
Mon 20-Jul          Des Moines, IA                 The Gaslamp
Tues 21-Jul           St. Paul, MN                     The Amsterdam Bar And Hall
Fri 24-Jul              Chicago, IL                       Reggie's
Sat 25-Jul              Indianapolis, IN              Birdy's
Sun 26-Jul            Cincinnati, OH                 The Mad Frog
Tues 28-Jul          Cleveland, OH                  Beachland Ballroom
Wed 29-Jul           Pittsburgh, PA                 Hard Rock Café
Thur 30-Jul          Columbus, OH                 Skully's
Fri 31-Jul               Detroit, MI                        Token Lounge
Sat 1-Aug               Toronto, ON, CANADA   Mod Club
Sun 2-Aug             Ottawa, ON, CANADA     The Rainbow Bistro
Tues 4-Aug            Montreal, QC, CANADA  Café Campus
Wed 5-Aug            Woodstock, NY                  Bearsville Theater
Fri 7-Aug               Boston, MA                        The Middle East
Sat 8-Aug              New York City, NY            Irving Plaza
Sun 9-Aug             Philadelphia, PA               North Star Bar
Mon 10-Aug          Washington, DC               Jammin' Java
Tues 11-Aug           Raleigh, NC                       Pour House
Thur 13-Aug          Charlotte, NC                    Tremont Music Hall
Fri 14-Aug              Atlanta, GA                       Aisle 5
Sat 15-Aug              Nashville, TN                   The High Watt
Sun 16-Aug             St. Louis, MO                  Old Rock House
Mon 17-Aug            Kansas City, MO            The Scene
Tues 18-Aug            Tulsa, OK                        The Vanguard
Thur 20-Aug           Houston, TX                   Fitzgerald's
Fri 21-Aug                Austin, TX                       The Roost
Sat 22-Aug               Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX    The Sanctuary
Mon 24-Aug            Albuquerque, NM          Launchpad
Wed 26-Aug            Phoenix, AZ                     Club Red
Thur 27-Aug            Mexicali, MEXICO        Teatro De Estado
Fri 28-Aug                San Diego, CA                Price Center Ballroom East, UCSD
Sat 29-Aug               Riverside, CA                  Romano’s Concert Lounge
Sun 30-Aug              Los Angeles, CA             King King
  

GOV'T MULE - MULENNIUM

• gov't mule: mulennium
     (2010, 3cd, usa, provogue pro 7326 2)

Yesterday, May 1, 2015, I saw The Mule opening their Yuripean tour in Leuven, Belgium.
An impressive show.

After the concert, I bought "Mulennium", a 3CD set that got recorded on New Year's Eve 1999.
Three CDs, Gov't Mule and guests.
Excellent.

Here's a snippet from the album, with special guest Little Milton, who also does the introduction.

TOM WAITS RADIO BROADCASTS ON CD

"Transmission Impossible" is a new 3CD set that collects various Tom Waits radio broadcasts from the 1970's.

WEASELS RE-RIPPED

There's a new Cordelia Records / Idiot Bastard CD.

The world's foremost Frank Zappa covers bands are performing the entirety of his "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" album on this one.

Get it at the record shop page at www.cordeliarecords.co.uk.

And here is a track to listen to:

MATS AND MORGAN

The Mats/Morgan Band is planning a tour in September 2015 !

This will be a must-see event.

Or as the science freaks among you might say :
Mats * Morgan = (fusion)²

Morgan Agren, Mats Öberg, Gustaf Hielm and Stefan Jernstahl.

JEFF BUCKLEY'S GRACE GETS A VINYL REISSUE

The Concerto record store in Amsterdam is having its 60th anniversary later this month.
To celebrate, the record store is releasing a number of special albums, together with the Music On Vinyl record label.
One of these albums is Jeff Buckley's "Grace". It is getting re-released on bordeaux red vinyl.

Two of the tracks on "Grace" were co-written by Gary Lucas !
'Grace' and 'Mojo Pin'.
Gary also plays guitar on both of these.

RAT RECORDS NIGHT AT HET BOS IN ANTWERP

Tonight at Het Bos in Antwerp.

May 2, 2015

A Rat Records Event
http://www.hetbos.be/agenda/2015/5/2/#341

RAT EVENT: DÄLEK + CHAOS OF THE HAUNTED SPIRE plus JURGEN DESMET, PIERRE VERVLOESEM en DRIES DELAHAYE + ELKO BLIJWEERT en FRANS VAN ISACKER DUO

ELKO BLIJWEERT en FRANS VAN ISACKER
Gitaargod speelt met Saxpriester naar aanleiding van hun vinylrelease op Heaven Hotel.

CHAOS OF THE HAUNTED SPIRE plus JURGEN DESMET, PIERRE VERVLOESEM en DRIES DELAHAYE
Rat opperkaas Teun Verbruggen en EWI-blaas Andrew Claes nodigen Desmet, Vervloesem en Delahaye uit voor een free dub jazz trash improv theekrans.
Ook zij releasen een vinyl, maar dan op Rat Records.

▻ https://teunverbruggen.bandcamp.com

DÄLEK (vs)
Beats, noise en lyrics van de man die de hip hop eind jaren negentig eigenhandig vernieuwde en terug naar de essentie bracht.

▻ http://deadverse.com

Inkom: 12€

SUN RA 101

"SUN RA 101" 

on Sun Radio tomorrow 

Satur(n)day May 2, midnight-6am in Switzerland (all night / early Sun.) - Sat. 6pm-midnight Eastern US

97.5FM Zurich, live stream http://lora.ch

A CAPTAIN CHEESEBEARD UPDATE

The brand-new Captain Cheese-beard website:
http://captaincheesebeard.com/

Pre-order the new album here:
http://www.mottowsoundz.com/music-shop/

STEVE VAI - STILLNESS IN MOTION

• steve vai: stillness in motion
      (2015, 2cd, eu, sony legacy 88875057512)

Steve Vai's "The Story Of Light" tour kicked off in Florida in August 2012.
253 shows later, in December 2014, it ended in Poland.

"Stilness In Motion" takes us back to show number 49:  October 12, 2012, at the 'Nokia Club' in Los Angeles.

I was able to catch "The Story Of Light" on two occasions. The first time in Tilburg, NL, November 2012, and a second time in Antwerp, BE, about a year later, September 2013.
Two superb shows.
The Los Angeles show fits in perfectly.

• steve vai: stillness in motion
      (2015, 2dvd, eu, sony legacy 88875057529)

Next to the 2CD audio release, there's also a video release. 2 DVDs with the complete show and some fine bonus material.
It doesn't get any better than this.