ZAPPANALE #35 - - - PART 1 - - - WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT ?

The 35th edition of the Zappanale Festival will kick off in about two weeks.

The Zappanale is the world’s only annual music festival completely dedicated to the legacy and avant-garde music of late American composer and guitarist Frank Zappa. Organized by the Arf Society, the multi-day event takes place every July in the coastal German town of Bad Doberan.

Bad Doberan is a small town in northeastern Germany.
15 km west of Rostok.
150 km east of Hamburg
200 km north of Berlin

Bad Doberan is in the middle of nowhere, but it's a beautiful little town.
Near the Baltic Sea, friendly people, and well-known for its spa / bathing resorts.

And once every year, it brings together a couple of thousand music fans from all around the world to celebrate the music of Frank Zappa.

Don't get me wrong. It's not just Frank Zappa's music that's being performed at the festival.
There's a lot of it, but there's also music that's inspired by FZ, or music by bands that share the same eclectic approach: "Music Outside The Norm".

My wife and I have been going since 2002 and we've heard some wonderful music, discovered some great bands, and made a lot of friends.

If you're still considering going, have a look at the Zappanale website where you can find all the info on how to get to Bad Doberan:
https://www.zappanale.de/en/#anreise

Or join the Zappanale group on Facebook (is that still a thing?).

THE PETE ROTH TRIO, FEAT. BILL BRUFORD

The Pete Roth Trio return with Group Chat, a striking new CD/DVD release that captures the spontaneity, interplay and fearless musical conversation at the heart of this exceptional band. Led by guitarist Pete Roth, alongside bassist Mike Pratt and legendary drummer Bill Bruford, Group Chat is Roth's third major album and a release of particular significance, marking Bruford's eagerly awaited return to headline performance after a 13-year hiatus, as well as his first appearance on new material in 19 years.

• Pete Roth Trio: Group Chat
      (2026, cd + dvd, UK, cherry red)

OCTOBER EQUUS - SATURNAL REVISITED

"To commemorate fifteen years since the release of October Equus's album 'Saturnal' on the AltrOck label, I delved into our archives in search of all the tracks not used in the final mix. I then created a remix in which I replaced each instrument track with alternative takes where possible, which was the case for almost all the guitars and keyboards. I also grouped the music into two blocks or suites: one composed by me, which we'll call the Saturnal Suite (tracks 1-5), and one composed by keyboardist Víctor Rodríguez, respecting his original concept, inspired by the Central European folktale 'Sandman' (tracks 6-11). I believe this new mix is closer to the sound of October Equus live at that time. In any case, it's not intended to replace the original album, but simply to offer another perspective."
Ángel Ontalva

NEW RELEASE THE FLAT EARTH SOCIETY

November 2023, the Flat Earth Society performed at the café of De Bijloke in Ghent, BE.
The concert was entitled "Zonk Sessie #1" and celebrated the music of Miles Davis.

April 2024, FES would do a second session at the same location, called "Zonk Sessie #2 - De Misha Mengelberg Mutations".

The first session has been made available by FES through their Bandcamp page.
Lovely. And not just because I attended. :-)

MAGMA IN CONCERT AT LE TRITON IN PARIS ON JULY 2, 3 AND 4

From Le Triton:
Some news that’s sure to delight those who missed out last time: following their success in January, Magma are returning in July for a new series of three concerts at the Triton!

“Magma is returning to the Triton. For three explosive concerts! The audience who discovered the core line-up are clamouring for more… They won’t be disappointed. We’ll be back in early July, armed to the teeth. The machines of the celestial powers are running at full throttle! See you soon for thrilling moments, new themes and a burning faith. No compromises.”

and, yes, that's tomorrow.

https://www.letriton.com/programmation