Record Reviews

CHICK COREA / JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ~ FIVE PEACE BAND LIVE CONCORD 231397 (Barcode: 888072313972) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 Pianist Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist and guitarist John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist are both icons of contemporary music. Their activities in the last 40 years span such a vast spectrum of music that only a very few other musicians on this planet can be counted their equals. Corea and McLaughlin both played a crucial role in the revolutionary Miles DavisFind albums by this artist ensemble that gave us "In A Silent WayFind albums with this title" and "Bitches BrewFind albums with this title", and then continued to explore and revolutionize Jazz and Fusion, each with his own numerous ensembles. Although they have performed over the years occasionally as a duo, no formal recordings were issued of these meetings (some of their playing can be heard on the momentous McLaughlin Montreux Box Set). Therefore the forming of the Five Peace BandFind albums by this artist, initiated by Corea after his last Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist reunion tour, is a first time the two Masters play together in a regular band. Of course one immediately assumes that the band should sound as a combination of Return To Forever and Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist, but since the early days of Fusion are long gone, Five Peace Band´s concept is completely up to date and modern. With saxophonist Kenny GarrettFind albums by this artist, bassist Christian McBrideFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist the band is an incredible music making machine, offering the listener an orgy of sound, beautiful expanded improvisations and sophisticated compositions. Most of the material was written by Corea and McLaughlin, but they also pay tribute to their former boss Miles Davis by including some of his music, with another ex-Davis band member Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist present as a guest. There is little need to recommend this album flamboyantly, as any serious music lover surely understands the magnitude of this recording. This is a dream come true and an absolutely essential piece of music!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 2 Essential Recommend To A Friend

ANTOINE FAFARD ~ AD PERPETUUM UNICORN 5092 (Barcode: 649906856153) ~ CANADA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the third album as a leader by Canadian Fusion bassist / composer Antoine FafardFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with guitarist Jerry De Villiers, Jr.Find albums by this artist and legendary drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. Three guest musicians: keyboardist Gerry EtkinsFind albums by this artist, drummer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Jean-Pierre ZanellaFind albums by this artist appear on selected tracks. The album presents ten original compositions, nine of which are composed by Fafard and one is co-composed by Fafard and De Villiers. Fafard is a veteran Fusion player, who led the Montreal based group Spaced OutFind albums by this artist, which released six albums and a couple of DVDs between 2000 and 2008. Spaced Out was floating somewhere between Fusion and Progressive Rock, but Fafard´s solo albums, first of which was released in 2011, are decidedly more Jazz oriented with focus on improvisation and cooperation with world´s leading Fusion players. Stylistically Fusion is often an extremely limited niche, with most albums in that genre sounding very similar, if not identical, to each other. Of the thousands of Fusion albums recorded since the genre crystallized from the early Jazz-Rock cradle, only a handful are truly inspired, innovative and even fewer are groundbreaking. The main reason is usually the focus on the endless instrumental doodling and show off faster than light soloing, rather than on the musical qualities, melody, harmony, etc. In short most Fusion albums have sadly very little music in them. This album is, I´m happy to say, an exception to the rule in every conceivable aspect. The compositions are all extremely musical, with solid melodies and diverse rhythm patterns, which keep the listener on his toes. The arrangements call for an attentive interplay and split second coordination between the players and the overall ambience of the music is more lyrical than the usual Fusion setting, which often tends to be rather aggressive. Of course there are the individual performances by the musicians, which are all first-class. There are many solo spots for everybody, but those are kept short and intensive leaving the listener wishing for more, rather than praying for the torture to be over with. Colaiuta, as usual, drives the music forcefully and his playing is always phenomenal, second after second. His unique feel and extraterrestrial technique are like the icing on a cake on every album he plays on. The drums "duet" he plays with Husband on one of the tracks is sensational. De Villiers plays some superb guitar licks, but again, does not dominate the proceedings like most Fusion guitarist tend to. Fafard plays tasty, melodic bass lines and his solos are classics of the genre. Overall this is a superb Fusion album, which should make every fan of the genre happy, but also be accessible to more Jazz oriented listeners beyond the strict Fusion circles. Well done indeed!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

HERBIE HANCOCK ~ RIVER: THE JONI LETTERS VERVE 744826 (Barcode: 602517448261) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007 Jazz legend Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist finally repays the debt the Jazz world owes to Rock legend Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. Joni’s 1979 album MingusFind albums with this title stands out to this very day as one of the greatest tributes ever made to Jazz by a non-Jazz musician and I always wondered when is someone going to settle the score. Well better late than never and better still if the musician to do so is someone of Hancock’s statue and sensibility. For me Joni’s music always had subtle jazzy undertones, even if she didn’t use Jazz musicians as her backing band (like on “Mingus” and a few other albums), and therefore this project sounds completely natural and perfectly matched. Hancock assembled a superb quintet for the job, with Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist (soprano and tenor saxophone), Dave HollandFind albums by this artist (bass), Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist (drums) and Lionel LouekeFind albums by this artist (guitar). The ten tracks, combined and arranged to constitute a continuos suite-like experience, include eight Joni’s songs and two Jazz standards. Several vocalists were invited to interpret the vocal parts on six of the tracks and these include Norah JonesFind albums by this artist, Tina TurnerFind albums by this artist, Corinne Bailey RaeFind albums by this artist, Luciana SouzaFind albums by this artist, Joni Mitchell herself and Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, who recites rather than sings. The overall effect is absolutely beautiful and deeply moving. The musicians are all Masters of their trade and they are amongst the most sensitive accompanist, as well as first rate soloists. Hats off Mr. Hancock and thanks for this wonderful gift of music and thank you Joni for bestowing your great talent on all of us – you truly deserve this tribute. Essential!

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

HERBIE HANCOCK ~ THE IMAGINE PROJECT SONY 771899 (Barcode: 886977189920) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 One of the advantages of being 70 is that you don´t need to prove yourself any more. This is of course especially true in case of Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist, who lists among the greatest Jazz musicians of all time. He was lucky to age well, with his career still intact and what is perhaps even more important he keeps moving forward and changing his musical directions constantly. Hancock never was one of those Jazz musicians, who refuse to leave the lofty pedestal of Jazz "superiority", ignoring whatever is happening in contemporary music. In the last couple of decades Hancock, in parallel to his Jazz activities, recorded projects which pay tribute to other musical phenomena, including Pop and Rock. His "The New StandardFind albums with this title" album presented a collection of contemporary Pop anthems arranged for a Jazz ensemble, His wonderful tribute to the talents of the divine Joni Mitchell ("River: The Joni LettersFind albums with this title") is another of such projects. This project takes thing even a notch further. Hancock invited a group of musicians from all over the world; each and every one of them representing a different aspect of World Music influenced contemporary music and recorded with them new arrangements to some classic Pop songs. Augmented by some of the best Jazz musicians around (drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jeff BeckFind albums by this artist, percussionist Alex AcunaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Larry GoldingsFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcus MillerFind albums by this artist and many others) and recorded in many different studios around the world, this is a magical tribute to contemporary music by a Master musician. I absolutely loved every minute of it and I´m sure many of you will too! Side Note: I have read quite a few reviews of this album published in the few weeks since its release and unfortunately most of them are completely irrelevant, missing the point by a mile. Many people seem to dislike this album for a variety of reasons, simply being completely ignorant to its concept and qualities. As we say around these parts: "The dogs keep barking and the caravan moves on".

Updated: 17/06/2016Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ~ INDUSTRIAL ZEN VERVE 983932 (Barcode: 602498393284) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006 Here it is at last – the finest album recorded in the 21st century! As lofty and far-fetched as this might sound, I’m ready to defend this statement for as long as it takes. This masterpiece by the legendary guitarist is a complex, multi-layered work of art. On one hand it is contemporary in every sense, especially as far as the overall sound is concerned, on the other hand however it is also an amalgam of John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist’s entire life as a musician, including every style, genre, direction and sound he played over the years, all of these synthesized into an integral new entity. For people familiar with McLaughlin’s illustrious career it should be quite easy to recognize the familiar elements: the spontaneity of the Miles DavisFind albums by this artist sessions, the fire of Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist, the grace of his solo work on acoustic and electric guitar and of course his sensitivity and openness to other cultures as demonstrated in ShaktiFind albums by this artist and Remember ShaktiFind albums by this artist. Every note here is original and yet every note also has traces and links to something accomplished in the past. As far as the sound and instrumentation are concerned, these are completely new to McLaughlin. As the title of the album suggests, he uses plenty of electronics here – synth-guitar, keyboards and even drums are used to produce a plethora of both foreground and background electronic sounds, somewhat similar to the so-called “Industrial” sound used in Rock, but of course infinitely more complex and interesting. In addition, the album is very rhythmic and percussive, with two drummers and percussion players present simultaneously on most tracks. To achieve the maximal effect McLaughlin uses different players on various tracks and the list is most impressive: Mark MondesirFind albums by this artist, Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist, Dennis ChambersFind albums by this artist, Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist – drums; Otmaro RuizFind albums by this artist, Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist – keyboards; Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, Ada RovattiFind albums by this artist – sax; Matthew GarrisonFind albums by this artist, Hadrien FeraudFind albums by this artist – bass; Zakir HussainFind albums by this artist – tabla; Shankar MahadevanFind albums by this artist – vocals. This superb group of musicians supports their Master with love and devotion, which is evident, every step of the way. Another very interesting aspect of this album is that it seems McLaughlin is paying homage to the greatest Fusion ensemble in history – Weather ReportFind albums by this artist. Two of the tracks are explicitly named after WR members: “For Jaco” (Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist) and “Wayne’s Way” (Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist) but also the entire sound and feel of the album reflects very closely the feel of WR albums. I had a distinct feeling as if listening to a new album by an expanded version of WR including guitar. Perhaps something that was meant to happen but never did (i.e. WR playing with McLaughlin) finally materializes here? Fusion Karma? Whatever the Gods intended is besides the point here; one thing is sure: to create such divine music McLaughlin surely had to have a measure of godly intervention / inspiration. Bless you John for giving us such a wonderful musical gift. You do make life endurable again with your beacon clearly showing the direction to ships sailing the oceans of musical ennui.

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ~ LIBERATION TIME ABSTRACT LOGIX 065 (Barcode: 700261486185) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This an album by iconic British guitarist / composer / bandleader John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic with many musicians around the world using today’s possibilities to make music together “remotely”. The musicians include British keyboardists / drummer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist, bassist Sam BurgessFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Julian SiegelFind albums by this artist, American drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist, Cameroonian bassist Etienne M`BappeFind albums by this artist, Indian drummer and konokol vocalist Ranjit BarotFind albums by this artist and others. The album presents seven original compositions, all by McLaughlin, two of which are short solo piano pieces played by him. Despite the rumors about retirement, McLaughlin proves to the world that he still is the undisputable numero uno out there, despite being almost eighty years young. His notes are as sharp and precise as ever and his compositions as exciting as one can wish for. The music sounds familiar, like Mother’s food, something that one is never tired of, but is amazingly fresh and energetic, with the album flowing swiftly with never a dull moment. The album rises some pretty grim reflections, as far as Fusion is concerned, given that the person who basically was one of the genre’s pioneers in the mid-1960s, is still on the very top of the crest, as if nothing happened the fifty-five years that passed by since. I’d even go as far as saying that if one owns all his recordings as leader and sideman, one does not miss anything else as far as Fusion is concerned. Overall, this is an excellent album in every respect and a great addition to McLaughlin’s recording legacy, which easily represents the Fusion genre in its full glory. Praying for more albums to come…

Updated: 03/11/2021Posted: 22/10/2021

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

NICOLAS MEIER ~ INFINITY FAVORED NATIONS 2870 (Barcode: 6908972870161) ~ SWITZERLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is a brilliant album by Swiss (resident in UK) guitarist / composer Nicolas MeierFind albums by this artist, one of the fastest rising stars of the guitar world in the last few years. The album was recorded with a superstar American rhythm section comprising of bassist Jimmy HaslipFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. In addition three guest violin players (Richard JonesFind albums by this artist, Sally JoFind albums by this artist and Lizzie BallFind albums by this artist) play on eight tracks of the album and guest guitarist Gregor CarleFind albums by this artist plays on one track. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Meier. Contrary to the expectations one might have from examining the lineup, the music has very little to do with classic Jazz-Rock Fusion and is in fact mostly World Music oriented, exposing both Meier´s ethnic (Turkish and Romanian) roots and his deep interest in Middle Eastern, Gypsy and other musical folklores. The beautifully melodic compositions, deeply rooted in the eastern mysticism and heavily spiced with Oriental tonality, are all delightful from start to finish. The addition of the violin on most of the tunes also adds another ethnic layer to the music. Meier plays mostly acoustic guitars (and guitar-like glissentar and baglama), which dominates the sound of the album, which is soft, elegant, precise and gentle. Haslip and Colaiuta do a remarkable job on this album, limiting their usual powerful Fusion sound to suit this delicate music, driving it powerfully but staying in the background in order not to overshadow it. These veteran Masters fully justify here their reputation as some of the best players on earth. Haslip plays several wonderfully structured and brilliantly executed bass solos, which fit the overall atmosphere of this album perfectly. Meier proves again not only his abilities as an instrumentalist and composer, but most importantly his open-minded approach to music and the effort to explore and discover new areas and create new cross-genre and cross-culture amalgams. The resulting work is moving and exciting and should be able to delight all true music connoisseurs, especially those who love the combination of Jazz improvisations and exotic World Music themes. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

Updated: 15/11/2016Posted: 15/11/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ THE ROYAL DAN MASCOT 7189 (Barcode: 8712725718925) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006 This is the 4th project in the series of Fusion tributes, conceived, produced and arranged by Jeff RichmanFind albums by this artist. Dedicated this time to the fabulous music of Steely DanFind albums by this artist – the band that gave us all some of the best crafted and most sophisticated tunes ever. The format is again a fixed band (Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist – drums, Jimmy HaslipFind albums by this artist – bass, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist – keyboards and Ernie WattsFind albums by this artist – sax) with a long gallery of Fusion guitarists (Robben FordFind albums by this artist, Steve MorseFind albums by this artist, Al Di MeolaFind albums by this artist, Mike SternFind albums by this artist, Frank GambaleFind albums by this artist and others). The electrifying performances seem to go on forever and as the music is obviously excellent, the entire project is just one great heap of fun. For Fusion heads and guitar lovers this is obviously a must have, but most music loving folks should have a feast with this stuff.

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ ANYWAY THE WIND BLOWS ESSENTIAL / FOO-EEE 960 (Barcode: 5017615516029) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1979 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the fifth album of the set released on two separate CDs. The album presents twenty tracks (nine and eleven respectively on the two CDs), which were recorded at Nouvel Hippodrome in Paris on February 24, 1979. The lineup of group includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind albums by this artist. The music is a typical selection of Zappa’s advanced Jazz-Rock Fusion and political / social satire. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 31/03/2023Posted: 31/03/2023

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BUFFALO VAULTERNATIVE 20071 (Barcode: 824302007129) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1980 Released: 2007 This is the 80th official release by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. It is an archival album recorded live on October 25, 1980 at Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, NY. The 2CD album includes all the music played during the show that night, lasting together for over two hours, all of which was previously unreleased. The album was released posthumously in 2007 as the second in the Vaulternative series of complete live concerts, which also includes “FZ:OZFind albums with this title”, “WazooFind albums with this title”, “Philly `76Find albums with this title”, “Hammersmith OdeonFind albums with this title”, “Carnegie HallFind albums with this title” and “Chicago `78Find albums with this title”. The music was compiled from several sources to reconstruct the show in its entirety. All the music was composed by Zappa. The lineup of the musicians playing in the band, which played this concert consists, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals of course, of guitarists Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, bassist Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The repertoire covers past favorites going as far back as “Chunga`s RevengeFind albums with this title” and of course current (at the time) repertoire, including material from the forthcoming “Tinsel Town RebellionFind albums with this title” album. The music, as I have already stated repeatedly, is beyond categorization, being first and foremost the idiosyncratic creation of Zappa’s musical Genius. Of course every new piece of reissued vault material by Zappa expands the portrait of one of the paramount musical Geniuses of the 20th Century. I still label it as Jazz-Rock Fusion, as it embraces the wide perspective of these two genres. After all it is no less than two hours of the best music money can buy, brilliantly recorded and carefully put together for you listening pleasure. Overall, this a superb and highly detailed document of the way Zappa created his masterpieces, and of course a testimony to his musical out of the box thinking and creativity. As far as concert recordings, this is an extraordinary example of Zappa’s ability to run a tight ship, perhaps tighter than any other. Despite the complexity of the material, Swiss watchmakers are using this music to synchronize their watches by.

Updated: 28/01/2022Posted: 28/01/2022

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CHICAGO `78 ZAPPA 20025 (Barcode: 824302002520) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2016 This is an archival album of live recordings by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, recorded on September 29, 1978 at Chicago Uptown Theater. The 2CD album includes all the music played during the second show that night, lasting together for almost two hours, all of which was previously unreleased. The album was released in 2016 as one of the series of complete live concerts, which also includes “FZ:OZFind albums with this title”, “BuffaloFind albums with this title”, “WazooFind albums with this title”, “Philly `76Find albums with this title”, “Hammersmith OdeonFind albums with this title” and “Carnegie HallFind albums with this title”. The music was compiled from several sources to reconstruct the show in its entirety. All the music was composed by Zappa. The lineup of the musicians playing in the band, which played this concert consists, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals of course, of guitarist Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, slide guitarist Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The repertoire covers past favorites going as far back as “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” and of course current (at the time) repertoire, including material from the forthcoming “Joe`s GarageFind albums with this title” album. The music, as I have already stated repeatedly, is beyond categorization, being first and foremost the idiosyncratic creation of Zappa’s musical Genius. Of course every new piece of reissued vault material by Zappa expands the portrait of one of the paramount musical Geniuses of the 20th Century. I still label it as Jazz-Rock Fusion, as it embraces the wide perspective of these two genres. After all it is no less than two hours of the best music money can buy, brilliantly recorded and carefully put together for you listening pleasure. Overall, this a superb and highly detailed document of the way Zappa created his masterpieces, and of course a testimony to his musical out of the box thinking and creativity. As far as concert recordings, this is an extraordinary example of Zappa’s ability to run a tight ship, perhaps tighter than any other. Despite the complexity of the material, Swiss watchmakers are using this music to synchronize their watches by.

Updated: 28/01/2022Posted: 06/11/2021

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ GUITAR ZAPPA 3876 (Barcode: 824302387627) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1979 - 1984 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 50th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1988. It presents thirty-two tracks recorded live between 1979 and 1984, which are excerpts of Zappa’s guitar solos taken from various compositions, with given names often unrelated to the names of compositions they originate from. The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar, includes guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist, Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist and Allan ZavodFind albums by this artist, bassists Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist and drummers Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist and Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The music is an incredible document of Zappa’s Genius both as a guitar player and as a composer, since most of these guitar solos are complete compositions of their own, quite separate from the compositions from which they were derived. Careful listening clearly shows the amazing diversity of Zappa’s guitar techniques and the complexity and multi-layered approach he utilized, which made him the most important guitarist of all times. As usual, despite the incredibly complex music, everything works like a Swiss watch, which of course is hardly surprising to Zappa followers. Overall, this album is another document of Zappa’s superb live performances. His colossal workload during his lifetime produced an amazing variety of musical accomplishments, which scaled everything known about music as well as discovered new and uncharted territories, which at the end of the day made him the greatest musical Genius of the 20th Century. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 17/04/2022Posted: 17/04/2022

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ HALLOWEEN DTS 01101 (Barcode: 692860110199) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2003 This is the 71st album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2003 in the DVD-A format and offering multichannel 5.1 surround sound mixes. The album presents music recorded during the live shows at the Palladium, NYC in October 1978, including the Halloween show on October 31. The album presents thirteen audio tracks and three bonus tracks, two video and one audio. All the music, except for one track, is by Zappa. The music was recorded by a lineup, which includes Zappa on guitar and vocals and the following musicians: guitarist Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. Additionally, there is a rare appearance of Indian violinist L. ShankarFind albums by this artist on two tracks. The material includes many Zappa’s compositions that were rarely performed by him live and unusual arrangements of other compositions, which makes this album quite special, although of course all Zappa albums are special one way or another. Another DVD-A release of Zappa’s music called “QuAUDIOPHILIAcFind albums with this title” was released in 2004, but thankfully the multichannel formats were abandoned by the Zappa Family Trust in their releases in the years to follow. Overall, although this music is now forty-five years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album is a valuable addition to Zappa’s incredible recorded legacy and is an absolute must for his many followers, who are always delighted to hear some previously unreleased material.

Updated: 12/01/2023Posted: 12/01/2023

DVD-A 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ JOE`S GARAGE ACTS 1, 2 & 3 ZAPPA 3861 (Barcode: 824302386125) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1979 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 28th and 29th albums by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1979 as “Joe`s Garage Act 1Find albums with this title” and “Joe`s Garage Acts 2 & 3Find albums with this title” and combined here into one release. The 2CD album presents eighteen studio tracks, which constitute a Rock Opera with the libretto involving a convoluted plot, as appropriate for Zappa’s way of looking at the world. The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist (on Act 1 only) and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, and Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist (on a couple of tracks only) and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. A brass section plays on Act 1 only. The music is absolutely brilliant, as usual, and offers a zany amalgam of Pop, Rock and Fusion, which is completely idiosynchratic and unmistakably Zappaesque. Supported by a brilliant crew, Zappa was able to create a wide sonic palette, which despite its complexity and sophistication, is completely accessible to a wide audience of listeners, with diverse levels of music understanding and appreciation. The libretto tackles the usual themes of Zappa’s criticism of American folly, rotten political system, corrupted organized religion and individual stupidity, which preoccupied him through his entire life. There was no limit to his irony or sarcasm, which sadly, as all prophetic criticism, was largely ineffective in retrospect. But Zappa’s sense of humor and of course the actual folly are still completely relevant today. And of course in comparison to other Rock Operas like “Tommy”, “Bat Out Of Hell” or “The Wall” this is a completely different level of depth. Overall, although over forty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius remains mostly a mystery and his albums prove time after time that there was only one Frank Zappa, with nobody who could follow his path. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 26/12/2021

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ SAARBRUCKEN 1978 RHINO / FOO-EEE 70543 (Barcode: 081227054328) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the seventh album of the set. The album, which was originally a double LP, presents seventeen tracks, which were recorded in Saarbrucken on September 3, 1978. The lineup of the ensemble includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The music is a typical selection of Zappa’s advanced Jazz-Rock Fusion and political / social satire. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 30/03/2023Posted: 11/03/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ SHUT UP `N PLAY YER GUITAR ZAPPA 3863 (Barcode: 824302386323) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1977 - 1980 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 31st, 32nd and 33rd albums by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1981 as “Shut Up `N Play Yer GuitarFind albums with this title”, “Shut Up `N Play Yer Guitar Some MoreFind albums with this title” and “Return Of The Son Of Shut Up `N Play Yer GuitarFind albums with this title” and combined here into one release. The 2CD album presents twenty tracks, which are guitar solos taken from original compositions by Zappa, except one track which was co-composed with Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist. The music was mostly captured during live performances between 1977 and 1980, with some of the dates, places and lineups unknown. The lineups that recorded the music include Zappa on guitar, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist, Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist, Steve VaiFind albums by this artist and Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, Eddie JobsonFind albums by this artist and Andre LewisFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist and Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist and drummers Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist and Terry BozzioFind albums by this artist. The music is entirely instrumental and focuses on Zappa’s extraordinary guitar virtuosity, which gets here the full exposure. The tracks testify to his diversity and inventiveness as a guitarist, which often gets lost within the complexity of his music, especially so when it is performed by one of his big ensembles. Although cut off from their “natural” context, the soli form perfectly coherent kaleidoscope of styles, techniques and genres, as well as a collection of performances, which are all Zappa’s idiosynchratic spontaneous creations, totally unlike any other guitar work by any other musician on this planet. Despite the fact that these are “only” guitar soli, the album is perfectly listenable and these selections are so intense and unadulterated that they require an absolute attention from the listener, who has to overcome the harmonic and rhythmic complexities in order to enjoy this music in full. Overall, although over forty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius remains mostly a mystery and his guitar playing should be a bottomless source of inspiration to all musicians trying to play the guitar, even if they (hopefully) realize that there was only one Frank Zappa. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 23/12/2021

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE MAN FROM UTOPIA ZAPPA 3866 (Barcode: 824302386620) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1980 - 1982 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 36th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1983. The music was recorded between 1980 and 1982 and combines Zappa’s advanced instrumental explorations and his social satire. The album presents eleven tracks, all composed by Zappa, except for the title track, which is a 1950s Pop song. The lineup that Zappa put together in the studio to record this music includes, in addition to him playing guitar and keyboards, guitarists Steve VaiFind albums by this artist and Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, vocalists Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Bobby MartinFind albums by this artist, Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and Jay AndersonFind albums by this artist, drummers Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist and Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist and a few others. The music is completely eclectic and moves between Pop, Rock, Jazz and anything in between, and features some extravagant musical experiments like Vai copying Zappa’s recitation / singing note for note in a virtuosic guitar extravaganza and other tricks which can only be found on Zappa’s albums. Although not one of the most popular or revered Zappa’s albums, it is, surely in retrospect, still a masterpiece of comedy / satire / social parody and musical genius all mixed together, including a hilarious parody of Beach Boys surf music and dozens of other gems. Overall, although this music is now almost forty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 16/01/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ TINSEL TOWN REBELLION ZAPPA 3862 (Barcode: 824302386224) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock Recorded: 1978 - 1980 Released: 2012 This is the reissue / remaster of the 30th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally as a double LP in 1981. The album presents fifteen tracks recorded (all but one) live between 1978 and 1980 at various locations, all composed by Zappa. Since Zappa’s band was changing frequently, the musicians participating on this album include, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, also guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, Ray WhiteFind albums by this artist, Steve VaiFind albums by this artist, Warren CuccurulloFind albums by this artist and Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist, Peter WolfFind albums by this artist and Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassists Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and Patrick O`HearnFind albums by this artist, and drummers Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist and David LogemanFind albums by this artist. By the late 1970s Zappa concentrated on producing some of his finest Pop / Rock oriented material, which was heavily spiced with hysteric and often outrageous satire and ridicule of American politics, religious radicals, sex, drugs, corruption and many other issues, which in his opinion were eating the American society from within. As accurate as his view of the situation was, it did not have any impact on the state of matters, which obviously continuously worsened, effectively disintegrating the so called “American Way of Life”. Framed within brilliant music and some of his greatest guitar playing, this album is often considered as a great summary of the period. Overall, although almost forty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 03/08/2022Posted: 03/08/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend