You tube frank zappa roxy and elsewhere12/20/2023 ![]() ![]() His voice in terms of his ability to hit his notes is exemplary, but it is also his amazing character, which comes across on many of the tracks, such as on “ Dummy Up “ (which he co-wrote). He is in fact the ‘main man’ after Zappa when it comes to not just ‘singing’, but really entertaining. Napoleon Murphy Brock, when not setting a wailing sound on his wind and brass instruments (especially the sax), he was singing up a storm. I feel compelled to make mention of some of them, because I have a personal high level of appreciation, and certainly respect for their amazing talents. Zappa always assembled around him the very best available musicians and when you look at the list further on, it is a veritable who’s who of musicians. In fact as this album attests, it is quite the work of a brilliant composer, player and conductor. Every note has to be correct, every piece of timing is correct and yet as alluded to earlier, to any listener not familiar with Frank Zappa’s composing and playing, it would often sound like it was often random key changes and timing changes. Zappa was notorious for being almost ‘anal’ about his music. The guitar solo is NOT as played at the show, but is the only track on tha album which has his solo stitched together from a variety of shows. The words “I am not a crook” were used by Nixon during his impeachment process. It is another example of how Zappa made his feelings known on social issues or people but in a clever way. ![]() The Son of orange County is he title is a reference to Richard Nixon, who was born in Yorba Linda, Orange County, California. This is an incredibly well constructed piece of Jazz/Be Bop music that sets Zappa the composer, way ahead of the pack. It also includes the clever composition of “ Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing” and the 1950’s comedy send up of “ Cheepnis”.īut wait! There’s more! We also get the amazing Be Bop Jazz piece of “ Be Bop Tango ( Of The Old Jazzmen’s Church)”! Don’t make the mistake of thinking Frank Zappa has no time f or Jazz when he declares, “ Jazz is not dead, it just smells that way”. They go from (one suspects) the personal tale of “ Penguin in Bondage (Boy)” through to the comical and clever dig at the College education system in “ Dummy Up”. There are fourteen tracks (ten music tracks) over the four sides and they represent a myriad of styles. It certainly retains sufficient flexibility and humour to provide and all round double album that entertains, educates (yes, educates), and causes your feet to beat uncontrollably. Yet I believe the live performances captured on this album both demonstrate that attention to detail and the control the maestro has over his band. So, with some magnificent Zappa albums which would have to include, Hot Rats, Weasels Ripped My Flesh, Zoot Allures and We’re Only In It For The Money, and the list could go on – why this album?įrank has produced some magnificent studio work! His attention to detail and his demands upon his musicians is legendary and the end result is music that is tight in its playing, yet to the untested ear, it can sound like one huge jam. ![]() of Show #2, Mothers day 1974 at the Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, and the recent gymnasium extravaganza at Edinboro State College, Edinboro, Pennsylvania, May 8 th, 1974.” Other portions were extracted from road tapes. The album was released was released in 1974 and to quote from the cover, “ Most of the material in this double set was recorded December 10, 11 & 12, 1973 at the Roxy, Hollywood. ![]() The album has a beautiful gate fold cover with double vinyl albums inside. Released on the Diskreet label – 2DS-2202 (MX 173510). The artist is Frank Zappa and whilst not officially identified as being the Mothers of Invention, many of the musicians contributing to this album have been part of ‘Mothers” combinations. There is almost no room for a middle path. This is number sixteen in the series of albums I’m featuring as part of an on-going retrospective of vinyl albums in my collection, that I believe have significant musical value and are being post reviewed under the banner of “ Cream of The Crate“.Īlbum #16 is Roxy and Elsewhere and is what might be termed, an album by an artist that is either loved or disliked. ![]()
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