Short bits:

* * * Belgian band Alien Bitesize recorded Frank Zappa's 'Pygmy Twylyte' on their new album. * * * 

* * * The Accademia Amieta Ensemble performs Zappa on their "Strictly Off Limits" album.

* * * The Nasal Retentive Orchestra has a new album scheduled for release * * *

GARY LUCAS ON DVDR

• gary lucas / gods & monsters: live at the knitting factory nyc
      (2006, dvdr, usa, private release)
  
  • Gary Lucas has released a number of video recordings on DVDR. One of these is (a part of) the concert that he did on 2006/06/06 in the 'Knitting Factory' in NYC. The concert got recorded and broadcast for the "Jazz Network Live From The Knitting Factory" tv show.
    In-between songs, there's also pieces of an interview with Gary.
    Like it.
    
  • www.garylucas.com

COSMOSIS PRODUCTIONS / THE ELEMENT ORCHESTRA

• cosmosis productions / the element orchestra: joe's garage
      (2000, dvdr-promo, usa, private release)
  
  • Performed and filmed on 1999/04/16 at the video studio of the Media Center at the University of Michigan, North Campus, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, this is Frank Zappa's "Joe's Garage" as performed by students of the Michigan University.
    
    The recording has recently been made available through the Zappateers website. It's a beautiful recording of an excellent performance. And it even features Ike Willis as special guest.
    
  • www.cosmosisproductions.com

DENNIS MOST & AUDIOLOVE

• dennis most & audiolove: live at the el cid, december 1976
      (2004, cd, japan, captain trip records ctcd-474)
  
  • Even Dennis Most didn't think that 27 years after their gig at the "El Cid" their performance would eventually be released on album.
    "Live At The El Cid" is a very powerful, raw album. A no-nonsense performance with a lot of classics on the setlist. The concert also included Zappa's 'Who Are The Brain Police?".

J.DAVEY

• various artists: rewind!5
      (2006, cd, usa, ubiquity)
  
  • The Ubiquity label has issued a series that they call "Rewind!: original classics, re-worked and rewound."
    In short: they ask (their) artists to cover one of their favorite tunes. As these artists are musicians, producers and DJs from the hip hop / electronic / soul / dance club scene, you know what to expect.
    J.Davey is a duo: Jack Davey and Brook D'Leau. They coverer Frank Zappa's 'Dirty Love'.
    The booklet says: "personally approved by Gail Zappa". 

• various artists: rewind!5 12"
      (2006, 12", usa, ubiquity) - incl. j.davey: 'dirty love' (frank zappa)
  
• various artists: rewind!5
      (2006, 2lp, usa, ubiquity) - incl. j.davey: 'dirty love' (frank zappa)

The 2LP set has exactly the same tracks as the CD.

BLUMENTOPF

• blumentopf: gern geschehen
      (2003, cd, ger, four music productions for 513999 2)
  
  • Blumentopf is a German rap band.
    Their 'Macht Platz' uses a Zappa sample throughout the entire song. Quite funny.

ELLA GURU

• ella guru: the first album
      (2004, cd, uk, banana records - banana 2)
  
  • Ella Guru is a band from Liverpool. Their first full lenght album is called "The First Album" and has Andy Frizell (from The Muffin Men), Ian Gardiner (Ensemble 10:10) and Jimmy Carl Black as special guests.
    
    It's a nice album. It reminds me a lot of dEUS and Zita Swoon, which is, of course, a compliment.

GARY LUCAS

• gary lucas - gods & monsters: coming clean
      (2006, cd, usa, mighty quinn productions)
  
  • I've seen and heard Gary Lucas in various projects, but this is the facet of his work that I like most: Gary Lucas with his band Gods & Monsters, playing rock music.
    "Coming Clean" features various guest singers, which adds a nice little extra to this album.
    
    Beautiful songs and great guitar work. An essential album, and not just for the die-hard fans.
    If you still need to be introduced to the work of Gary Lucas, you should give "Coming Clean" a try.

TRUBEE'S UGLY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

"You work to make everybody love you.
I work to make everyone choke on their own vomit."

THE RESIDENTS: TWEEDLES!

• the residents: tweedles!
      (2006, cd, eu, mute records)
  
  • This latest Residents release is an extraordinary piece of work. It's dark. It's ugly. It's Tweedles, the pervert clown, that tells you what's going on in his mind.
    The music is performed with the help of Carla Fabrizio, Nolan Cook, Gerri Lawlor and the Film Orchestra of Bucharest.
    
  • Impressive, but not something that'll make you feel better.

As we discovered in The Godfather, there are offers one cannot refuse.

In the fall of 2005 The Residents got such an offer.

A young gentleman in Romania had built himself a state of the art recording studio and had the wild dream of asking his favorite band, The Residents to try it out. As it happened, The Residents' own studio was undergoing a process known as seismic upgrade. In other words, strengthening the building to withstand a major earthquake. The group could not use the facility for a year.

Fate had again stepped in and The Residents saw no reason not to have a look at the studio. The group boarded a jet for Bucharest in early 2006 with the idea of recording a couple of tracks while taking a nice vacation in a country they had never visited.  Since no ideas had been formed in advance as to what would be recorded, they felt it was appropriate to record everything during the trip, including the jet's take off.

However, once on the plane and bored, ideas started coming and soon The Residents were roughing out an idea for a whole album.

The group understood that their ultimate destination was not Bucharest, but a town 400 kilometers away, Hunedoara.  Hunedoara was in the area of Romania known as Transylvania, historically the home of Count Vlad III, fictionalized by Bram Stoker as the vampire Dracula.  Count Vlad III had even been imprisoned in Hunedoara for seven years. By the time they landed in Bucharest, they had outlined an album about a "vampire" of sorts.  Not a Bela Lugosi vampire, but one that feasted on broken hearts; a man who devoured the romantic emotions of others as a source of power. A man who took the stance that anyone who would stoop so low as to love him was not worth loving in return.

As it turned out, the group fell in love with Hunedoara and as they produced their story of sexual compulsion, their impromptu recordings of street musicians, church bells and a small traveling circus soon made it into their electronic pieces. The circus had especially captured their attention with its strong Felliniesque presence. Additionally, The Residents product manager at Mute happened to be Romanian and he had connections with classical musicians in Bucharest. As a result, The Film Orchestra of Bucharest interpreted some of the group's electronic compositions and these recordings were also integrated into the new work.

These compositions tended to focus less on harmonics and melody than their previous effort, Animal Lover, and could only be described as a patchwork of new and often exotic textures. For the group, this patchwork was the reflection of an often chaotic, but uniquely immersive experience.

JOHN TRUBEE: THE TYRANT TINY MAN

The Tyrant Tiny Man
Copyright c 2006 John Trubee

The clouds in the sky
are the breath that you breathe
The waters you drink and void
are the great rivers of the world

You emerge from the earth
a small piece of the earth
of the earth
the earth
animated earth
Strutting about
Proclaiming "I am a very important man!"
Dominating other tiny pieces of the animated earth
Habitually making them miserable as is your miserable habit

Then you decay and sleep again
within the earth 
among the earth

There is no you, you!

The whole universe gazes upon your idiocies
and laughs.

BIG EYED BEANS FROM VENUS

Big Eyed Beans From Venus is a Beefheart tribute band from Athens, GA, usa. Both Rockette Morton and Denny Walley have joined the band on stage during concerts.

2006/11/16 concert 'five spot', atlanta, ga, usa

• * w/ Rockette Morton - bass
  ** w/ Rockette Morton, Feelers Rebo(Denny Walley) - guitar

• set one

  • Hair Pie Intro/When It Blows Its Stacks, Ashtray Heart, Safe As Milk, Pachuco Cadaver, Dropout Boogie, Woe-Is-Uh-Me-Bop, One Red Rose That I Mean, Veterans Day Poppy, Flavor Bud Living, Kandy Korn

• set two

  • Electricity*, Sugar And Spikes*, Ella Guru*, Smithsonian Institute Blues (The Big Dig)*, Abba Zaba*, Steal Softly Through Snow*, My Human Gets Me Blues**, Hair Pie**, Moonlight On Vermont**, Big Eyed Beans From Venus**

-> an audience recording of this concert is up at DIME.

FAST 'N BULBOUS

YoungPumpkin was there and provided the setlist.

2006/11/17 concert 'BimHuis', Amsterdam, NL

• Pachuco Cadaver, Abba Zabba, Untitled, When I See Mommy I Feel Like a Mummy, A Carrot Is As Close As A Rabbit Gets To A Diamond, Sugar 'N Spikes, Click Clack > Ice Cream For Crow, talking, Evening Bell, talking, Dali's Car, ???,  When Big Joan Sets Up, talking, When It Blows Its Stacks, poem, The Blimp,  telephone conversation, Flavor Bud living, Veteran's Day Poppy, Blabber 'N Smoke, You know You're A Man, Kandy Korn I, Kandy Korn II, Tropical Hot Dog Night, Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do

The concert was recorded and will get broadcast on Wednesday January 31st, 2007, on the dutch Concertzender radio channel.

TRUBEE: PARIS HILTON

Paris Hilton
Copyright c 2006 John Trubee

Babies cryin', babies dyin'
They toss children into fires in Darfur
while you eat breakfast

Scientists weekly discover a new planet
In some far distant solar system 
And smash their heads into their desks
Attempting to discover 90 percent 
Of the invisible dark matter comprising the universe

Cynical machinations of diplomats
Kill untold numbers
(God said to Cain "The voice of you brother's blood
is crying to me from the ground.")
There's no time, money, or global will to effectively try
the Khmer Rouge
Who exterminated 1.7 million of their countrymen
But there's always time, money, and will
To build another goddamned Disneyland

Injustices rampage
Atrocities abound
Scientific miracles daily unfold
Like the petals of a rose

Yet all you do
Is check your horoscope
And read about
Paris Hilton. 

ANDY CAHAN

Added data to the Andy Cahan discography:

• howard kaylan: dust bunnies (intentional records) / recording engineer, co-producer & programming

• andy cahan: snarfel (hamana records) / keyboards, drums, guitar, publisher, writer, producer and manufacturing

• euphorian railway: s/t (hamana records) / publisher, writer, producer

• flo & eddie: the history of flo & eddie (rhino records) / keyboards

• flo & eddie: ride to the wall (ride to the wall foundation) / recording engineer

• flo & eddie: illegal, immoral and fattening (columbia records) / keyboards

• flo & eddie: moving targets (columbia records) / keyboards

• flo & eddie: rock steady (epiphany records) / keyboards

• flo & eddie: the best of flo & eddie (rhino records) / keyboards

• geronimo black: geronimo black (uni records) / keyboards, drums, guitar, publisher, writer and producer

• geronimo black: welcome back (helios records) / keyboards, drums, guitar, publisher, writer and producer

• grandmothers: a mother of an anthology (one way records) / keyboards, drums, guitar, publisher, writer and producer

• grandmothers: looking up granny's dress (rhino records) / keyboards, drums, guitar, publisher, writer and producer

• grandmothers: official fan club (panda records) / producer, manufacturing / production

• the leaves: 1996 (panda records) / producer, manufacturing / production

• kinky friedman: lasso from el paso (epic records) / "men's room la" keyboards backing vocals

• patti dahlstrome: your place or mine (20th century records) / publisher, writer, keyboards

• the honeys: the honeys (rhino records) / keyboards

• the wizz kids: pound for pound (national records) / manufacturing / production

• the monkees: pool it! (rhino records) / keyboards

• strawberry shortcake: strawberry shortcake (kids stuff records) / keyboards

• the care bears: the care bears (kids stuff records) / keyboards

• andy cahan: panda picture disk (panda records) / keyboards, drums, guitar, publisher, writer and producer, manufacturing / production

• the leaves: the leaves picture disk (panda records) / producer, manufacturing / production

• julie brown: trapped in the body of a white girl (warner bros.,/ wea records) / music arraignment on homecoming queen's got a gun

• julie brown: i like 'em big and stupid (bulletz records) / music arraignment on homecoming queen's got a gun

• julie brown: homecoming queen's got a gun (rhino records) / music arrangement on homecoming queen's got a gun

• flo & eddie: checkpoint charlie (rhino records) / keyboards

• the valley girls: valley girls (rhino records) / keyboards

• flo & eddie: california dreaming (american international records) / keyboards

• the knickers: the knickers (rhino records) / keyboards

• various artists: l.a. ya ya (hightone records) / keyboards

• dee dee o'mally: simple (war of art records) / keyboards

• flo & eddie: let me make love to you (columbia) / keyboards

• terraplane: terraplane (cold 6 records) / keyboards

• johnny farfisa: psychedelic crown jewels (gearfish records) / publisher, writer, keyboards and producer

• johnny farfisa: ?? (moxi records) / publisher, writer, producer

• billy sheets: please tell me why (big clock records) / keyboards

• geronimo black: let us live (uni records) / keyboards, publisher, writer and producer

• andy cahan / stacey cahan / jessica cahan: holloween pic disc (panda records) / keyboards, publisher, writer and producer

• the turtles: turtle tracks (floedco records) / mastering

• the turtles: all access (floedco records) / mastering  

THE RESIDENTS

THE RIVER OF CRIME - EPISODES 1 - 5

• the residents: the river of crime - episodes 1 - 5
      (2006, 2cd, usa, cordless recordings cdl38)
  
  • A couple of months ago, The Residents started with the "River of Crime Community Art Project", together with MOMA. Around the same time, you could sign up for a series of CrimeCast episodes and order a 2CDR set from Cordless Recordings to burn your own discs from these CrimeCast episodes.
    And now the factory pressed CD - version has been released by Cordless.
    Quite a project...
    
  • "The Residents and MOMA's River of Crime Community Art Project seeks out a space for professionals and amateurs to work together. As "an exploration of the rise in popularity of instant-video-creation due to the proliferation of inexpensive video cameras, as well as both still cameras and phones that shoot video," ROCVID invites anyone and everyone to make a video - any way they like - to go with an audio clip provided by the legendary music group. Mass art and art for the masses indeed."
    
  • The album itself is great. You get five narrated stories, told from the perspective of the storyteller. Breathtaking.
    The second disc has the instrumental versions / soundtrack of these five stories.
    
  • This is good. Really good.
    
    

RIVER OF CRIME!

• the residents: river of crime!
      (2006, 2cdr, usa, cordless recordings cdl20)
  
  • Here's the cover of the 'original' "River Of Crime" album: one could order a 2CDR package plus a code (to download the tracks) from Cordless, and burn your own discs.
    
  • bonus material includes:
    • 'he also serves' (unreleased remix)
    • 'kick a picnic' (unreleased remix)
    • 'blue tongues'
    • 'river of crime' - 15 minute instrumental suite
    • "tweedles" preview

JOE SATRIANI

• joe satriani: live!
      (2006, 2dvd, ??, epic red ink 82876859979)
  
  • Guitar Wizard Joe Satriani has a new DVD out. If you're into melodic instrumental guitar stuff, this is your thing. "Live!" is a double DVD set where the first disc presents a concert from his recent Super Colossal tour (2006/05/02 concert Anaheim, Ca, USA) and the second one includes a fabulous documentary about the May 2005 India tour.
    I was very much impressed by the India tour footage: shots from the bus, the soundcheck, an interview with some kids that take guitar lessons, and a couple of songs from the concert. Superb.

NEW TOM WAITS DVD

• tom waits: burma shave
      (2006, dvd, germany, alpha centauri entertainment ace 11141)

NEW ZAPPA BOOTLEG DVD

• frank zappa: fine girls
      (2006, dvd-bootleg, wow corporation wow-219)
  
  • Here's a brand-new release by The Way Of Wizards. It's a DVD-bootleg that includes:
    
    

    • "saturday night live" 1976/12/12
      

    • "saturday night live" 1978/10/21
      

    • "zappa halloween 1981"

CATHOLIC GIRLS

Catholic Girls were inspired by, and took their name from the Zappa song. The band did not play any Zappa compositions.

They did appear on the Flo & Eddie TV show in 1982.

• catholic girls: catholic girls
      (1982, lp, usa, mca records 5350)

-- info: statusbaby & rev a west

R. STEVIE MOORE

Check out R.Stevie Moore on YouTube, especially:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugIx3dei-mw

and try his YouTube links from his home-page:

http://www.rsteviemoore.com/youtube2.html

VACATION VIBRATIONS

Vacation Vibrations, a tour operator in the Boston, Massachusetts area, is organizing "Farther Oblivion Tour 2007", a 10-night vacation package (July 27 - August 6) that will bring people to Berlin (and the dedication of Frank-Zappa-Strasse), Prague (where FZ's memory is cherished), and winding up at the Zappanale.

More info soon...

ZAPPA BOOTLEG FROM 1978

This colored version is a reprint. The original bootleg 7" (on black vinyl) got released in 1978! Here's the picture:

ZAPPOSTROPHE

Click here to see what their latest T-Shirt looks like !!

THE MUFFIN MEN

• the muffin men: live in the kitchen of love
      (2006, cd, uk, ark-hive 931)
  
  • "Live In The Kitchen Of Love" is the first in a series of limited edition CDs by The Muffin Men.
    Recorded live on 1993/07/16 in Karlsruhe, Germany, the album shows what The Muffin Men sounded like during their six week tour of Belgium and Germany during the summer of 1993.
    At a number of shows, The Muffin Men opened for The Grandmothers, so it should come as no surprise that the one and only Jimmy Carl Black guests on 'Willie The Pimp'.
    
  • A beautiful, fine sounding document. An excellent addition to the Muffin Men discography.
    
  • Order your copy at http://www.muffinmen.co.uk/

• the muffin men: looks like noodles to me
      (2006, cd, uk, ark-hive 941)
  
  • Number Two in the Muffin Men Retro Series.
    "Looks Like Noodles To Me" shows us what The Muffin Men sounded like in 1994. The band played 42 shows over a nine week period, most of them including the fabulous Ike Willis on guitar and vocals.
    Again, Karlsruhe was the place to be.
    Highlights include a superb 'Uncle Remus' and a jammy 'King Kong'. I love it.
    
  • Muffin Madness combined with mister Ike Willis... Essential (and very funny) stuff...
    
  • Order your copy at http://www.muffinmen.co.uk/

VOICE OF CHEEZ

2006 11 21

Not a Substitute-It´s Real Cheez!

Voice of Cheez celebrates Frank Zappa Month with a tribute show Saturday, December 2. The parting words of the iconoclastic rock composer-who was born December 21, 1940 and died December 4, 1993-were, "If you are a musician-play my music." So Voice of Cheez-longstanding resident Zappaphiles in Buffalo, NY-continues to dig into the Zappa playbook.

Tom Fenton (guitar/vocals), Tina Peel (vocals/madness), Kilissa Cissoko (sax/flute/vocals), Cathy Carfagna (keyboards/vocals), Doug Lambert (bass), George Olmsted (drums/vocals). Not a substitute-it´s real cheez! Voice of Cheez Saturday, December 2, 9 pm $8 admission Nietzsche´s, 248 Allen Street Buffalo, NY USA
www.voiceofcheez.com
Need more Z? Then Check out all these great bands keeping Zappa's music alive. Project/Object - New York, New Jersey and the World Ed Palermo's Big Band - New York City Po-Jama People - Seattle and West Coast Bogus Pomp - Tampa, FLA Voice of Cheez - Buffalo, NY Ugly Radio Rebellion - Detroit, MI and Midwest The Brain Police - Boston, MA and. lest we forget, Dweezil Zappa's Zappa Plays Zappa Tour.

THE 7th ANNUAL ZAPPAFEST

7th Annual ZappaFest - December 14 at Stonefly

This year, we'll be at Stonefly, the brewpub formerly known at Onopa, at 735 E. Center Street in Riverwest, Milwaukee. Our annual music event, features the musical madness and mayhem of Frank Zappa.
Right now, we've got Dr. Chow's Love Medicine and The Spiders of Destiny confirmed.

The Spiders of Destiny feature Dixon Bols on lead guitar & Mr. Poopy, bass & vocals, from the Fun-ka-trons; David Darsh, keys & vocals, ex-Wild Kingdom; Danny Dinky, drums, ex- Shinola; Greasy Guido, guitar, from Drunk from Beer, and introducing the soon to be infamous Chestica Air-on of 5 Star Hangover on lead vocals and madness. They will be doing their versions of "Mr. Green Genes", "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up", and "Let's Make the Water Turn Black". They plan to do "Magic Fingers", "Sharleena", "My Guitar Wants to Kill your Mama", and hope to do "Love of My Life", "Muffin Man", and "Chunga's Revenge". Other surprises are being planned from Spiders of Destiny...

Dr. Chows Love Medicine is led by Dr. Plow, Frank Chandek, who is Mr. Green Genes for real, toting that trash and plowing them streets for Milwaukee Streets & San. Between times, he and his bandmates perform as Dr. Chow´s Love Medicine, a theatrical rock and blues combo, reinventing classics and creating new ones.
Since joining us at Zappa 2000, they've incorporated Frank Z's tunes into their touring act. Expect "Durty Love", "Valley Girl", "Miss Pinky", "Bobby Brown", "Magic Finger", "Dog Breath, "Baby Snakes", "DynaMo Hum" & "Mr. Green Genes," plus "Willie the Pimp" with a Captain Beefhart sax wail !

Visit www.sudswineandspirits.com for more info as we get it !!

-- Jeff Platt

• 2006/12/14 7th Annual Zappafest in Milwaukee, WI, usa

MICHAEL WALKER

• laurel canyon - the inside story of rock and roll's legendary neighborhood
  • by michael walker
        (2006, book, usa, faber and faber)
    
  • Michael Walker is a music journalist who lives in Laurel Canyon. In this book, he takes a look on what Laurel Canyon meant in the sixties: how it came about, who lived there, and how it all came to an end.
    Graham Nash, Mark Volman, Gail Zappa, Pamela Des Barres (and others) are quoted in this book, and it even includes a bunch of nice pictures: Frank Zappa, Carl Franzoni, Vito, Kim Fowley, ...
    
    Nice.

KELLY FISHER LOWE

• the words and music of frank zappa
  • by kelly fisher lowe
        (2006, book, usa, praeger)
    
  • In "The Words and Music of Frank Zappa" Kelly Fisher Lowe goes through the complete Zappa / Mothers discography, saying a few lines or paragraphs about every song.

CHRISTOPHE DELBROUCK

• frank zappa & l'amérique parfaite
  (part 3 of the trilogy)
  • by christophe delbrouck
        (2006, book, france, éditions du castor astral)
  • cover illustration by jean solé
    
  • Yes, here it is: the final part of Christophe Delbrouck's opus on Frank Zappa: "FZ & perfect America".
    Kicking off with 1978 band and tour, Christophe takes an in-depht look at the Zappa Universe.
    "Frank Zappa & l'Amérique parfaite" is excellent reading material. It gives an enormous amount of information in an easy chronological order: the music, the musicians, the PMRC, politics, ... it's all there.
    
    I've said it before, and this third volume only confirms my earlier opinion: Christophe Delbrouck's trilogy is the best reference that I've read on Zappa. This is essential reading.
    
  • published by Le Castor Astral.
    www.castorastral.com

TOM WAITS

• tom waits: orphans
      (2006, 3cd, nl, anti 6677-2)
  
  • The new Tom Waits box is out, and it's a limited edition... So if you don't have your copy yet, you 'd better hurry...

ELTON DEAN & THE WRONG OBJECT

Things are looking good for The Wrong Object. Parts of the concert that they did with the late Elton Dean will be released by Moonjune Records. The album is to appear in January 2007. I've heard some parts of it, and this is really something to look out for!

recorded live
2005/10/18 concert 'glaz'art', paris, france

elton dean: saxello, alto sax
laurent delchambre: drums, assorted percussion
fred delplancq: tenor sax
michel delville: guitar, voice
jean-paul estiévenart: trumpet
damien polard: bass, electronics

produced by leonardo pavkovic & wrong object

1. seven for lee

2. unicycle / millennium jumble

3. baker's treat

4. the unbelievable truth

5. a cannery catastrophe

6. cunnimingus redux

7. the basho variations

TRANCE-FUSION WIKI FACTS (no figures)

'Good Lobna'

• Refers to an episode of The Simpsons: "New Kid on the Block," in which Bart says this line. Series creator Matt Groening is a Zappa fan.

'Ask Dr.Stupid' 

• Refers to a reoccurring segment from The Ren and Stimpy Show. Series creator John Kricfalusi is also a Zappa fan, and Zappa provided the voice of "The Pope" on one episode of the series.

'Gorgo'

• May refer to the 1961 science fiction film (Zappa is known to be a fan of monster movies), or Gorgonzola, the Zappa family's cat.

'Finding Higgs' Boson'

• Refers to the Higgs Boson, a hypothetical massive scalar elementary particle predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics. 

which also means that I added the Trance-Fusion album to the discography section:

• frank zappa: trance-fusion  (79)
      (2006, cd, usa, zappa records)

Music Review: Frank Zappa - Trance-Fusion

Written by Tom Johnson
Published November 18, 2006
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/11/18/094251.php

Listening to excerpted guitar solos is like viewing abstract art - it's a glimpse of something that doesn't necessarily have to make sense in the general definition of the term. Were we talking about most guitarists, an album of extracted solos would likely be a pretty dreadful proposition, but when it comes to Zappa, it truly is art - and it's truly abstract.

Few guitarists possess the skill or prowess to make their solos for the same songs sound entirely different from performance to performance, but that's just what Zappa set out to do.

Like a good artist, Zappa utilized the same tools day after day but, unlike most of his contemporaries, he never relied upon a preconceived solo for each song on tour. Instead, working like a painter, he tosses notes on his canvas in splishes and splashes, gesturing in broad strokes that created new compositions from his starting point songs.
The results, sometimes slashing, as in "Butter Or Cannons," the chugging of "Ask Dr. Stupid," or the delicate, thoughtful tinkling of "After Dinner Smoker" and "Finding Higg's Boson" showcase the many textures and moods Zappa was capable of creating. That the solos are as imaginative and fascinating as the songs themselves speaks volumes for the creativity of the man.

But these are not songs per se - there are no traditional structures to hang onto, no choruses, few repeated elements, and little in the way of predictability. That Zappa would prefer it if you just allow these solos to just "be" is probably an understatement; they stand on their own, but Trance-Fusion really works best as a whole statement, best taken in one sitting where, instead of feeling like 16 naked solos, the album is allowed to unfold like a suite, progressing from one movement to the next.

For an album created out of unplanned guitar excursions from such a master of 6-string expression, why does it seem so surprising that it comes together so satisfyingly as a finale when the applause of closing track "Bavarian Sunset" fades out? Perhaps, to return to abstract painting, it makes more sense that instead of an end, it's simply that the canvas has only finite space, and at some point the artist must splash out those last drops of paint in just the right spots in just the right way, maybe not to the point that it feels finished, but that it just feels right that here is the end now.

GRANDMOTHERS SETLIST

Thanks to Charles Ulrich, the setlist for the Grandmothers 1981/06/01 concert is complete:

• special guests: Ike Willis (g, danc host) & Bruce Fowler (tromb)

• Trail Of Tears, Big Leg Emma, Uncle Meat, Mother People, Immaculate Deception, You Didn't Try To Call Me, Sweet Fifteen, Who Are The Brain Police ?, The Cutester Patrol, The Cutester Patrol Dance Contest, Burn You With Cold, Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder

Charles added some more info as well. All has been added to the Grandmothers entry.

TONY PAGLIUCA

Tony Pagliuca recorded Frank Zappa's 'G-Spot Tornado' on his "Re-Collage" album.

Tony Pagliuca is best known as the leader of "Le Orme", an italian prog rock band. The "Re-Collage" album also features David Jackson of Van Der Graaf Generator. The "Re-Collage" album is a live remake of the "Collage" album, but with some extra tracks.

• tony pagliuca: re-collage
      (2004, cd, italy, ??) - incl. 'g-spot tornado' (frank zappa)

A WORD FROM GARY

http://www.lostinthegrooves.com/gary31

JIMMY CARL BLACK

SUL DIVANO

Sul Divano will be performing the music of Frank Zappa:

JUEVES 23 DE NOVIEMBRE  21:30 HS.
en Unione e Benevolenza, EL SOTANO, Perón 1372

abriendo el show

SUL  DIVANO
&
cerrando una noche que será increíble
Roma  Pagana
la banda de Andrea Prodán

Valor de la entrada $10,- 
(Única función, 2 bandas al precio de 1)

• 2006/11/23 Sul Divano / Roma Pagana - concert el sotano, argentina

CARDBOARD AMANDA

• cardboard amanda: cardboard amanda
      (2006, cd, usa, liar leaver records 001)
  
  • Frank Camiola played the guitar in Frogg Cafe. His latest project is called "Carboard Amanda".
    
    This might well be the strangest records that I have heard in a very long while. The album starts with a little piano piece, but mixed against the noise and voices that you might get when you're looking for the right frequency on some sort of CB device. The second piece has a beautiful marimba line, a cello and a clarinet that play against it, and a superb low, raw voice. I don't have a clue as to how this voice was recorded. Maybe the throat-singer on the album cover knows more about this...
    
    I've been listening to "Cardboard Amanda" a lot, the last week. I love the acoustic instruments and the different rhythms that they play agains one another.
    My favourite composition is 'Picture Show' that sounds like something that Tom Waits will never record. Just vocals, guitar and harmonica, but all three in a different tone. I love it.
    
    Anyway, this is a very impressive record: it's beautiful bizarreness, and it's very funny as well.
    
  • Highly recommended.
    The CD is available at www.rerusa.com and at www.waysidemusic.com.

DIERENPARK

• dierenpark: slip tong
      (2002, cd, nl, my first step records step 3)
  
  • Dierenpark is a Hans Vandenburg (Gruppo Sportivo) project. "Slip Tong" is the first album by Dierenpark. It's from 2002 and (if you understand dutch) it's an hilarious funny album.
    
    It contains a sample of Zappa's 'Peaches En Regalia' in 'Hoe Je Psychiater Speld' by DJ Polderman.
    
    There's also a vinyl edition of this album, but that does not include the DJ Polderman remix.

info: Ive Hapers

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN

Corrie van Binsbergen will be performing with CRAM:

• Corrie van Binsbergen - guitar

• Rutger van Otterloo - baritone & soprano saxophone

• Arend Niks - drums

• Mick Paauwe - bass

• 2006/11/27 CRAM - concert 'Cafe Wilhelmina', Eindhoven, NL

• 2006/12/02 CRAM - concert 'Plusetage', Baarle Nassau, NL

• 2006/12/16 CRAM - concert 'HotHouse', Leiden, NL

and with the Brokken at the end of the month:

• 2006/11/29 Brokken - concert 'Zaal100', Amsterdam, NL 

POJAMA PEOPLE

Pojama People, featuring Ike Willis

• 2006/12/14 Pojama People - concert 'Sam Bond's Garage', EUGENE, OR, usa

• 2006/12/15 Pojama People - concert 'Sengthongs Blue Sky Jazz Room', Dunsmuir, CA, usa

• 2006/12/16 Pojama People - concert 'tba', Sacramento CA, usa

• 2006/12/17 Pojama People - concert 'Cafe DuNord/ Swedish American Hall', San Francisco, CA, usa

PROJECT/OBJECT

Project/Object, featuring Ike Willis

• 2006/12/28 Project/Object – concert ’8x10 Club', Baltimore, MD, usa

• 2006/12/29 Project/Object – concert ’Mexicali Blues', Teaneck, NJ, usa

• 2006/12/30 Project/Object – concert ’The Century Lounge', Providence, RI, usa

• 2006/12/31 Project/Object – concert ’Pearl Street', Northampton, MA, usa

• 2007/01/02 Project/Object – concert ’Club Café', Pittsburgh, PA, usa

• 2007/01/03 Project/Object – concert ’Club Café', Pittsburgh, PA, usa

• 2007/01/04 Project/Object – concert ’Beachland Ballroom', Cleveland Ohio, usa

• 2007/01/05 Project/Object – concert ’Martyrs'', Chicago, IL, usa

• 2007/01/06 Project/Object – concert ’Martyrs'', Chicago, IL, usa

• 2007/01/09 Project/Object – concert ’World Cafe', Philadelphia, PA, usa

• 2007/01/10 Project/Object – concert ’The Chameleon Club', Lancaster, PA, usa

• 2007/01/11 Project/Object – concert ’Regatta Bar', Cambridge, MA, usa

• 2007/01/12 Project/Object – concert ’Nectars', Burlington, VT, usa

• 2007/01/13 Project/Object – concert ’Revolution Hall', Troy, NY, usa

UGLY RADIO REBELLION

Here's some upcoming URR shows:

• 2006/11/24 Ugly Radio Rebellion - concert 'Rock Nightclub', Detroit, MI, usa  (FRANKSGIVING)

• 2006/12/21 Ugly Radio Rebellion - concert 'The Magic Sticke, Detroit, MI, usa (FZ Birthday FREAKOUT)

• 2006/12/22 Ugly Radio Rebellion - concert 'Mickey Finns Pub', Toledo, OH, usa (FZ Birthday Bash)

THE AMSTERDAM PERCIUSSION GROUP

• 2006/11/18 The Amsterdam Percussion Group and Terry Bozzio - concert 'zuiderpershuis', antwerp, belgium - cancelled

THE MICROSCOPIC SEPTET ON TOUR

THE MICROSCOPIC SEPTET reunites to tour the Northeast THIS MONTH!!!!!

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2006 Gigs:

• 2006/11/29 The Microscopic Septet - concert 'The Iron Horse', Northampton, MA, usa

• 2006/11/30 The Microscopic Septet - concert 'World Cafe Live', Philadelphia, PA, usa
     (presented by NPR's Fresh Air w/ Terry Gross)

• 2006/12/01 The Microscopic Septet - Live Micros appearance on WNYC-FM, "Sound Check" w/ John Schaeffer @ 2 PM

• 2006/12/02 The Microscopic Septet - concert 'Joe's Pub', New York, NY, usa

Upcoming MICROSCOPIC SEPTET 2006 Appearances