bunk gardnerbunk gardner
Bunk Gardner joined the Mothers Of Invention in early 1967. He recorded and toured with Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention until late 1969.
Shortly after he had left The Mothers, Bunk performed with Menage A Trois, with his brother Buzz and with John Balkin.
Bunk Gardner also toured and recorded with Geronimo Black and with The Grandmothers.
Early 2000, a couple of albums of The Don And Bunk Show got released, the duo that Bunk had formed with Don Preston.
In 2003 he took part in a concert (and recording) of The Grande Mothers Re:Invented. Besides Bunk Gardner, the Grande Mothers Re:Invented also feature Don Preston, Napoleon Murphy Brock and Roy Estrada.
In 2007, the Crossfire Publications record label released Bunk's first solo album, "It's All Bunk!", collecting material from Bunk's entire career.
discography
| bud wattles
& his orchestra: themes from the hip (1959, lp, usa, roulette r-25073) - feat.bunk gardner |
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| joanna & the playboys: ?? (1962, lp, usa, ??) - feat.bunk gardner |
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| the
mothers of invention: absolutely
free
(2) (1967, lp,usa, verve) |
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| the
mothers of invention: we're only
in it for the money
(3) (1967, lp, usa, verve) |
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| frank
zappa: lumpy gravy
(4) (1967, lp, usa, verve) |
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| the
mothers of invention: cruising
with ruben & the jets
(5) (1968, lp, usa, verve) |
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| the
mothers of invention:
mothermania
(6) (1969, lp, usa, verve) |
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| the
mothers of invention: uncle meat
(7) (1969, 2lp, usa, bizarre) |
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| the
mothers of invention: burnt
weeny sandwich
(9) (1970, lp, usa, bizarre) |
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| the
mothers of invention: weasels
ripped my flesh
(10) (1970, lp, usa, bizarre) |
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| tim buckley:
starsailor (6) (1970, lp, usa, ??) - feat.bunk gardner, buzz gardner, john balkin |
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| domenic
troiano: the writings on the wall / the wear and the tear on my
mind (1972, 7", usa, mercury records) - feat. bunk gardner, buzz gardner |
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| domenic troiano
domenic troiano (1972, lp, usa, mercury records) - feat. bunk gardner, buzz gardner |
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| nicholas
greenwood: cold cuts (1972, lp, uk, kingdom) - feat. bunk gardner |
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| geronimo
black: geronimo black (1) (1972, lp, universal city recs) - feat. various ex-mothers of invention |
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| geronimo
black: welcome back (2) (1980, lp, usa, helios recs) - feat. various ex-mothers of invention |
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| elmer & fred: elmer & fred (unreleased, lp, usa, rhino) - the album was announced by rhino in 1981 |
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| the
grandmothers: grandmothers (1) (1981, lp, ger, line records 6.24636 ap) - feat. various ex-moi |
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| the
grandmothers: lookin' up granny's dress (2) (1982, lp, us, rhino records rnlp 804) - feat. various ex-moi; incl.zappa compositions |
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| the
grandmothers: fan club talk lp (3) (1983, lp, us, panda 001) |
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| frank zappa: you can't do that on
stage anymore vol.1 (51) (1988, 2cd, usa, ryko) |
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| frank zappa: you can't do that on
stage anymore vol.4 (57) (1991, 2cd, usa, ryko) |
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| the mothers of invention: the ark (1991, cd, usa, rhino foo-eee records r2 70538) |
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| zappa / mothers: electric aunt jemima (1991, cd, usa, rhino foo-eee records r2 71019) |
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| zappa / mothers: our man in nirvana (1991, cd, usa, rhino foo-eee records r2 71022) |
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| frank zappa: you can't do that on
stage anymore vol.5 (58) (1992, 2cd, usa, ryko) |
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| bunk gardner: bunk speaks - 1992
interview (1992, k7, usa, electrik yak 005) = interview for "ptolemaic terrascope |
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| ant-bee: with my favourite "mothers"
and other bizarre muzik (1992, k7, usa, electrik yak 003) - cover drawing by cal schenkel / feat. b.gardner, d.preston, jc black, r.snyder |
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| bunk
gardner: speaks ! - 1992 interview (1993, k7, usa, electrik yak letc 2) = a reissue + some additional music |
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| zappa / mothers: ahead of their time (61) (1993, cd, usa, ryko) |
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| the
grandmothers: a
mother of an anthology (1993, cd, us, one way records ow 28880) = compilation + extra tracks |
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ant-bee: snorks and wheezes (1993, k7, usa, electrik yak) - feat.bunk gardner, don preston, jc black, motorhead sherwood |
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| ant-bee: the *#!%%? of ant-bee - rarities vol.3 (1993, k7, usa, electrik yak records 009) - feat.bunk gardner, don preston, jc black, motorhead sherwood |
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| don
preston: vile foamy ectoplasm (1) (1993, cd, ger, muffin records muffin cdmr 003) - feat. ex-moi and ex-zappa bandmembers |
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| the
grandmothers: who could imagine (5) (1994, cd, nl, munich records netcd 53) - feat. various ex-moi; incl.zappa & beefheart compositions |
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| ant-bee: the bizarre german e.p. (1994, 7", ger, lollipop shop bouncing splash 8) (ps) - feat.bunk gardner, don preston, jc black |
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| ant-bee: with my favorite "vegetables" and other bizarre
music (2) (1994, cd, uk, divine records divine 3) - feat.motorhead, jc black, b.gardner, r.estrada, d.preston, r.snyder |
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| snarfel:
thirty years of andy cahan (1995, cd, usa, hamana records) - feat. various ex-moi |
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| sandro
oliva: who the fuck is sandro oliva ?!? (1995, cd, usa, muffin records mrp015) - feat. various ex-moi; incl.'mr.green genes' (frank zappa) |
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| ant-bee: lunar muzik (3) (1995, cd, uk, divine records divine 20) - feat. b.gardner, d.preston, jc black, r.estrada, j.sherwood, b.harris |
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| caged heat 3000: caged heat 3000 (1996, ??) - feat.bunk gardner |
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| frank zappa: mystery disc
(67) (1998, cd, usa, ryko) |
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| the muffin men: god shave the queen (8) (1999, cd, eec, efa 03447-2) - incl.compositions by don van vliet and by frank zappa, feat. various zappa alumni |
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| bruce cameron: midnight daydream (1999, cd, usa, brain cell records) - feat ant-bee, bunk gardner |
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| the don and bunk show: necessity is... (2000, cdr, i, brain records) – incl.‘eric dolphey memorial barbecue’ (zappa), 'neon meat dream' (van vliet) |
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| the
grandmothers: eating the astoria (6) (2000, cd, i, obvious music om gm0100) - feat. various ex-moi; incl.zappa compositions |
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| the grandmothers: 20 year anthology of the grandmothers (2001, cdr, ger, private release) - anthology |
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| the
grandmothers: the eternal question (2001, cdr, ger, private release) - feat. various ex-moi; incl.zappa compositions |
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| don preston: io landscapes (2001, cdr, usa, brain records) - feat. frank zappa, bunk gardner |
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| ant-bee:
electronic church muzik (scheduled, cd, usa, ??) - feat. bunk gardner, don preston, zoot horn rollo, rockette morton, napolean murphy brock, motorhead sherwood and bob harris |
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| various artists:
zappanale 13 (2003, 3cd, ger, arf society) – incl. various artists playing frank zappa compositions |
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| various artists:
zappanale # 13 (2003, cd, ger, arf society) – incl. various artists playing frank zappa compositions |
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| the grandmothers: a
grandmothers night at the gewandhaus (2003, cd, ger, warner classic 2564600682) - incl.various frank zappa compositions |
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| domenic troiano:
the best of (2003, cd , canada, universal) - feat. bunk gardner, buzz gardner |
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| sandro oliva: heavy lightning (2004, cdr, i, private release) - feat. various ex-moi; incl.zappa compositions |
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| the
grandmothers: boulder theatre – us tour, 2000 (200?, 2cdr, italy, obvious music) - feat.j.c.black, don preston, bunk gardner |
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| don
preston: vile foamy ectoplasm (2007, cd, usa, crossfire publications) - feat. frank zappa, ex-moi and ex-zappa bandmembers |
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| bunk
gardner: it's all bunk! (2007, cd, usa, crossfire publications) - feat. various ex-moi |
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| don preston:
works (2007, usa, cd, crossfire publications) - feat.bunk gardner |
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| jimmy carl black: where’s the $%&§#@’ beer? (2007, cd, usa, crossfire publications 9508-2) - feat.various mothers of invention |
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dvd
|
the muffin men: muffinz moovies vol.one
(1990-1997) (2005, dvd, uk, private release) - incl.various frank zappa compositions, feat. zappa alumni |
filmography
random notes
Birth
name: John Leon Gaunerra
Birthday: May 2, 1933 (Cleveland, OH)
From: "Freak Out With The Grandmothers" tour booklet
A Cleveland Ohio native, born to Thelma and Charles Guanerra (why dad changed it
to Gardner I'll never understand.) Started
musically at age 7 with piano lessons
from Elmira Snodgrass for 50 cents a lesson.
Until the age of 12 I sucked my thumb and then replaced it with a
clarinet, tenor sax, bassoon and finally flute.
In 1954 my professional career started by being featured on sax and
flute on Roulette Records Western T.V. themes.
I then recorded and toured with
Eartha Kitt, Tim Buckley, Frank Zappa, Little Richard, Van Morrison and the 4
Winds Ensemble. From Bassoonist
with the Cleveland Philharmonic in 1950 to all the woodwinds with the
Grandmothers in 1994 with a few stops inbetween like playing
experimental music in 1962 with Don Preston, Frank Zappa and my brother Buzz in
Don's studio to Geronimo Black with Jim in 1970. Also the Montage Trio &
Quartet and one year of cullinary cooking at L.A. Trade Tech.
I delved into many
musical forms starting with boogie woogie and dixieland to classical and jazz
to latin and fusion and finally avant-guarde.
But I still love spontaneous improv
and I'm secretly joined at the hip with roomate Don Preston!
(vegetarians to the end!)
From: Patrick Neve
Apparantly that silver-haired fox Bunk Gardner joined Jack Bruce to do a Band
Of Gypsies tribute album. I got a
flyer in the mail today, advertising this
recording session which should have happened last September ('98).
The project is led by a guy named Bruce Cameron who is putting out an album called
Midnight Daydream. Also on the bill
are Buddy Miles, Billy Cox, Mitch
Mitchell, A couple of Alice Cooper members, someone from Uriah Heep, and
the ANT-BEE.
From: Howard Greene
I have met and spoken to Bunk Gardner on a couple occasions. I found him to be a
very friendly chap who's quite willing to talk about his days with FZ. He lives
in Southern California. He and Don Preston used to perform regularly as a
duo at a Zappa-themed restaurant in Los Angeles called Lumpy Gravy. They did mostly
jazz standards, Don Preston compostions and some Zappa. They both sounded
great.
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