the voice of cheez

The Voice of Cheez
Tom Jim George
Kilissa Tina Cathy

The Voice of Cheez has been performing Frank Zappa's music since 1996. Based in Buffalo, NY, the group performs at least two shows a year: Mothers Day and Halloween. With a playful attitude and low-budget theatrics Voice of Cheez is dedicated to keeping Frank’s music alive and delivers an entertaining show for the faithful and uninitiated.

The band contributed to the Doot! recording for the "21 Burnt Weeny Sandwiches" tribute that got released on Cordelia Records in 2010.

 

line-up:

previous members: Jim Iarocci (bass)

 

The Voice Of Cheez performes the following Zappa classics:
Camarillo Brillo * Cheap Thrills * Cheepnis * Cletus Alreetus Alrightus * Cocaine Decisions * Cozmik Debris * Daddy, Daddy, Daddy * Dirty Love * Duodenum * Electric Aunt Jemima * Flakes * Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder * Goblin Girl * Hot Plate Heaven * Hungry Freaks * I Am The Slime * Jelly Roll GumDrop * Joe's Garage * Lemme Take You To The Beach * Lonesome Cowboy Burt * Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up * Magic Fingers * More Trouble Every Day * Motherly Love * Mr. Green Genes/Son of Mr. Green Genes * Muffin Man * My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama * Oh No * Orange County Lumber Truck * Peaches en Regalia * Road Ladies * Sofa * Status Back Baby * Strictly Genteel (the finale) * Suzy Creamcheese * Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance * Titties and Beer * The Torture Never Stops * Trouble Every Day * Uncle Meat * Uncle Remus * Village of the Sun * Watermelon in Easter Hay * We Are Not Alone * What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning * What’s The Ugliest Part of Your Body? * Willie the Pimp * Wowie Zowie * Yellow Snow-Nanook Rubs It-St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast-Father Oblivion * You Are What You Is * You're Probably Wondering Why I’m Here * Your Mouth

website: http://users.adelphia.net/~kilissa/pages/voice_of_cheez.html
 

  voice of cheez: mother's day love in
    (2005, 2cdr-pro, usa, private release) - all compositions by frank zappa

  doot!: doot!
    (2006, cdr, usa, cholly hoss productions / private release) - incl. various frank zappa & jimi hendix themes

  various artists: zappanale 19
    (2009, mp3-dvd, ger, arf society) - incl. various artists playing frank zappa compositions
z19_mp3disc.jpg (23620 bytes)
  various artists: 21 burnt weeny sandwiches
    (2010, cd, uk, cordelia records) - all compositions by frank zappa
     

 

concerts

The above picture is from the 2004/05/08 "Mother's Day Freak Out" concert at 'nietzsche's', in buffalo, usa

 

 

  • 2005/10/07 concert 'club infinity', williamsville, ny, usa - "female musicians fighting breast cancer"
    • introducing Doug Lambert on bass
  • 2005/11/19 concert 'Nietzsche's', Buffalo, NY, usa
    • special guest: Preston Parish (from Ugly Radio Rebellion)
  • 2006/05/13 "Mothers Day Music Festival", concert 'Nietzsche's', buffalo, usa
    • Doot!
    • Voice of Cheez
    • Anal Pudding

 

  • 2006/06/10 concert "allen art festival", 'nietzsche's', buffalo, usa

  • 2007/06/09 the Voice Of Cheez - concert "Allentown Art Festival Nietzsche's Back Stage" : Return of the Son of Voice of Cheez - 9 pm
  • 2008/05/17 The Voice Of Cheez & Underground Sensation - concert 'Nietzsche's', Buffalo, usa

 

  • 2008/06/15 – Voice of Cheez – concert " Allentown Art Festival”, Buffalo
  • 2008/08/07 – Voice of Cheez – concert ‘Lafayette Tap Room’, Buffalo

 

random notes

From: the voice oF cheeZ
Date: 2004/05/05

MOTHERLY LOVE
Freak Out in Buffalo!
9th Annual Tribute to Frank Zappa
SATURDAY, MAY 8,  9 PM
NIETZSCHE'S  248 Allen St.  886-8539
the voice oF cheeZ plus,
Ugly Radio Rebellion
The Mothers Brothers!

Buffalo, NY: Local band, the voice oF cheeZ proudly announce the staging of the ninth annual Motherly Love concert, an annual tribute to the music of Frank Zappa.
Join the voice oF cheeZ for a star-studded night of Frank Zappa's music with a little help from our friends:

Ugly Radio Rebellion.
Hard-rocking FZ band from Detroit, MI.
(aka The Artists Formerly Known as "Uncle Meat")
Featuring Berklee College of Music guitarist Scott Schroen, with Preston Parish on bass and Kerry Gluckman on drums.

The Mothers Brothers.
Another creation of The Fibs, with Tom Fenton, acoustic guitar, and Jim Iarocci, upright bass, performing a set of Zappa's music in the comedic, folk tradition of The Smothers Brothers.

the voice oF cheeZ.
Buffalo-based band plays the music of Frank Zappa.  Quite possibly the only all-Zappa band in existence with three female performers.  Cathy Carfagna, keyboards, Kilissa Cissoko, sax and flute, Tina Peel, vocals and madness, with, Tom Fenton, guitar, Jim Iarocci, bass and George Olmsted, drums.
Napoleon Murphy Brock said, "You guys play all the fun stuff!"

Show starts at 9:00 p.m.
  9:00  Mothers Brothers<
10:00  voice oF cheeZ
12:00  Ugly Radio Rebellion

Mother's Day Freak Out!
Saturday, May 8, 2004  9 p.m.
NIETZSCHE'S
248 Allen Street.  Buffalo, NY  886-8539

REGISTER TO VOTE!
Registration forms available at the show.

 


Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2004
Subject: Didn't OUR Votes Count?

Voice of Cheez Update!

We had a GREAT time November 13 at our "Didn't OUR Votes Count?" show. About 60 people came out for the fun—including, of course, the Billy The Mountain Guy. He never misses a show. For some reason the band was fixated on "snausages", so our apologies to the die-hard FZ freaks for changing the words around whenever possible to mention those tasty dog treats. http://www.snausages.com/main.asp
• 
Best fan mail to date:

Hey Guys,
This lastshow in Buffalo was awesome. We enjoyed the new playlist alot although we missed Joe's Garage its my favorite song.
Cant wait for the next show you guys sound better and better every time and the girls get cuter and cuter!
Thanks for the great time and see you soon.
Sincerely,
Pat and Mark

• 
Kudos to Tom on his splendid Imaginary Guitar Solo on Watermelon in Easter Hay. If you weren't there...we all saw God, or at least some representative deity was in the house.

The new tunes on our list put us all in Harmony Heaven:
I Don't Wanna Get Drafted, Po-Jama People and Sharleena.
Check our website for FREE MP3 DOWLOAD. Help Yourself. Share with a friend.
http://users.adelphia.net/~kilissa/pages/Drafted.html

January show in the works.
PLUS--possible FZ Festival in Pittsburgh this Spring with Ugly Radio Rebellion (Detroit) and Doctor Dark (Connecticut)...details to come!

we love ya,
Guacamole Queen
(Kilissa-sax,flute,vocals)


Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005
Subject: Mark Your Calendar

Happy New Year Fans of Frank Zappa!!

Get out your brand new 2005 calendars and mark this date:

Voice of Cheez
Saturday, February 19, 8 - Midnite
'Nietzsche's', 248 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY

STAY TUNED FOR SHOW UPDATES:
http://users.adelphia.net/~kilissa/pages/where.html

SAMPLE OUR TASTY CHEEZ HOME PAGE:
http://users.adelphia.net/~kilissa/pages/voice_of_cheez.html

In Western New York and Southern Ontario
CHECK OUT 107.7 The Lake — A RADIO STATION THAT PLAYS ZAPPA!!!
And— if that ain't cool enuf all by itself — our gleeming singer, TIna Peel, is an on-air jock.
Tune in to Tina Peel 10-3 on 107.7 The Lake (WLKK).
http://www.1077thelake.com/

Call in to request FRANK!!!

The Lake also plays Local Bands. Support our amazing local music scene.
http://www.1077thelake.com/music/localplaylist.php

Peace in the New Year!
Kilissa


Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 11:19 PM
Subject: VOC Off Beat Cinema

Hello,

Just a reminder, Voice of Cheez will be on Off Beat Cinema this weekend. Please check your local listing!

In Buffalo/Toronto it airs on WKBW Channel 7 (ABC). THEY told us it would be on at 1:05 am, but it's come to our attention that the show ACTUALLY airs at 12:30 am.

For those of you who may be confused by the am/pm conundrum: it's TECHNICALLY Sunday morning...but feels like Saturday night to me.

Hope that helps.

-- Voice of Cheez


Sent: November, 2005

Voice of Cheez plays music by Frank Zappa. Please forward this message to all your Zappa freak friends, especially those crazed fiends that would drive 500 miles to see a show.
Voice of Cheez
Descent Into Darkness Show Saturday, November 19, 2005
Nietzsche's
248 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 8 pm
$8 Ladies and Gentlemen
...introducing... Doug Lambert on bass
genetically engineered to play Frank Zappa's music! and featuring special guest artist... Preston Parish Nine string bass and madness a founding member of Detroit's hard rocking Zappa tribute project Ugly Radio Rebellion It's going to be a very fine ride!
*********************
Our best wishes to Voice of Cheez cofounder, Jim Iarocci who has stepped down from the bass throne. You can still hear Jim with his other numerous and excellent projects: The Fibs, The Dreadbeats, Mumbo Gumbo, Quiet Storm the All Hank Band Hank Williams tribute and The Complete Unknowns Bob Dylan tribute.
******************
Thanks to Project/Object for inviting Cheez singer/sax/flute player, Kilissa Cissoko, to sing Uncle Remus with them last week at Club Evolution in Buffalo. Andre said "Go see Voice of Cheez"... so we hope you'll take his advice. For a snazzy picture check the link to their website:
http://www.projectobject.com/bandphotos/ike-kalissa-andre1--buffalofall2005.jpg

(edit: or look below...)

 

 


20051117, Voice Of Cheez said:

We hope to see you at the show! Come early, leave late! A full night of Zappa. Voice of Cheez Music by Frank Zappa Descent Into Darkness Show This Saturday, November 19 8 pm, $8.00 admission at the door Nietzsche's, 248 Allen Street, Buffalo  

 


2006 05 02, a message from Kilissa Cissoko

Hi everybody...near and far!

Read about the upcoming Buffalo Mamapalooza Festival on Buffalo Rising.com
http://www.buffalorising.com/home/archives/2006/04/mamapalooza_roc.php#more

and you can also check out Buffalo's Mamapalooza Fest on MySpace: www.myspace.com/mamapaloozabuffalo

I'm very psyched to be doing a solo set of my new songs on Saturday, May 13, around 2:00 in the afternoon. There will also be a lot of very talented Buffalo moms rockin'! (Friday night too)
The Langston Hughes Center is at 25 High Street, about a block up from Main near the Allen Street subway station-and across from Buffalo General Hospital.

And...also upcoming... I'll be doing original songs at the Coffeehouse of Consciousness at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Friday May 5, 7-10. (corner of Elmwood and West Ferry, Buffalo) 

Frank Zappa Music Festival - I play flute/sax and sing with Voice of Cheez Saturday, May 13--8 pm, (Nietzsche's, 248 Allen Street, Buffalo USA) see ya soon!

Kilissa

******************* kilissa.com ******************* voiceofcheez.com ********************  


2006 05 11

VOICE OF CHEEZ, FRANK ZAPPA MUSIC, SATURDAY MAY 13!!!

Here's the nice write up Jeff Miers gave us in the Buffalo News Gusto. Please spread the word. Sports Fans!!! Don't miss our show....we promise to keep the crowed posted on Sabres scores!!! (Go Buffalo!!!!)

CLUB CHATTER

JEFF MIERS
News Pop Music Critic

The Voice of Cheez performs Saturday in Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St. Call 886-8539 for more information.

Mother's Day tradition
It's that time again, folks. Time to tell Mom you love her, will be forever indebted to her for carrying you around for nine months while you kicked her rib cage with volition, forgive her for giving you a 10 p.m. curfew during your high school years. Get all of that out of the way and head down to Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St., for the annual Voice of Cheez Mother's Day Frank Zappa celebration. The band, led by guitarist supreme and Zappa afficionado Tom Fenton, has been perfecting its own take on Zappa's immaculate art for more than a decade now, and trust me, these guys and gals are in it for life. Expect bits from every dark and dusty corner of the Zappa oeuvre. (Hey guys, can you play "Orrin Hatch on Skis" for us this time? Seems strangely appropriate. I'm not quite sure why.)

In addition to the Voice Of Cheez - Fenton, George Olmsted, Doug Lambert, Kilissa Cissoko, Tina Peel and Cathy Carfagna - hear sets from Zappa freaks Doot and Anal Pudding. Dweezil Zappa is bringing his own celebration of his late father's work, "Zappa Plays Zappa," to Toronto in June, but there is no Buffalo date on the horizon. The Voice of Cheez just might be your only available avenue to Zappa-land this summer. Take it; it's a nice, smooth ride. Doors at Nietzsche's will open at 8 p.m. Saturday; $8 will get you in. Call the club at 886-8539 with questions.


2006 06 07

You can now scrutinize our performances of Frank Zappa's music on the Mothers Day 2006 FZ Fest. voiceofcheez.com/sounds It's only rock and roll...but we like it! ************************** www.voiceofcheez.com **************************

 


HOT MAMAS SONGWRITERS

SATURDAY, JULY 1

Three of Buffalo's hottest women songwriters... together on one stage at Nietzsche's.

Noa Bursie

Kilissa Cissoko

Annette Daniels Taylor

Rocking, bluesy, hip-hop, jazzy, soulful, ethereal, poetic, nuanced...

From Harold Arlen to Ani DiFranco, songwriters are the life-blood of Buffalo´s original music scene. On July 1st, three outstanding artists, Noa Bursie, Kilissa Cissoko and Annette Daniels Taylor, will join forces in what promises to be one of the hottest concerts of the summer!

 

 


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.


2007 04 24

Frank Zappa Alert

 The fine folks at Voice of Cheez are at it again.... transparently transmitting, transmuting, transforming, translating, transposing and transmogrifying (oh, what a lovely word!!!)....the transonic music of Frank Zappa. It shall be transpiring, Friday, May 18, 2007. We hope you will transport yourself (and many friends) to a little ole bar we like to call Knee-cheez...248 Allen Street, Buffalo. 10 pm (our regrets to early birds).

See the lovely poster attached (a Dave Meinzer original!). Please spread the word(s).

 


2007 08 31

Hey there!... check it out... I found a cool mp3 player for my website from ReverbNation.com (anybody can get one...it's free)

Still working on the CD... little by little... held up by frustrating computer hard-drive and software issues this summer!... I am NOT ready to go back to teaching!!!

In the meanwhile... listen here:

http://www.kilissa.com/pages/music.html

feedback always appreciated!

peace & love!

Kilissa

2007 12 30

Wow! I cranked today... and finished posting my Flute Recital...from 1986. Here's the WHOLE BLESSED THING--including a suite of pieces I composed for Flute & Piano!
http://www.kilissa.com/pages/FluteRecital.html 
Enjoy! Kilissa

***************UPCOMING PERFORMANCES*********************** 

I'M PLAYING TWO SHOWS w/ THE BAND IN JANUARY DANCE ALIVE!
- FRIDAY, JANUARY 4th
Dance Alive! is an all-ages community event held on first Fridays every month in the Elmwood Village. Come be part of the festivities. *Drum circle from 6-7 (BYOD). *Dance and Listen to live music by the Bloodthirsty Vegans band - original/rock/reggae/hip-hop (two sets, 7 and 8:30). *Open Mike from 8-8:30. Alcohol-free refreshments. Kids activities. Sliding scale donation ($5-10), kids & teens free. In the Parish Hall of the UU Church of Buffalo, 695 Elmwood Ave. at West Ferry. Open to the public!

SPECIAL EVENT
- THURSDAY, JANUARY 17
UJIMA THEATER presents...
Kilissa Cissoko plus Bloodthisty Vegans Band w/ MyRapNameIsAlex
Thursday, January 17, 8-9:30 pm 545 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY Tickest $10, Box Office: 716-883-0380 Wine and Other Refreshments Available

 **********************www.kilissa.com*************************************


2008 01 15

Ujima concert

Hi friends!

I just got back from rehearsal this evening in the Ujima Theater Loft-where I'll be performing with my band this Thursday evening. Wow! I am so musically inspired. It's truly a beautiful, intimate space. The acoustics are among the best in Buffalo. So I really hope you can make it to the show and share this very special evening with me. I'll start with a solo, acoustic set-featuring some new tunes. Then we'll get the band on stage and give a preview of the CD we're in the process of recording! I'm really looking forward to Thursday. If you can't be there-please spread the word for me, send your good vibes, etc.

Thanks!
Peace!

Kilissa

***************UPCOMING PERFORMANCES***********************

SPECIAL EVENT - THURSDAY, JANUARY 17
UJIMA THEATER presents...

 Kilissa Cissoko plus Bloodthirsty Vegans Band w/ MyRapNameIsAlex Thursday, January 17, 8-9:30 pm Theater Loft o 545 Elmwood Avenue (near Utica), Buffalo, NY Tickets $10, Box Office: 716-883-0380 Wine and Other Refreshments Available

 **********************www.kilissa.com*************************************


2008 02 07

Podcast Interview Now Online

The WBFO 88.7 FM podcast interview from my Ujima show in January is now available online
- Buffalo Avenues Vol. 17 (2/4/08).

 I hope you can check it out. It was fun to do. I've gotten tons of great feedback-lots of people have heard it. The power of radio!!! If you use iTunes, you can subscribe to the Buffalo Avenues podcast by using the pulldown menus (Advanced/Subscribe to Podcast...) then just paste this URL in the box: http://publicbroadcasting.net/wbfo/podcasts/9604.xml or find the Podcast links here:
WBFO XPoNential Buffalo Avenues:
http://www.wbfo.org/xponential/ba-about.php3

SUBSCRIBE TO BUFFALO AVENUES PODCAST W/ THIS URL:
http://publicbroadcasting.net/wbfo/podcasts/9604.xml

MORE INFO, & DIRECTIONS ABOUT SUBSCRIBING TO PODCAST:
http://www.wbfo.org/podcast/

If you have trouble with any of this, let me know and I'll email you an MP3. 

Peace! Kilissa

***************UPCOMING PERFORMANCES*********************** 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15
I'm playing flute and singing some backups for Jason Pfaff's CD Release / Multi-Media Concert "Battle Battle"
Friday, February 15, 7 pm Villa Maria College Auditorium 240 Pineridge Ave
more info: myspace.com/jasonpfaff

PeopleArt-
Friday, February 29, 9:00 PM
My next solo show is at People Art - a "classic" coffeehouse hearkening to the 1960s! (The same people may even be running it!). It's housed in the basement of Unity Church. A wonderfully intimate venue! Free parking behind the church. Use rear entrance. 1243 Delaware Ave, Buffalo NY (just South of Millard Filmore Hospital).

DANCE ALIVE! -
FRIDAY, MARCH 7
Dance Alive! is an all-ages community event held on first Fridays every month in the Elmwood Village. Come be part of the festivities. *Drum circle from 6-7 (BYOD). *Dance and Listen to live music - Bloodthirsty Vegans: original/rock/reggae/hip-hop (two sets, 7 and 8:30). *Open Mike from 8-8:30. Alcohol-free refreshments. Kids activities. Sliding scale donation ($5-10), kids & teens free. In the Parish Hall of the UU Church of Buffalo, 695 Elmwood Ave. at West Ferry. Open to the public!

 **********************www.kilissa.com*************************************


From: the voice of cheez
2008/05/31

Cheez Tracks

Available free for a limited time only
(aka, until ordered to cease and desist... or until we have another show to share, whichever comes first):
Live, unadulterated, traks by Voice of Cheez:


from:
"Mother May I... Play The Music of Frank Zappa?"
a "non-dramatic" music performance covered by ASCAP club licensing... plus extemporized comedic antics (all original cheez)...
recorded live at Nietzsche's, Buffalo
May 17, 2008
It's a "board mix"... so there's a few spots where the sound is glitchy... but... enjoy what you will.
Download "courtesy" mp3s for your personal use....right-click...or control/option click...
Find it here:
http://www.voiceofcheez.com/sounds.html

Page includes lovely band photos (they can't take that away from us!)
PS. 
UPCOMING VOICE OF CHEEZ PERFORMANCES:

2008/06/15 – Voice of Cheez – concert "Allentown Art Festival”, Buffalo
Sunday, June 15th
for the Allentown Art Festival
Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St, Buffalo
One set only: 6 - 6:45 pm

2008/08/07 – Voice of Cheez – concert ‘Lafayette Tap Room’, Buffalo
Thursday, August 7
Lafayette Tap Room
391 Washington Street, Buffalo
We play after the Zappa Plays Zappa free concert at Lafayette Square (that show runs 6-10 pm)


2008/06/15 – Voice of Cheez – concert " Allentown Art Festival”, Buffalo
2008/08/07 – Voice of Cheez – concert ‘Lafayette Tap Room’, Buffalo


a message from the voice oF cheeZ:

Cheez unplugged
2007 06 27

Now you can see Voice of Cheez "Unplugged" on You Tube.

We did this...for fun... a few years ago... (2005?)...on WKBW Channel 7's Offbeat Cinema show. Just three of us could make it for the taping--so we did acoustic versions. Tina plays a mean bicycle!

Suzie Creamcheez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUdhv1cufqU&amp;feature=related

Uncle Remus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC0avkVy8Dk&feature=related

Our inspiration: FZ played the bicycle on the Steve Allen Show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj6fK8UqnqU

Links also accessible on the Cheez website:

www.voiceofcheez.com

Enjoy!


 


the others of invention

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 n   o   p   q   r   s   t   u   v   w   x   y   z
soundtracks various artists