Had a big Zappa re-appraisal phase in the last couple of months, so expect a few more posts. Here's over an hour of jaw-dropping musicianship and low-brow comedy based mostly on live recordings from December 1973. With some of Zappa's greatest ever musicians on board, including Ruth Underwood, Chester Thompson and George Duke, Roxy captures the jazz fusion Mothers at their finest - never better IMO than in the pairing of Echidna's Arf (Of You) and Don't You Ever Wash That Thing. Some of the humour might be dated, but the music is timeless from start to finish. Village Of The Sun, a genuinely sweet (but still oddball) rumination on Zappa's formative years, might be my favourite thing here.
Link(s) updated July 2021!
pw for both: sgtg
Previously posted at SGTG:
Fairly common knowledge that this was of the main reasons Phil called Chester for the Genesis gig.
ReplyDeleteYep, the drum duet in Don't You Ever Wash That Thing IIRC. It does sound awesome - and apparently even better on the original mix (or that might just be Cheepnis). Must track down that Zappa Records CD at some point.
DeleteWelcolme Back, Alan! (I just found out).
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you dont know it already, give a try to You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Vol.2: same year, same line up (without Ralf Humphrey, just Chester Thompson) at the very end of that tour. The band was playing that music at double speed and so tight. It still amaze me after 25 years i got that album.
I'll need to check that one out - thanks!
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