Onderwerp: the big nOte, June 28, 2000
links: captain beefheart, the residents, frank zappa and lots of others
* latest info on zappa & previous big nOtes: check the "black page"
website:
*
*
* * sunday, july 2nd 2000, on dutch 'Nederland 3' television: "The Big
Note - The Present-Day Composer Refuses to Die"
* I saw little parts of this during the "Spilling the Beans" event in
amsterdam, few weeks back, and it looks very promising. This special will
last about one hour and is about Zappa's influence on contemporary (pop)
music.
*
* I said it last time: the holland festival goes zappa, and they sure
did !
*
* the ensemble modern was just great!! goosebump all over.
* the metropole orkest performance was fun. big band zappa;
* spilling the beans was a huge surprise: highlights were the
classical ensemble with guests (corrie van binsbergen & bruce fowler);
classical piano (duo) performances of a.o. perdo's dowry, bob in dacron /
sad jane. minor thing (flat third, as some might say) was the way too noisy
perfomance opera by acephale); pitty thing was the fact that one had to
chose between certain programs, making it impossible to get to see & hear
the whole lot. but quite a night (& a great opportunity to meet up with
some other melomaniacs)
* and 200 motels was superb, to say the least.
*
* corrie & de grote brokken performed 'present from hell' in tilburg,
holland, a little while back. the show sounded a lot better than the one in
breda. great gig! it made me take the family to the "elastiek muziek
festival" in hilvarenbeek, holland, to catch them again. it was yudjin's
(my son) first time that he attended a concert - got to mark that somewhere
:-) . Present From Hell will be turned into a 2cd later this year. I can
hardly wait.
*
* the holland festival got a nice dutch tv-intro-show including corrie
van binsbergen and her grote brokken as well as a fine interview with co de
kloet. video and audio (cdr) copies of this 2000/06/03-show are
circulating.
let's kick off with some new 'vai-data':
* bad 4 good: nineteen
(1992, cd5"-pro, usa, interscope records prcd 4720)
remember thomas mcrocklin? guitar whizz, discovered by steve vai?
steve also produced, arranged & engineered his first album. at the time,
'nineteen' was released as a promo.
* lisa popeil: lisa popeil
(1983, lp, usa, popeil records pl 1001)
almost twenty years old, this album. lisa popeil did some zappa
vocals. this is her first (and only) solo album. it features steve vai on
guitar & sitar. I like it. it sounds a bit eighties, but the vocals are
very fresh & joyful. nowaday, lisa is into vocal training videos etc.,
although she contributed to an album by Weir Al Whatsisname.
* lisa popeil: primo man
(1983, 12", usa, popeil records pl 501)
yes, you got it rigt. taken from the above mentioned album, this
12" includes 'primo man' and 'you can't take it away'. hard-to-find little
dittie.
* steve vai: 4 FM radio show
(2cdr)
Broadcasted may thirteen and twenty, 4FM (on dutch radio 4) brought
a steve vai special: an interview and the complete nijmegen concert that
took place march 7, 2000. I went to the brussels concert myself, and that
was really good, so I was quite pleased when I found out that the nijmegen
concert was to be broadcasted. comparing them, I'd have to say that the
brussels one was better - but I'm glad I could listen to this one as well.
* munetaka higuchi with dream castle: free world
(1997, cd, japan, bmg bvcr-781)
A couple of years old, already, this album, but it did take me a lot
of effort (and custom taxes) to finally be able to put in the cd-player.
The album itself is OK. It does feature Steve Vai and Terry Bozzio (reason
enough for me to investigate it) but the first couple of songs had me
worried. Some monotone kind of heavy american orientated rock that
immediately brings hords of head-banging fans to my mind. Fortunately, from
track four on, the album gets quite good. NIce guitar work & drums, very
tight stuff, it's just those first three tracks...
* steve vai: live from seoul, korea 2/97
(cdr-boot)
cdr bootleg: an audio version of the tv-show steve vai did in korea
in february 1997. haven't seen it, but it sounds really great.
most of you have already heard of "merrell and the exiles", merrell
fankhauser's pre-"mu" band that included jeff cotton (and later also john
french). a couple of years ago, a retrospective cd called 'the early years
'1964-1967' was released. more recently a newer (retrospective) vinyl album
has been added. The band is supposed to have released only a few singles,
three of which were:
* merrell and the exiles: please be mine / too many heartbreaks
(1964, 7", usa, ??)
* merrell and the exiles: don't call on me / send me your love
(1964, 7", usa, ??)
* merrell and the exiles: can't we get along / that's all I want from you
(1965, 7", usa, ??)
Around 1967 the band changed its name to Fapardokly and recorded an album
with the same title
.
* fapardokly: fapardokly
(1967, lp, usa, uip lp-2250)
(1995, cd, usa, sundazed music - sc 6059) - reissue, with
three extra tracks
The retrospec releases:
* merrel and the exiles: the early years 1964 - 1967
(1993, cd, fr, legend music lm 9006)
* var.art.: desert island treasures
(1997, lp, usa, dionysus records ba-1116)
This latter one has "the impacts" on one side and "merrell and the
exiles" on the other one. The impacts was an instrumental surf band in which
merrell fankhauser played before he started with "merrell and the exiles".
Non of the albums includes all the singles, and the "desert island" album
has one exiles- track (a jam with james burton) that is not on "the early
years". Anyway, lots of fun if your going to the beach. All of the albums
and all (?) of the singles feature jeff cotton and / or john french.
* the mystery band: tasting the smell of light
(1989, 7", usa, mickey duck music)
I didn't know this, but tasting the smell of light is the first
release by the mystery band. it is a coloured vinyl 7", artwork by the
great savage pencil. the group's line-up includes ex-beefheart rick snyder
on bass and vocals.
* hans annellsson: one more time for the world
(1999, cd, sw, annellsongs anncd 6)
Hans annellsson covers zappa's 'uncle meat','king kong','the black
page' and 'oh no'. The album also features mats & morgan!
* gold dust: gold dust plays frank zappa
(cdr - 34 min)
drums & synth. and taking on some 10 zappa tunes. I had never heard
of this before. anyone got a clue to where they're from and when this was
recorded?
* zappa cliniquez
(cdr - 30 min)
incredible ! nothing less. I assume these recordings are from
around 1998, and it sounds really great. zappa cliniquez has a site on the
net somewhere. I've got to check this out.
* the residents: mark of the mole - premix
(cdr - 40 min)
* the residents: eskimo - outtakes
(cdr - 15 min)
actually, I never imagined that these sort of rez-things existed,
the residents being so obscure and all. but hey, to my surprise they do.
recording quality isn't optimal, and I should give 'm a closer listening,
but I'm glad they hit my mailbox.
* var.art.: ska chartbusters
(2000, 2cd, ger, wolverine records wrr 071/sc09)
'classic' rock-songs in a ska version. and not just 'we are the
champions' or 'the final countdown' but also zappa's 'dirty love' and the
turtles' 'happy together'.
* barbers & bishops: dancin' fool
(cdr - 7 min)
recorded from a dutch radio broadcast, the barbers & bishops (a
classic choir) take on zappa's dancin' fool and nina hagen's sie will ein
fisch im wasser sein. great stuff.
* musik und unterricht / heft 56
(1999, magazine + cd, ger, lugert verlag)
musik und unterricht is published four times a year. the
publication is intended for teachers (and students). Issue number 56
compares "we're only in it for the money" with "sgt.peppers" . it's a nice
article with great pictures. the cd contains 'absolutely free' (zappa) and
'lucy in the sky with diamonds' (da beatles) as audio examples. catalogue
as sampler.
* corrie en de grote brokken: brokstukken
(2000, cd, nl, self-published)
corrie's label went bankrupt so she had no choice: brokstukken is a
limited edition (about 500 copies) and contains some live & some studio
material. if you know corrie's music, you'll probably have this by now. if
you don't, you should look for it. essential stuff.
* chris abelen quintet: dance of the penguins
(1996, cd, nl, bvhaast cd 9608)
chris abelen on trombone, corrie van binsbergen on guitar, tobias
delius on tenor sax, charles huffstadt on drums & wilbert de joode on double
bass. contemporary jazz. verrrrrry nice.
* chris abelen quitet: what a romance
(1999, cd, nl, bvhaast cd 9913)
second album by the chris abelen quitet. same line-up. excellent
album.
* vingerhoeds, van binsbergen, niks & kool: wall works
(1994, cd, nl, bvhaast cd 9405)
I haven't got a clue what the title means, but it's a great album.
very contemporary, very jazzy.
* corrie van binsbergen's bits & pieces
(cdr)
bits & pieces consisted of 9 musicians. This cdr is a recording
taken from a fm radio broadcast: Bits & Pieces live at the jazzmarathon in
oosterpoort, holland, october 25, 1991.
* corrie van binsbergen: boy edgar prijs
(2cdr)
these 2 cdrs combine the various concerts that took place early 1999
when corrie received the boy edgar award. recordings taken from a radio
broadcast, = excellent quality; includes: corrie en de grote brokken, links,
brokken 5, het mondriaan strijkkwartet and vanbinsbergen. all including
corrie van binsbergen as musician / composer or arranger
.
* isthmus in irk: frigho toc peutke
(1996, cdr, bel)
oké, I'll try to tell you something about this. remember kangeroo &
phlitman and les chiens comiques? well, both of these groups had one common
factor: kim kangeroo. and so has this cd: "all tracks written by treesome
and kangeroo". the rest is rather unclear to me (but I do hope to receive
some more info on this part soon, right kim?). I can't really tell the name
of the band or title of the album, as it is all written in some language
from outer space. not that it's all that important (initially I thought it
was some sort of code and I tried to solve it), because my cd-player
recognized it. the music on the album is very fresh, showing a lot of
residents & zappa influences. It reminded me a lot of the weirdness one can
find with the rudy schwartz project, zoogz rift or john trubee. my favorite
tracks: 'broken girly bones' and 'fort laugh'.
* greg bissonette: submarine
(2000, cd, usa, favored nations entertainment fn2010-2)
released on vai's new label, this is greg bissonette's second solo
album. greg is a drummer and his brother matt plays bass (both currently
touring with satriani if I'm not mistaken) and they invite a lot of guitar
players to participate on to play with them, including satchmo and, of
course, steve vai. his first album was called:
* greg bissonette: greg bissonette
(1998, cd, shrapnel records sh 11162)
and also included steve vai on one track.
* warren demartini: crazy enough to sing to you
(1996, cd, jpn, polydor pocp-7190)
Ratt guitarist warren demartini, who also took part in zappa's
universe, was assisted by ahmet & dweezil zappa on this album: backing
vocals + dweezil on guitar. & co-produced by dweezil as well.
,br>
* robert riedt: you can't do that on stage anymore - the book
(2000, book, ger, self-published)
about 400 pages about zappa's stage-series: tracks, bands,
musicians, ... limited editions of 100 copies. beautiful.
* the persuasions: frankly a cappella - the persuasions sing zappa
(2000, cd, usa, earthbeat records r2 79832)
lots of zappa material on this one: lumpy gravy, anyway the wind
blows, electric aunt jemima, the meek shall inherit nothing, cheap thrills,
hotplate heaven at the green hotel, love of my life, you are what you is,
harder than your husband, find her finer, my guitar wants to kill your mama,
tears began to fall.
I like the idea a lot: thirty years ago zappa signed them to his label, and
now they pay tribute to the man. in my humble opinion, most of the songs
are a bit too up-tempo. I'd have gone for an easier, slower, more soulful
approach. featured guests: mike keneally on guitar (yep, a bit out of tune
with the vocal part), bruce fowler on trombone, and bobby martin on
falsetto.
* het metropole orkest: tribute to frank zappa
(2cdr)
Yep, here it is. the 2000/06/10 concert by het metropool orkest.
conducted by dick bakker, adaptations (& solo trombone) by bruce fowler.
quality audience recording.
it was a lot of fun & good to hear again. should be broadcasted on dutch
radio later this year (probably december 2000).
* bruce fowler: int. 2000/06/10
(cdr)
after the metropole orkest concert, bruce fowler was interviewed by
co de kloet. audience recording.
* mattias ia eklundh: freak guitar
(1999, cd, dk, thunderstruck productions tsp2163992)
if you're into serious guitar work, you'll love this. this is mattias
eklundh's first solo album and it's great. I bought it because it had 'the
black page' (fz) on it, but the entire album is excellent. & 'the black
page' as well. I don't think there are many players around that could do
this with 'the black page'. this will not be the last we hear of this guy!!
* the ebony band: spilling the beans
(cdr)
audience recording at the spilling the beans night in amsterdam:
ebony band, cond. werner herbers
ebony band & corrie van binsbergen: rev. music for el. g.
and low budget orch.
(f.zappa / arr.iman soeteman)
ebony band: bebop tango (f.zappa / arr. benedict weisser &
bruce fowler)
ebony band: number seven (f.zappa)
ebony band: america drinks & goes home (f.zappa / arr.werner
herbers)
corrie van binsbergen: I wasn't talking (III)
and some short bits to end with: * * * * * The Summit Hill Brass Quintet has
some Zappa pieces on their repertoire * * * * * calico winds has a cd out on
which they perform some zappa material. * * * * * and for a lot more news &
interviews and such, also check out the new and beautiful web-site by andy
greenaway:http://www.idiotbastard.supanet.com/you-call-that-news-\odyframe.htm
* * * * *
see ya,
peter van laarhoven
peter.vanlaarhoven@solvay.com
snail mail address:
welstraat 6
B - 2350 vosselaar
belgium
(Špeter van laarhoven - belgium)
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