The Friday Morning Listen

First posted on Mark Is Cranky:

I'm getting near the end of Barry Miles' most excellent (if a little uptight) bio of Frank Zappa. As you would expect, it's kinda sad as details are recounted of Frank's decline due to terminal prostate cancer.

The approach of the end had some interesting effects on Zappa. In particular, it seemed to bust a hole in his wall of loner-ism. Partly a way to "cheer Frank up", his wife Gail began to invite folks over for dinner, Margueritas and music-making. Near the end of his life, Frank made some interesting (for Frank) friends including Paddy Malone of the Chieftains and Tom Jones. Yes, the Tom Jones. Jones' version of "The Tennesee Waltz" appearing on the Chieftains Long Black Veil was recorded at Zappa's home studio, the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen.

One of the goals Zappa had throughout his life was to see some of his 'classical' works moved from the paper to the orchstra. He wanted to hear what all those dots sounded like. Perhaps the most successful Zappa orchestral event was The Yellow Shark. The music was played by the Ensemble Modern, an outfit known for their willingness to attempt the most brutal of scores. If you give Shark a listen, you will hear them play (and humanize) one of my favorite Zappa Synclavier pieces, "G-Spot Tornado". I tell ya, it's a thing of beauty.

So yesterday, I went out for a drive to get lunch. It has been mind-numbingly cloudy and rainy in the Northeastern US for most of the spring: but yesterday's bright blue sky and crisp, dry air made an extended lunch pretty much mandatory. After scarfing down a most yummy egg salad on wheat, I made a visit to a local emporium-du-CD's. It's a little store, so I didn't expect much in the Zappa bin. I was right, except for this way cool Ensemble Modern disc, Ensemble Modern plays Frank Zappa. Subtitled "Greggery Peccary & Other Persuations", the CD features a nice selection of music from way back when ("Revised Music For Low Budget Orchestra" and the featured "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" (Lather), "Peaches En Regalia" (Hot Rats) to 'modern day' Frank ("The Beltway Bandits" from Jazz From Hell and "A Pig With Wings" from Civiization Phase 3).

I can't say that this record would be a good introductino to what Zappa's all about, but...if you think that Frank was just a novelty tune guy, the Ensemble Modern will correct that in a hurry.

Article Author: Mark Saleski

Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. He is an editor and writer for Jazz.com. He also writes reviews for Blogcritics.org and produces the weekly feature The Friday Morning Listen. …

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