The Friday Morning Listen

Part of: Friday Morning Listen

We Saw a Bozo Under the Sea - Zoot Horn Rollo

It's a good thing I bought my dad a nailgun for his birthday, because it's been raining up here in the northeast for what seems like the better part of a week. We're having the wood delivered today so as to get an early jump on the ark-building project tomorrow morning. Somehow, "We Saw a Bozo Under The Sea" just sorta fit.

Rollo (real name: Bill Harkleroad) was the guitar player in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band for several albums including: Unconditionally Guaranteed, Clear Spot, Spotlight Kid, Lick My Decals Off, Baby and of course, the ultimate in weird & unique music fun: Trout Mask Replica.

Rollo's album here isn't nearly as weird as I expected it would be. It's an all-instrumental 'jazz' record that every so often tosses out Zappa elements here, Marc Ribot chunks there. A track or two get a little too close to the F-word for me (like Larry Coryell, maybe) but taken as a whole it's a fine listen.

(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)

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Article Author: Mark Saleski

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

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  • 1 - Antfreeze

    Apr 02, 2004 at 11:37 am

    Bought this the moment it came out. Zoot has more creativity in a single passage than most guitarists can put on an entire album. Every lick is so unique. Pretty cool to send your money directly to the artist too. He even signed my packing. I do miss lyrics though, even though I usually don't hear them till the 13th listen. Man I miss the Captain. Thanks Mark for drawing attention to these deserving musicians.

  • 2 - Antfreez

    Apr 02, 2004 at 3:51 pm

    And by the way, I just spent half my "work" day on mark is cranky. Don't stop, great stuff.

  • 3 - Mark Saleski

    Apr 02, 2004 at 4:04 pm

    heh, sorry about that.

    and thanks.

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