Z
The ZFT has happily seen fit to make generally available (that means, available to us) a lot of items that were previously available by mail only from the ZFT. And at lower prices too!
"The live band featured on the recording included Lady Bianca on vocals, who only toured with Zappa's band for a few weeks in the fall of 1976. One cut from this concert ("Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station") was released on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 in 1992. Prior to the release of Philly '76, no...
Label Zappa
“Witnessing Frank Zappa's 1978 big touring band (featuring, Zappa, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, Arthur Barrow on bass, Ed Mann on percussion, Tommy Mars on Keyboards, Denny Walley on second guitar, Peter Wolf on second keyboards and Ike Willis on guitar and vocals), the 3,000 seat venue in the Mid-Hudson Centre, Poughkeepsie, NY - in the heart of the Hudson valley - played host to a diverse, virtuosic and musically offensive performance on September 21st that year, which is still reflected on and talked...
Label Smokin'
"By the closing months of 1981 Frank Zappa had already released five albums during that productive year. Three of these records were his instrumental guitar collections - Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar, Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More, and The Return of the Son of Shut up 'n Play Yer Guitar - initially sold via mail order but later released through CBS. There was also the live double Tinseltown Rebellion and the 2-LP studio set You Are What You Is, released in September. Zappa also hit the road...
Label Goldfish
UPC 823564636320
Ladies and Gentlemen: Watch Ruth!
"Roxy and Elsewhere is arguably Zappa's best live album. It features what was, for my tastes, the best lineup of musicians he ever shared a stage with: Napoleon Murphy Brock, Bruce and Tom Fowler, Ruth Underwood, the demon-fingered George Duke, and several others you can read about in the liner notes. (Anybody who enjoyed this cast of characters should also check out the studio album One Size Fits All.)
Zappa is comfortable and at ease with his audience on...
Label Zappa
One of the most sought after and wished for archival releases finally squeaks out into the world *only* 42 years after being shot.
The story apparently is that there were terrible sync issues AND speed fluctuations on the original film stock between the visual and the audio and it has taken until today's technology for them to be able to make this a quality product.
All of this is undoubtably true, but the good news is that you would never, ever know from watching this that there were...
Format Type Blu-Ray
Region Coding All Region
Label Eagle Vision
Frank Zappa (guitar); Warren Cucurullo (guitar, electric sitar); Steve Vai, Denny Walley, Ike Willis, Ray White (guitar); Jean-Luc Ponty (baritone violin); Tommy Mars, Peter Wolf, Eddie Jobson, Bob Harris, Andre Lewis (keyboards); Arthur Barrow...
Label Zappa
"Analog transfer by Joe Travers 2012. Source: Original 1977 analog master. Mastered by Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering, 2012."
What does this mean? It means that for the first time it is issued in it's excellent and actually quite GLORIOUS instrumental form on CD, without the vocals that somehow ended up overdubbed on two songs when this was first issued on CD. This is a great one. Highly recommended.
Label Zappa
As near as I can tell, this is simply the soundtrack of the DVD of the same title. It's a shame that they didn't just release the elusive TV show.
"All tracks are previously unreleased on CD and with the exception of the "Token" Vamp, appeared..
Label Zappa
One of Frank’s greatest and also most loved works, now HUGELY expanded with basically every morsel included and 5 CDs of unheard stuff.
“Limited six CD set. The Hot Rats Sessions box set celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest albums in the history of recorded music. The original 1969 Frank Zappa album was the first record to be recorded on a prototype 16-track tape machine.
Self-described as a 'Movie For Your Ears,' it was technically the second solo outing for the composer..
Label Ume
"This little CD of twenty-nine tracks from Frank's Utility Muffin Research Kitchen from his home/basement in the Hollywood Hills really serves as a mini-autobiography of his life and works. How may a composer's life's works be condensed onto a single, shiny plastic disc? Well, it can't, but FZ gave us a taste of what his life's works were all about: Let's just say the "good, bad, and ugly" of it. Yes, tracks 4 and 5 are genuine "booger stories," and who doesn't recount such sophomoric stories of one's...
Label Zappa
"Of all the Frank Zappa tours, the spring of 1975 is the most unusual and frustrating. The performances could range from absolutely exhilarating to rather drab with slopping renditions of composed "core" pieces like "Advance Romance" and "Willie The Pimp" played in the midst of brilliant improvisations by Zappa, Captain Beefheart and the other musicians in the band. Add to this the paucity of really good recordings, and the frustration is obvious. As a radio broadcast however this is the best sounding...
Label Smokin'
UPC 823564649726
"Seven CD live archive release. Zappa Records presents The Roxy Performances. A box set that contains the motherlode of all things Roxy. All four public shows from December 9 and 10 1973, remixed in 2016 and presented in their entirety for the first time. Also included is the sound check from December 8th and bonus content that features rehearsal nuggets and unreleased tracks along with highlights from the recording session at Bolic Studios that took place in conjunction with the filming dates."
Label Zappa
"Given his reputation for musical experimentation, snarky humour and love of controversy, it was generally expected that during the early years of the 1970s chart success would remain an elusive ingredient for the Frank Zappa catalogue. However, high sales of two mid-'70s albums - Over-Nite Sensation (1973) and Apostrophe (1974), which hit 31 and 10 respectively on the Billboard chart - reversed this former trend, and in turn pushed Zappa into the big league commercially. Following his dissolving of the....
Label Zip City
UPC 823564680224
After Frank was thrown from the stage in London and broke his leg very badly, he was stuck in a wheelchair and couldn't tour for about 9 months. As Frank was always working, he decided to indulge himself in two larger-scale projects that wouldn't be practical to tour with, but were personally interesting to him.
Waka/Jawaka was the first of the two, and for it he assembled a 'small big-band' and did something along the lines of 'big band Mothers'. It's a pretty great album overall, and it's fun to...
Label Ryko
On December 10, 1971, Frank was attacked while performing and pushed off the stage and fell all the way into the concrete orchestra pit of the theatre. He was very badly injured and was confined to a wheelchair for much of 1972 while he recuperated. But although he was immobilized, he did what he always did; he wrote copiously!
“During this time, he managed, among other things, to assemble an ensemble that quenched his thirst and desire to work with a large “Electric Orchestra.” Ultimately, a 20...
Label Universal Japan
Fantastic archival release in really very fine sound considering that this is a 20 piece band and just had to be a nightmare to sonically capture. This is one of only 8 shows performed by the 20 piece Mothers of Invention/Grand Wazoo band and is the...
Label Vaulternative
Originally a double lp, here it all is complete on 1 CD.
"Actually, I don't like You Are What You Is in its entirety, but the parts of it that I like are so good that I thought I couldn't give the album less than full five stars. To me, You Are What You Is is a strange album. To me, it would have been a LOT better if it contained just two sides - second and fourth. Two suites ("Society Pages" to "Conehead" and "Heavenly Bank Account" to the end) are THE BEST the mighty Frank have done in the...
Label Zappa
“While most of the other volumes in the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series would be compiled around loose themes (whether topical or historical), this first volume contained a little of everything for everyone. The material spans most of Frank Zappa's career, from 1969 live recordings by the original Mothers of Invention (the medley "Let's Make the Water Turn Black/Harry, You're a Beast/The Orange County Lumber Truck" constitutes a highlight) up to the 1984 tour, with about every incarnation of...
Label Zappa
“The member line-up of this overdub-free concert (edited/combined from 22/23 September 1974 shows), is one of Frank's and many other fan's favorite Zappa bands: Napoleon Murphy Brock: saxophone, flute, vocals; George Duke: keyboards, vocals; Ruth Underwood: percussion; Tom Fowler: bass guitar and future Genesis drummer Chester Thompson on, yes: drums. Most of these ultra-skilled musicians were responsible for the manifestation of Zappa's musical ideas on Roxy & Elsewhere, Apostrophe, Over-nite Sensation....
Label Zappa
Most of You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 is devoted the 1984 band which, at the time of this set's original release, had not been properly documented. Most of the material comes from late-'70s/early-'80s albums like Sheik Yerbouti, Joe's Garage, and You Are What You Is.
Label Zappa
“This edition follows the same premise of Volume 1, in that it spans Zappa's whole live career, without any apparent underlying theme. Where Volume 2 is only from the 1974 Helsinki Concert, Volume 3 is focused on the vocal abilities of the 1984 touring band, Volume 5 contrasts the original Mothers Of Invention (1965-1969) with the 1982 touring band, and the first disc of Volume 6 is focused on sexual themes, with the finale (disc two) being odds and ends to wrap it all up, this is a pot-pourri going...
Label Zappa
“After finishing the YCDTOSA series, it wasn't hard to realize number 6 is the best. This release in the series has, likely, the finest jams and audience participation segments Frank ever did. There are some great renditions from 200 Motels. The best of which is a masterful performance of "Strictly Genteel" taken from one of the live shows in New York. Other standouts or "The Illinois Enema Bandit", "Thirteen", which may be one of the finest FZ songs. With Shankar on the electric violin it proves to be...
Label Zappa
"You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 is a double disc collection of live recordings by Frank Zappa, spanning from December 10, 1971 to December 23, 1984. It was released in 1989.
"Sharleena" had been previously issued as a flexi disc in Guitar Player magazine. All the songs on disc one are by the 1984 band (except for brief segments of "Drowning Witch" edited in from the 1982 tour). Disc two includes performances from various years including a section of "King Kong" taken from the December...
Label Zappa
Frank on tour and hot and sweaty with a relatively small band – and in the case of him at the Mudd – in a very small club.
LOTS of ripping solos by FZ.
Zappa '80: Mudd Club/Munich combines 2 historical performances from the 1980 spring/summer tour. The first is a set at FZ's favorite NYC nightclub, the famous Mudd Club, presented from a hi-res transfer of the original master tape.
The second, from Olympiahalle in Munich, is the first-ever direct-to-digital live stereo recording of Zappa
Label Zappa
“Frank Zappa's fall 1975 touring schedule brought him to two cities in Yugoslavia, marking the first and only time he played shows in that country. This 2-CD set combines performances from both shows, recorded live in Zagreb on 11/21/75 and Ljubljana on 11/22/75. Re-mixed from the original 1/2" 8-track tape masters by Craig Parker Adams and mastered by John Polito, this historical release is the only multi-tracked document of this particular rare band line-up in the Vault.”
“This release takes...
Label Zappa
“The first posthumous archival release from the 1988 touring band focuses on the historical last show Frank Zappa ever played in the U.S. The live concert material is taken from Uniondale, NY; Providence, RIandTowson, MD newly remixed from the 48-track digital master tapes. It features the first official release of "The Beatles Medley" along with over 25 unreleased performances and liner notes by FZ's drummer, Chad Wackerman and Vaultmeister, Joe Travers.”
“This 2-CD set has been advertised as....
Label Universal
“In 1976, Frank Zappa played four historic sold-out concerts at The Palladium in New York City the week between Christmas and New Year's.
In celebration of it's eventual release in 1978, Zappa In New York is being released as expanded anniversary editions to commemorate the album's recent 40th anniversary. Overseen by the Zappa Family Trust and produced by Ahmet Zappa and Vaultmeister Joe Travers. The collection, which will be housed in a limited-edition metal tin shaped like a NYC street manhole...
Label Zappa
This has one disc of the 1981/82 band:
Ray White – guitar, vocals
Steve Vai – guitar
Tommy Mars – keyboards, vocals
Scott Thunes – bass guitar
Chad Wackerman – drums
Ed Mann – percussion
Bobby Martin – saxophone, vocals, keyboards
the last track on this CD ends with Zappa's anger at some audience members tossing cigarettes on stage; after a warning to stop was not obeyed, the disc ends with Zappa stating, "Houselights! Concert's over!"
and one disc of the origin
Label Zappa
"Analog transfer 2012 by Joe Travers and re-mastered by Doug Sax 2012. All track times identical to the Ryko version but audibly different." What does this mean? It means I'm gonna take it home this weekend and give it a good, hard listen!
The Mothers' 2nd album, recorded in 1966, and unbelievably assured and nervy. Includes the two "underground oratorios" as well as both sides of their contemporary 'smash flop single' "Big Leg Emma" and "Why Don't You Do Me Right". 'The beginnings of...
Label Zappa
The very last of the old Mothers' albums to be reissued on CD, I waited and waited, and finally! This is a really good one, and was the next to last by the Mothers Of Invention.
This includes some of his finest compositions (Holiday In Berlin, Aybe Sea) some fun goofing around (WPLF, Valarie) and the lengthy and impressive The Little House I Used To Live In, which combines some impressive and *hard* written sections with large 'blowing' sections, featuring some especially good work from Sugarcane...
Label Zappa
The very first album by Frank and the Mothers, recorded in early 1966. I'm not actually that big of a fan of this album, considering how much I love what came next, but it's still a really brave, striking and unique album for 1966.
"One of the most ambitious debuts in rock history, Freak Out! was a seminal concept album that somehow foreshadowed both art rock and punk at the same time. Its four LP sides deconstruct rock conventions right and left, eventually pushing into territory inspired by...
Label Zappa
Frank Zappa / Ray Collins / Roy Estrada / Don Preston / Ian Underwood / Bunk Gardner / Motorhead Sherwood / Jimmy Carl Black / Billy Mundi
Recorded live at Konserthuset, Stockholm, Sweden on 9/30/67, this excellent radio recording from the Mothers' first European tour, first surfaced on a bootleg entitled 'Tis The Season To Be Jelly. This bootleg was later made part of the official 'Beat The Boots" series.
Out of print in any form for over a decade, it comes back now just as nice as it ever was...
Label Keyhole
"Analog transfer by Joe Travers 2012. Re-mastered by Bob Ludwig Gateway Mastering 2012." That means that the album is re-edited back to it's original form, as found on the original 1970 vinyl release for the VERY first time!
The final Mothers album was this fantastic but strange collection of unreleased studio and (mostly live) work from 1967-1969, contained in one of the greatest and most shocking rock and roll album covers of all time (rzzzz!).
It took me years to figure out that Frank was...
Label Zappa
This was the album that introduced me to 'funny music' and literally changed my life and is why I am at the computer writing descriptions of music to you and releasing records by other 'funny music' artists nearly 50 years later.
I distinctly remember being handed this album by a trusted friend in 10th grade with the admonition to be sure to listen to this album this evening, which I duly did without enthusiasm...until the 1st notes came out.
Immediately, it was like a door opened up to a....
Label Zappa
"2011 transfer of a digital master. Track times identical to the Ryko edition. The booklet has been folded differently to restore the Sgt Pepper parody as the front cover."
The Mothers' 3rd album, recorded in 1967, and unbelievably assured and...
Label Zappa
UPC
John Etheridge-guitar, Steve Lodder-keyboards, Annie Whitehead-trombone, Teena Lyle-percussion, vibes, Ben Castle-saxes, Paul Jayasinha-trumpet, Rob Statham-bass, Mike Bradley-drums. Track listing: 1. Harry You're A Beast / Oh No / Theme From Lumpy Gra...
Label Jazzprint
UPC 825947100527
A sorta harmolodic/Curlew-style approach to instant composition, led by drummer Steve Harris ("who came to improvisation via r'n'b, blues, outrock & jazz"), formerly of UK free/funk band Pinkski Zoo. With Cathy Stevens-viola/6 string 'violectra', Geoff...
Zapping from jazz to pop to songwriter classics to contemporary composition, cabaret, folk (such as her unforgettable performance, both recorded and live in concert, on Banda Ionica's Matri mia project), Chritina Zavalloni confirms herself as an artis...
Label Felmay
Cool and weird African electronica; well worth a hearing for folks attuned to the often surprising and interesting stuff pouring out of Africa; kind of like a Zazou/Bikaye for the 20’s...
SHORT:
“Rarely heard Tanzanian gogo music meets slick electronic production, for a borderless but powerful fusion sound. The Wagogo people are Msafiri's traditionally nomadic tribe from the center of the Tanzania, known for their musicality and made famous by Hukwe Zawose - Msafiri's father, who toured the..
Label Soundway
“Geographies was one of Hector Zazou's first ventures into an odd genre he would linger in for much of the next two decades: the soundtrack for an imaginary film. Mixing in influences from all across the stylistic spectrum, Zazou leavens the ingredients with an overriding sense of calm and even languor, his moody scores possessing a warm, humid quality. The pieces here are performed by what is essentially a chamber orchestra augmented by singers.
Listeners familiar with his forays into Afro-funk...
Label Crammed / Made to Measure
"After years out of print, Crammed Discs is proud to make available this exceptional album conceived and directed by Hector Zazou, originally released by the label in 1991, and also featuring John Cale, Bill Laswell, Tim Simenon (Bomb The Bass)...
Label Crammed
UPC 876623005520
"An unsurpassed milestone in European/African fusion, this is a head-on collision between traditional Central African vocals and uncompromising analog electronics. Resulting from a torrid encounter between Zairean singer Bony Bikaye, Algerian-born...
Label Crammed
Earlier album from this 4 piece Polish electric jazzband (trumpet, alto sax, electric bass, drums) led by trumpeter Zdunek.. All of the playing is excellent. [Mogz]
Label Mogz
“Incredibly unique concept album from the one and only, Tom Zé. As featured in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Brazilian Albums of all-time list (2007). One of Ze's finest albums in our opinion, originally released by Continental Brazil in 1976 - a tough one to find at a good price in it's original form now.
'Estudando do Samba' (or 'Studying The Samba') is a post-Tropicalia studio experimentation laiden with layers of hypnotic percussion, effects & samples that deconstructs the 'samba' form...
Label Mr Bongo
"A dynamic and powerful band out of Canada, Zebrina brings Jewish music into the 21st century with their brilliant second CD. Featuring Ben Goldberg on clarinet, “Hamidbar Medaber” is one of the most exciting and successful blending of modern jazz with...
Label Tzadik
UPC 702397818229
"YYZed. Zed Leppelin. Zed and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. He Zed, She Zed. We don’t know where Zed came from, but we do know they play a fresh brand of progressive instrumental jazz fusion. Zed push themselves even further in a live setting...
Label Tonart
Reinhold Friedl – direction
Frank Gratkowski - flute, clarinets
Hayden Chisholm - flute, saxophone
Hild Sofie Tajford - French horn
Hilary Jeffery – trombone
Reinhold Friedl - harmonium, piano
Didier Aschour – guitar
Maurice de Martin – drums
Lisa Marie Landgraf – violin
Biliana Voutchkova – violin
Elisabeth Coudoux – violoncello
Ulrich Phillipp – doublebass
“Second volume of "modern composition supergroup" (The Wire) Zeitkratzer's re-interpret
Label Zeitkratzer
What a great idea! These are wonderful albums and Ralf und Florian won't let us hear them. So, you can hear Zeitkratzer do them!
And this is wonderfully performed by a 10 piece chamber-ish ensemble, showing that great music can be played by any instruments.
"Karlrecords celebrates its tenth birthday, and Zeitkratzer celebrate their 20th with necessary re-interpretations of early compositions by electronic pioneers Kraftwerk. Founded in 1997 by Reinhold Friedl, Zeitkratzer have since been...
Label Karl
UPC 4250137262994
"About 10 years after their first, critically-acclaimed performances of Lou Reed's adventurous album, Zeitkratzer presents an audacious new interpretation of this 20th century avant-garde classic. Here, for the first time ever, all four parts of Metal...
Label Zeitkratzer
UPC 4250137262864
Miguel is a young, rising, award-winning alto saxist. The music here on his fourth album is modern jazz with just a touch of electricity (there's a bit of Fender Rhodes). Basically a quartet of sax, piano, bass and drums, with a few guests, this offers...
Label Marsalis Music