Kosmik Radiation Radio - Dec 21, 2012 Playlist

Happy Zappa Day!
Frank Vincent Zappa (1940-1993)

The "modern day composer" was born Dec 21st, 1940

CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
The Mothers (Frank Zappa) "The Grand Wazoo" 1972 (USA)

Today is Frank Zappa's 72nd birthday, and one of my favorite of his 1970's albums is this mostly instrumental "big band jazz fusion" record from 1972. The previous year, Zappa had suffered through the making of his first movie (200 Motels struggled through budget limitations, the musician's union and departing band members; it bombed in theaters) and a disasterous tour which included a fire in Switzerland that destroyed the band's equipment (inspiring Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water") and the worst incident of Zappa's performing career, when a "fan" pushed him off the stage and he broke his leg and neck. So by the beginning of 1972 Zappa had no working group and was confined to a wheelchair for several months. During this time, he changed direction completely -- no more "vaudeville comedy rock", just instrumental jazz-rock-classical fusions played by studio pros like Jim Gordon and Ernie Watts. Although he would return to more rock-based "comedy music" before long, The Grand Wazoo is one of his finest "serious" records.
Frank Zappa videos tend not to last long on Youtube (and I don't think the band that recorded this album ever got filmed anyway), so here's some tunes from "Wazoo" performed by other artists -- "The Grand Wazoo" by the Ed Palmero Big Band (one of the top Zappa repertory groups), "Blessed Relief" by Zappa Plays Zappa (Frank's son's repertory group), and some guy playing a very impressive solo classical guitar arrangement of "Cleetus Awreetus Awrightus". Finally, Frank Zappa's biggest celebrity moment was actually due to his daughter -- here's Frank's only Top 40 hit as performed by Moon Unit Zappa and the Solid Gold dancers (one of the weirdest moments from one of the cheesiest TV shows of the 1980's!)

(N) = New Release

Artist	Song	Album	Year (label)	Country
Frank Zappa	Waka/Jawaka	Waka/Jawaka	1973	USA
The Mothers (Frank Zappa)	The Grand Wazoo	The Grand Wazoo CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK	1972	USA

Frank Zappa (with The Mothers featuring Flo & Eddie)	Sofa (live)	Swiss Cheese Fire!	rec. 1971, rel. 1992	USA
James Brown (died on Christmas 2006)	Soulful Christmas	Soulful Christmas	1968	USA
Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band	Brickbats (original version)	Bat Chain Puller (N - previously unreleased "lost" album)	1976 (2012 Zappa Vaulternative)	USA

Geronimo Black (with ex-Mothers Jimmy Carl Black & Bunk Gardner, and future Zappa/Beefheart guitarist Denny Walley)	An American National Anthem	Geronimo Black	1972	USA
Redbone	Things Go Better...	Redbone	1970	USA
The Factory (future Mother Lowell George, produced by Frank Zappa who also plays piano and sings backup vocals)	Lightning-Rod Man	Lightning-Rod man	rec. 1966, rel. 1993	USA
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (actually a Mothers track, produced by Frank Zappa)	The Blimp	Trout Mask Replica	1969	USA

Frank Zappa (with The Petit Wazoo Orchestra)	Farther O'Blivion (live)	Imaginary Diseases	rec. 1972, rel. 2006	USA
The Soft Machine	We Did It Again (live)	Noisette	rec. 1970, rel. 2000	UK
Don Preston Trio (ex-Mothers keyboardist)	The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue (Frank Zappa)	Transformation	2001	USA
Deerhoof	To Fly Or Not To Fly	Breakup Song (N)	2012 (Polyvinyl)	USA
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti	Is This The Best Spot?	Mature Themes (N)	2012 (4AD)	USA
Tame Impala	Endors Toi	Lonerism (N)	2012 (Modular)	Australia
Black Moth Super Rainbow	Windshield Smasher	Cobra Juicy (N)	2012 (Rad Cult/French Kiss)	USA

Scott Walker	The Day The "Conducator" Died (An Xmas Song)	Bish Bosch (N)	2012 (4AD)	USA/UK
Don Preston, Andrea Centazzo & Mitteleuropa Orchestra	Escape #5	Escape From 2012	2011	USA/Italy
Jean-Luc Ponty (arrangement and guitar solo by Frank Zappa)	How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That	King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa	1970	France/USA
Dr. John	My Children, My Angels	Locked Down (N)	2012 (Nonesuch)	USA

Frank Zappa (with The Mothers featuring Flo & Eddie and the London Philharmonic Orchestra)	Strictly Genteel (The Finale)	200 Motels (original soundtrack)	1971	USA