Customer Reviews
FZ On Jazz Fusion Steroids!
The latter is the best of the three. Three great Zappa jazz-fusion albums, Waka/Jawaka, Hot Rats and Grand Wazoo. All three are must-haves if you want to explore Zappa. Another must-have is Jazz From Hell but it's a challenging listen! There's one more must-have. Apostrophe is one of those rare instances where pop meets superb composing and musicianship. Much of Zappa material became silly anti-establishment expoitation and goofyness. Some of it became very popular and FZ made a fortune from it. More power to him I say!!.
Is This Phase II of Waka Jawaka?
Anyway, in my humble but all important and all knowing opinion, The Grand Wazoo (with its glorious 21 piece jazz orchestra) and Waka Jawaka simply represent the best of Zappa's material from the 70s. I'm a big Zappa fan (actually saw the Roxy band in 1974 - eat your heart out). Ok, we can throw Roxy and Elsewhere and Bongo Fury in there as well. Sure, Zappa had bands that sounded this good, most notably the Make A Jazz Noise Here band - but for some reason, this music just sounds more organic than that final touring band (which he regarded as his best band ever). There are 5 tracks on Grand Wazoo and they are all great. I have a particular fondness for the title track and the closing track, Blessed Relief. If you want to hear Zappa at his very best, you want The Grand Wazoo and Waka Jawaka. 'Nuff said. .
The Grand Wazoo
Now, and really even during his career Frank Zappa was mostly known for his satirical comedy in his lyrics and his vituosic guitar playing which is fine and good because he was amazing at both, however Zappa was also one of the greatest arrangers of classical and jazz that the world has ever known, as well as one of the most inventive and innovative, and that is often disgarded and overlooked, and The Grand Wazoo does a wonderful job of showing all of showing all of Zappa strong suits. Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention-The Grand Wazoo *****
A previous reviews have stated Frank Zappa belongs to a select few composers of jazz that surpass all the rest and are among some of the most talented musicans ever, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Frank Zappa.
The Grand Wazoo was released in 1973 as part of the tilogy of albums begining with the legendary classic Hot Rats, continuing with the brilliant Waka/Jaka, and concluding here with The Grand Wazoo. While not the overwelming classic that Hot Rats is this is far superior in composistion and form. More mature and thought out even though most of this is 'free form/improv' though not much was ever improv with Zappa other then guitar solos. While this is more orchastral then Hot Rats it is more like Waka/Jawaka, and once again this album is superior in all the techincal ways of playing and composition and form, however the other two albums in the genra are favorites above this one. Doesnt make since does it. See while this one is most innovative and revolutionary it does not compare to the other albums as a whole.
Zappas playing as far as guitar playing goes is nothing short of breath taking here, not that it ever is, but this album shows a more adventurous nature to Zappas playing one that had not been heard by him before and he had tried after The Grand Wazoo but was never able to reach this level of experimentation with such success again.
As composing goes this is possibly his strongest album in that area. The songs, well piecces of music rather are so of his most original and interesting. The time signatures and molodic lines and harmonies are out of this world. Zappa was really on a role with The Grand Wazoo.
Aside from Zappa himself Sal Marquez owns the trumpet here and shines like never before or since. This album may contain the most talented and cohesive group of musicians ever assembled together to play on a Zappa album, which explains the incredible results. Aynsley Dunbar, Don Preston and George Duke all in the same room playing together. . . are you kidding, there is no way this album would be anything short of phenonomal!
For jazz fans and Zappa fans alike this is an album not to pass up. This is the album Miles Davis wishes he would have made with Bitches Brew!.
. You can see a complete list of all Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention discography, or go back to the Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention tabs
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