Audio CD review:
Frank Zappa - Jazz From Hell

Frank Zappa - Jazz From Hell

Band: Frank Zappa Title: Jazz From Hell Rating: Release Date: 02 May, 1995 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Night School 2: The Beltway Bandits 3: While You Were Art ll 4: Jazz From Hell 5: G-Spot Tornado 6: Damp Ankles 7: St. Etienne 8: Massaggio Galore

Customer Reviews Very clever - but almost no soul Certainly the vast majority of Jazz fans will NOT like this. This is not going to be to everybodys taste. Its also likely that a lot of Zappa fans will not like it either. This is music produced on a synclavier, an early computer musical instrument. Musically very complicated, with Zappa playing quarter tones and complicated rhythms. Repeated listens will reveal some marvellous moments particularly on the St. Etienne which as previous reviewers have commented has a great guitar solo. This is the one track that does have some soul. However the rest did leave me feeling a bit cold. So overall this is really a curates egg of an album, that some may like and as the title suggests others may hate! . Jazz...not for jazz snobs! It's perfect iPod fodder for those times when you want some background music, but not something that will distract you with lyrics or monotonous melodies. This album is a total trip. A title like G-Spot Tornado says it all. Sometimes frantic but definitely not boring. And this is way off base from what you normally expect from Zappa, no Bobby Brown Goes Down, Jewish Princesses, Catholic Girls or Yellow Snow. Not sure what to think at first but with repeated listens I find myself liking it more. An acquired taste for the ultimate acquired taste artist! . One of "THE" Frank Zappa records The Synclavier actually sounds quite good, and I cant imagine real musicians playing "While You Were Art II". Possibly one of the best records made in the 80's (at least that I have heard). This machine allows for a huge stereo imagine and extremly difficult composing to be done without the budget of an orchestra in order to take the time to learn/rehearse/perform these compositions. "G-Spot Tornado" (probly one of his most catchy instrumentals) was done with an full orchestra on "Yellow Shark", and suprisingly enough the "Jazz From Hell" version holds it own next to the full orchestra. "The Night School" and "Beltway Bandits" have also been recorded by the Ensemble Modern plays Frank Zappa. An essential part to any Frank Zappa or music collection. . . You can see a complete list of all Frank Zappa discography, or go back to the Frank Zappa tabs