The Grand Wazoo
This 1972 album continues the mostly-instrumental, jazz-rock thread of Zappa's work, which began with HOT RATS and continued with WAKA/JAWAKA. It's a big-band setting this time, with lots of improvisation, with big brass, woodwind and percussion sections. Sal Marquez, in particular, shines on trumpet. Zappa-philes will also recognize names like Aynsley Dunbar, Don Preston and George Duke.
The five lengthy tracks include the witty "Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus," the intricate title track, the rock-edged "For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)," and the more lyrical "Blessed Relief." Packaging includes a Zappa narrative that gives these tracks their conceptual continuity. Zappa was temporarily giving his satirical side a breather (it would return in due time on OVER-NITE SENSATION) and making some of his more ambitious, if often overlooked, instrumental work. Thirty years after "Grand Wazoo" was released, it remains as much a stunning example of Zappa's uncompromising musical vision now as it did then.
Although it is accurate to say that it continued the Jazz explorations of "Waka Jawaka" or deserves to be compared with "Hot Rats" as one of Frank's most accomplished instrumental albums, this alone does not paint the full picture of what this album has to offer. "Grand Wazoo" is an astonishinng work of melodic inventiveness and orchestration, each of its tunes can leave you breathless with their wealth of ideas and ironic genius.
Zappa, as praised as he has been, remains deserving of further acknowledgement. What do I mean? This guy belongs to a very small and selected group of American composers without whom it would be literally impossible to think of American music, period.
Zappa -like Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington or Miles Davis, to name a few- in their own ways, were ... are! ... artists who transformed the musical genres they cultivated, and made them something they have never been before.
In Zappa's case, the amazing satirist he was or the tremedous guitar player he could be, often, overshadowed the seminal composer and arranger he's always been. This album does the latter complete and unarguable justice.
The five lengthy tracks include the witty "Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus," the intricate title track, the rock-edged "For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)," and the more lyrical "Blessed Relief." Packaging includes a Zappa narrative that gives these tracks their conceptual continuity. Zappa was temporarily giving his satirical side a breather (it would return in due time on OVER-NITE SENSATION) and making some of his more ambitious, if often overlooked, instrumental work. Thirty years after "Grand Wazoo" was released, it remains as much a stunning example of Zappa's uncompromising musical vision now as it did then.
Although it is accurate to say that it continued the Jazz explorations of "Waka Jawaka" or deserves to be compared with "Hot Rats" as one of Frank's most accomplished instrumental albums, this alone does not paint the full picture of what this album has to offer. "Grand Wazoo" is an astonishinng work of melodic inventiveness and orchestration, each of its tunes can leave you breathless with their wealth of ideas and ironic genius.
Zappa, as praised as he has been, remains deserving of further acknowledgement. What do I mean? This guy belongs to a very small and selected group of American composers without whom it would be literally impossible to think of American music, period.
Zappa -like Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington or Miles Davis, to name a few- in their own ways, were ... are! ... artists who transformed the musical genres they cultivated, and made them something they have never been before.
In Zappa's case, the amazing satirist he was or the tremedous guitar player he could be, often, overshadowed the seminal composer and arranger he's always been. This album does the latter complete and unarguable justice.
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