Zappa Plays Zappa
This will get you addicted to the music of Frank Zappa. Dweezil is the real deal; he plays guitar like no one around right now!!! Saw him 3times last week (including Halloween), 7 times in last 3 years - and he rocks!!!
This CD is just great, the song selections are excellent - but - don't buy it!!! DO NOT BUY THIS CD!!! Find the Zappa Plays Zappa Fan Pack - so you don't get this nice selection, you get the entire concert (2 DVDs and 3 CDs). There is so much AMAZING stuff in that concert it should not be missed buying this scaled-down version. If you are only going to buy a single-CD, then ok, buy this one, but you'll be back for the other, I promise.
Dweezil rips up FZ music in "like Frank", he does not try "to be Frank", he is Dweezil, and sometimes I think he is even a better guitarist than Frank; hard to believe. He plays it "like Frank" so you won't ever feel like you are just hearing a great cover band - he truly covers the music, the small things others would overlook and never know about. Just can't be explained, not in words anyway.
Then comes the rest of the band - Joe on drums, forget it, he just cooks; Sheila on sax - WOW!!!!; Billy on the percussion, what a nice guy, and can he hit those things; Aaron on keyboards, and all sorts of stuff, to much fun; Jamie on rythm guitar - forget him, he could be fronting Led Zeppelin he is so good; and Pete on bass, when he does his solo and plays that thing like a 6string guitar your mouth will hang open. Napolean Murphy Brock - can't say enough about him (Ray White tours now with Dweezil, and is absolutely incredible as Napolean is). The CD also has some stuff with Steve Vai and Terry Bozio ... Vai on Zomby Woof - WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, that's why you want the DVD, you have to see him to really appreciate what he's playing, doing.
And as if that weren't enough, Dweezil brings in Steve Vai, the man who actually taught him to play guitar (dad was too busy I guess, and didn't want to "work" while with family). As you can imagine, much of this generous show's second half is devoted to some scorching guitar battles, particularly on "Montana", "Zomby Woof" and "Trouble Every Day". Earlier on, we are treated to a stunning improv section in "Pound for a Brown", where Dweezil sheds his guitar and conducts the band with a series of secret hand signals. This is one of the more magical moments when you KNOW you're witnessing a genuine Zappa concert.
Don't approach this video expecting a sort of nostalgic experience.... unless you define "nostalgia" as a time in the past, where artists had the unmitigated audacity to intrude upon rock audiences with truly exciting, challenging, thought-provoking and perversely fun music. It's still there, and will continue to be so, as Dweezil Zappa has stated his intention to continue the legacy of his extraordinary father's music.... minus the Winstons, of course. DZ may not have the same edge as FZ did, though this could work in favor of the music, which may have not enjoyed sufficient reach in the past due to how many felt about Frank's personality. Whatever. To paraphrase the composer (who refuses to die): Zappa isn't dead, he just smells younger.
This CD is just great, the song selections are excellent - but - don't buy it!!! DO NOT BUY THIS CD!!! Find the Zappa Plays Zappa Fan Pack - so you don't get this nice selection, you get the entire concert (2 DVDs and 3 CDs). There is so much AMAZING stuff in that concert it should not be missed buying this scaled-down version. If you are only going to buy a single-CD, then ok, buy this one, but you'll be back for the other, I promise.
Dweezil rips up FZ music in "like Frank", he does not try "to be Frank", he is Dweezil, and sometimes I think he is even a better guitarist than Frank; hard to believe. He plays it "like Frank" so you won't ever feel like you are just hearing a great cover band - he truly covers the music, the small things others would overlook and never know about. Just can't be explained, not in words anyway.
Then comes the rest of the band - Joe on drums, forget it, he just cooks; Sheila on sax - WOW!!!!; Billy on the percussion, what a nice guy, and can he hit those things; Aaron on keyboards, and all sorts of stuff, to much fun; Jamie on rythm guitar - forget him, he could be fronting Led Zeppelin he is so good; and Pete on bass, when he does his solo and plays that thing like a 6string guitar your mouth will hang open. Napolean Murphy Brock - can't say enough about him (Ray White tours now with Dweezil, and is absolutely incredible as Napolean is). The CD also has some stuff with Steve Vai and Terry Bozio ... Vai on Zomby Woof - WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, that's why you want the DVD, you have to see him to really appreciate what he's playing, doing.
And as if that weren't enough, Dweezil brings in Steve Vai, the man who actually taught him to play guitar (dad was too busy I guess, and didn't want to "work" while with family). As you can imagine, much of this generous show's second half is devoted to some scorching guitar battles, particularly on "Montana", "Zomby Woof" and "Trouble Every Day". Earlier on, we are treated to a stunning improv section in "Pound for a Brown", where Dweezil sheds his guitar and conducts the band with a series of secret hand signals. This is one of the more magical moments when you KNOW you're witnessing a genuine Zappa concert.
Don't approach this video expecting a sort of nostalgic experience.... unless you define "nostalgia" as a time in the past, where artists had the unmitigated audacity to intrude upon rock audiences with truly exciting, challenging, thought-provoking and perversely fun music. It's still there, and will continue to be so, as Dweezil Zappa has stated his intention to continue the legacy of his extraordinary father's music.... minus the Winstons, of course. DZ may not have the same edge as FZ did, though this could work in favor of the music, which may have not enjoyed sufficient reach in the past due to how many felt about Frank's personality. Whatever. To paraphrase the composer (who refuses to die): Zappa isn't dead, he just smells younger.
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