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Frank Zappa's Jazz Legacy Refuses to Die

By Ludovico Granvassu | Mondo Jazz
December 13, 2018
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Frank Zappa

guitar, electric
1940 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Zappa may have said "jazz is not dead, it just smells funny" but looking at his life and music one does not get the impression that he really believed that jazz was decomposing or dying a slow death.

On Freak Out, one of the most impressive debut albums of all times, he included a list of 179 people that had influenced him, including jazz luminaries like

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus,

Cecil Taylor

piano
1929 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Taylor,

Eric Dolphy

woodwinds
1928 - 1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Dolphy and

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

woodwinds
1935 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Rahsaan Roland Kirk (with whom Zappa would end up playing two years later in a famous impromptu collaboration at the 1968 Boston Globe Jazz Festival). Over the years he hired countless musicians with stellar jazz credentials and collaborated with heavy-weights like

Archie Shepp

saxophone, tenor
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Archie Shepp,

Michael Brecker

saxophone, tenor
1949 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Brecker or

Al Di Meola

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Al Di Meola, among others. Most importantly, his work incorporated jazz elements and largely prefigured jazz-rock. So, perhaps, that funny remark about jazz was a lovingly snarky joke by an artist whose sarcasm was as marked as his musical talent, rather than a literal criticism.

This week we revel in the beauty of the jazzier side of Zappa's vast repertoire checking out not only some of his recordings but also how the jazz world has embraced his genius.

Happy listening!

Playlist

Ben Allison
bass, acoustic
b.1966
" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Allison "Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00
Frank Zappa
guitar, electric
1940 - 1993
" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Zappa "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" from The Lost Episodes (Rykodisc) 0:17
Host talks 4:13
Colin Towns
piano
" data-original-title="" title="">Colin Towns & The NDR Bigband "Willie the Pimp" from Frank Zappa's Hot Licks (And Funny Smells) (Rent a Dog) 7:00
The
Ed Palermo
saxophone
" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Palermo Big Band "Sleep Dirt" from Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance (Cuneiform) 9:22
Mike Mainieri
vibraphone
b.1938
" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Mainieri "King Kong" from An American Diary (NYC) 14:52
Host talks 20:30
Stefano Bollani
piano
b.1972
" data-original-title="" title="">Stefano Bollani "Eat That Question" from Sheik Yer Zappa (Decca) 22:11
Frank Zappa
guitar, electric
1940 - 1993
" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Zappa "Black Napkins" from You Can't Do That (Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (Zappa) 25:54
Daniele Sepe
saxophone
" data-original-title="" title="">Daniele Sepe & Rote Jazz Fraktion "Peaches en regalia" from Suonarne 1 x educarne 100 (Il Manifesto) 31:07
Host talks 34:58
Woody Herman
band / ensemble / orchestra
1913 - 1987
" data-original-title="" title="">Woody Herman "America Drinks and Goes Home" from Thundering Herd (Fantasy) 37:47
Le Bocal "Little Umbrellas" from Oh No!...Just Another Frank Zappa Memorial Barbecue (Chant du Monde) 41:09
Riccardo Fassi
" data-original-title="" title="">Riccardo Fassi Tankio Band "G Spot Tornado" from Riccardo Fassi Tankio Band Plays Zappa (The Return of the Fat Chicken) (AlfaMusic) 48:49
Host talks 56:47
David Kikoski
piano
b.1961
" data-original-title="" title="">David Kikoski "Oh No" from Surf's Up (Criss Cross) 58:44
Zach Brock
violin
b.1974
" data-original-title="" title="">Zach Brock "Twenty Small Cigars" from Purple Sound (Criss Cross) 1:06:07
Javon Jackson
saxophone
b.1965
" data-original-title="" title="">Javon Jackson "Zoot allures" from A Look Within (Blue Note) 1:12:54
Host talks 1:21:06
Jean-Luc Ponty
violin
b.1942
" data-original-title="" title="">Jean-Luc Ponty "How Would You Like to Have a Head Like That" from King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa (Blue Note) 1:23:37
Zappatistas "Harry You're A Beast / Oh No / Theme From Lumpy Gravy (Medley)" from The Music Of Frank Zappa Absolutely Live (Jazzprint) 1:31:23
Host talks 1:38:24
Flat Earth Society
band / ensemble / orchestra
" data-original-title="" title="">Flat Earth Society "Random Riffs" from Terms of Embarassment (Igloo) 1:40:51
Anais Drago
violin
" data-original-title="" title="">Anais Drago & The Jellyfish "Zappa Changes" from Anais Drago & The Jellyfish (Another Music) 1:44:58s
Host talks 1:49:55
Asphalt Orchestra
band / ensemble / orchestra
" data-original-title="" title="">Asphalt Orchestra "Zomby Woof" from Asphalt Orchestra (Cantaloupe) 1:52:42

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