Here is an interesting link which outlines the players in Zappa’s band during 1973 – 1974. Really useful when working out who is playing on bootlegs in particular.

The Mothers of Invention – 1973-1974.

“Lord Peter Mandelson, the UK’s First Secretary of State, has introduced a bill to grant himself (and future politicians) the power to re-write Britain’s core copyright legislation with almost no Parliamentary debate, using fast-track secondary legislation. If you’re in Britain, call your MP now, and tell him or her that no Secretary of State should be able to rewrite copyright law on a whim!”

Read the rest of this post via the link below. This is important information regarding how organisations such as ZFT can operate in future

UK Alert: Stop the Pirate-Finder General! | Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Just found out about a Zappa tribute band I have not heard of. Really great mix of tracks such as Muffin Man and King Kong – worth listening to.

Peach Noise – french Zappa cover band on Vimeo on Vimeo

via Peach Noise – french Zappa cover band on Vimeo.

Here is an interesting blog on a recent performance of the ‘The Black Page No 1′ being played as part of a show at the Tyneside Theatre in Newcastle (My home town). The author mentions that the work attempted to capture the essence of a failed creative collaboration of Frank Zappa and Salvadore Dali – what a prospect! Anybody see it?

The Journal of Edward Cookson: Introduction to ‘The Black Page’ Premiere.

My last post regarding the ‘Black Page’ on piano (minus thumbs!!) made me think about ‘keyboard’ versions of the piece. Here is a synclavier version of the piece on you tube. I can’t find any official history of this recording – and would be interested if anyone knew anything. Also – does anyone know any of any piano versions (with thumbs!).

Here is a great story of how Mr Zappa had a tendancy to reduce musicians with the wrong attitude to the humble place they should have been in the first place. Excellent.

Bobby Owsinski’s Blog: Frank Zappa And The Black Page.

Here is a great example of TMOI in 1968 challenging listeners regarding the stylistic orientation of their music. Contains some amazing Zappa conducting, rock grooves, jazz visuals, and vocal madness. Zappa’s conducting alludes to ‘high art’, yet his image is that of a rock musician – the combination of which is exactly what makes his music so difficult to classify. Why is there no music like this around today???? I would be interested if there was any difference regarding the extent to which the band could get away with their ‘Art Music’ exploits in other parts of the World. For example during the 1960’s – did they have different sets for the UK, Mainland Europe and the States.

I have a chapter in a new book on popular music released in December 2009. Published by Cambridge Scholar Publishing, it discusses the undertated influence of electric guitarists on the jazz aesthetic, and a sample can be found here (not my chapter unfortunately).

Check out this link regarding how crazy the procedure is to obtain an entertainment licence in the UK is.

BBC News – Britain’s Got Talent star Faryl lands HMV in trouble.

Not directly related to my Zappa work, but I have just submitted an abstract for a book chapter on the importance of listening when engaging in musical creativity. The info is copied below, and at some point it would be interesting to apply what I have learned to the listening practices of Zappa and his band. As always – interested in any thoughts anyone has.

An Emic and Etic Analysis Of The Impact Of Creative Listening When Recording And Performing With The James Taylor Quartet

Dr Paul Carr

University of Glamorgan

This chapter proposes to explore the creative listening roles employed by myself and other band members when working with the ‘Acid Jazz’ ensemble The James Taylor Quartet (JTQ). The chapter will specifically focus on the years 1989 – 1990, during which time the band recorded their 2^nd album Get Organized (Polydor Records 1989) in addition to undertaking several European tours, releasing two mini albums, a promotional video and a single. It is proposed that my dual role today as both an ex band member and academic will enable a unique opportunity to analyse factors such as the impact of creative listening on the progressive development of compositions, arrangements, productions and performance paradigms. Gioia’s (1988) comment that ‘jazz musicians cannot look ahead at what [they are] going to play, but can look behind at what [they] have just done’[1] is pertinent, and this chapter will apply this philosophy by including my own and others reflections on the creative listening process. As noted by Keith Sawyer (2007), ‘all innovations result from a collaborate web’, and the epistemological means through which listening is an essential aspect in the group creative process will be discussed, drawing on personal reflection, interviews with colleagues and academic insights from the likes of Copeland,[2] Cahn,[3] Sawyer [4] and Clarke.[5] At the moment, it is envisaged that the chapter will be constructed to progressively examine research questions that have particular relevance for performing musicians/composers, including -

• How do musicians employ listening to recreate ‘pastiche’ sounds of the past?
• How and why do musicians incorporate listening skills to integrate authenticity into their work by ensuring specific sounds, styles, production techniques and performance conventions comply with the canon?
• How does creative listening impact group composition and performance activities?
• How does creative listening impact group and individual improvisation?

As JTQ have a wide range of commercial recordings from this period, both live and studio based, the chapter will also include textual and phenomenological analysis of specific compositions, arrangements, productions and improvisations.

[2] Aaron Copland, Music and imagination (Harvard University Press, 1980).

[3] William L. Cahn, Creative music making (Routledge, 2005).

[4] Robert Keith Sawyer, Group genius (Westview Press, 2007).

[5] Eric F. Clarke, Ways of listening (Oxford University Press US, 2005).