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Frank Zappa

The Grand Wazoo

 

This 1972 album continues the mostly-instrumental, jazz-rock thread of Zappa's work, which began with HOT RATS.

This album appeared within the same year as WAKA/JAWAKA and continued Zappa's exploration of the possibilities for composing and arranging material for a big band with a hefty brass and reed section.

Both albums were produced during the period in which he was recuperating from injuries sustained when he was thrown from the stage during a London concert the year before.

THE GRAND WAZOO still sounds like a fresh and equal marriage of Zappa's already developed and apparent musical sensibilities with large ensemble jazz writing. The vocal numbers utilise the singing as another melodic line, and are knitted into the whole fabric rather than laying on top.

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."

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.