Arthur Dyer Tripp III (born September 10, 1944) is an American retired

musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...

who is best known for his work as a

percussionist A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...

with the original version of

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...

's band the

Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as the Mothers) were an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band ...

during the 1960s and

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born 'Don Glen Vliet'; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as the M ...

and his Magic Band during the 1970s. Thereafter, Tripp retired from music. He attended an accredited chiropractic college in Los Angeles from 1980 through 1983, graduating with his Doctor of Chiropractic degree and later practising in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Early career

Arthur Dyer Tripp III was born September 10, 1944, in

Athens, Ohio Athens is a city in Athens County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 United States census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about southeast of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, Athe ...

. He grew up in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

. He started playing drums in fourth grade with school bands, then later while at high school at weddings, fraternity parties and dances. In the mid-1950s he studied drums with noted Pittsburgh jazz and big band drummer, Al Hammond. In 1959 he became a student of Stanley Leonard, a timpanist with the

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra is resident at Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. Since 2008, the orchestra's music director is Manfred Ho ...

, with whom he learned to play other percussion instruments, including the

xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Each bar is an idiophone tuned to a pitch of a musical scale, whether pentatonic or heptatonic in the case of many African ...

tympani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally ...

marimba The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the mari ...

, and dozens of others. In 1962, Tripp enrolled at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music to study percussion. His private teacher at the conservatory, Ed Weubold, was a percussionist with the

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cinc ...

(CSO). Tripp became a regular member of the CSO, performing with artists such as

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...

Isaac Stern Isaac Stern (July 21, 1920 – September 22, 2001) was an American violinist. Born in Ukraine, Stern moved to the United States when he was 14 months old. Stern performed both nationally and internationally, notably touring the Soviet Union a ...

Leonard Rose Leonard Joseph Rose (July 27, 1918 – November 16, 1984) was an American cellist and pedagogue. Biography Rose was born in Washington, D.C. His parents were Jewish immigrants, his father from Bragin, Belarus, and his mother from Kyiv, ...

, Jose Iturbi, Loren Hollender and

Arthur Fiedler Arthur Fiedler (December 17, 1894 – July 10, 1979) was an American Conductor (music), conductor known for his association with both the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston Pops orchestras. With a combi ...

. In 1966, the

US State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...

sent the orchestra on a 10-week world tour, which provided additional experience for the young musician. During this time, Tripp also played two seasons as timpanist with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, as well two seasons with both the Cincinnati Summer Opera and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. He was selected by avant garde composer

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and Extended technique, non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one ...

to work with him in performances and workshops when Cage became composer-in-residence at the Conservatory of Music. Tripp graduated in 1966 with a

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

degree and in 1967, accepted a scholarship to the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music a ...

in New York, primarily in order to finish a

Master of Music The Master of Music (MM or MMus) is, as an academic title, the first graduate degree in music awarded by universities and conservatories. The MM combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually performance in singing or i ...

degree, but also to expose himself further to contemporary music. His teacher was a former timpanist with the

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, n ...

, Fred Hinger. Hinger was at that time performing with the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

Orchestra as well as teaching there.

Later career

It was in New York that Tripp was introduced to

’s recording engineer, Richard Kunc. Kunc told Zappa about Tripp, who, he said, had the type of background and experience he thought Zappa was looking for. Tripp met Zappa and played for him at Apostolic Recording Studio in New York's

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...

. Tripp was soon hired to play with The Mothers of Invention and went on to record seven albums and perform numerous tours throughout the US and Europe. In early 1968, the band left New York after an 18-month stay and relocated to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

. A year later, Zappa disbanded the Mothers to pursue a solo career. Tripp appears on two albums compiled from recordings made before the dissolution of the Mothers of Invention: ''

Burnt Weeny Sandwich ''Burnt Weeny Sandwich'' is the seventh album by the American rock band the Mothers of Invention, and the ninth overall by Frank Zappa, released in 1970. It consists of both studio and live recordings. Following the Mothers' split in late 1969, ...

'' and ''

Weasels Ripped My Flesh ''Weasels Ripped My Flesh'' is the eighth album by the American rock group the Mothers of Invention, and the tenth overall by Frank Zappa, released in 1970. Following the Mothers' late 1969 split, Zappa assembled two albums - '' Burnt Weeny Sandw ...

'', both released in 1970. Meanwhile, Tripp had been discussing projects with occasional Zappa collaborator and long-time friend Don Van Vliet (a.k.a.

). He would later join Beefheart's group the Magic Band. At that time, he also recorded with Chad Stuart and Tarantula, played percussion on the ''

Smothers Brothers The Smothers Brothers were the American duo of brothers Tom Smothers, Tom and Dick Smothers, who performed folk singer, folk singing, music, and comedy. The brothers' trademark double act was performing folk songs (Tommy on Steel-string guitar, a ...

Summer Special'', and was offered a position in the pit orchestra for the stage show ''

Oh! Calcutta! ''Oh! Calcutta!'' is an avant-garde, risqué theatrical revue created by British drama critic Kenneth Tynan. The show, consisting of sketches on sex-related topics, debuted Off-Broadway in 1969 and then in the West End in 1970. It ran in ...

''. Tripp decided to move to northern California with the Magic Band. The move heralded a five-year period of recording and touring again throughout the US and Europe. During the same period he was asked, but declined due to his commitment with Beefheart, to do session work with former Magic Band member

Ry Cooder Ryland Peter Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, record producer, and writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in traditional music, and h ...

and saxophonist

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, violinist, and composer. He is best known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Ja ...

. Eventually, conflicts with Beefheart meant the rest of The Magic Band split off to compose and rehearse new music that was recorded on an album sponsored by the Jethro Tull organization, along with its drummer Barriemore Barlow and guitarist

Martin Barre Martin Lancelot Barre (; born 17 November 1946) is an English guitarist best known for his longtime role as lead guitarist of British rock band Jethro Tull, with whom he recorded and toured from 1968 until the band's initial dissolution in 201 ...

, called

Mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. It has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...

. However, by then Tripp had become dissatisfied with music. He returned to Pittsburgh to work in the insurance business with his father. After three years, realizing that selling insurance was not something he wanted to do either, Tripp decided to return to music. He went back to Los Angeles where he stayed with former Mothers bandmate

Ian Underwood Ian Robertson Underwood (born May 22, 1939) is a woodwind and keyboards player, known as a member of the original version of Frank Zappa's band the Mothers of Invention. Following the original band's split in late 1969, Underwood continued to w ...

and

Ruth Underwood Ruth Underwood (born Ruth Komanoff; May 23, 1946) is an American musician best known for playing xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, and other percussion instruments in Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. She collaborated with the Mothers of ...

, who also played extensively with Zappa, while he worked as a studio musician recording with artists such as

Al Stewart Alastair Ian Stewart (born 5 September 1945) is a British singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician who rose to prominence as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s. He developed a unique style of combining folk-rock songs wi ...

and various commercial producers. However, studio work proved to lack the allure of live performance and he once again lost interest in pursuing his career in music. After leaving music, Tripp became a chiropractor, graduating from Cleveland University-Kansas City and practices in Mississippi as of 2024.

Discography

Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention

*''

Cruising with Ruben & the Jets ''Cruising with Ruben & the Jets'' is the fourth album by the Mothers of Invention, and fifth overall by Frank Zappa, released under the alias Ruben and the Jets. Released on December 2, 1968 on Bizarre and Verve Records with distribution by MG ...

'' (1968, LP, Verve) *''

Uncle Meat ''Uncle Meat'' is the sixth album by the Mothers of Invention, and seventh overall by Frank Zappa, released as a double album in 1969. ''Uncle Meat'' was originally developed as a part of ''No Commercial Potential'', a project which spawned thre ...

'' (1969, 2LP, Bizarre) *''

'' (1970, LP, Bizarre) *''

You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 ''You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1'' is a double disc live album by Frank Zappa released in 1988 (see 1988 in music) on the Rykodisc label. It was the first of a series of six double CDs of live performances spanning Zappa's career. ...

'' (1988, 2CD, Rykodisc) *''

You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 ''You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4'' is a two-CD set of live recordings by Frank Zappa, recorded between 1969 and 1988, and released in 1991. Track listing All tracks written by Frank Zappa, except where noted. Personnel Music ...

'' (1991, 2CD, Rykodisc) *''The Ark'' (1991, CD, Rhino Foo-eee Records, R2 70538) *''Electric Aunt Jemima'' (1991, CD, USA, Rhino Foo-eee Records R2 71019) *''Our Man In Nirvana'' (1991, CD, USA, Rhino Foo-eee Records R2 71022) *'' You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5'' (1992, 2CD, Rykodisc) *'' Ahead Of Their Time'' (1993, CD, Rykodisc) *''The Lost Episodes'' (1996, CD, Rykodisc) *''Mystery Discs'' (1998, CD, Rykodisc) *''Road Tapes – Kerrisdale Arena, Vancouver BC, 25 August 1968'' (2012, CD, USA, Vaulternative Records ) *''Finer Moments'' (2012, CD, USA, Zappa Records) *''Wollman Rink, Central Park, NY, August 3, 1968'' (2014, CD, UK, Keyhole Records) *''Meat Light'' (2016, 3CD, USA, Zappa Records)

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band

*''

Lick My Decals Off, Baby ''Lick My Decals Off, Baby'' is the fourth studio album by American musician Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) and the Magic Band, released in December 1970 by Straight and Reprise Records. The follow-up to '' Trout Mask Replica'' (1969), it is ...

'' (1970, LP, Straight) *'' The Spotlight Kid'' (1972, LP, Reprise) *''

Clear Spot ''Clear Spot'' is the seventh studio album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band. It was originally released on LP album, LP in 1972 in a clear plastic sleeve. Production Beefheart's third album ''Trout Mask Replica'' established him as a criti ...

'' (1972, LP, Reprise) *'' Unconditionally Guaranteed'' (1974, LP, Mercury) *'' Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)'' (1978, LP, Warner) *'' Grow Fins'' (1999, 5CD, Revenant Records) *''Grow Fins Vol. III: Grow Fins'' (2001, 2lp, USA, Xeric) *''Railroadism'' (2003, CD, UK, Viper cd 015) *''Live at Bickershaw Festival'' (2007, cd, UK, ozitcd9006) *''Translucent Fresnel – Live 72/73 – The Nans True's Hole Tapes'' (2011, 2lp, UK, Ozit Dandelion Records LP 8008) *''Live From Vancouver 1973'' (2014, CD, UK, Gonzo gzo106cd) *''Rough, Raw and Zmazing'' (2015, 2lp, UK, Ozit Records) – "Record Store Day 2015" release. Limited edition on yellow vinyl

Others

* Tarantula: ''Tarantula'' (1968, LP, A&M) * Wild Man Fischer: '' An Evening With Wild Man Fischer'' (1969, LP, Bizarre/Reprise) *

Jean-Luc Ponty Jean-Luc Ponty (born 29 September 1942) is a French jazz and jazz fusion violinist and composer. He is considered a pioneer of jazz-rock, particularly for his use of the electric violin starting in the 1970s. He rose to prominence for his colla ...

: ''King Kong'' (1970, LP, World Pacific Jazz ST20172) *

: ''The Smothers Brothers Summer Show'' (1970, TV, ABC) *

: ''Mallard'' (1975, LP, Virgin Records V2045) *

: ''

Time Passages ''Time Passages'' is the eighth studio album by Al Stewart, released in September 1978. It is the follow-up to his 1976 album '' Year of the Cat''. Like "Year of the Cat" and 1975's ''Modern Times,'' it was produced by Alan Parsons. The album's ...

'' (1978, LP, Arista) *

Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...

: ''Loves You'' (1992, 3CD, RCA) *

Tim Buckley Timothy Charles Buckley III (February 14, 1947 – June 29, 1975) was an American musician. He began his career based in folk rock, but subsequently experimented with genres such as psychedelia, jazz, the avant-garde, and funk paired with his ...

: '' Live at the Troubadour 1969'' (1994, CD, French, Edsel Records) * Jefferson Airplane: ''

Crown of Creation ''Crown of Creation'' is the fourth studio album by the San Francisco psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane, released by RCA Victor in August 1968. The album saw the band continuing their development of psychedelic music, emphasizing acid roc ...

'' (2003, EU, CD, RCA)

Filmography

* ''Uncle Meat'' (1987) * '' The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels'' (1989) * ''

The Big Lebowski ''The Big Lebowski'' () is a 1998 crime comedy film written, directed, produced and co-edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. It follows the life of Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted ...

'' (1998) soundtrack "Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles" (1972) Captain Beefheart * '' Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: In the 1960s'' (2009)

References

Sources

*Geoff Wills, ''Zappa and Jazz – Did it Really Smell Funny, Frank?'', 2016 * Michel Delville and Andrew Norris, ''Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and the Secret History of Maximalism'', Salt Publishing, 2005 *Charles Ulrich, ''The Big Note: A Guide to the Recordings of Frank Zappa'', New Star Books, 2018 *Pauline Butcher, ''Freak Out! My Life With Frank Zappa'', Plexus Publishing Ltd., 2011 *

Jimmy Carl Black James Inkanish, Jr. (February 1, 1938 – November 1, 2008), known professionally as Jimmy Carl Black, was an original member of the Mothers of Invention, providing drums and vocals. He is known for introducing the songs “ Are you Hung Up?” a ...

, ''For Mother's Sake'', Inkanish Publications, 2013 *Frank Zappa with Peter Occhiogrosso, ''The Frank Zappa Book'', Poseidon Press, 1989 *Mike Barnes, ''Captain Beefheart: The Biography'', Cooper Square Press, 2000 & 2002 * Bill Harkleroad with Billy James, ''Lunar Notes'', SAF Publishing Ltd., 1998 * John “Drumbo” French, ''Beefheart: Through the Eyes of Magic'', Proper Music Publishing Ltd., 2010 *John Robinson, ''Dropouts Boogie'', Uncut Magazine, IPC Media, September, 2012 *Art Tripp, ''Zappa vs. Beefheart: What Were They Really Like?'', Beefheart.com, March 28, 2020 http://www.beefheart.com/zappa-vs-beefheart-what-were-they-really-like-by-art-tripp/ *Don Lombardi, The Drum Channel, ''The Art of Drumming with Terry Bozzio, Joe Travers, and Art Tripp, May 17, 2022 *Dr. Kyle Forsthoff and Dr. Michael Yonchak, "The Mallets of Invention", Percussive Arts Society, "Percussive Notes", Volume 62, No. 2 – April 2024, https://pas.org/publication-articles/the-mallets-of-invention-a-listening-guide-to-frank-zappas-percussionists/ *https://magazine.uc.edu/editors_picks/recent_features/FarewellWilson/memories.html *https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-top-10-best-captain-beefheart-songs

Interviews

* ZappaCast #67 - Ladies and Gentleman...Arthur Dyer Tripp, III !!!, May 18, 2024, Interview by Joe Travers, Scott Parker, and Bill Camarata. https://www.zappa.com/zappacast-67-ladies-and-gentlemen-arthur-dyer-tripp-iii/#/ * Art Tripp & Zoot Horn Rollo - The ProgCast with Gregg Bendian (November, 2023) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0or3j8nU4M4&t=272s * Zappanale Festival interview, July 17, 2022, https://www.facebook.com/rockradio.de/videos/611303310305401 * Interview by Andrew Greenaway, May 5, 2022, https://www.zappanews.co.uk/interviews/art-tripp * YouTube interview by composer Samuel Andreyev, April 24, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugMep20elgQ&list=PLPyqt9rE6s4tPOITHvQn9F8Ly_TMvZAaU&index=28 * YouTube interview by Prism Films, June 26, 2012, 14 parts, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4WtWZaG--U * Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention In The 1960s, DVD Video SIDVD545, 2008 * Radio Interview, February 6, 2010, https://web.archive.org/web/20090907173741/http://woub.org/radio/index.php?section=4&page=19

External links

*
Art Tripp Pittsburgh Music History Website

Zappa Website

Beefheart Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tripp, Art 1944 births Living people People from Athens, Ohio Musicians from Ohio Musicians from Pittsburgh American multi-instrumentalists The Mothers of Invention members Manhattan School of Music alumni American marimbists American percussionists American rock drummers American rock percussionists The Magic Band members