''The Grand Wazoo'' is the eighth studio album by

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of ...

and

The Mothers The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was 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 ...

, released in November 1972. It was written and recorded during Zappa's period of

convalescence Convalescence is the gradual recovery of health and strength after illness or injury. It refers to the later stage of an infectious disease or illness when the patient recovers and returns to previous health, but may continue to be a source of ...

after being assaulted in December 1971 in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, UK.

Overview

Along with its predecessor ''

Waka/Jawaka ''Waka/Jawaka'' (also known as ''Waka/Jawaka — Hot Rats'') is the fourth solo album by Frank Zappa, released in July 1972. The album is the jazz-influenced precursor to ''The Grand Wazoo'' (November 1972), and as the front cover indicates, a seq ...

'' (July 1972), this album represents Zappa's foray into

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

music, the logical progression from ''

Hot Rats ''Hot Rats'' is the second solo album by Frank Zappa, released in October 1969. It was Zappa's first recording project after the dissolution of the original version of the Mothers of Invention. Five of the six songs are instrumental; while "Wil ...

'' (1969) (which used a much smaller lineup). This was the last release on Zappa's own Bizarre Records label.

Recording and production

This was the second Zappa album released in a period where he needed to use a wheelchair. Zappa was unable to tour after being assaulted and pushed offstage into an orchestra pit during a concert on December 10, 1971 at the

Rainbow Theatre The Rainbow Theatre, originally known as the Finsbury Park Astoria, is a Grade II*-listed building in Finsbury Park, London. The theatre was built in 1930 as a cinema. It later became a music venue. Today, the building is used by the Univer ...

, UK.Miles, Barry. "The Rainbow Theatre Incident." Zappa Wiki Jawaka. N.p., 13 May 2007. Web. 13 May 2015.
/ref> The album is mostly made up of instrumental pieces, similar in style to those of three previous albums: ''

'' (October 1969), ''

Burnt Weeny Sandwich ''Burnt Weeny Sandwich'' is the sixth studio 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 recordings and live elements. In contrast to the next alb ...

'' (February 1970), and ''

'' (July 1972).

Track listing

All songs written, composed and arranged by Frank Zappa.

Personnel

Musicians

; "The Grand Wazoo" and "For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)" * Mike Altschul -

woodwind Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the greater category of wind instruments. Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and re ...

* Billy Byers -

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

(including solo on "The Grand Wazoo") * Joanna Caldwell - woodwind * Earl Dumler - woodwind *

Aynsley Dunbar Aynsley Thomas Dunbar (born 10 January 1946) is an English drummer. He has worked with John Mayall, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Journey, Jefferson Starship, Nils Lofgren, Eric Burdon, Shuggie Otis, Ian Hunter, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Mick Ronso ...

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...

* Tony Duran - guitar (including bottleneck guitar solo on "The Grand Wazoo") * Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski) -

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

* Alan Estes -

percussion 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. Exc ...

* Fred Jackson - woodwind * Sal Marquez - vocals,

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

(including solo on "The Grand Wazoo") *

Malcolm McNab Malcolm Boyd McNab is a trumpeter and player of other brass instruments, and a Los Angeles-based session musician who has performed on nearly 2000 film and television soundtracks. Education Raised in the San Gabriel Valley, McNab began studyi ...

brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wi ...

* Janet Neville-Ferguson – vocals * Tony "Bat Man" Ortega - woodwind * Don Preston -

minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first pop ...

(including solo on "The Grand Wazoo") * Johnny Rotella - woodwind * Ken Shroyer - brass, "contractor and spiritual guidance" * Ernie Tack - brass * Frank Zappa - guitar (including opening solo on "The Grand Wazoo") * Bob Zimmitti - percussion ; "Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus" * Mike Altschul - woodwind * "Chunky" (Lauren Wood) - vocals *

George Duke George M. Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and as a pr ...

- keyboards, vocals * Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski) - bass * Aynsley Dunbar - drums * Sal Marquez - brass * Ken Shroyer -

s * Frank Zappa - vocals, guitar with: *

Ernie Watts Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa ...

- C Melody Saxophone (the "Mystery Horn") solo ; "Eat That Question" * Mike Altschul - woodwind * George Duke - keyboards * Aynsley Dunbar - drums * Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski) - bass * Sal Marquez - "multiple toots" (brass) * Joel Peskin - woodwind * Frank Zappa - guitar, percussion with: * Lee Clement - gong ; "Blessed Relief" * Mike Altschul - woodwind * George Duke - keyboards * Aynsley Dunbar - drums * Tony Duran -

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

* Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski) - bass * Sal Marquez - brass * Joel Peskin - woodwind * Frank Zappa -

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the fe ...

Production

*Producer:

*Engineer: Kerry McNabb *Arranger:

*Special assistance: Paul Hof *Photography: Ed Caraeff, Tony Esparza, Barry Feinstein *Cover illustration: Cal Schenkel *Art direction: Frank Zappa *Spiritual advisor: Kenny Shroyer *Contractor: Kenny Shroyer *Burritos: Ernie's Taco House *Pizza: two guys from Italy *Barbecue desiccated chicken: Hollywood Ranch Market

Notes

References

* Musicians and production per CD booklet.

External links

Lyrics and information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Wazoo, The 1972 albums Albums produced by Frank Zappa Frank Zappa albums Jazz fusion albums by American artists Reprise Records albums