Forget going house to house for a treat!
Back in 1973, Frank Zappa was one of the handful of artists creating a mix of rock and jazz that eventually became known as “fusion”. On the jazz side you had bands like Weather Report and Return to Forever, while the rock side of the tracks artists like Zappa and Jeff Beck were mixing the ferocity of rock with the sophistication and complexity of jazz. This four disc set finds Zappa at his apotheosis, recorded at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago on Halloween, 1973 featuring both complete shows and even pre-tour rehearsals along with a 40 page booklet and even a mask and gloves to wear for trick or treating!
Putting this band and concert in perspective, Zappa was on a creative roll, having just released his jazz-rock opuses The Grand Wazoo and Overnight Sensations and on the throes of his upcoming classic Apostrophe’. While this album does not have the recently departed Jean-Luc Ponty or Ainsley Dunbar, the replacements of Murphy Brock/ts-fl-voc and Chester Thompson more than make up the loss, bringing a hard swinging feel to funkmeister George Duke’s keyboards. Along with Ruth Underwood/vibe, Ralph Humphrey/dr, Tom Fowler/b, Zappa and company mix tunes from their recent past such as the soul jazzy “Montana” and tribal “I’m The Slime” with some space travel jams and raps as on the otherworldly ride of “Farther “O’Blivion” and the ominous trudge of “Big Swifty.” Some hip jazz grooves sizzle on “The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue” and while there is no “Yellow Snow” here, you get a hard driving “Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?” along with “Penguin’s Bondage” as well a sixteen minute medley of ”Son Of Mr. Green Genes/King Kong/Chunga’s Revenge” is a interwoven tight yet loose stream of consciousness that sounds too spontaneous to be rehearsed, but too in sync to be otherwise.
Yes, some of this music has been available before, but it has never sounded anywhere near as clean as her, re-mixed by Craig Parker Adams. The accompanying book of insights by band members is a hoot, along with some cool photos, and don’t forget the costume! A treat that has a few tricks.