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Frank Zappa-The Grand Wazoo LP

By A Mystery Man Writer

Last updated 07 Jul 2024

Zappa's epic and ambitious jazz-fusion masterwork, The Grand Wazoo, is back on vinyl! In 1972, following the aftermath of being pushed off stage at the Rainbow Theatre in London by a crazed attendee, Zappa found himself recuperating for months in his home in the hills of Los Angeles. Although he was confined to a wheelchair and in immense pain, his work ethic could not be tamed, and he would end up having one of the most prolific years of his hugely prolific career. During this time, he managed, among other things, to assemble a 20-piece ensemble for recording sessions and an eight-city tour. The ensemble included folks like Aynsley Dunbar, Alex “Erroneous” Dmochowski, George Duke, Don Preston, Tony Duran, Alan Estes, Bob Zimmitti, Sal Marquez, Malcolm McNab, Kenny Shroyer, Earle Dumler, and Tony “Bat Man” Ortega, among others. After all was said and done, Zappa finished the experiment with two albums in the can – Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo – plus two tours and an archive of show masters in his Vault. It was a monumental feat for a guy with a cast on his leg and a conductor’s baton in his hand. Mastered from the analog tapes by Bernie Grundman.