Zappa planned that following the Waka/Wazoo sessions, a touring version of what he dubbed the “Mothers of Invention/Hot Rats/Grand Wazoo” would perform a short eight-date tour in September of 1972. As Travers writes in the illuminating liner notes, “once the Wazoo project was set in motion, the first thing Frank did was hire Kenny Shroyer to help enlist and contract the musicians. 20 of them were eventually hired, and new musical relationships were created.

Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers, the comprehensive 4CD + Blu-Ray Audio set boasts unreleased alternate takes of almost every composition recorded during the album sessions, Vault mix session outtakes and oddities, and also includes the full final show of the 10-piece tour, recorded at the famous Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco on December 15, 1972. Matrix / Runout (Disc 1): 4859459 [2 x Universal Logo] AM83835-01 manufactured by optimal media GmbH T HE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In 1972, following the aftermath of being pushed off stage at the Rainbow Theatre in London by a crazed attendee, Frank 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. If you’ve ever wondered why Frank Zappa is regarded as a musical genius, you’ll find the proof in every groove of The Grand Wazoo – it’s an album alive with ideas, ambition, and humor that skips between genres with abandon, from exhilarating jazz funk to wee small hours jazzy shuffles. If the words “jazz fusion” cause concern, The Grand Wazoo is an accessible entry point. If you’re already a fan of the Zappa of Hot Rats or We’re Only In It For The Money, prepare to have your mind blown all over again.

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Following are some of my first reflections on fun details I heard while listening to each of the albums, mostly in Dolby Atmos. Please note that these are first impressions and I reserve the right to alter/update my perspective upon subsequent listens (as I ask myself: “Did I really hear what I thought I heard?”). Navigation screen for The Grand Wazoo on the Waka/Wazoo Blu-ray Disc Billy Byers - trombone ( "Think It Over (The Grand Wazoo)", "For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)", "Waka/Jawaka"), baritone horn ( "Waka/Jawaka") 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 an ensemble that quenched his thirst and desire to work with a large “Electric Orchestra.

Matrix / Runout (Disc 4): 4859464 [2 x Universal Logo] AM83838-01 manufactured by optimal media GmbH Though it was the second of the pair to be released, in no way is The Grand Wazoo a collection of outtakes or off-cuts – it’s a fully-formed album with a strong identity. Waka/Jawaka swims in similar jazz fusion waters, but it uses a small jazz combo, The Grand Wazoo saw Zappa embracing a big band with a clarity of purpose. Joann Caldwell McNab - woodwinds ( "Think It Over (The Grand Wazoo)", "For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)") INCLUDES COMPLETE, UNRELEASED “PETITE WAZOO” PERFORMANCE FROM WINTERLAND BALLROOM, 1972 AND ZAPPA-PRODUCED GEORGE DUKE DEMOSDuring this time, he managed, among other things, to assemble an ensemble that quenched his thirst and desire to work with a large “Electric Orchestra.” Ultimately, he contracted a 20-piece group for recording sessions and an eight-city tour. Shortly thereafter, a scaled down 10-piece configuration, now popularly known as the “ Petite Wazoo” toured for almost two months. 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. hours ago LIES!: Dutch metallic hardcore gang drops video for “Propaganda” (ft. Hugo Zerrad – Worst Doubt) via Invisible Oranges; 2nd album comes early December