Tag Archives: Jimmy Carl Black

The Mothers Of Invention: Ahead Of Their Time

On March 23, 1993, “Barking Pumpkin” label released “Ahead of Their Time”, the 19th Mothers of Invention (The) album. It was recorded in October 1968, at the “Royal Festival Hall” in London, and was produced by Frank Zappa.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa – vocals, guitar, arrangements
  • Ian Underwood – alto saxophone, piano
  • Bunk Gardner – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Euclid James “Motorhead” Sherwood – baritone saxophone, tambourine
  • Don Preston – electric piano, odd noises (homemade oscillation boxes)
  • Roy Estrada – vocals, bass guitar
  • Jimmy Carl Black – vocals, drums
  • Arthur Dyer Tripp III – drums, percussion
  • Members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa.

Progress?

  1. Prologue
  2. Progress?
  3. Like It or Not
  4. The Jimmy Carl Black Philosophy Lesson
  5. Holding the Group Back
  6. Holiday in Berlin
  7. The Rejected Mexican Pope Leaves the Stage
  8. Undaunted, the Band Plays On
  9. Agency Man
  10. Epilogue

1968 performance

  1. King Kong
  2. Help, I’m a Rock
  3. Transylvania Boogie
  4. Pound for a Brown
  5. Sleeping in a Jar
  6. Let’s Make the Water Turn Back
  7. Harry, You’re a Beast
  8. The Orange County Lumber Truck (Part I)
  9. Oh No
  10. The Orange County Lumber Truck (Part II)

Jimmy Black

On November 1, 2008, James Carl Inkanish, Jr. aka Jimmy Carl Black died aged 70. He was musician (drums, percussion), vocalist, songwriter and music producer, member of Muffin Men, Captain Beefheart, Geronimo Black, The Grandmothers, Black, Brown and Blue and Strange News From Mars, but was best known as a drummer and vocalist of The Mothers of Invention. As leader he released 21 albums.

Ant-Bee: Electronic Church Muzik

On February 28, 2011, “Barking Moondog” label relased “Electronic Church Muzik”, the fourth Ant-Bee studio album. It was recorded over the course of several years, and was produced by Billy James.

Personnel:

  • Billy James (The Ant-Bee) – vocals, tape,  percussion,  Mellotron, vibraphone, guitar, keyboards, harp, cuica, washboard, violin,  choir
  • Jan Akkerman– guitar
  • Peter Banks– guitar
  • Daevid Allen– vocals
  • Artemiy Artemiev– keyboards
  • Mark Boston(as Rockette Morton) – bass guitar
  • Michael Bruce– guitar, bass guitar, sitar, vocala, keyboards
  • Bruce Cameron– guitar, bass guitar, sitar
  • Jack Dougherty – pedal steel guitar
  • Bill Harkleroad(Zoot Horn Rollo) – guitar
  • Moogy Klingman– keyboards
  • Alessandro Pizzin – keyboards
  • Don Preston– Moog synthesizer, keyboards, electronics
  • Peter Frohmader– keyboards, electronics
  • Mike Logiovino – bass guitar
  • Bunk Gardner– saxophone, flute
  • Buzz Gardner– trumpet
  • Cor Gout – vocals
  • Napoleon Murphy Brock– vocals
  • Jimmy Carl Black– spoken word
  • Gilli Smyth– vocals, spoken word
  • Zad McGough – backing vocals
  • Rod Martin – trumpet
  • Groucho Marx– vocals
  • George Scala – recorder
  • Jim Sherwood(as Motorhead) – snorks

Track listing:

  1. Birth – Billy James, Gilli Smyth
  2. Living – Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Alice Cooper, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith
  3. The Language of the Body – Billy James, Daevid Allen
  4. Eye of Agamoto – Don Preston
  5. The Guff (Hall of Souls) – Peter Banks, Billy James, Gilli Smyth
  6. Mallard Flies Towards Heaven – Bill Harkleroad
  7. Ant-Bee’s Sunday Supper
  8. Flutter-Bye, Butter-Flye – Michael Bruce, Billy James
  9. Endless Journey – Peter Banks
  10. The Light – Billy James, Alessandro Pizzin
  11. Mannah – Jan Akkerman
  12. Psalm 23
  13. Hallelujah – Peter Frohmader, Billy James
  14. The Wrath – Part One (The Flood) – Billy James
  15. Secrets of the Dead – Bruce Cameron, Billy James
  16. Pennies From Heaven – Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnston
  17. The Wrath – Part Two (Baptism Through Fire) – Billy James
  18. The Lords Prayer
  19. Angels
  20. Don’t You Ever Learn? – Todd Rundgren
  21. Re-Birth – Billy James, Gilli Smyth
  22. Final Benediction – Lord We Thank You

Frank Zappa: You Are What You Is

you_are_what_you_is

On September 23, 1981, “Barking Pumpkin” label released “You Are  What You Is”, the thirty-fourth Frank Zappa album. It was recorded July – September 1980, at “UMRK” and was produced by Frank Zappa.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa – vocal, guitar, arrangements
  • Steve Vai– guitars
  • Denny Walley – vocals, slide guitar
  • Ray White – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Ike Willis– vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Tommy Mars – vocals, keyboards
  • Craig “Twister” Stewart – harmonica
  • Arthur Barrow– bass guitar
  • David Logeman – drums
  • Ed Mann– percussion
  • Mark Pinske – vocals
  • Jimmy Carl Black– vocals
  • Motorhead Sherwood – vocals, tenor saxophone
  • Bob Harris – vocals, Boy Soprano, trumpet
  • David Ocker – bass clarinet, clarinet
  • Ahmet Zappa– vocals
  • Moon Unit Zappa– vocals
  • Mark Pinske – chief engineer
  • Allen Sides – engineer
  • Dennis Sager – digital engineer
  • George Douglas – engineer assistant
  • Bob Stone – remixing, digital remastering
  • Jo Hansch – mastering
  • Amy Bernstein – artwork
  • John Vince – artwork, design
  • John Livzey – photography
  • Thomas Nordegg – Franks personnel assistant
  • Santi Rubio – studio secretary

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa.

  1. Teen-Age Wind
  2. Harder Than Your Husband
  3. Doreen
  4. Goblin Girl
  5. Theme from the 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear
  6. Society Pages
  7. I’m a Beautiful Guy
  8. Beauty Knows No Pain
  9. Charlie’s Enormous Mouth
  10. Any Downers?
  11. Conehead
  12. You Are What You Is
  13. Mudd Club
  14. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
  15. Dumb All Over
  16. Heavenly Bank Account
  17. Suicide Chump
  18. Jumbo Go Away
  19. If Only She Woulda
  20. Drafted Again

Frank Zappa: Lumpy Gravy

Lumpy Gravy

On August 7, 1967, “Capitol” label released “Lumpy Gravy”, the debut Frank Zappa album. It was recorded in February 1967, and was produced by Nick Venet. “Lumpy Gravy” is an album of orchestral, electric and concrete sound, performed by a group of session players Zappa dubbed the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa – conductor
  • Glenn Phillips – vocals
  • Tommy Tedesco – guitar
  • Al Viola – guitar
  • Dennis Budimir – guitar
  • Jimmy “Senyah” Haynes – guitar
  • Tony Rizzi – guitar
  • Michael Lang – piano, celeste, harpsichord
  • Lincoln Mayorga – piano, celeste, harpsichord
  • Paul Smith – piano, celeste, harpsichord
  • Pete Jolly – piano, celeste, harpsichord
  • Bob West – bass
  • Jimmy Bond– bass
  • Chuck Berghofer – bass
  • Roy Estrada– bass, chorus
  • Frank Capp – drums
  • John Guerin – drums
  • Shelly Manne – drums
  • Alan Estes – percussion, drums
  • Victor Feldman– percussion, drums
  • John Rotella – percussion, woodwind
  • Emil Richards – percussion
  • Gene Estes – percussion
  • Jimmy Zito – trumpet
  • Kenny Shroyer – trombone
  • Richard Parissi – French horn
  • Vincent DeRosa– French horn
  • Arthur Maebe – French horn
  • Arnold Belnick – strings
  • Harold Bemko – strings
  • Joseph DiFiore – strings
  • Jesse Ehrlich – strings
  • Ray Kelly – strings
  • Jerome Kessler – strings
  • Alexander Koltun – strings
  • Bernard Kundell – strings
  • William Kurasch – strings
  • Harry Hyams – strings
  • Leonard Malarsky – strings
  • Jerome Reisler – strings
  • Joseph Saxon – strings
  • Ralph Schaeffer – strings
  • Leonard Selic – strings
  • Tibor Zelig – strings
  • James Getzoff – strings
  • Philip Goldberg – strings
  • Bunk Gardner – woodwind
  • Jules Jacob – woodwind
  • Ted Nash – woodwind
  • Donald Christlieb – woodwind
  • Gene Cipriano – woodwind
  • Harold Kelling – vocals
  • Larry Fanoga (Euclid James “Motorhead” Sherwood) – vocals, chorus
  • Jimmy Carl Black– chorus
  • Monica Boscia – chorus
  • Louis “Louie the Turkey” Cuneo – chorus
  • Bruce Hampton – chorus
  • Cal Schenkel – artwork

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa.

  1. Sink Trap
  2. Gum Joy
  3. Up and Down
  4. Local Butcher
  5. Gypsy Airs
  6. Hunchy Punchy
  7. Foamy Soaky
  8. Let’s Eat Out
  9. Teenage Grand Finale

The Mothers Of Invention: Freak Out!

Freak Out!

On June 27, 1966, “Verve” label released “Freak Out!” the debut Mothers of Invention album. It was recorded in March 1996, at “Sunset-Highland Studios of T.T.G. Inc” in Hollywood, and was produced by Tom Wilson. In 1999, “Freak Out” was honored with the “Grammy Hall of Fame Award”. In 2003, “Rolling Stone ranked it at number 246 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa– vocals, guitar, orchestration, arrangements, conductor, musical director
  • Elliot Ingber– alternate lead and rhythm guitar
  • Carol Kaye– 12-string guitar
  • Neil Le Vang– guitar
  • Ray Collins– vocals, harmonica, cymbals, sound effects, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin, weezers
  • Eugene Di Novi – piano
  • Mac Rebennack– piano
  • Les McCann– piano
  • Roy Estrada– bass, guitarron, boy soprano
  • Jimmy Carl Black– vocals, percussion, drums
  • Gene Estes – percussion
  • Arthur Maebe – French horn, tuba
  • John Rotella – clarinet, sax
  • Kim Fowley– hypophone
  • Kurt Reher – cello
  • Raymond Kelley– cello
  • Paul Bergstrom – cello
  • Emmet Sargeant – cello
  • Joseph Saxon – cello
  • Edwin V. Beach – cello
  • Motorhead Sherwood– noises
  • Paul Butterfield– vocals
  • Jeannie Vassoir– the voice of Cheese
  • Val Valentin – engineer
  • Ami, Tom – engineer
  • Eugene Dinovi, Neil Levang, Vito, Ken Watson – engineer assistant
  • Jack Anesh – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

  1. Hungry Freaks, Daddy
  2. I Ain’t Got No Heart
  3. Who Are the Brain Police?
  4. Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder – Frank Zappa, Ray Collins
  5. Motherly Love
  6. How Could I Be Such a Fool
  7. Wowie Zowie
  8. You Didn’t Try to Call Me
  9. Anyway, the Wind Blows
  10. I’m Not Satisfied
  11. You’re Probably Wondering Why I’m Here
  12. Trouble Every Day
  13. Help, I’m a Rock (Suite in Three Movements)
  • Okay to Tap Dance
  • In Memoriam, Edgard Varèse
  • It Can’t Happen Here
  1. The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet (Unfinished Ballet in Two Tableaux)
  • Ritual Dance of the Child-Killer
  • Nullis Pretii (No Commercial Potential)

The Mothers Of Invention: Absolutely Free

Frank Zappa-Absolutely Free

On May 26, 1967, “Verve” label released “Absolutely Free”, the second Mothers of Invention album. It was recorded November 15–18, 1966, at “Sunset-Highland Studios of TTG”, and was produced by Tom Wilson and Frank Zappa.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa– vocals, guitar, conductor
  • Jimmy Carl Black– drums, vocals
  • Ray Collins– vocals, tambourine
  • Roy Estrada– bass, vocals
  • Billy Mundi– drums, percussion
  • Don Preston– keyboards
  • Jim Fielder– guitar, piano
  • Bunk Gardner– woodwinds
  • Suzy Creamcheese (Lisa Cohen) – vocals
  • John Balkin – bass
  • Jim Getzoff – violin
  • Marshall Sosson – violin
  • Alvin Dinkin – viola
  • Armand Kaproff – cello
  • Don Ellis– trumpet
  • John Rotella– contrabass clarinet
  • Herb Cohen– cash register machine sounds
  • Terry Gilliam, girlfriend and others – voices

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa.

  1. Plastic People
  2. The Duke of Prunes
  3. Amnesia Vivace
  4. The Duke Regains His Chops
  5. Call Any Vegetable
  6. Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin
  7. Soft-Sell Conclusion
  8. America Drinks
  9. Status Back Baby
  10. Uncle Bernie’s Farm
  11. Son of Suzy Creamcheese
  12. Brown Shoes Don’t Make It
  13. America Drinks & Goes Home

Mothers of Invention: We’re Only in for the Money

We're in it

On March 4, 1968, “Verve” label released “We’re Only in It for the Money”, the third Mothers of Invention studio album. It was recorded from March to October 1967, at “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles; “Mayfair and Apostolic Studios” in New York, and was produced by Frank Zappa.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa – lead vocals, guitar, piano, weirdness, editing
  • Jimmy Carl Black –vocals, Indian of the group, drums, trumpet
  • Roy Estrada – vocals, electric bass, asthma
  • Billy Mundi – vocals, drums, yak & black lace underwear
  • Don Preston– retired
  • Bunk Gardner – all woodwinds, mumbled weirdness
  • Ian Underwood – piano, woodwinds, wholesome
  • Euclid James “Motorhead” Sherwood – baritone and soprano saxophone, all purpose weirdness & teen appeal
  • Suzy Creamcheese(Pamela Zarubica) – telephone voice
  • Pamela Zarubica – vocals
  • Dick Barber – snorks
  • Eric Clapton– male speaking part
  • Gary Kellgren– “the one doing all the creepy whispering”
  • Spider Barbour – vocals
  • Dick Kunc – “cheerful interruptions” vocal
  • Vicki Kellgren – additional telephone vocals
  • Ronnie Williams – backwards voice
  • Sid Sharp – conductor

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa

  1. Are You Hung Up
  2. Who Needs the Peace Corps
  3. Concentration Moon
  4. Mom & Dad
  5. Bow tie Daddy
  6. Harry, You’re a Beast
  7. What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body?
  8. Absolutely Free
  9. Flower Punk
  10. Hot Poop
  11. Nasal Retentive Calliope Music
  12. Let’s Make the Water Turn Black
  13. The Idiot Bastard Son
  14. It’s His Voice on the Radio
  15. Take Your Clothes off When You Dance
  16. What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body (reprise)
  17. Mother People
  18. The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny

Mothers Of Invention: Burnt Weeny Sandwich

Frank_Zappa_-_Burnt_Weeny_Sandwich

On February 9, 1970, “Bizarre” label released “Burnt Weeny Sandwich”, the ninth, Mothers of Invention album. It was recorded in August 1967 and July 1969, and was produced by Frank Zappa.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa– vocals, organ, guitar, arranger
  • Lowell George – vocals, guitar
  • Jim Sherwood – vocals, guitar, wind
  • Ian Underwood– guitar, piano, keyboards, wind
  • John Balkin – bass, string bass
  • Don Preston– bass, piano, keyboards
  • Billy Mundi– drums
  • Art Tripp– drums, percussion
  • Jimmy Carl Black– percussion, drums
  • Roy Estrada– bass, backing vocals, Pachuco rap
  • Janet Ferguson – backing vocals
  • Bunk Gardner– horn, wind
  • Buzz Gardner- trumpet
  • Don “Sugarcane” Harris– violin
  • Cal Schenkel – cover art
  • John Williams – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa except where noted.

  1. WPLJ (The Four Deuces)
  2. Igor’s Boogie, Phase One
  3. Overture to a Holiday in Berlin
  4. Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich
  5. Igor’s Boogie, Phase Two
  6. Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown
  7. Aybe Sea
  8. The Little House I Used to Live in

The Mothers Of Invention: Weasels Ripped My Flesh

On August 10, 1970, “Bizarre” label released “Weasels Ripped My Flesh”, the seventh Mothers of Invention (The) album. It was recorded December 1967 – August 1969 at various locations and was produced by Frank Zappa. This is the second Mothers of Invention (The) album released after the band disbanded in 1969 (first one was Burnt Weeny Sandwich).

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa– vocals, lead guitar
  • Ray Collins– vocals
  • Lowell George– vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Don Preston– organ, electronic effects
  • Roy Estrada – vocals, bass
  • Art Tripp– drums
  • Jimmy Carl Black– drums
  • Ian Underwood– alto saxophone
  • Motorhead Sherwood– baritone saxophone, snorks
  • Bunk Gardner– tenor saxophone
  • Buzz Gardner– trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Don “Sugarcane” Harris– vocals, electric violin
  • Neon Park – cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

  1. Didja Get Any Onya
  2. Directly from My Heart to You – Richard Wayne Penniman
  3. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask
  4. Toads of the Short Forest
  5. Get a Little
  6. Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue
  7. Dwarf Nebula Processional March & Dwarf Nebula
  8. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama
  9. Oh No
  10. The Orange County Lumber Truck
  11. Weasels Ripped My Flesh