Tag Archives: Verve

The Mothers Of Invention: Freak Out!

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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

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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

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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

Velvet Underground: White Light / White Heat

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White light white heat

On January 30, 1968, “Verve” label released “White Light/White Heat”, the second Velvet Underground studio album.  It was recorded in September 1967, at the “Scepter Studios” in New York, and was produced by Tom Wilson.  It was band’s last studio recording of new material with founding member John Cale. In 2003, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “White Light/White Heat” at number 293 on it’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • John Cale– lead and backing vocals, spoken word, electric viola,  organ, piano, bass guitar, ,medical sound effects
  • Lou Reed– lead vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Sterling Morrison– lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, medical sound effects, backing vocals
  • Maureen Tucker– percussion, drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Reed, except where noted.

  1. White Light/White Heat
  2. The Gift – Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale, Maureen Tucker
  3. Lady Godiva’s Operation
  4. Here She Comes Now – Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale
  5. I Heard Her Calling My Name – Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale, Maureen Tucker
  6. Sister Ray – Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale, Maureen Tucker

Mothers Of Invention: Cruising With Ruben & The Jets

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Frank_Zappa_-_Cruising_With_Ruben_&_the_Jets

On December 2, 1968, “Bizarre”  and “Verve” labels released “Cruising with Ruben & the Jets”, the fourth Mothers of Invention studio album. It is part of Mothers project named “No Commercial potential” which featured three albums: “Uncle Meat”, We’re in it Only for the Money” and “Lumpy Gravy”. The album was recorded December 1967 – February 1968, at the “Apostolic Studios” in New York, and was produced by Frank Zappa.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa– low grumbles, oo-wah and lead guitar, bass, piano, drums
  • Ray Collins– lead vocals
  • Roy Estrada– high weazlings, dwaedy-doop and electric bass
  • Jimmy Carl Blackand/or Arthur Dyer Tripp III – lewd pulsating rhythm
  • Ian Underwoodor and Don Preston – redundant piano triplets
  • Motorhead Sherwood– baritone sax, tambourine
  • Bunk Gardner, Ian Underwood – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Cal Schenkel – artwork, cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

  1. Cheap Thrills
  2. Love of My Life – Frank Zappa and Ray Collins
  3. How Could I Be Such a Fool
  4. Deseri – Ray Collins and Paul Buff
  5. I’m Not Satisfied
  6. Jerry Roll Gum Drop
  7. Anything – Ray Collins
  8. Later That Night
  9. You Didn’t Try to Call Me
  10. Fountain of Love – Frank Zappa and Ray Collins
  11. No. No.
  12. Anyway the Wind Blows
  13. Stuff Up the Cracks

Stan Getz

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On June 6, 1991, Stanley Getz, died aged 64. He wasmusician (primarily tenor saxophone), came to prominence in the late 40’s playing with Woody Herman’s big band, and went on performing bebop and cool jazz.  He became world known with his bossa nova period, in which he recorded few albums that promoted bossa nova worldwide, including “Jazz Samba (1962)”; “Big Band Bossa Nova (1962)”; “Jazz Samba Encore! (1963)” and “Getz/Gilberto (1963)”. In his career he performed with some of the most important jazz artists, including Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Joao Gilberto, Laurindo Almeida, Herb Alpert, Benny Goodman, Al Haig and Abbey Lincoln. Getz achieved big number of awards including five “Grammy Awards”:

  • Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance, Soloist or Small Group (Instrumental) “Desafinado,” Stan Getz. 1962
  • Grammy Award for Record of the Year, “The Girl From Ipanema,” 1964
  • Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz and João Gilberto (Verve) 1964
  • Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Small Group or Soloist With Small Group, Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz 1964
  • Grammy Award for Best Jazz Solo Performance, “I Remember You” Stan Getz 1991

 

Velvet Underground: & Nico

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Velvet Underground & Nico

On March 12, 1967, “Verve” label released “Velvet Underground & Nico”, the debut Velvet Underground album. It was recorded in 1966 during Andy Warhol’s “Exploding Plastic Inevitable Multimedia”  event tour, and was produced by Andy Warhol and Tom Wilson. Thanks to inventing  experimental performances sensibility in the music and controversial subjects in the songs lyrics including drug abuse, prostitution, sadism, masochism  and  sexual deviancy, the album gained status of one of the most influential and critically acclaimed albums in history in the modern music. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked it at number 13 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of all Time”.

Personnel

  • Lou Reed– lead and backing vocals, lead and ostrich guitar
  • Sterling Morrison– rhythm and lead guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
  • John Cale– electric viola, piano, bass guitar, celesta, hissing, sound effects, backing vocals
  • Maureen Tucker– percussion , drums, tambourine, bass drum
  • Nico – chanteuse, backing vocals

Track listing

All tracks by Lou Reed, except where noted.

  1. Sunday Morning – Lou Reed, John Cale
  2. I’m Waiting for the Man
  3. Femme Fatale
  4. Venus in Furs
  5. Run Run Run
  6. All Tomorrow’s Parties
  7. Heroin
  8. There She Goes Again
  9. I’ll be Your Mirror
  10. The Black Angel’s Death Song
  11. European Son