Jean-Luc Ponty – The Idiot Bastard Son

Jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty was at one time in Frank Zappa’s band but shortly before he joined he recorded an album of Zappa’s music called King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa released in 1970. The Idiot Bastard Son is a track on the album which was produced by Zappa himself.

Frank Zappa – It Must Be A Camel

1969’s Hot Rats was the first album of Zappa’s I bought and subsequently heard in its entirety, I loved it at first hearing. I still play it now and I still love it now. Zappa had disbanded the Mothers Of Invention, though he used Ian Underwood of the Mothers for this recording which was released as a solo Zappa record. Ian played all keyboards, clarinets, saxes, and flutes. It Must Be A Camel is the last track on Hot Rats but despite evoking an air of finality, there is a plaintive quality to it, specially in the last section, that made me wish it would not end. So I just played the whole album again and again. Probably, at the time, my most played album ever.

You can appreciate Zappa’s love of percussion on this piece as there are percussive parts throughout apart from the drums. I believe that Zappa’s first ever composition, as a schoolboy, was Mice for snare drum, he clearly maintained a love of percussion during his performing and recording lifetime.

Frank Zappa – Nite School

Nite School from 1976’s Jazz From Hell album is a synclavier composition and is one of Zappa’s best tracks. Featuring Zappa’s busy yet interesting lines over a relentless yet subtle groove that manages to be driving and powerful without indulging in needless wallop.

There is so much fantastic music in Zappa’s huge catalogue that I feel it won’t be long before another track appears here.