DWEEZIL ZAPPA

This album was recorded early on in ZPZ's existance, and the band is still finding it's way. While the musicians are exceptionally competent at recreating the music of Frank, some of the pieces are just a tiny bit, but still noticably slower than Dad's band would play them. Also, the songs as played here could be found almost note for note on Frank's albums. The true joy of a Zappa concert was the "eyebrows", the little changes and improvs the musicians would add to each number.

Despite the above comments, the performance is very nice. Steve Vai plays an exceptional and very weird solo on Zomby Woof. Terry Bozzio and Napoleon Murphy Brock add some familiar voices. And Scheila Gonzales shows a bit a the amazing talent she has come to deliver in more recent performances.

Another disappointing note: when playing the Don't Eat Yellow Snow Suite, Dweezil edits the first section down, similar to the single that once received airplay, and completely skips Nanook Rubs It.

But just to have a Zappa out there performing this material was a plus.

3.5 stars, that I will round up.

So, you get the feeling that the spirit of the music of Frank is carried on by this band with two well professionally shot concerts, nice picture and a big 5.1 surround sound. I enjoyed the performance of the guest artists, Terry Bozzio, Steve Vai and especially Napoleon Murphy Brock. Frank Zappa, has succeed to made accessible music with his little orchestra playing rock with elements of classical, jazz and pop with a originality and sens of humor that is difficult to surpass. I just find that his extended guitar solos are a bit boring to my taste, but the rest is very enjoyable.

I must admit, for years I've resisted to even consider this DVD assuming that ex-Zappa musicians are likely to have put something together in desperation for a quick buck. I couldn't have been more wrong! The reality is that Dweezil has put together a bunch of talented young artists with a bit of input from some of Frank's old crew and the end result is just brilliant!

Napoleon Murphy Brock does much of the lead vocals in a most credible way that does justice to Frank's original pieces whilst not attempting to copy such. Well, Terry Bozzio is just his true, energetic self behind a ginormous set of drums, participating on select tracks only. In the second half Steve Vai enters and guitar pyrotechnics between him and Dweezil soon erupt in a jaw-dropping duel on "Montana".

Throughout the entire performance, Dweezil appears to be very modest, almost shy, but plays every note perfectly, true to his father's legacy whilst talking about him as "Frank". The material chosen here are largely tunes that Frank rarely performed on stage and even if so, we were often treated to sped up versions that rarely pleased. Not here, though! The emphasis is on performing the pieces to their full glory - just as we would have preferred from Frank - and Dweezil and crew have done it to perfection. No trace of Dweezil's somewhat immature solo efforts, this work is to be savored note by note, it's that good.

Special commendation is due to the young crew - most of whom would have been born well after the songs were first released. They play with enthusiasm and skill that deserves wider recognition in future. I wish that their exposure here will lead them to a lifetime of great contributions to the world of quality music. Frank, not unlike Miles Davis, has supported, nurtured and guided great talent in his lifetime and a big thanks to Dweezil for stepping into his father's shoes.

Nothing less than a big 5 for this delivery. The camera work is also excellent, nothing like those loathed, fuzzy images of the past concealing the very moments when we'd rather see the artist instead.

If you are like me who loves "Hot Rats", mid-70's works of Zappa with the Fowler brothers, you'll love this DVD. Don't walk, but run to your nearest Record Store, it's that good!

Here is today this, for me controversial, album based on the father's song, but not a merely cover of those, "only" a re-arranged excerpts from those beloved songs, that remember us something already made by Frank in Shut up and play yer guitar, Guitar, etc.(sometimes with the same a-solos) Why that? The front cover , same graphic and style, the big nose, etc. tell us the intention of Dweezil, but that is only for the will to make a sort of father's soul rebirth in himself or only a smart commercial issue? And why those excerpts have all the titles changed from the originals ones? (Zappa trust already has the rights of them). At the end there is nothing to review, and nothing more to think about, beyond close the eyes and listen, because the power of that music let us to forget everything but the music itself. Well played by the musicians so that it looks that Frank's hands lead the guitar, with his group around, this album reaches the goal to suggest to the listener that is the real Frank to play. Has it sense ask if that is good or bad? I am ot able to answer. What I know is that listen at this music again is pure joy, without care who does it nowadyas and why, even if there is the feeling of a coitus interruptus at the end of any tracks. At the end many are playing Frank Zappa's music, why his son should not? Everyone able to play in such good way the music of the Master is well accepted and encouraged. Heavely suggested to all Zappa's fan like me and not only. For me it deserves 4 stars.

Oreste

Opening with a poppier track is something Frank did many times. Songs like Let Me Take You To The Beach, The Closer You Are and I Have Been In You begin albums in a lighter mood, belying the outrageous tracks to follow. So too with Dweezil's Love Ride, an infectious little ditty, that happens to be the only track with lyrics on the album.

What follows, however, is an album of guitar hero master, where Dweezil outshines even his mentor, Eddie Van Halen. Track after track, Zappa shows his diversity, whether playing metal, straight up rock, and even a little electric sitar and bluegrass.

Homages to Frank come in one track that sounds a bit like G-Spot Tornado, a guitar solo from a performance of Inca Roads, a recording of Peaces En Regalia, that begins by including tracks of Frank and Ian Underwood (from the original version, I believe) added into the mix. There is also a song called Chunga's Whisker's, the aforementioned bluegrass track, that appears to heva little in common with Chunga's Revenge other than the title.

My only complaint is that some of the songs don't dound complete. Some sound like they are merely vehicles to launch guitar solos (excellent ones, I might add, and two tracks, The Grind and Audio Movie appear to be made up of short riff just strung together.

But Zappa and his crew have come up with a guitar frenzied album that I'm sure would have made his dad proud.

The majority of the songs are instrumentals, and feature Dweezil's now evolved songwriting and guitar stylings. While his Eddie Van Halen influence and training still show up from time to time, he also shows some signs of influence from Steve Vai, and, of course, his father. His compositions are much more complex than on the earlier albums, using more unexpected chord changes, rhythm changes and time changes. he even sounds very much like Frank on the experimental Therapy and especially on Shnook.

The only vocal track is a cool version of You're a Mean One Mister Grinch, with brother Ahmet performing the baritone vocals, and including a metal break.

Dweezil at this point was quite ready to carry his father's music, but he was getting close.

Earth begins with an orchestra tuning up, then has Dweezil playing a classically influenced electric guitar composition, before he settles into a song about our impending ecological disaster (a sentiment I presume he inherited from his mother). The song itself on the surface sounce fairly standard, but contains many time signature twists and turns. And this is why the album succeeds, as Dweezil has begun to learn many of his father Frank's techniques of keeping the listener on his toes.

Highlights are the many guitar solos throughout the album, and the instrumental Shoogagoogagung. There is also a hot cover of the Bee Gee's Stayin' Alive, with a surprising cameo lead vocalist. While it doesn't make up for the horrors of the disco era, it takes the signature song from the time, and makes it cool.

the only misstep is Vanity, which tries to be hip-hop, and mostly falls flat.

I'd give this album a strong 3.5 stars.

The rest of the album is a step back from his debut. Perhaps the backup band (here again consisting of FZ bassist Scott Thunes, and three different drummers, including Terry Bozzio and Steve Smith) didn't have as much input. The imitation of Van Halen is ramped up here. And while Dweezil was certainly competent at that age, he was no Eddie Van Halen (he's something even better these days).

Musically, the album is not awful, but not memorable. Lyrically, Dweezil fares a litlle better. He makes some jokes worthy of his father on Her Eyes Don't Follow Me and I believe is referencing Frank on The Coolest Guy In The World. He also mentions some of Frank's pet causes on Before I Get Old.

This isn't a worthless album, but comparing this with Dweezil's other albums, I can give it best 2.5 stars.

The album is something of a Zappa family affair, as Frank produced the album (along with his engineer Bob Stone), and vocals were provided by mother Gail and siblings Moon Unit, Ahmet and Diva. The core band consists of Dweezil on guitar and vocals, and Frank's band's bassist Scott Thunes and drummer Chad Wackerman. Thunes and Wackerman provided the musical arrangements as well.

The majority of the songs emphasize Dweezil's hero worship of Eddie Van Halen, and for the most part he successfully captures the spirit of Van Halen's music, and often Eddie's guitar style. Two songs, You Can't Ruin Me and Let's Talk About It are brought down by Moon Unit's somewhat thin vocals, but her lyrics, although a bit naive, are not too bad.

Three songs stand out: The Pirate Song is pure prog, with shifting time signatures and some hard rocking solos. I Want A Yacht (co-written with Thunes and Gail) is a funny song, that would fit easily on one of Frank's albums, and features a hiarious performance by Bobcat Goldthwait. And Electric Hoedown is just spectacular, with Zappa playing treated guitar, sounding like a violin or cello, along with fine bass from Thunes.