ROXY & ELSEWHERE

Seriously this is Zappa at his best. The best musicians, the best songs and one of the best live recordings ever. I still marvel that they could fit 11 musicians including two drummers and percussionist on that small stage of the Roxy. Orginally released as double album from live performances in 1973 the recording contains songs that were never released on any other Zappa album except two so I believe this is exactly how Frank wanted to capture this material. I know some of these songs underwent some overdubs in the studio afterwards but to what extent or with parts vocals or music isn't revealed.

Still this a brilliant representation of this particular band with likes of the amazing George Duke, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Tomand Bruce Fowler, Don Preston, Ruth Underwood, Jim Simmons, George Duke, Chester Thomson and Ralph Humphrey. Add the great music of Pygmy Twylyte, Echinda's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing, More Trouble Every Day along with funny skits in Dummy Up and Be Bop Tango to the humorous songs Cheepnis and Penguin in Bondage and the great stage direction of Frank Zappa and you have the complete package.

This album continues to make me smile each and every time I play it and that is the highest praise I can give it. I am listening to part of the song Don't You Ever Wash That Thing and I hear this riff the band does and I swear it is straight out of a cartoon but then I am amazed by its complexity and timing in the song. Frank even announces when Ruth Underwood is going to something spectacular and what happens between her and the drummers is quite exquisite. This performance is riddled with these moments and add all the other elements gives you a completely satisfying listening experience.

The music isn't always the most ambitious or experimental of Zappa's catalog but I really think this is a good place to start to find out about Zappa. 5 Stars.

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