LITTLE DOTS

The crux of the biscuit #1 Little dots is the fellow released to Imaginary Diseases (released in 2005) and presents live recordings by the famous Petit Wazoo group recorded live in November and December 1972. The musicians have been part of the short lived Grand Wazoo orchestra, that did only a couple of shows in September 1972, The only newcomer being Gary Barone who replaced Sal Marquez on trumpet. Contrary to the Grand Wazoo this 10 piece band had never recorded any studio material and a bigger part of the tracks are extended jams with various solos, the major exception is the complete 3 part version of Rollo, which Zappa never played live again, an interesting composition that would partly reappear later in Greggery Peccary.

The early version of Cosmic Debris is interesting for historical reasons but there are a couple of far more interesting versions. Little dots, even so the sheet is printed on the inside cover, is merely a composition but a lead sheet for improvisation. The version here contains a long slide solo by Tony Duran followed by a shorter solo by Zappa himself, both not really breathtaking. The Kansas City Shuffle appeared in another form already on Imaginary Diseases and is quite funny with Zappa asking the audience in the middle of the song in which style they wanted the track to end , the audience choosing a boogie. Now the major part of the CD is taken by the last track recorded in Columbia SC and the story of the concert is told by Malcom Mc Nabb in the liner notes: drummer Jim Gordon and trumpet player Gary Barone were arrested backstage by the police shortly before the concert for drug possession leaving the band to play without these two musicians.

The support act having been Tim Buckley, Zappa asked his drummer Maury Baker to sit in with the band, which for obvious reasons reduced the material to non written impros. Zappa announced the situation to, the audience (not mentioning drugs so) in the beginning and I must say the result is rather good , surely linked to the drumming skills of Maury Baker. Especially the second longer part, an extended jam does not get boring and contains a good solo by Zappa and some dynamic riffing by the brass section.

All in all thanks to Rollo and the second part of Columbia SC, I find this release superior to Imaginary Diseases but IMO the interesting material from this band would have fit on one CD.

3,5 Stars