antoniodeste

I would say that after the list of the "potential candidates" among the complete works, we could move on to the list of compositions, right? If that interests you, I could start with (in no particular order): Rat Tomago (Sheik....), Blessed Relief (Grand Wazoo), Black Napkins (Zoot Allures), Willie The Pimp (topi caldi), You Are What You Is (....), Dinah-moe-hum (Apostrophe), Big Swifty (Waka/Jawaka). The other two hundred and fifty-three in the next episodes. The ball is in your court.

No, no, it's possible.... it's so possible that, look at that, I fully endorse your "ranking" (doubts included....). Life's a long song.... . Bye

I put the twelfth: "Broadway the hard way", the thirteenth: "200 Motels", the fourteenth: "Zoot Allures" and also the least satisfying: "The Man From Utopia"; for the rest, I fully align myself with all the "contributors" of this splendid page.

Great Dante! Personally, I already consider myself satisfied with the debut on the "proforma" Take That: the style seems paraAntonio, that is, in line with the great cultural excursions typical of the paraculato literary critic who desperately tries to really hide what they would like to say about it... and who, for the sake of justice and a quiet life, balances the scales with the results of record sales and mass success. Wonderful. Tomorrow I’m going out to get all the records of Nino D'Angelo and finally, in light of what has been said, I will enjoy them. In the meantime, I will take the opportunity to toss hundreds of pieces from my collection of jazz, rock, blues, and anything else into the bin. No one cares about them anyway, and they sold only a few copies..... A smile, bye, Dante.

Yes, Dante, I would say that Mr. Green Genes has responded to your requests correctly, in my opinion. As for "Joe's garage," I agree with you as well. I suppose the biggest annoyance comes from the "spoken" parts of the "Central Scrutinizer." Everyone, rightly, brings their own views about personal pleasures and preferences regarding the vast Zappa oeuvre. I would like to mention other titles too (and thus pour gasoline on the fire): for the "sung" parts: "You Are What You Is" and for the instrumental-guitar "Shut up'n'play yer guitar." I take this opportunity to greet and thank mister cazpuntinicaz for the imaginary troubles. I didn't even know the title had been released....... For those who don't know (but a good Zappian, in my opinion, already does), in Turin (or nearby) there is a band of very young musicians (cousins among themselves) that plays essentially Zappian repertoire: the Ossi Duri; I've listened to one of their CDs (X) and saw them live. Remarkable and deserving. Their latest CD? "L'ultimo dei miei cani."

I'm just arriving with this record and I've read the last learned contributions from Hal, Odradek, and Symbad, and I greet you all even though I didn't understand a damn thing about the final topic or how you got there, nor do I care while respecting your business. I will simply give my consent to five stars for the album in question; for the beautiful, very beautiful review by Symbad that also contains more insights and historical references about the Metheny and Mays artistic profiles, which, as a preamble, is always welcome. What more can I say? Well, that just seeing this cover brings back an indescribable and countless amount of emotions and memories? That I am a romantic? That it reminds me of summer afternoons in solitude in Trieste (even though I’m not from Trieste); that I hold onto images from '83 when Metheny & Mays played large portions Live, and I got chills? Or when in '88, Metheny played live "It's for You" but Nanà Vasconcelos wasn't there? The spring mornings greeted early on the notes of "Ozark"? A recited series of numbers in the three-quarter time of the suite, which for me are still a mystery? That it represents one of the musical apotheoses of my youth? Who knows how long I could go on with this Joycean flow... It's already beautiful as it is. Maybe tonight I’ll listen to it again for the 105th time... Good job, Symbad, you really did well. I just couldn’t have been convincing, overwhelmed as I still am by the wave of emotion. A kiss on the forehead. (Something I did to Metheny at the end of the concert in '83. He understood I wasn’t gay…)

I am one of those, Festwca, who, yes, owns more than forty albums of ours. In addition to giving due compliments to Pretazzo for this nostalgic leap back, I will add that it’s never easy to expertly tackle the artistic (and human) journey of Uncle Frank. Those who have followed him for a long time know what I'm talking about. The complexity of the inputs, the genius in composition, arrangement, and the meticulous, perhaps obsessive choice of musicians make him a rarity in the history of twentieth-century music. Attempting to "explain" Zappa's work, its dynamics, its logic, and its unheard-of musicality in the deepest sense of the term, requires a knowledge of the subject that often leaves me bewildered, despite the many, many years that have passed since I began to follow him (and to study music). Personally, the only similar musician that comes to mind, though this is only relevant to interpretation and execution, is Allan Holdsworth. But this is just to illustrate the difficulty and complexity of the language sometimes (I think of: Civilization, Jazz from Hell, Lumpy Gravy just to name a few). I had the chance to attend one of his shows in '82 in Bologna and I was completely blown away and confused by the quantity, quality, and originality of the material in a live setting. It wasn’t my first concert, and I’ve seen hundreds more after; but it was one of those that, as they say, is hard to forget. I refer everyone who wishes to deepen their study on this (finally, yes, let it be said) Genius of the 20th century to the reading of the only authorized biography published years ago by Arcana, authored by Peter Occhiogrosso. Reading it, the misadventures that Zappa had to face forty, thirty, twenty years ago seem incredible, often in the most unimaginable and grotesque situations. Still, a large part of the musician's archive (hundreds and hundreds of hours of tapes) remains unreleased. His wife and children, as many know, hold (after long and complex vicissitudes) the global rights and drip feed the production in a somewhat cunning way. Praise, praise, praise forever to Uncle Frank, and may his memory remain an enduring reminder and example for all of us poor common mortal music lovers. Torture never Stops.

....even better a CinZano......so we toast and call it a day......

For Dante: congratulations!! For better or for worse, your review has been "visited," at the moment I'm writing, 1000 times. Not bad!! But now, could you review something by the Bee Gees? Or Take That? Or Oasis? I know you can do it, Dante..... . Best regards

I insert myself sideways into the new Huygens-Cruciani direction (again on this review) to emphasize the great depth and relevance of the analogy offered by Huygens. If I were Cruciani (and fortunately, in this case I am not), I would have already struck down this Huygens master. Dante, what are you waiting for? Or maybe you’re going with "Non ti curar di loro (him) ma guarda e passa"? Ah, just a thought: I thought this album was a disco icon, not pop. And then she, the "lady" Ciccone, is more of a suck-up than an icon. Thought 2: comparing Borghezio & Calderoli to Madonna/Cruciani shows the true measure of the acumen of whoever proposed it. The two Northern League members seem to have taken it from the rear as well. As always. After all, what do two idiots who are also parliamentarians deserve? But that’s gratuitous, it doesn’t matter, just like the intervention above. bye