Qobuz Store wallpaper
Categories:
Cart 0

Your cart is empty

Ensemble Modern|Ensemble Modern Plays Frank Zappa: Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions

Ensemble Modern Plays Frank Zappa: Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions

Ensemble Modern

Available in
16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo

Unlimited Streaming

Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps

Start my trial period and start listening to this album

Enjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription

Subscribe

Enjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription

Digital Download

Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.

The fabulous Ensemble Modern present another all-Zappa program following up the Yellow Shark project from about a decade earlier. The main difference between the albums is that Zappa died in 1993, so there are no new pieces written specifically for the Ensemble and Frank isn't conducting. Also, with the exception of an exercise entitled "What Will Rumi Do?" (which conceptually ties back to Ruth Underwood in "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?"), all the pieces should be known to Zappa fans, who are a pretty hardcore lot. For many listeners, that may make for a more enjoyable program, but it's not like this is the Mantovani Orchestra performing the "Hits of Frank Zappa." The track selection is excellent, although it is a bit off the beaten Zappa track. There are several compositions that have only appeared as Synclavier pieces, from the albums Jazz From Hell and Civilization Phase III, and "Revised Music for Low Budget Orchestra" and "Greggery Peccary" are probably not very high on the average FZ fan's hit parade. That being said, these are great, if sometimes challenging compositions, and the Ensemble Modern clearly rise to the task. The Jazz From Hell tracks ("Night School" and "Beltway Bandits") are perhaps the most transformed, mostly due to the fact that the early Synclavier sounds were more synthesized and mechanical than the sounds later used on Civilization Phase III. The CPIII tracks actually become more interesting as compositions, divorced from their original context among a great deal of sometimes silly spoken material. Here, they are just wickedly polyrhythmic modern compositions that stand quite well as individual pieces. In particular, the arrangement for "A Pig With Wings" is stunning, scored for two guitars and two keyboard/samplers that sound like they have a hammered dulcimer patch at times. "Revised Music for Low Budget Orchestra" gets a fantastic reading, and it's simply thrilling to hear the passage with the guitar solo (replaced here by viola) doubled by brass and percussion. That anyone would actually undertake a live performance of "Greggery Peccary" is a bit of a surprise, and again, the Ensemble Modern demonstrate their incredible talent. Incorporating all the known orchestral devices, they also use samplers and vocalists Omar Ebrahim and David Moss, who really "put the eyebrows" on their performances (who'da thunk an opera guy could perform like Ebrahim?). Anyone familiar with David Moss' bizarre, cartoonish vocalizing over the years will realize what an inspired choice he was. As an added bonus, there's a wonderful arrangement of the old favorite "Peaches en Regalia," and a hidden track that originates from 200 Motels (no need to completely spoil the surprise). Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions is another fantastic recording from the Ensemble Modern, and since there aren't a whole lot of new performances coming out of the Zappa vault, this is a nice treat for those who still want to hear more from the great Frank Zappa. Excellent.

© Sean Westergaard /TiVo

More info

Ensemble Modern Plays Frank Zappa: Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions

Ensemble Modern

launch qobuz app I already downloaded Qobuz for Windows / MacOS Open

download qobuz app I have not downloaded Qobuz for Windows / MacOS yet Download the Qobuz app

You are currently listening to samples.

Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.

Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.

From kr133,33/month

1
Moggio
00:02:43

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Uli Schneider, Producer - Norbert Ommer, Engineer - Ali N. Askin

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

2
What Will Rumi Do?
00:01:35

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

3
Night School
00:04:49

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

4
Revised Music For Low Budget Orchestra
00:07:37

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

5
The Beltway Bandits
00:03:36

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

6
A Pig With Wings
00:04:24

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Frank Zappa, Composer - Ali N. Askin - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

7
Put A Motor In Yourself
00:05:20

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

8
Peaches En Regalia
00:03:07

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

9
Naval Aviation In Art?
00:02:28

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

10
The Adventures Of Greggery Peccary
00:21:16

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Omar Ebrahim - David Moss - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

11
The Dental Hygiene Dilemma
00:03:33

Ensemble Modern, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Frank Zappa, Composer - Uli Schneider, Producer - Ali N. Askin - Jonathan Stockhammer, Conductor - Norbert Ommer, Engineer

(P) 2003 BMG Ariola Classics GmbH

Album review

The fabulous Ensemble Modern present another all-Zappa program following up the Yellow Shark project from about a decade earlier. The main difference between the albums is that Zappa died in 1993, so there are no new pieces written specifically for the Ensemble and Frank isn't conducting. Also, with the exception of an exercise entitled "What Will Rumi Do?" (which conceptually ties back to Ruth Underwood in "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?"), all the pieces should be known to Zappa fans, who are a pretty hardcore lot. For many listeners, that may make for a more enjoyable program, but it's not like this is the Mantovani Orchestra performing the "Hits of Frank Zappa." The track selection is excellent, although it is a bit off the beaten Zappa track. There are several compositions that have only appeared as Synclavier pieces, from the albums Jazz From Hell and Civilization Phase III, and "Revised Music for Low Budget Orchestra" and "Greggery Peccary" are probably not very high on the average FZ fan's hit parade. That being said, these are great, if sometimes challenging compositions, and the Ensemble Modern clearly rise to the task. The Jazz From Hell tracks ("Night School" and "Beltway Bandits") are perhaps the most transformed, mostly due to the fact that the early Synclavier sounds were more synthesized and mechanical than the sounds later used on Civilization Phase III. The CPIII tracks actually become more interesting as compositions, divorced from their original context among a great deal of sometimes silly spoken material. Here, they are just wickedly polyrhythmic modern compositions that stand quite well as individual pieces. In particular, the arrangement for "A Pig With Wings" is stunning, scored for two guitars and two keyboard/samplers that sound like they have a hammered dulcimer patch at times. "Revised Music for Low Budget Orchestra" gets a fantastic reading, and it's simply thrilling to hear the passage with the guitar solo (replaced here by viola) doubled by brass and percussion. That anyone would actually undertake a live performance of "Greggery Peccary" is a bit of a surprise, and again, the Ensemble Modern demonstrate their incredible talent. Incorporating all the known orchestral devices, they also use samplers and vocalists Omar Ebrahim and David Moss, who really "put the eyebrows" on their performances (who'da thunk an opera guy could perform like Ebrahim?). Anyone familiar with David Moss' bizarre, cartoonish vocalizing over the years will realize what an inspired choice he was. As an added bonus, there's a wonderful arrangement of the old favorite "Peaches en Regalia," and a hidden track that originates from 200 Motels (no need to completely spoil the surprise). Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions is another fantastic recording from the Ensemble Modern, and since there aren't a whole lot of new performances coming out of the Zappa vault, this is a nice treat for those who still want to hear more from the great Frank Zappa. Excellent.

© Sean Westergaard /TiVo

About the album

Improve album information

Qobuz logo Why buy on Qobuz...

On sale now...

Mélusine

Cécile McLorin Salvant

Mélusine Cécile McLorin Salvant

Giant Steps

John Coltrane

Giant Steps John Coltrane

Tutu

Miles Davis

Tutu Miles Davis

Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles

Brad Mehldau

More on Qobuz
By Ensemble Modern

Wolfgang Rihm: Jagden und Formen (Zustand 2008) [Live]

Ensemble Modern

Steve Reich: City Life / 8 Lines

Ensemble Modern

Heiner Goebbels: A House of Call - My Imaginary Notebook

Ensemble Modern

Kurt Weill. Mahagonny. Chansons Des Quais. Kleine Dreigroschenmusik

Ensemble Modern

Changements

Ensemble Modern

Changements Ensemble Modern

Playlists

You may also like...

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations

Víkingur Ólafsson

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations Víkingur Ólafsson

The Vienna Recital

Yuja Wang

The Vienna Recital Yuja Wang

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

Keith Jarrett

Rachmaninoff: The Piano Concertos & Paganini Rhapsody

Yuja Wang

A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki

Joe Hisaishi