Playlist: Frank Zappa Annotated

About Playlist

Joe Travers has been playing drums in the Los Angeles area for nearly three decades. A Berklee College Of Music graduate, Travers moved to L.A. in 1992, and by March 1993 he had landed the gig with Dweezil & Ahmet Zappa's group Z. Since then he's gone on to play with many acts over the years including Duran Duran, Lisa Loeb, Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes), Billy Idol, Zappa Plays Zappa, Eric Johnson and Joe Satriani, and currently with The Zappa Band.

When Travers is not on the road, he spends his time as the Zappa Trust "Vaultmeister," leading the archiving and preservation of Frank Zappa's legacy, and working closely with the Trust co-producing and supervising future projects. Who better than Joe to curate this exclusive, annotated Frank Zappa playlist for Qobuz?

"Cosmik Debris" (Apostrophe('))
Apostrophe(') was the first Zappa album I ever bought. The iconic cover image along with the song titles sold me. Everything you would ever expect from a Frank Zappa album you can find here in this collection of "songs and stories set to music for your dining and dancing pleasure." "Cosmik Debris" is one of FZ's most popular tunes that he frequently played live throughout the years.

"Invocation And Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin" (Absolutely Free)
The first extended guitar workout ever released on record from FZ. Bunk Gardner on sax joins in on the jam. Freaks unite! This one's for you!

"What Ever Happened To All The Fun In The World"(Sheik Yerbouti)
A 33-second link for continuity from the amazing Sheik Yerbouti album added to this playlist to connect us to the next guitar solo. Note the fantastic use of razor blade editing on tape.

"Rat Tomago" (Sheik Yerbouti)
The title is taken from something Ahmet said as a 4-year-old. This guitar solo, originally played in Berlin, Germany in 1978, during "The Torture Never Stops," is one of my all-time favorites of the entire Zappa catalog, if not my number ONE!

"Twenty Small Cigars" (Chunga's Revenge)
Originally recorded during the Hot Rats sessions in 1969, this track—found on Chunga's Revenge—demonstrates an early '60s Cucamonga period composition re-recorded with veteran Mothers Of Invention member Ian Underwood on piano/keys along with top-of-the-line studio musicians John Guerin on drums and Max Bennet on acoustic bass. Although FZ is known for complex, twisted and humorous escapades musically, this track shows that he could also write absolutely beautiful melodies as well.

"Village Of The Sun" (Chicago '78)
This highlight from the 1978 band repertoire, first released on the amazing Roxy & Elsewhere album, features an updated arrangement of this fabulous tune that adds an extended solo vamp during the end section. The assigned soloists would switch around frequently night after night during the tour, but it was always great when FZ would decide to play over this infectious groove.

"Red Tubular Lighter" (The Mothers 1970 Box Set)
This obscure instrumental jam was something I ran across in the Vault very early on in my Vaultmeister career. This mix was found on a build reel, a collection of assorted 1/4" tape masters compiled for some sort of future use by FZ but never made it onto a release. It was much later that I found out the origin of the recording session, engineered by Roy Thomas Baker in 1970 at Trident Studios in London, England.

"The Black Page #1 (Piano Version)" (Zappa In New York [40th Anniversary])
I was so grateful and excited when Ruth Underwood agreed to record her solo piano arrangement of "The Black Page" for the 40th Anniversary of Zappa In New York. She had played it for FZ one day in the studio back in 1977 and he loved it. For me, her elegant approach accents the beauty of the melody in ways in which the master versions we've come to love don't quite convey. This version has also been featured in the movie and soundtrack to Alex Winter's fabulous documentary Zappa.

"Holiday In Berlin, Full Blown" (Burnt Weeny Sandwich)
A standout track from the Burnt Weeny Sandwich album. I'll never forget the time Billy Bob Thornton told me this album was on constant repeat when he was writing the screenplay for his movie Slingblade. Amazing. And this track truly is.

"Outside Now" (Joe's Garage, Act II)
The outstanding and brilliant Joe's Garage stands out as quite possibly the best sounding album in the entire Zappa catalog. (One Size Fits All is not too far behind). Listening to the master tapes as we were transferring them in the studio was a memory I'll cherish forever. It just came alive over the speakers. Just amazing. This track is yet another example of a beautiful melody by FZ combined with a hypnotic vamp in 11/8.

"Zoot Allures" (Zoot Allures)
This "Signature Tune" (deemed so by Frank himself) was recorded at the Record Plant in Los Angeles in 1976. Ruth on marimba, Lou Anne Neill on harp. Tasty additions. Great guitar tone. Absolute classic.

"200 Years Old" (Bongo Fury)
What an album; it's always great to hear Beefheart & FZ together. Written in 1975 for the then rapidly approaching American Bicentennial of 1976, and dedicated to "everybody who managed to live through the last 200 years." The basic tracks were recorded at The Record Plant in early 1975 (the original album liner notes list an incorrect year). These were most likely the last recording sessions with Chester Thompson on drums.

"Strictly Genteel" (Halloween 1981 Box Set Disc 4, 10/31/81, 12AM Show)
This is my favorite arrangement of this tune, the line-up in '81 totally nails it and it's so fun to play live. I find that this is one of my favorite Zappa compositions of all time and I think it's a proper choice to end my playlist selections. "Music Is The Best!" ~ FZ

Photo courtesy of Zappa Records