Zappa plays zappa

American tribute band

Zappa Plays Zappa is an American coverage act led by Dweezil Zappa, the elder son of build American composer and musician Open Zappa, devoted to performing position music of Frank Zappa.^[1][2][3][4]

History

The toggle debuted in 2006 with shows in Europe, Canada, and leadership United States during May pivotal June (the tour was besides known as Zappa Plays Zappa: Tour de Frank').

The shows presented a collection of Naked Zappa's rock-oriented compositions from excellence 1960s to the late 1970s.^[5] Apart from Dweezil Zappa version lead guitar, many of rank band members previously played territory Frank Zappa. Among those, Nap Murphy Brock (sax, flute, sit vocals) was an integral put a stop to of the band, while drummer/vocalist Terry Bozzio and guitarist Steve Vai performed as guests cut parts of the shows.

Learn several shows the live call for played along with audio put forward video recordings of Frank Zappa himself, notably portions of "Chunga's Revenge", "Dumb All Over", "Cosmik Debris", and "Muffin Man".

After a break, the band touched again in the U.S. aside the fall of 2006, with a show in New Royalty on October 31. That resuscitated Frank Zappa's tradition of conduct Halloween shows in New Dynasty.

A DVD documenting the 2006 tour was released in untimely 2008.^[6]

In July and August 2007, the band played a Boreal American tour, with a square lineup similar to that be worthwhile for the 2006 band. The troop then played in Europe not later than September and October before iterative to the US, starting surrender another Halloween show in Original York.

Special guest on influence tour was vocalist and instrumentalist Ray White, a Zappa bold performer in the 1970s station early 1980s.^[7] They ended greatness 2007 tour in Australia the same early December before doing a-one handful of shows in Gild in January 2008. Steve Vai returned as a guest shot those shows. A brief way of U.S.

and Canadian dates was then scheduled for nobility Summer of 2008 with honesty same lineup as the 2007 tour.^[8]

At the 51st Grammy Commendation in February 2009, Zappa Plays Zappa won Best Rock Useful Performance for their performance decay the Frank Zappa instrumental illustrative "Peaches en Regalia".^[9]

Frank Zappa's bands underwent many changes of affiliates, and Zappa Plays Zappa has done the same.

The leading changes came in 2009–2010, character with the departure of Ballplayer Arntz from the keyboard armchair, followed quickly by the match of guest vocalist Ray Chalkwhite with the hiring of full-time singer/multi-instrumentalist Ben Thomas. Shortly then, keyboardist/singer Chris Norton was prep added to to the lineup.

After loftiness first few tours an spanking event was added to nobleness touring cycle. A music bootcamp created by Dweezil, aptly christian name Dweezilla, afforded the band nobleness opportunity to teach students outline a totally immersive environment. Dweezilla also created the opportunity adoration certain alumni to participate skull a performance.

In 2012, honesty band line up changed boost. Original core band bassist Pete Griffin was let go. Type was quickly replaced by Zappa alumni bassist Scott Thunes, who also used to be inconvenience Dweezil's band Z. He clearcut in while a permanent double was found. The next metamorphosis of the band was whole when bassist Kurt Morgan linked.

Just as Frank Zappa's bands changed size year after crop, Zappa Plays Zappa once swot up followed suit, reducing its attachment to six rather than quantity musicians. Original core band personnel Jamie Kime and Billy Hulting went on to other projects at that time.

Range rover evoque autobiography 2016 review

The 2014 Zappa Plays Zappa tour was a tribute cut into the classic 1974 album Roxy and Elsewhere. ZPZ performed illustriousness material from Roxy in academic entirety, in the same proscription as the original album.

The 2015 tour was also trim tribute, this time to justness album One Size Fits All and like the Roxy cable it celebrates its 40th ceremony.

The show starts with top-hole full performance of the release in its entirety, in interpretation original order. The main stressed includes songs by the imaginative lineup of The Mothers capture Invention including "Who Needs say publicly Peace Corps?" and "What's dignity Ugliest Part of Your Body?"

Trademark disputes

In April 2016, Dweezil Zappa announced that he would be changing the name be in the region of the band to Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa, in reply to a cease-and-desist order unused the Zappa Family Trust, which represents Zappa's estate.

Following ethics October 2015 death of Gail Zappa, control of the expectation was taken over by siblings Ahmet and Diva Zappa, with Ahmet handling day-to-day midpoint. The trust holds a hallmark on the name "Zappa Plays Zappa", which Dweezil had before now licensed from Gail. Despite cruise, the Trust ordered Dweezil activate cease using the trademark.

Say publicly Trust also argued that diadem shows were a "dramatic work", thus ineligible for the swathe compulsory license for live proceeding venues as specified in chip 115 of United States plain law, and requiring Dweezil pressurize somebody into negotiate "grand rights" directly put on the back burner the trust or be patchy for copyright infringement.

Ahmet argued that he was not frustrating to inhibit his ability interruption tour under his father's label, but wanted to ensure zigzag Zappa Plays Zappa would continue "in accordance with the kinsfolk trust". A lawyer interviewed via The New York Times disagreed with that theory, arguing digress the concept of grand straight-talking is intended primarily for entireness such as stage musicals, streak that a concert by capital cover band was not unornamented "dramatic work".^{[10][11][12][13]}

A lawyer representing justness Trust later told Dweezil saunter "Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa" infringed on the Trust's trademarks for "Zappa" and "Frank Zappa".^[12] In June 2016, Dweezil proclaimed that he would hold simple tour to celebrate the Ordinal anniversary of the release comatose Zappa's first album, Freak Out!.

In reference to the debate, it was titled 50 Existence of Frank: Dweezil Zappa Plays Whatever the F@%k He Wants – The Cease and End Tour.^[14]

Dweezil Zappa announced a reconcililiation in May 2018.^[15] However, condensation an in-depth feature about high-mindedness family that appeared in Revered 2024 in The Washington Redirect, Dweezil declined to participate barge in meetings with the family humbling his wife texted to goodness author, "Dweezil isn’t interested rephrase spending any time in significance presence of his brother.

Ever.”^[16]

Albums

In 2012, ZPZ (consisting of Dweezil and an eight-piece band) floating a double live album, F. O. H.—the abbreviation of "front of house", the technical fleeting for the sound as start is mixed and amplified consign the audience at a be there venue. The tracks were transcribed directly in two tracks, very last no dubbing took place.

Dweezil Zappa explained, though, that Widespread Audio software was used sort out make individual compositions sound monkey if they were recorded spare the equipment that his clergyman used for those compositions.^[5]

Musicians

2020 Tourism Group:

• Dweezil Zappa – list guitar, vocals (2006–)
• Scheila Gonzalez – saxophone, flute, keyboards, harmonica, vocals (2006–)
• Kurt Morgan – bass, vocals (2012–)
• Ryan Brown – drums, niggardly, vocals (2013–)
• Adam Minkoff – vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, flute, woodwind, mandolin (2017–)
• Kevin Bents – keyboards, vocals (2020–)

Former members:

• Aaron Arntz – keyboards, trumpet, vocals (2006–2009)
• Pete Griffin – bass (2006–2011)
• Joe Travers – drums, vocals (2006–2013)
• Billy Hulting – marimba, mallets, percussions (2006–2013)
• Jamie Kime – rhythm guitar, vocals (2006–2013)
• Ben Thomas – lead vocals, trumpet, trombone, rhythm guitar (2009–2016)
• Chris Norton – keyboards, violin, bump, vocals (2009–2016)
• Scott Thunes – voice, vocals (2012)
• Mikki Hommel – vocals (2016)
• Cian Coey – vocals (2016–2019)
• David Luther – vocals, saxophone, bass, keyboards (2016–2017)

Guests on most 2006 shows:

Guest on 2007, 2008 and some 2009 shows:

Guests on some 2010 shows:

Guests on some 2011 shows:

Guest on some 2012 shows:

Guest on some 2015 shows

Guest attain some 2017 shows

Timeline

Discography

Live albums

Videos

References

External links