Historical archival Zappa release: Waka/Wazoo box set

This are the recordings we thought did not exist, but finally we get to know they do, alternate takes of songs from Zappa's beloved Waka/Jawaka and Grand Wazoo albums. Plus a live concert and Zappa related George Duke demos.
"The Waka/Wazoo box set features a complete historical run-down of the entire project, featuring alternate takes of almost every composition recorded during the album sessions, along with Vault mix session outtakes and oddities. Also included is the full final show of the 10-piece tour, recorded at the famous Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco on December 15, 1972. The Blu-ray Audio disc features both albums with brand-new, first-time-ever Atmos and 5.1 mixes from the original multi-tracks and the 96kHz 24-bit high-resolution stereo remasters. Finally, during the album recording sessions at Paramount Studios, FZ worked with George Duke on some of Duke’s solo material. These demos were produced by Zappa, who also played guitar. Although George would go on to re-record the compositions for his own albums, the versions with FZ have never been officially issued until now."

TRACKLISTING

CD 1

Paramount Studios Recording Session Alternates and Outtakes

1. Your Mouth (Take 1)

2. Big Swifty (Alternate Take)

3. Minimal Art (Eat That Question – Version 1, Take 2)

4. Blessed Relief (Outtake Version)

5. Think It Over (The Grand Wazoo) (Outtake Version)

6. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers) (Outtake Version)

7. Waka/Jawaka (Outtake Version)

CD 2

Paramount Studios Recording Session Alternates and

Outtakes, continued

1. Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus (Alternate Take)

2. Eat That Question (Version 2, Alternate Take)

3. Big Swifty (Alternate Mix)

4. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)

(Alternate Mix)

5. It Just Might Be A One-Shot Deal (Alternate Mix)

6. Waka/Jawaka (Alternate Mix)

7. Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus (Alternate Mix)

8. Eat That Question (Alternate Mix)

CD 3

George Duke Demos – The Master Versions

1. For Love (I Come Your Friend)

2. Psychosomatic Dung

3. Uncle Remus (Instrumental)

4. Love

George Duke Session Outtakes

5. For Love (I Come Your Friend) (Basic Track, Take 1)

6. Psychosomatic Dung (Basic Track, Take 2)

7. Love (Basic Track, Take 1)

The Grand Wazoo – Live

8. Approximate (Live – FZ Record Plant Mix)

10-Piece/Petite Wazoo – Live / Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA – 12-15-1972

9. Winterland ’72 Opening And Band Introductions

10. Little Dots

CD 4

10-Piece/Petite Wazoo – Live, continued

Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA – 12-15-1972

1. America Drinks

2. Montana

3. Farther O’Blivion

4. Cosmik Debris

5. Chunga’s Revenge

BLU-RAY AUDIO

48kHz 24-bit Dolby Atmos, 48kHz 24-bit Dolby TrueHD

5.1, 96kHz 24-bit PCM Stereo

WAKA/JAWAKA

1. Big Swifty

2. Your Mouth

3. It Just Might Be A One-Shot Deal

4. Waka / Jawaka

THE GRAND WAZOO

1. The Grand Wazoo

2. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)

3. Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus

4. Eat That Question

5. Blessed Relief

Zappa's Road Tapes #3 on Spotify now

Today is the official release date of Road Tapes venue #3, and the music is also available through Spotify and Apple Music. 

In fact all three volumes in the series can be streamed through Spotify now.

This one, like the previous ones, is a 2 CD set. We get one show per disc. Yes, there were two shows that evening at Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

We expected to be a bit tired to hear yet another recording of the Flo & Eddie band, BUT this is actually surprisingly interesting. The later releases of the Flo & Eddie band have actually featured the 1971 line up. This is with the 1970 band at an early stage. That means we get to hear George Duke on keyboards and Jeff Simmons on bass.

Although the band had not been together for more than maybe two months they had managed to rehearse a rather big repertoire: two different shows with around a dozen songs each. No more than three songs are played twice.

At this time Zappa chose to play many songs that were already released, which wasn't the case when the old Mothers of Invention were around. Here we get several songs from Uncle Meat as well as We're Only In It For The Money. Actually, all of them do not sound that great, Mark and Howie's harmonies does not always match and on other places the p.a. system eats it,

There seem to be two sound sources: the better of them is probably a multi track recording (the ol' four track?). where they have set up several microphones on the stage. Quite a lot of stereo effect. It is not our impression that this is a line recording.

There must have been some recording problems during the 1st show since the other source cuts in here and there. And the second source sounds like an audience recording.

Now, if you put on a pair of decent ear phones you will hear a strange thing. During the "audience recording source" there is a leakage of (orchestral ?) music of unknown origin. We first assumed that there was another event going on in the venue and that the sound leaked through, but after listening again we think it is from the tape. The tape used must have been a badly erased one, so the earlier recording remained on the tape to some degree. Something like that. A little disturbing.

Overall this is actually quite a gem. The highlights are the instrumental pieces, the epic version of Chunga's Revenge that ends the 2nd show for instance.

And you hard core fans are probably very curious to find out how the track The Nancy & Mary Music was pieced together. It was recorded during these shows and released on the Chunga's Revenge album.

Listen to Road Tapes #3 here.

A tribute to jazz giant George Duke

Byron Miller, Josie James, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Zad McGough.

There is a band extraordinaire doing a short tour in Sweden now. A 55 piece band including ex George Duke veterans Napoleon Murphy Brock, Josie James and Byron Miller (Napoleon is also a well known Frank Zappa sideman).

Yesterday's show in Umeå was really great. The orchestra under conductor Tom Trapp performed a great variety of George Duke compositions, spanning from symphonic arrangements to soul/funk pop songs. 

From Me To You - A George Duke Experience, the programme:

From Me To You
Festival

Love's Weaker Side (Brock)

Tryin' and Cryin', 

Déja Vu

Sausalito

Inca Roads (Zappa)

I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry

The Black Messiah pt. I

Patience (Brock)

Adonis

Brown Sneakers

Sweet Baby

Dukey Treats

Also performed: Uncle Remus (Zappa)

Norrlandsoperan about the event

Sveriges Radio, January 28

Napoleon Murphy Brock and Mats Öberg, duo gig January 26:

Radio Dupree Top 30 - November 2014

1. George Duke - For Love
Three Originals

2. Frank Zappa - More Trouble Every Day
A Token of His Extreme (Soundtrack)

3. Donald Fagen - Big Noise New York
Trilogy : 10 Extras

4. Yes - Tempus Fugit
Drama

5. The Zombies - Beechwood Park
Odessey and Oracle

6. Genesis - Scenes From A Night's Dream
And Then There Were Three

7. Vinegar Joe - Proud To Be (A Honky Woman)
Six Star Gypsies   

8. King Crimson - Cadence and Cascade
In the Wake of Poseidon

9. Janelle Monae - Givin Em What They Love (Feat. Prince)
The Electric Lady

10. The Beatles - Come Together
Abbey Road

11. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - All You Can Carry - Hypnotic Eye
12. Deep Purple - Loosen My Strings - Purpendicular (Blu-Spec)
13. David Bowie - Karma Man - David Bowie
14. Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado Overture - Eldorado
15. Genesis - In Hiding - From Genesis To Revelation
16. Brand X - Act Of Will - Do They Hurt?
17. Blood Sweat & Tears - Lucretia MacEvil - Blood Sweat & Tears 3
18. The Beatles - Across the Universe - 1967-70
19. David Bowie - London Bye Ta Ta - Bowie at the Beeb
20. Frank Zappa - Teen-age Wind - You Are What You Is

-----------------------------------------------------

Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

Radio Dupree Top 6 - October 2013

1. George Duke - Uncle Remus
The Aura Will Prevail

2. Ensemble - Black Cow
Everything You Did

3. George Duke - Malibu
The Aura Will Prevail

4. Genesis - Watcher Of The Skies
Foxtrot

5. Prefab Sprout - King of Rock'n'Roll
From Langley Park to Memphis

6. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - I Don't Live Today
Are You Experienced

-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

A bit of a delayed reaction to our Album of the Month in August; The Aura Will Prevail. But, hey, we're not picky! Anytime is George Duke time in our book.

Happy to see Prefab Sprout in the chart the very same month the group release a brand new song followed by an album.

Enjoy the music on Radio Dupree and - if you feel like helping us i what we should play - please press the up and down buttons as you listen.

Coming soon: Zappa live in Helsinki 1973?

The mysterious message.

The next release in the Zappa Family Trust's series Road Tapes is most likely a recording from Helsinki, Finland 1973.
Check out the latest message on http://www.zappa.com/whatsnew/
On August 23, 1973 Frank and The Mothers played Finlandia-talo in Helsinki. Yes, one year before the concerts in another venue in the same city that would end up on You Can't Do That On Stage Volume 2. Excellent choice, ZFT! Finally we get an official release by the forgotten 1973 band with Jean-Luc Ponty, George Duke and others!!

George Duke our Album of the Month artist for August 2013

We were just about to launch our Album of the Month for August when the news reached us that George Duke had passed away, so instead of a brand new album of jazzy Steely Dan covers we picked George's 1975 record The Aura Will Prevail. An album that includes two Frank Zappa collaborations.

Enjoy these as well as the other tracks on this jazz fusion classic this month on Radio Dupree!

Got any Duke favourites you'd like us to add? Write a comment or mail us at radiodupree@yahoo.se

George Duke dies at 67

Photo: http://georgeduke.com/

Musician and producer George Duke died Monday evening in a Los Angeles hospital were he was being treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
His wife Corrine died in July last year.

George Duke was born in San Rafael, California and began taking piano lessons at age 4 after seeing Duke Ellington play.

In 1966 he released his first record and went on to play with - amongst others - Jean-Luc Ponty, Don Ellis Orchestra, Cannonball Adderley, Frank Zappa and Stanley Clarke before going solo in 1976.

More:

Radio Facts: Vic McLean, George Duke’s Close Friend and Promoter Talks to Radio Facts

George knew his time was near. He always kept his health issues close to the vest. - See more at: http://www.radiofacts.com/vic-mclean-george-dukes-close-friend-and-promoter-talks-to-radio-facts/#sthash.2QfKVxP4.dpuf

"George knew his time was near. He always kept his health issues close to the vest."

BBC: George Duke, jazz musician, dies at 67

Wikipedia: George Duke

georgeduke.com

George knew his time was near. He always kept his health issues close to the vest. - See more at: http://www.radiofacts.com/vic-mclean-george-dukes-close-friend-and-promoter-talks-to-radio-facts/#sthash.2QfKVxP4.dpuf

Eagle Rock releases Zappa's 1974 KCET show

Eagle Rock Entertainment and the Zappa Family Trust announce the first official release of Frank Zappa's TV show on KCET entitled A Token of His Extreme. That was an original program created by Frank Zappa for TV. 
The material consists of a concert filmed in a big TV studio in front of an audience.

Track list:
The Dog Breath Variations/ Uncle Meat, Montana, Earl Of Duke (George Duke), Florentine Pogen, Stink-Foot, Pygmy Twylyte, Room Service, Inca Roads, Oh No, Son Of Orange County, More Trouble Every Day, A Token Of My Extreme.
Probably also: Approximate and Cosmik Debris, even though not mentioned on Amazon (see link below).

It was recorded on August 27, 1974 at KCET in Hollywood, and features the band with Napoleon Murphy Brock, George Duke and others (the same band as on The Helsinki Concert - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore - Vol. 2). Some of the material from this occasion also exist on The Dub Room Special DVD.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frank-Zappa-Token-Extreme-NTSC/dp/B00BUL983S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363632366&sr=8-1

Ponty plays King Kong at Zappanale 2012

The German Zappa festival The Zappanale has managed to engage several very interesting acts this year. The latest news is that Jean-Luc Ponty and George Duke will perform the entire King Kong album!
French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty recorded the album King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa in the late 1969 together with George Duke and other musicians. It was released in 1970 by World Pacific/Liberty. On August 2 Ponty and Duke will perform the music from the album live on stage at the Zappanale in Bad Doberan in Germany. The band also includes bassplayer Guy Akwa and drummer Damien Schmitt.
The Zappanale has also managed to engage artists as Alice Cooper and french zeuhl-rockers Magma this year!

Brand new George Duke/Stanley Clarke interview online

Click this link to hear or even download a 46 minute interview with George Duke and Stanley Clarke that aired Friday April 29 on Global Village and KPFK, Los Angeles.

Oldfield, Duke and Zappa topping our chart

The Radio Dupree monthly chart is here! Some weeks ago we tossed in a couple of excerpts from Mike Oldfield's classic Tubular Bells, and heureka, one of them reached the number one postition. Then George Duke, Frank Zappa and Yes follow.
The top 20 also includes two pieces each by Mahavishnu Orchestra and David Bowie.
What about our Album of the Month then? Did you listeners enjoy Zappa's Hot Rats album to the degree that it even managed to reach the Radio Dupree chart? Well, no...and yes. Willie The Pimp reached number 3, but it is the live version from the Fillmore East album. The original Willie almost made it. Nr 21.
Bognor Regis is another Hot Rats related tune, and this obscure promo single b-side reached position number 6. Bognos what? you might wonder. Well, this instrumental was recorded during the Hot Rats era but did not surface until three decades later. As the story goes it came from a promo single (or test pressing of a single) that Frank gave to a D.J. in the UK. It was a well kept secret for years.

1. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (excerpt) - Tubular Bells
2. George Duke - The Once Over - My Soul - The Complete MPS Fusion Recordings
3. Frank Zappa & The Mothers - Willie The Pimp - Fillmore East, June 1971
4. Frank Zappa - Zomby Woof - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1
5. Yes - Sweetness - Yes
6. Frank Zappa - Bognor Regis - 1970 promo single b-side
7. The Bee Gees - Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight - All This And World War II (various artists)
8. Donald Fagen - The Night Belongs To Mona - Morph The Cat
9. Supertramp - Goodbye Stranger - Breakfast In America
10. Rhinoceros - You're My Girl - Rhinoceros
11. King Crimson - Exiles - Larks' Tongues In Aspic
12. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Miles Beyond - Birds Of Fire
13. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Lazy Music - Unconditionally Guaranteed
14. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds Of Fire - Birds Of Fire
15. Paul And Linda McCartney - Eat At Home - Ram
16. David Bowie - Survive - BBC Radio Theatre
17. David Bowie - Lady Grinning Soul - Aladdin Sane
18. Talking Heads - The Great Curve - Remain In Light
19. King Crimson - Cirkus - Lizard
20. David Sancious - East India - Forest Of Feelings