Fred Händl sat down at his piano in The Hague, playing a bunch of Frank Zappa compositions. They are pretty great:
Filmed from above - save from How Could I Be Such A Fool, so good luck to all budding players trying to replicate him.
Playing the works of Frank Zappa at a small, sold-out solo show, takes some nerve. Dutch pianist Fred Händl pulled it off when he performed at Haags Pianohuis in The Hague on December 7. Watched by an attentive, knowledgeable audience he played stripped down versions of gems like Ms. Pinky, Watermelon In Easter Hay, Let's Make The Water Turn Black, and How Could I Be Such A Fool. Händl's "toucher" is light and playful, a joy to listen to.
English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness have posted a new episode of their podcast The Album Years. They talk about 1972, discussing albums by Frank Zappa, Focus, Miles Davis, Supersister, and a whole lot more. This is part #6, the final episode about this year. The pair can be watched on YouTube as well.
Prog Magazine has published a fun interview with guitarist Adrian Belew. On the lessons he learned from playing with Frank Zappa:
He taught me how to play in odd time signatures. He said, “I don’t hardly play in 4/4, so you’re going to have to learn how to play in odd time signatures.” The way he explained odd time signatures to me – coming from a background as a drummer – made total sense to me; it was all about accents. That was a really important thing when I got into King Crimson. I don’t think I would ever been able to write the stuff necessary had I not learned it at that point.
The Furious Bongos are a bunch of pro's who love the music of Frank Zappa, so every now and then they find the time to get on stage and have fun with his music:
As for Frank's music, he was constantly changing things, both for his own creative choices and to adapt to the different musicians he had over the years. He also understood that his live performances were entertainment: it's supposed to be a rock show, not a piano recital.
English avant-garde musician Colin Robinson (Jumble Hole Clough, Churn Milk Joan, Big Block 454) broadcasted the first episode of his monthly Answers on a Postcard show on Otto Radio on February 6th. Missed it? It is now on Mixcloud.
Set aside for an hour of music by Eno, Zappa, Can, Captain Beefheart, Funkadelic, Richard and Linda Thompson, King Crimson, a chat about improvisation with Simon Partridge from Cold Bath Street and much, much more.
Watch Robby Krieger and Friends perform the Frank Zappa classic Chunga's Revenge. There are three Zappa alumni in this line-up: Arthur Barrow, Sal Marquez and Jock Ellis. Recorded live in Glendale, CA on April 29th, 2021.
Robby Krieger: guitar
Paul Murphy: guitar
Arthur Barrow: bass
Joel Taylor: drums
Kenneth Burgomaster: keyboards
Sal Marquez: trumpet
Jock Ellis: trombone
Chuck Manning: saxophone
Dutch musician anad self-proclaimd Zappa-nut Fred Händl was scheduled to perform Frank Zappa's music on piano om March 19 and 20 at the Festival Moo-Ah! in the Raven Hall in Corby, UK. The festival was cancelled becurse ifo the pandemic. He has announced that he will be webcasting from his Yellow Hippo studio in The Hague instead.
Watch Fred Händl perform Frank Zappa's Oh No on piano. This version will be used in director Alex Winter's Zappa documentary (in theaters on November 23 and available on demand on November 27).
Director Alex Winter has finished his definitive documentary Zappa. He spend years trawling through the extensive Frank Zappa vault. he had inlimited access. Hopefully it will include lots of unseen footage, besides the long list of talking heads. Gail Zappa, Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others. It will be in theaters on November 23 and available on demand on November 27.
Coming soon: a free Ike Willis & ZAPPATiKA live EP. The tracks were recorded during their Cinco de Mayo Weekend Dash mini tour in May. They will be on the road again in the UK in October.
» ZAPPATiKA on Facebook
» ikewillis.com
HCTF review of Highway Maintenance - Live in the UK.
Frank Zappa fans will like this: The Guitar World According To Frank Zappa comes to vinyl for Record Store Day. The cassette only release has been out of print since 1987.
"The Guitar World According To Frank Zappa" - the 1987 guitar compilation by Frank Zappa was originally available on cassette only through Guitar World magazine and Barfko-Swill mail order, and will be reissued for the first time on 180g clear audiophile vinyl. The album was mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.
Frank Zappa alumnus Ike Willis and Anglo-Dutch band ZAPPATiKA will perform three shows during their Cinco de Mayo Weekend Dash. These guys are fun, the venues are cool, and a beer won't cost you an arm and a leg.
Live dates:
The latest reincarnation of Z.E.R.O., The Zãþþã Éårlý Rênáissánçê Ørçhêstrå, will perform three shows in March. Founded by Kevin Crosby in 2012 the rock/comedy band with a variable line-up takes on the towering catalog of Frank Zappa. FZ alumni Ike Willis and Craig Twister Steward take part in this latest incarnation.
Frank Zappa alumnus Ike Willis and Anglo-Dutch band ZAPPATiKA have announced a tour that will take them through the UK and The Netherlands in November. More shows will be added soon.
Live dates:
Major Frank Zaopa fan Fred Händl has made a massive playlist: 1,675 tracks, 133 hrs 19 mins of FZ tunes.
» Fred Händl on Facebook
» zappa.com
HCTF review of Fred Händl plays the music of Frank Zappa – featuring The Giacomo di Lindini Trio.
The Ike Willis Project will be hitting both USA coasts during a short tour. Main man Ike Willis of Frank Zappa fame is on guitar and - of course - vocals, with Duane Waider on drums, Dig Lewis on bass and JP Cervoni on guitar.
Watch Dutch musician Fred Händl playing a of the Mothers of Invention classic How Could I Be Such A Fool on his grand piano. Pretty nifty transctiption/reinvention of the vocal and trumpet parts. He is working on a follow-up for his Fred Händl plays the music of Frank Zappa – featuring The Giacomo di Lindini Trio album.
» drfreddies.com
» jazzappa.com
HCTF review of Fred Händl plays the music of Frank Zappa – featuring The Giacomo di Lindini Trio.
ZAPPATiKA will their new album Live on the Isle of Wight on June 1st. It captures their show @ The 1st Floor in Newport on April 23.
. They are sharing streams of Montana and Keep It Greasy.Watch Dutch musician Fred Händl playing a "rather loose interpretation" of the Zappa classic Stink-foot on piano. He is working on a follow-up for his Fred Händl plays the music of Frank Zappa – featuring The Giacomo di Lindini Trio album.
» drfreddies.com
» jazzappa.com
HCTF review of Fred Händl plays the music of Frank Zappa – featuring The Giacomo di Lindini Trio.
