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.
Dutch pianist Fred Händl has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to cover the costs for his new album, Tovarishchi:
It's been a long way coming. Many know Fred Händl from his unique renditions on solo piano of the works of Frank Zappa. He's graced many a venue with his music and presence over the past ten years. And yet, no matter how beautiful and skillfully executed, someone else's music will always remain what it is: someone else's music. That's why Fred's wish to record his own music grew stronger over time. He has wanted to record this album for a long time, but never got to it. That's because it is a big thing to record your own music. Finalizing so many ideas in your head and your heart, finding the right people to work with, finding the guts to really do this and put your own work out there, and - not unimportant - have the funding to make it all happen.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Dutch proggy Zappa-eque rock quartet Dr. Freddie's Atomic Commotion have posted a rehearsal video. Set aside about 20 minutes to watch Coen Siersma (drums), Giacomo di Lindini (bass) and Herrie Friend (Hohner travel guitar).
Filmed by the band's name sake Fred Händl, who played keyboards with one hand and operated the camera with the other hand.
The Ike Willis & ZAPPATiKA European tour was a special one. They were joined by two Frank Zappa alumni: Jeff Hollie (sax) and Craig Twister Steward (harp). The new live album Welcome to the Starlight Lounge, recorded during shows in the UK and Germany, is a consolation for those who could not attend in person and a nice souvenir for those who did. The songs are served as one huge single continuous file, just like an actual concert. With the presence of Willis, Hollie and Steward three of the musicians of Joe's Garage were on hand, so it made sense that a sizeable slice of the show consisted of songs taken from one of Frank Zappa's finest albums.
Willis' voice is fine form and Steward's bluesy harp and Hollie's sax are spot on. Anglo-Dutch tribute band ZAPPATiKA are one of the top acts on the circuit, with guitar player Zap Mcinnes comes close to FZ's tone. Percussionist/synth player Hieronymus Bongo also takes care of the background vocals notes, drummer Diego Mocci is a master of any time signature that is put in from of him, Fred Händl's keyboards are playful and bass player Joep Oosterbaan is obviously an avid student of Scott Tunes.
The latest reincarnation of Z.E.R.O., The Zãþþã Éårlý Rênáissánçê Ørçhêstrå, will perform four shows in September to promote their Tolerance album:
Z.E.R.O. putting together a short Northwest tour in September to support our new CD - Tolerance. The line up for the Z.E.R.O. Tolerance 2016 Tour will consist of Ike Willis, Prairie Prince, a special guest all the way from Europe, (former keyboardist from Zappatika) Fred Händl. Remaining members include Rupert Kettle on Lap Steel/Guitar, Rob Morgan from The Squirrels on vocals. and Kevin Crosby (Pojama People, The Squirrels) on Bass/Ukulele. This is a special edition of Z.E.R.O. that may just be a one shot deal.
Watch a no-frills video of Fred Händl playing the Zappa classic Let’s Make The Water Turn Black on piano. It's a track from 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.
Frank Zappa left the planet in 1993, but his musical legacy is still very much alive - avoid record stores that don't have at least 40 of his albums in stock. And while the Zappa Family Trust has turned into a bickering soap opera (hi, Ahmed!, how's things, Dweezil!), musicians keep on playing and releasing their interpretations of Frank's compositions. Fred Händl is one of them and his album Fred Händl plays the music of Frank Zappa – featuring The Giacomo di Lindini Trio is a respectful and original addition to any Zappa paraphernalia collection.
Händl is a veteran who played guitar and sang in underground bands. Until recently he was the keyboards guy in ZAPPATiKA. He is now the driving force behind Dr. Freddie’s Atomic Commotion. For Fred Händl plays the music of Frank Zappa – featuring The Giacomo di Lindini Trio he returned to his first love, the piano. Hitting the ground running with the Uncle Meat’s Radio Is Broken, with snippets of Billy Joel's Piano Man and Van Halen's Jump, he pays tribute to FZ's adage to "kill ugly radio".
