Monday, March 2, 2020

Big Swifty, Frank Zappa... and WAKA/JAWAKA

  

The map thing said, "Traffic Light, travel time 17:32." My real honest to goodness first thought was, "Big Swifty."

This is the opening track to Frank Zappa's WAKA/JAWAKA. I had lost this disc when I totaled our CR-V. It was in the cd player, and the guys at the scrap yard yanked the battery and... Well, anyway... I couldn't get it back.

And I couldn't play the album because my needle broke.

I have the cd again, and this morning after one more round of "The King Is Gone (So Are You)," as performed by The Highwaymen, I popped in WAKA/JAWAKA and went to San Ber'dino (another cool FZ tune).

"Big Swifty" is a long track, originally taking up the entirety of side one in album form. This is from one of my favorite eras, if you will, of FZ. Released in 1972, it falls right in nicely with any solid jazz-fusion collection. It's also a tune which would be most fitting on any Sal Marquez collection. It seems the cover design was his concept, and he's as dominant with the trumpet on "Big Swifty" as Frank is with the guitar, if not more so. But that's one of the nice things about a lot of FZ's music. It's not JUST a guitar player's song or tune. Also, beyond being very strict in places, his music is generally written with a LOT of room for improv. There are really only a few players on this recording. Beyond Marquez on the "many trumpets and chimes," guitars are provided by Frank and Tony Duran. The bass player is Erroneous. I'm not saying he's mistaken, nor did I capitalize where I shouldn't. The guy on electric bass is named Alex Dmochowski… but sometimes goes as Erroneous. Aynsley Dunbar plays drums, with Frank hitting various things for additional percussion. This is also a GREAT look at early George Duke with Zappa. I was thinking, "Man, this is some of the best Don Preston I've overlooked for some time now." It's more like some of the best George Duke that I'd overlooked for some time now. As mentioned, "Big Swifty" is a long piece, listed at 17:22. But if you're "not into the jam-band thing," just stop. That's an all too easy way to unfortunately dismiss some musical magic. And also, that's not what this is - jam band thing. This falls more into jazz fusion, but please don't dismiss it if you generally don't - or FLAT out don't - like jazz fusion. This is more of an extended composition divided into several distinct movements. And while these movements do go right from one to the next, they don't do it in a shocking or jolting manner - as FZ will do sometimes. Some of these movements are explorations and what may feel like odd stacking of tuplets, but they don't feel like some sort of free-jazz audio spew, while other movements are downright toe-tapping. Well, almost. With this in mind... give it a shot. But you have to allow yourself that 17:22 of focus. Next time you can, get ready as best fits you, then put on some headphones and give it a go. Or when the map thing says your drive will be 17:22. This is also prime. But give it a shot. This started as a Facebook post about a cool song on a drive to work.

Thursday, October 11, 2018

The Human Canvas - Something old, something new, something borrowed...

 
I didn't have much space to work.
 
 
Courtney.
 
 
Having graced these pages many times,
quite often adorned with butterflies.
 
 
Butterflies, dogs, Steve...
 
 
These are a few of her favorite things. 
 
 
I said whenever you get married,
let me apply the"something blue."
 
 
So, sure 'nuff.
There I was on the floor,
surrounded by bridesmaids and hair
and makeup people.
 
 
And I didn't have the right blue!!!
 
I made do with a blue highlighter.
It worked quite nicely, but I think the ink
actually behaved differently somehow.
 

The final shot...
 

 
And the creep shot...

 
And a better shot.
 
 
Something old, Something new,
 
 
Something Borrowed, Something Blue.
 
 
Thank You Court!
We love you!



Sunday, September 30, 2018

The Human Canvas - If You're Gonna Have a Jellyfish on Your Floor





You know how when you're in Boston, 
one of the things you talk about is how you're probably 
gonna get snowed in, and not be able to leave the airport 
as scheduled? You know? I don't think this is unusual. 
I was sketching. Also not unusual.  Probably with an 
ordinary blue Bic ballpoint. But I also had 
a buncha sharpies with me... 

So we also talked about The Human Canvas.

I remember remarking 
that while I'd done a couple jelly fish before, 
this would be the first time that 
I went forward confidently.

Relatively simple after all.
A cup...



Some tendrils... 
or whatever they are...


Then some black. 
To define, and to make things "pop." 
Just a bit.


I was trying to figure out if I was done. 
I couldn't figure out what wasn't right though. 
It was done neatly, I think. 

Hmmmmm. Maybe a little TOO neat.



It was pointed out that some of the tendrils... 
or whatever they are... SHOULD cross over in 
front of some of the others.



Done. 
More cluttered... 
but much better than the earlier, 
very organized placement of the tendrils... 
or whatever they are.



Then it was just 
a matter of looking at different backdrops. 
The red was nice, but I REALLY liked the look of 
the wood planks, and greatly appreciate her 
contorting her arm to get it kinda flat 
on the floor for me.



So, 
If you ever have 
a jellyfish on your floor, 
it's much better for it to be on your arm, 
on the floor. 
Right?