Frank Zappa – Waka / Jawaka

After Frank Zappa was knocked off the stage at the Rainbow Theatre in London, England, FZ spent months recuperating at his home in Laurel Canyon. Although he was confined to a wheelchair, his enthusiasm for work could not be restrained.

During this time, among other things, he managed to put together an ensemble that quenched his thirst and desire to work with a large "electric orchestra". Eventually, a 20-piece group was signed, which recorded and completed an 8-city tour. Shortly afterwards, a scaled-down 10-piece formation, now known as "Petit Wazoo", went on tour for almost two months.

In the end, FZ finished the experiment with two albums, "Waka / Jawaka" & "The Grand Wazoo", as well as two tours and an archive of showmasters in his vault. For a man with a cast on his leg and a conductor's baton in his hand, this was a monumental achievement.

Reviews

"...exquisitely translucent and at the same time sonically remastered from original tapes." (stereoplay, January 2023)

"Gradually, the compositions detach themselves from the music paper and the musicians play more vividly, such as Aynsley Dunbar, Erroneous (aka Alex Dmochowski) or Mike Altschul. Zappa's LP cuts are indeed serious and sterile." (MINT, February 2023)