Dweezil Zappa is both the modern face of Zappa music and the person who can bring it fully-formed into the future. The ‘Ahead of Its Time’ moniker frequently slapped onto Frank’s music is brought to life for modern audiences, who are still able to full-sensory witness the spectacular specimens of some of American music’s most original, unrepentant and boundlessly experimental canons, thanks to Dweezil and five other telepathic musicians.
Through artful reshaping & rekindling of his father’s timeless music, featuring Frank’s trademark incredibly complex compositions and perfect execution, Dweezil applies his talent to exposing, performing and shamelessly proselytizing music that literally is in his blood. This tour also celebrates ten years of Zappa Plays Zappa performing shows worldwide and of Dweezil proving his goal of forming a core band of previously unknown expert musicians capable to respectfully execute his father’s music; ended up winning them two Grammy Awards along the way.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release One Size Fits All in 1975, the five-member Zappa Plays Zappa recreate live the final studio album from Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. Heralded by fans worldwide as a Zappa gem, a peak album of the peak band, the bees nees, etc - OSFA tracks dip into a level of ‘epic’ for die-hards could only imagine getting to see live. Notably...
"One Size Fits All is one my favorite records for a number of reasons. The material on the record has incredible arrangements and instrumentation” offers Dweezil. “ I think it's a fan favorite because it has so many great songs and wonderful musicians on it. Ruth Underwood really stands out on this record. The sound quality of the record is also very rich and detailed.” “It features a great non-traditional orchestral rock sound on songs like 'Inca Roads.' There are extremely difficult interlude passages to perform in that song and the intervallic vocal melody with speedy phrasing is also quite difficult. Besides the complexity of the arrangement the song also allows for beautiful improvisation. To me this is a perfect example of the genius of my father's compositional style. I love how he devised a way to operate in two mediums at once, the through composed and the extemporaneous.”
“That is a hallmark of his writing style which allows the music to become unique in front of each live audience who witnesses it. I am looking forward to playing this album in its entirety because of these challenges but also because the album contains many of my favorite songs. 'Andy', 'Florentine Pogen,' Po-Jama People,' 'Sofa' and 'San 'Berndino.' We have played many of these songs on tour before but there are a few that we have not ever played, such as 'Sofa #2' with the German lyrics and 'Evelyn A Modified Dog.' The latter of which appears to have never been performed live by my father at all. That one will be a premiere for us and the fans.
Speaking of premieres we are unveiling some other compositions not previously performed on any other tour; for instance, one of them, 'Sinister Footwear,’ is filled with insanely complex polyrhythms. Besides playing the entire One Size Fits All album we play another 80 minutes worth of other material from through my father's vast catalog. We also have a few surprises up our sleeves and this tour is no exception.”
Newly announced Fall Tour Dates:
9/10/15 Ft. Lauderdale Culture Room
9/11/15 St. Petersburg Jannus Landing
9/12/15 Orlando, FL The Plaza Live
9/13/15 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
9/14/15 Durham, NC The Carolina Theatre
9/16/15 State College, PA State Theatre
9/17/15 Providence, RI Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
9/18/15 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
9/19/15 Hancock, NY Catskill Chill
9/20/15 Atlantic City, NJ Harrah's
9/22/15 Kent, OH Kent Stage
9/23/15 Merrilleville, IN Star Plaza
9/24/15 Waukegan, IL Genesee Theatre
9/25/15 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
9/26/15 Iowa City, IA Englert Theatre
9/27/15 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
9/29/15 Kansas City, MO Crossroads
9/30/15 Omaha, NE Waiting Room
10/1/15 Boulder, CO Boulder Theatre
10/2/15 Albuquerque, NM National Hispanic Cultural Center
10/3/15 Flagstaff, AZ Orpheum
10/4/15 Scottsdale, AZ Talking Stick
12/5/15 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
