The Grand Wazoo cover
Released

On this, the jazziest of his records, Zappa assembled a huge band - six woodwinds, five brass players and more - for several extended pieces of orchestrated jazz. Musicians are layered on top of each other, often doubling their lines, giving Zappa’s music a bombastic, big band feel, even in its trickier passages. But the key to this one comes in the second half, when George Duke delivers solos on “Eat That Question” and “Blessed Relief” that shine even on repeated listens. Zappa’s playing, meanwhile, is restrained and tasteful here, settling into a nice, laid back groove.

Roz Milner

Recommended by

Suggestions
Jazz Moods cover

Jazz Moods

Yusef Lateef
Plastic Sun cover

Plastic Sun

Svein Finnerud
Polyhymnia cover

Polyhymnia

Yazz Ahmed
The Impossible Gentlemen cover

The Impossible Gentlemen

The Impossible Gentlemen
Where Rivers Meet cover

Where Rivers Meet

Zoe Rahman, Idris Rahman
Roxy & Elsewhere cover

Roxy & Elsewhere

The Mothers, Frank Zappa
Dogs of Great Indifference cover

Dogs of Great Indifference

Jim Black, AlasNoAxis
UM YANG 음 양 cover

UM YANG 음 양

Emma-Jean Thackray