Zappa.com

http://theiridium.com/events/455/ed-pal ... -keneally/

Man, I was in NY last week. Had I known about this show I would have went next week.

For those who can go, enjoy!

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The fun hasn't beginned yet, uh, later on apparently The Mothers are gonna hand out the bingo cards and everything, you know

A great celebration of Frank's music. Unfortunately, not an "official celebration". Ed Palermo now feels it's necessary to not mention FZ in the promotion of his concerts out of fear of retribution from the ZFT (Gail) and Dweezil. Ed states that his mission always was and always will be a money-losing proposition. Like all Zappa tribute bands, they're only in it for the love of the music. http://www.palermobigband.com/

Palermo's treatment of the music is Milton Bradley approved

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More people should speak up.

The ZFT would make far more money if they would just make it easier to license the playing of FZ's music. Dweezil has substitutes all over the world...

Here, Here. The ZFT, Gail, and Dweezil (ZPZ) could be heroes all across Zappa Land but they insist on alienating an existing fan base. Very bad marketing and customer service. Zappanale is in it's 22nd year. ZPZ is in it's 5th. Do the math. Why doesn't the ZFT get on board with Zappanale instead of suing it?

So how much did Frank license his music when he was alive?

Anybody know? Or was he against it?

I think he would have said on air that he hated it.

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"drums are too noisy, 'n you've got no corners to hide in"

So that's a maybe? Perhaps Gail is following his wishes in this respect.

I think Palermo's arrangements are great. And as for potentially violating the "composer's intent", I can only say that it is an occupational hazard a composer must endure that somebody actually want to play and arrange your music.

As for licensing, I remember a funny story from Denmark in the early 1980s (prior to LSO). The symphony orchestra of Aarhus actually wanted to perform a bunch of Zappa compositions. But as the local newspaper could report, the project fell apart as Frank demanded a prohibitive amount of money for letting them play them. His demand was too high, and to further aggravate the embarrassment felt by the prospective organizer, Frank was asked whether the amount was in dollars. He replied that it wasn't; it was in Pound Sterling (which also in those days was around the double as a dollar).

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"Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform, and don't kid yourself" - FZ

You omit the Danish kroner bit. This is how I remember it (and I had completely forgotten that story):
Let's say that Zappa said that it'd cost the orchestra 30,000
- and the orchestra representative asked:
"Will that be Danish kroner or US dollars?"
Zappa (sneering): "No, that would be Great British Pounds!"
Sarcastically, of course, because it would be self-evident that he'd make a deal in his native currency.

On the orchestra's part, the question might have implied that maybe a fifth (or whatever the ratio between USD and DKK was in those days) of the amount could be taken into consideration.

/V

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Add water, makes its own sauce

And yes, the Ed Palermo Big Band is great!
I've heard ZPZ once, and it was great, but in a way I feel that Ed's approach is better for renewing audience interest in Zappa's compositions. Because that it what Ed Palermo's interpretations is about - not replicating specific arrangements from tours long, long ago.

/V

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Add water, makes its own sauce

For Calvin … (I have a feeling you know all this ),
FZ talked in interviews in the 80's about several planned performances of orchestral works - and also about why most of them didn't happen. He was very strict about getting enough rehearsal time - and also about not splitting royalties from recordings with orchestras (which is the way it works in Europe, allowing for a lower up-front fee - but FZ had no grasp of that, it seems).

I know about a university orchestra that had practiced hard for a long time on some of FZ's pieces, and FZ came and heard them and wouldn't allow the concert.

And the story about a LA orchestra that would play some of FZ's music, if he'd donate two grand pianos to them. FZ called the new music scene a "sick puppy" in that context.

/V

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Add water, makes its own sauce

Yes, I knew most of that (except the two grand pianos story). So why is it so hard to imagine that Gail is just doing what Frank would have wanted in regards to licensing?

The big difference between what Frank would want is that Frank's perspective is when he was still alive. He instructed Gail to get out of the business. Gail "disobeyed" Frank's "orders" and now she is doing things as she wants to do them.

So....she's doing exactly what Frank did when he was alive.....but somehow that's not good enough because she was supposed to get out of the business?

I really don't care. I'm tired of talking about this stuff. I think I'm going to go over to the REO Speedwagon forum for awhile.

Live: You Get What You Play For. Now there's a record! One of my favorite live albums.