Zappa Band Member MVP - Who would you choose?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Echoes71, Mar 17, 2018.

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  1. Echoes71

    Echoes71 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maine
    It's pretty much an accepted notion, among fans and non-fans alike, that Frank Zappa selected some of the most accomplished musicians of his time to play in the many ensembles that he put together in his career. It's a given that anyone in his band had a virtuosic or near-virtuosic command over his/her instrument.

    That said, I thought it would be interesting to hear some opinions on who you would choose as the musician who had the greatest impact on Frank's music while he/she was in his band. I'm not necessarily talking about virtuosity here. Rather, I'm thinking of the person who most shaped the sound of the band he/she was in or someone who may have influenced Frank's compositional approach or inspired Frank in some way.

    This may be a near impossible task, but try to limit it to ONE choice (if you can!), and if you are so inclined, provide some explanation for your choice...
     
  2. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    Ruth Underwood

    Because she added a unique element to the overall sound, and because she was awesome! :)

     
  3. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Ruth was my pick too. Tuned percussion is a crucial element in most of my favourite Zappa pieces.
     
  4. edenofflowers

    edenofflowers A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular!

    Location:
    UK
    I'd say maybe Ian Underwood who got involved around WOIIFTM and I feel was important as a 'serious musician' in helping to actualise some of FZ's ideas back then.
     
  5. Khaki F

    Khaki F Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kenosha, WI. USA
    It's two people, but... Flo & Eddie.
     
  6. Tristero

    Tristero In possession of the future tense

    Location:
    MI
    Naturally, I've been listening to the Roxy performances a lot lately and this is certainly one of my favorite Zappa line ups. Right now, my vote has to go to the amazing George Duke who brought some serious jazz chops and a flair for improvisation to the proceedings, particularly on an extended opus like "Dupree's Paradise". I love his deliciously funky clavinet sound too.
     
  7. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite

    Location:
    Central PA
    Yeah, Ian. Double bonus - with Ian, you get Ruth...:idea:
    If not for that, then, George Duke. So we'd have somebody to link our minds with...
     
  8. englishbob

    englishbob has left the SH Forums...19/05/2023

    Location:
    Kent, England
    Go to say for live performances it would have to be Napoleon Murphy Brock

    But studio work would have to go Ian Underwood
     
  9. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    too hard ... can i make a dream band?

    fz - guitar and vox
    steve vai - stunt guitar
    patrick o'hearn - bass
    terry bozzio - drums and madness
    ray white - guitar and vocals
    napolean murphy brock - sax and vocals
    ruth underwood - percussion
    george duke - keyboards and vocals
    ian underwood - whatever he felt like playing lol
     
  10. Echoes71

    Echoes71 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maine
    Great replies so far and very much in line with my thoughts. I’ve been going back and forth between the two Underwoods for my pick, but George Duke is not far behind. At the moment, I’m leaning towards Ian,who I always felt was the musician who most pushed Frank into new and interesting realms of composition and playing...
     
  11. PDK

    PDK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Central Florida
    I can't choose... but let's not forget Chad Wackerman.
     
  12. Ignatius

    Ignatius Forum Resident

    Sugarcane Harris.
     
  13. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    i was struggling with the drummer. zappa has had so many great drummers. terry beat chad purely by his crazy vocal contributions
     
  14. bodine

    bodine Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington DC
    The great Don Preston
     
  15. Doggiedogma

    Doggiedogma "Think this is enough?" "Uhh - nah. Go for broke."

    Location:
    Barony of Lochmere
    Terry Bozzio - the best drummer, but equally due to "Punky's Whips".
    Adrian Belew - "City Of Tiny Lights" - nice..
     
  16. Darrin L.

    Darrin L. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Golden, CO
    No love for Ike Willis? :shrug:
     
  17. dlokazip

    dlokazip Forum Transient

    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    I gotta go with Ruth.

    Ian Underwood and George Duke would be my runners-up.
     
  18. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    love ike, but so many good guitarists and vocalists it makes it hard
     
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  19. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
  20. Echoes71

    Echoes71 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maine
    Ike is a good choice as well, if only for longevity’s sake. Didn’t he have the longest tenure of anyone in Frank’s bands?
     
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  21. TFEC

    TFEC Opinion Holder

    Vinnie Colaiuta. Frank's pick, and the obvious drummer who fundamentally informed how Frank played at the time.

    Also Ruth.

    Not Chad, but Scott Thunes.

    And George Duke.
     
  22. driverdrummer

    driverdrummer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Irmo, SC
  23. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Ruth Gordon was the first name I thought of when opening this thread.
     
  24. danomar

    danomar My spoon is too big.

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Flo & Eddie or George Duke would be my top choices, but I like those eras of Zappastry.
     
  25. It's a tough question because on one hand you indeed have many players whose marvelous virtuosity enabled Frank to write whatever he wanted and to have older, "classical" compositions performed and honed for the first time since he was a youth - an amazing roster already assembled in this thread, to which you'd need to add brilliant transcribers like Steve Vai, Sal Marquez and Bruce Fowler, or incredible drummers like Vinnie Colaiuta...

    The palette of stuff, the grounds ONE of those guys proved able to cover by himself though, probably belongs to George Duke. And on top of it, he always sounded to me like he had an authority when backing up the other guys' solos (including Zappa's), like he was given the reins so to speak to steer the harmonic climate where he wanted to and thus add some colors of his own to the performance. Something I didn't often hear the other keyboard men do with Zappa. He must have been quite proud of having Duke on board!
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
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