Frank Zappa - Waka Jawaka
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Free Music Notes for Waka Jawaka
Free Music Review: One of Zappa's best.
Hit: 5 Stars
You liked Hot Rats ? The grand wazoo ? What are you waiting for ?A phenomenal CD.
Free Music Review: Cool
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is full of great music, but check out Hot Rats and The Grand Wazoo first.Free Music Review: Unsung Zappa Masterpiece (Well, almost)
Hit: 4 Stars
Painfully one of my favorites. This is primarily an instrumental collection which consist of four tracks. The title track and "Big Swifty" are two which I consider "leaders in the archives". The other two somewhat difficult to warm up to (my reason for only 4 stars). This album is quite the departure from his previously released satirical/humorous packages, probably a result of FZ's first experience at involuntary confindment, being restricted to a wheelchair and therefore the studio.What warrants this album to be added to any-level FZ fan's collection is the title cut "Waka/Jawaka". Jazzy big-band style in a smaller band, tight and highly polished. I find the background melodies to be almost hypnotic while the overlaying instrumentals by Sal Marquez, Bill Byers, Don Preston and of course FZ are a supreme richness of constantly changing patterns (did someone say this before?). As for drums, this is probably Aynsley Dunbar's finist studio performance.
"Big Swifty" is big-band masterpeice ala' Frank but you can find it on other albums, "Your Mouth" is yet another social statement but is safe enough for airplay (I found this sort of oh-hum), "...One Shot Deal" has a interesting pedal steel solo but probably was included as an excuse to showcase "Sneaky Pete" Kieinow (who?)in a track but "Waka" is the gem where I believe FZ first shows he's truely the serious composer and a studio master. You have to wonder why this cut was never released on another collection (excluding Boxed Masters of course).
Buy it and enjoy.
Free Music Review: Good, solid playing from a small band
Hit: 4 Stars
You know what I think is the most fascinating thing is about this musically fascinating album? Its title. "Waka/Jawaka." What is that? My guess is it's Zappa's terminology for what an electric guitar sounds like when you strum it with the wah-wah pedal on...waka jawaka jawaka...Anyway, it's the title cut that's the stand out here; it features some tasty playing by Sal Marquez on Trumpet, Don Preston on Moog (Don has said that this is his favorite recorded solo of all the records he did with Frank) and a really inventive and melodic guitar solo from the wheelchair-bound maestro himself. The chord changes during the solos, and the soloists' seamless adaptation to those changes, catch my ear every time.
"Your Mouth" and "It Just Might Be A One Shot Deal", the two vocal cuts, concern a "lyin' woman" type and a vacuum cleaner salesman, respectively. Dropping a Sneaky Pete Kleinow pedal steel solo into the middle of "One Shot Deal" was a stroke of genius on Frank's part.
Buy this one with "The Grand Wazoo," the album recorded simultaneously with and released shortly after this one. It shows what Frank could do with an even BIGGER band of hotshot studio people and his best Mothers in tow.
Free Music Review: excellent
Hit: 4 Stars
This is Zappa's wheelchair rock. More aptly, wheelchair jazz.
He was unable to tour after being thrown from the stage by a crazed fan in 1971. He broke up the Flo and Eddie Mothers, and put a big band together. Saying he was interested in exploring the direction Miles set on Bitches Brew he made The Grand Wazoo and this.
Where Wazoo was more big band, Waka takes a fusion approach on two long tracks, the title one and "Big Swifty." These are long pieces where the players can strech over the minimal chords, and this does wonders. The spacey atmosphere, particually on "Swifty" is a great vehicle for Zappa's giutar and, even more so Sal Marquez's flickering candle trumpet.
Consistent with putting all music on one plane, this also features "Your Mouth," and "It Just Might Be A One Shot Deal," two excellent blues tracks, "Deal" featuring sterling slide guitar.