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Whether considered a satirical rocker, a guitar virtuoso, or an orchestral innovator, Frank Zappa was one of the most influential and original composers of his generation. The ESO pays homage to a composer that was one of the first to break down barriers between rock, jazz, and classical music, in this concert featuring music from Yellow Shark and Over-nite Sensation.
We are pleased to welcome Frank Zappa collaborator Ed Mann (most-recorded musician in the Zappa catalogue) and Zappa sideman Ike Willis as a special guest soloists. Bill Eddins and Ed Mann will conduct a question & answer session following the performance.
Ticket Information
$71 Dress Circle (A)$61 Terrace (B)
$52 Orchestra (C)
$38 Upper Circle (D)
$28 Gallery (E)
$20 Orchestra Front (F)
Tickets subject to applicable service charges.
Program Info
All music by Frank Zappa, unless somebody tells you different.There is a good chance that somebody or other will tell you what songs will be performed tonight (and there are a few clues in the notes on the next page), but that’s really up to the Central Scrutinizer.
There will be one intermission (20 minutes) in tonight’s performance.
Why FZ is important
by John McPherson
From my viewpoint, I see Frank Zappa as THE most significant “music-creator” of the second half of the 20th century. He composed and performed music at the highest level of complexity, intelligence, and depth. His music most successfully combined the freedom of jazz, the authenticity of rock and roll, with an overall compositional attitude. He gathered the most skilled and musical players to create virtuosic ensembles that rival ANY that have ever existed in any genre. His performances were a complete experience of musical brilliance, creativity, and FUN, and his recordings were impeccably crafted musical compositions themselves.
I first discovered Frank Zappa’s music while exploring my older brother’s record collection, and I was immediately hooked. It was Just Another Band from L.A., and listening to “Billy the Mountain” thrilled a young musician with its freedom, sophistication, social satire, and unbridled FUN. He was using the musical language of American culture and creating art pieces in line with any great composer.
More significantly, he was always learning and looking ahead, exploring and taking the most outrageous chances – some more successful than others – but always fully engaged in the joy of music-making. Frank continually challenged us, though, and never let us feel completely comfortable. He railed against stupidity in all its forms and created the keenest, most intense satire imaginable. He made us face the power of language and demanded we look at how and why we react to words.
Frank Zappa was more than a musician – he was also a great thinker, observer, and philosopher. His thoughts and writings show him to be one of the clearest and most penetrating critics of the post-modern world, and his quotes are legendary (a few of them are scattered around this article). Many an interviewer was skewered by his piercing intellect and at the congressional hearings to debate music labelling, he famously demonstrated to the world how small-minded and ignorant the drafters of this legislation, in fact, were.
That his music is becoming more and more popular and respected is not only a testament to his genius, but also to an artist who had the audacity not to play by the arbitrary rules others tried to impose on him as he carved out a stunningly individual and pioneering path.
Thankfully, after some well-documented fits and starts, the classical music world is starting to embrace and present his music, as more and more purveyors of “serious” music realize, as Frank did, that ALL music must be “entertaining.” Once when arguing this point with a conductor, he poignantly asked, “…what is the opposite of ‘entertaining’ music – ‘punitive’ music?”
Our goal is to enthusiastically offer a “seriously fun” concert experience covering a broad range of FZ’s music, celebrating his genius, and demonstrating why we think Frank Zappa is important.
John McPherson is the ESO’s Principal Trombone, and is also a skilled composer and arranger. He was a driving force in the creation of the program.
Artist Bios
William Eddins, central scrutinizer
William Eddins is in his sixth season as Music Director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure, he has made it a priority that he conduct performances in nearly every subscription series the orchestra has presented, as well as a wide variety of special concerts and galas.
Bill Eddins began playing the piano at age five, but was bitten by the conducting bug while in his sophomore year at the Eastman School of Music. In 1989, he decided to begin conducting studies with Daniel Lewis at the University of Southern California. Assistant Conductorships with both the Minnesota Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony (the latter under the leadership of Daniel Barenboim) honed his skills even further.
Mr. Eddins has many interests outside music. He is fond of biking, tennis, reading, pinball, and cooking. He recently completed building his own recording studio at his home in Minneapolis, where he lives with his wife Jen (a clarinetist), and their sons Raef and Riley. While conducting has been his principal pursuit, he continues to perform on piano in Edmonton and elsewhere. He accepts a limited number of guest appearances each year. In 2008, he conducted a rare full staging of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess for Opéra de Lyon, which won him great acclaim, leading to a repeat engagement in Lyon in July and September 2010, as well as Edinburgh in August 2010, and in London in September 2010. During August 2009, Bill toured South Africa, conducting three gala concerts with soprano Renée Fleming and the kwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ed Mann, mallets & percussion
Ed Mann began playing piano and kitchenware by ear at age 3, acquired a drum kit at age 11, played with rock, marching, orchestra, concert, pit, and big band ensembles as a teen, entering the Hartt College of Music in 1972. Pushing the experimental edge, Ed's insightful teacher Al Lepak suggested that he may do well to study under John Bergamo at California Institute of the Arts. At Cal Arts from 1973 -76, Ed immersed himself in experimental contemporary American music as well as the music of Indonesia, Africa, North and South India and myriad cross-culturally influenced improvisational and experimental jazz and groove/free music projects. It was his foundation in polyrhythmic drumming plus multi-percussion and mallet playing with improvisation that allowed Ed to transition into Frank Zappa's band in 1977.
With Frank Zappa, Ed performed and recorded as percussionist, synthesist, electronic sound designer, vocalist, and programmer for various periods of time between 1977 and 1988 in electric band, small ensemble and orchestral environments. Ed is said to be the most recorded musician in Zappa's catalog. Ed has also performed and/or recorded with Mark Isham, Rickie Lee Jones, Andy Summers, Kenny Loggins, Ambrosia, Tammy Wynette, Los Lobos, Blotto, John Cage, Bill Bruford, Shadowfax, Frogg Cafe, Wrong Object, Project Object, The Grandmothers, London Symphony Orchestra, Don Ellis, Repercussion Unit, Lou Harrison, Don Preston, Bruce Fowler, Rumdummies, and a host of L.A. film composers.
In 1988 Ed began an association with European gong manufacturer Paiste which lead to a 12-year association in which Ed functioned as audio archiver, product specialist and interface with the holistic community for Paiste America. In 2005, Ed began an official association with Italian Gong, bell and cymbal maker UFIP. Winner of top awards in Modern Drummer Magazine readers’ polls, Ed has released 5 critically acclaimed CDs of original music, composes music and sound for interactive media and film, and is active internationally as a performer, sound artist, consultant and workshop facilitator.
Ike Willis, guitar & vocals
Ike Willis, singer and guitarist was a regular sideman for Frank Zappa.
First joining Zappa's band for the fall 1978 tour, and remaining in the band for several years. Ike did not tour with Zappa in 1981 and 1982 for personal reasons, but returned to touring with Zappa for his final two tours in 1984 and 1988.
Ike currently tours with the Frank Zappa tribute bands Project/Object and Ugly Radio Rebellion, along with a host of others from around the world.
He is most recognized for his involvement in Zappa records such as Joe's Garage, Tinsel Town Rebellion, You Are What You Is, The Man from Utopia, and as the title character and narrator in Zappa's off-Broadway-styled conceptual musical Thing-Fish.
You can find much more information by visiting Ike’s website at www.IkeWillis.com.
Robert Walsh, guitar & vocals
Robert Walsh is an award-winning singer-songwriter, producer, guitarist, musical director and composer/arranger. Robert hails from Montréal but has been in Edmonton since 1996, and has been the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s main guitarist for many years (featured prominently with The Pointer Sisters and playing the music of Queen). As a solo artist, Robert’s most recent albums, “No Time Like This Time” and “Robert Soul by Robert Walsh and the Fabs”, were featured on CBC’s “Canada Live”. Robert co-wrote and produced “Hybride”, the debut CD by Allez Ouest, the Franco-Albertan “Roots” group of which he is a member. Robert also co-wrote and produced Andrea Menard’s two most recent albums, “Simple Steps, which won 5 awards in 2006/07; and “Sparkle”, which was released November 2008 and filmed for two separate Christmas television specials in 2009.
Robert has written music for three musicals. “The Velvet Devil” (w/Andrea Menard), and “Catalogue de société” (w/Alain Pomerleau) have been performed in various venues in Canada, and several of the songs have found their way onto album projects, movies, and TV shows. “The Velvet Devil” was made into a film and featured on CBC's Opening Night. Robert’s most recent theatrical collaboration was with Marty Chan on the musical “Forbidden Phoenix”, which premiered at the Citadel Theatre in 2008 and went to Toronto and Winnipeg in 2009. Robert recently scored the show for a 10-piece orchestra of Chinese and Western instruments, for performance in Richmond in April 2011. Robert has been teaching songwriting at Grant MacEwen University since 2009. He is currently writing a Ballet.
John Taylor, electric bass
John Taylor has held the position of Assistant Principal Bass of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra since 1983. Prior to and during this time he has also pursued his love of jazz and contemporary music. John is noted for his versatility as a bassist and is in demand for his ability to fit into any musical situation. He has performed in concerts and Festivals across Canada and the U.S.A. with such renowned Jazz and Pop artists as: Karrin Allyson, David Amram, Tommy Banks, Jay Clayton, Judy Collins, Bill Conti, Sandro Dominelli, Marvin Hamlisch, Jim Head, Sheila Jordan, Eyvind Kang (Slavoe Tango), Nancy King, Eartha Kitt, Jake Langley, Jens Lindemann, Natalie McMaster, Fraser McPherson, Mark Murphy, David Occhipinti, P.J. Perry, Julian Priester, Billy Reed and The Street People, Chandelle Rimmer, Mike Rud, Jack Semple, Bobby Shew, Denzal Sinclaire, Steve Slagle, John Stetch, Mike Stern, John Stowell, Dave Stryker, Don Thompson, Carol Welsman, Norma Winstone, Alfie Zappacosta, and touring productions of Man of La Mancha, Chicago, and Spamalot.
John can also be heard on recordings by such notable performers as Chloe Albert, Dave Babcock, Andrew Glover, Andrea Menard, nuSteps, Kent Sangster’s Obsessions Octet, Allez Ouest, P.J. Perry, Slavoe Tango, Lise Villeneuve, Robert Walsh, Rhonda Whithnell, and Alfie Zappacosta. The most recent recording with the Obsessions Octet was nominated for a Juno Award. John holds a Masters Degree in Double Bass Performance and is currently Section Head of the Bass Department in the Music program at Grant Macewan University.
Jamie Cooper, drums
Jamie Cooper was born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador. His father, a music teacher, influenced Jamie from an early age, exposing him to a wide variety of music. At the age of eleven he discovered his passion was drumming. While studying at St. Francis Xavier University, Jamie performed frequently with the music faculty and was a member of the university big band. He toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with the Maritime Jazz Orchestra, featuring saxophonist Ernie Watts (Buddy Rich, The Tonight Show Band).
In spring of 1999, Jamie won a position in The Royal Canadian Artillery Band, a regular force military band stationed in Edmonton. Working with the 35-piece ensemble has given him the opportunity to perform across Canada and abroad. Over the past few years, Jamie has become very active as a freelance player in Edmonton's music scene. He is a member of local bands such as the Retrofitz, Superband, Dave Babcock's Jump Orchestra, and the Edmonton Jazz Orchestra. He has performed with P.J. Perry on numerous occasions, most notably the 2005 CBC television special Alberta Bound. Jamie has recorded with many of Edmonton's artists such as Andrew Glover, Joel Lavoie, Katie Perman, and Dave Babcock and has also done recordings for CBC Radio.
Andrew Glover, keyboards
Andrew Glover is an acomplished pianist and composer. He is credited with a huge body of work which extends to Europe and the U.S., as well as his home town of Edmonton.
A talented pianist and composer, Andrew graduated from Grant MacEwan Community College, and studied solo piano with Adrian Chornowol and Charlie Austin. Andrew worked with Mike Rud, Jack Semple, Kennedy Jensen, Dianne Donovan, Scott Hamilton and Sheena Easton, among others. For over ten years he toured extensively with the Big Miller Band.
In addition, many artists have performed and recorded Andrew's compositions. Six of the eleven compositions on Jack Sample's Grey and Yellow CD were written by Andrew, as well as four songs for Dianne Donovan's release Yes or No. He was also a principal writer for Edmonton's 'Pazzport'. Andrew's compositions and arrangements have been performed or recorded by John Abercrombie, Anna Beaumont, Caroline Mae Johnson, Jacek Kochan, Pat LaBarbera, Theresa Lightfoot, George McFetridge, Don Thompson, Jean-Pierre Zanella, and Alfie Zappacosta. He is a frequent freelance player with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
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Comments
For my graduation recital from Grant MacEwan University, I actually performed 6 Frank Zappa songs =)
I am very excited to check this out and got my tickets as soon as I possibly could =) It shall definitely be worth the trip, thanks for putting this on, ESO!
-Alex Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
Anyone see the Grandmothers when they played in Sherwood Park in 2008? That was a great show! Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
I saw the Mothers Re-Invented. It was fantastic. As well I've seen Zappa play Zappa twice.
I hope this too is fantastic!
I'm just about to walk out the door to go to the show!! Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
-Phil Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
-Phil Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
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