MEDIA & FAN                                              

First Review from our European Summer Tour July 23 to Aug 8 2004

 From: "Frank Kuznik" Prague Post Newspaper

  Hey Roy Thanks very much for your note. Sorry to say we didn't meet at the show.

  had an early call the next day and wasn't able to hang around afterward.

  However, I did catch the entire show and liked it a lot. You guys sounded
  really good--tight, energetic and smokin' on those instrumentals, which were
  like a slice of musical heaven for me--not just because it's Frank's music,
  but because that caliber of musicianship doesn't come through this city very
  often. The fact that you were able to pull it off without one of the key
  members of the group also speaks to how good you guys are. (Which reminds
  me--tell Don he owes us one for missing th

  The other thing I want to tell you is that while I enjoyed the perennial
  favorites, like Dirty Love and Montana, I really got off on the more obscure
  stuff, like Big Swifty and Uncle Meat. To me, that says the band really
  knows and loves the music. Plus it's obvious you're having a lot of fun, and
  that energy comes off the stage in a big way. Now I see why you've been
  drawing rave reviews everywhere you go.

  And by the way, a nice vocal turn on Oh in the Sky. As one of my friends who
  was with me said, "How does he remember all those lyrics?"

  Thanks for a great show and hope to see you here again soon.

  Best,  Frank

 First  Canadian  Review,

Deathless Zappa still inspires By alexander varty Publish Date: 14-Jul-2005 Electric is almost too small a word for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival: this year alone, its bookings run from traditional singer-songwriter fare to South Asian brass bands, a Somali-Canadian rapper, and the bittersweet bunch of clowns known as the Leaky Heaven Circus. But one of artistic director Dugg Simpson¹s choices is sure to raise a few eyebrows. Coming to Jericho Beach Park‹and to Canada‹for the first time are the Grande Mothers, a band dedicated to playing and preserving the music of the late Frank Zappa. If this is folk music, it¹s a long way away from folk¹s guitar-strumming stereotypes. And even Roy Estrada, the Mothers¹ bass player and de facto business manager, is surprised by his band¹s inclusion in the folk-fest lineup. ³When I called the people at the festival, I knew it was a folk festival, but I said, ŒWhat the hell,¹?² he reports, on the line from his Southern California home. They never knew where to place us, anyway, where to put Frank¹s music at. So I thought I had nothing to lose by calling these people up, and sure enough the guy happened to be a fan.² As it happens, Simpson¹s office has long been graced by a giant poster of the goateed and hirsute Zappa, leering at visitors above the words ³The modern-day composer refuses to die.² (A quote, by the way, from Zappa¹s boyhood idol, the sonic innovator Edgard Varèse.) And if Estrada has his way, Zappa¹s music will remain deathless for some time to come. For a band whose principal members‹Zappa veterans Estrada, Don Preston on keyboards, and Napoleon Murphy Brock on voice and saxophone‹are in their 60s and 70s, the Grande Mothers are an impressively vital lot.The performances captured on A Grandmothers Night at the Gewandhaus,their recently released live CD, are as loud, tight, and raucous as anything Zappa did in his lifetime. For Estrada, some of that energy springs from his return to music after a very long time away. The bassist had a brief but extraordinary career during the 1960s and early ¹70s. After helping Zappa form the original Mothers of Invention and contributing to such formative albums as Freak Out!, We¹re Only In It for the Money, and Uncle Meat, he left to join another ex-Mother, slide guitarist Lowell George, in Little Feat, whose Little Feat and Sailin¹ Shoes discs are underappreciated classics of rock ¹n¹ roll surrealism. Even more surreal, however, was Estrada¹s decision to leave Little Feat for Captain Beefheart¹s Magic Band, apparently he did stick with the legendary Don van Vliet long enough to lay down the ultra-soulful bass lines that can be found on the Captain¹s Clear Spot LP, from 1972. And then he vanished. I was raising my son,² he explains. ³My wife had left, and he had a choice of being with his mom or with me, and he chose to be with me. So I raised him since he was six years old, and I couldn¹t be going out on tour and stuff like that. I had my own business for a while, and then finally when he grew up he told me, ŒDad, go out and enjoy yourself. I¹m a man now.¹ And that¹s so funny, because it worked out just right. That¹s when Don Preston called me and asked me if I wanted to do this thing, and I said, ŒYeah, why not? Let¹s try it out and see what happens.¹ So we¹ve been doing it since 2000.² Estrada is cagey when it comes to what, exactly, the Grande Mothers will play on the folk-festival stage. ³We¹ll do a little bit of the old stuff, and a little bit of the new material from Nappy¹s [mid-¹70s] time with Frank,² he says. And he does allow that the group¹s Sunday (July 17) appearance will be somewhat looser than its first set, on Saturday (July 16). We¹ll just go up there and improvise, and whoever wants to join us can,² he explains. I can tell you about that: we might start out with ŒKing Kong¹ or something like that and go on from there. But that¹s always how things were developed as songs: we¹d go into a riff and after a while, while Frank was soloing or whoever else was soloing, more ideas would come out of it. And the feel would come off the audience wherever we¹d be playing at.² The audience continues to have a say in how the Grande Mothers construct their sets, he adds. ³There¹s so much music that we can¹t possibly cover it all. But when we started doing this, like in Europe and stuff, we¹d get people yelling out songs. That¹s where we would get the idea of which ones to learn, because the idea is to entertain the people. That¹s our main concern: to entertain the people and also keep Frank¹s music alive.²So far, it seems to be working: the Grande Mothers are managing to walk the fine line between respectful tribute and their freakish roots. ³The response that we¹ve been getting is that the music is the way it¹s supposed to be,² Estrada notes. And why not? We were the ones that were there. The only one missing is Frank.²

This  is,  the  begining of  an  e-mail,  Art  Trip  sent  me  6/22/04.  As  you  well  know,  he    was  one  of  the  best  percussionist,  that  ever  performed  with  Frank Zappa,  then  Ruth Underwood,  later  Ed  Mann.

Hi Roy,

 

The CD came in the mail to my house today.  I listened to it, and I was floored!  You guys really sound good, Roy.  The music brought back alot of emotions and memories for me.  You're playing as good as you ever did, and you know I always thought you were one of the best.  Rosser did a great job on guitar.  That must be quite a project for him-- to follow Frank's playing.  Murphy's singing is wonderful.  I don't know if he plays an instrument, or just sings.  Don, Bunk, and Chris played their asses off too.  I really liked "Enchidna's Arf", although I never got the opportunity to play it.

 

"Hungry Freaks", "Oh No", and "Orange County..." in particular put me right back in the band mentally.  I could almost sit down and play along with it.  Listening to that stuff sure makes me imagine playing Frank's music again, even though I know that'll never happen.  You know that two years I was in the band was the best time of my life.  Nothing else came close.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

SIGNAL TO NOISE MAGAZINE -  THE GRAND MOTHERS JANUARY 31, 2004

It's been a slow process, but Frank Zappa's legacy is gradually emerging from the tight grip of a handful of obsessionals, and becoming something which people who like live music might enjoy, and glorious it sounds too. The Zappa Family Trust put their official spotlight on prestigious events such as the London performances of Thing-Fish in August 2003, or the Ensemble Modern's recent staging of "Greggery Peccary", but ex-Zappa alumni (and others musicians touched by Zappa's confront-all universalism) continue to uncork his vintage scintillation's. Hearing Zappa in this kind of context, the Grand Mothers - demonstrate just how special Zappa's songs are. Never written to a formula, each one presents a musical idea with a specific challenge for an ensemble. If there is a Theloniouus Monk in the field of rock it's Zappa. Napoleon Murphy Brock(FZ alumnus 1973 - 1976) is an engaging frontman, bubbling with jokes and bonhomie and messages for the sound mixer. When the set began with "Florentine Pogen" from One Size Fits All(1975), it was evident straight away that the band was on top of the material. "Florentine" sounds like it was written for Brock's peculiarly elastic voice, and it was a thrill to observe the way his pleading lines invite the purple power chords of the tune. When the Grand Mothers began operations in 1982, they were simply the ex-Mothers of Invention playing Zappa's tunes. There was a joyful sense of collective liberation from his draconian leadership, but also a certain lack of rhythmic focus. Ken Rosser (guitar) and Christopher Garcia(drums)bring in a precision and sparkle that is distinctly un-60's, almost post Metal. However, keyboardist Don Preston(FZ alumnus 1966-1969, 1974) brought in a magisterial sense of tempo(Zappa's tunes have built in climaxes, they aren't helped by being rushed.) Seeing Roy Estrada(FZ alumnus 1964-1969, 1975-76) back on stage was likewise a buzz. This reclusive bass player was not only a founding member of the Mothers of Invention, but played with Captain Beefheart(under the name Orejon) on the freak funk classic Clear Spot,(1972) and was an original member of Little Feat- thus triangulating the three greatest West Coast rock bands of all time. He can still unleash the cod operatic caterwaul vocals made famous on Weasels Ripped My Flesh, and his free-form freak- outs, with Preston extracting booms and burbles from his keyboards, were priceless. When was the last time you watched some "Free Improvisation" with everyone around you cracking up? Yet Zappa's compositions do call for attention and reflection in their own right. Rosser's guitar reached its apogee on "Andy",Zappa's staggering alchemy of Johnny "Guitar" Watson's blues funk and Edgard Varese's cosmo-erotic abstraction. Garcia's drum-solo rendition of "Uncle Meat" caused jaws to drop and Preston invoked the primal impulses of freakdom by reciting "Neon Meat Dreame of an Octafish" and "Evelyn, the modified dog" in the midst of Big Swifty. In a sequence of songs from "Were Only In It For The Money" (recorded long before Brock joined Zappa) Brock followed Zappa's own 70's reinterpretations, but also confronted us with the song's biting politics and social commentary. On "Montana" the sheer lunacy of Zappa's autosexual silliness had us all laughing despite ourselves. However, this move towards actual progressive music - away from the "looks-like" fetishism of hi-tech equipment and minimal styling - can only benefit from the doses of heavy musical value prescribed by bands like the Grand Mothers. SIGNAL TO NOISE

______________________________________________________________________________

THE GRAND MOTHERS RE:INVENTED REVIEWS:
 LIVE REVIEWS FROM THE EUROPEAN FANS
 

Good news : they will be touring Europe in this summer, again !!  BTW, IT WAS TOTALLY BRILLIANT !!  ENERGETIC, FUNNY, SHARP, FUNKY, YOU NAME IT !!  The sound was also A okay, it was simply like listening to whatever cd from the early 70ies period. And that guitar player (Ken Rosser), man, he can play! The gig was over 2.5 hours long. Really amazing. Simply one of the best gigs I ever saw.   

I saw the grand mothers last night in Den Haag. When they finally got going and started playing Florentine Pogen I thought I was gonna cry. I never saw FZ live (having turned down a ticket to the 88 Oslo gig because I didn't like him back then, only to become a really big fan later that year and since then have collected most of his vinyl albums), but listening to Napoleon Murphy Brock singing and the guys playing tight as hell was just like listening FZ himself. I was blown to bits and pieces. If I could I would go again tonight, but I can't.Big Swifty, Pound for a Brown, Andy...just to name a few... And that drummer? Chris something-or-other? Wow!

From: Tim Rogers
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
To: <liraproductions@attglobal.net>
Subject: Grandmothers - London Show Review

The Borderline, London Jan 2004

One of the reviewers here said, though he was going to cry when they started up and I know exactly what he means. To hear songs which you love so much played live for the first time by the people that helped created it is simply indescribable. The Grandmothers are no cover band these are the real deal and every person on that stage was brilliant - and to stand mere feet away from them as they did their thing, well, what can I say?

If you have a chance to see these people play live stop what ever it is you are doing and go. If you cant get there take my car, Ill even buy you a ticket.

_______________________________________________________________________________

LIVE REVIEWS FROM THE AMERICAN FANS

From: "DiGeorgio & Smith"
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005
Subject: Grande Mothers last night in NC

Just got home from the Grande Mothers show in Chapel Hill, NC and was completely blown away as was my 14 year old daughter. I guessI expected a few laughs, "a little nostalgia for the old folks" and a good moment or two, but from the first notes of Florentin Pogen it was clear these guys meant business. This was no novelty tribute band, this band was super tight and played like the team of pros that they are.
Napolean looks and sounds like he has not aged a bit in 31 years, and I did not hear a single mistake from him. His voice and playing is absolutely perfect and strong as ever.
Roy played with confidence and precision and his pachuco falsetto was super.
Don Preston was fantastic.
Ken Rosser and Chris Garcia filled every missing piece.
They played for over 2 1/2 hours. Highlights included Florentine Pogen, Black Napkins, Andy, San Ber'dino,  Trouble Every Day, Oh No, Uncle Meat, Dog Breath, The Air, Watermelon in Easter Hay, Debra Kadabra, Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy, Enchinda's Arf, The Idiot Bastard Son, What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body -
all played note-perfect, tight and inspired.
I¹m grateful for myself and for my daughter that we both got a chance to see this, as I never got to see Frank.

_____________________________________________________________________

I took a couple of friends to see the "Grand Mothers" show in San Diego last Friday night.It blew us away. All three of us were very moved by the show. Especially Napoleon¹s performance! His voice sounded GREAT. I saw FZ many times but never had the pleasure of seeing Napoleon with him.He and the Grand Mothers really filled the void we feel with FZ gone.We will drive from San Diego to LA on a Moments notice to see the Grand Mothers perform again.When is the next So-Cal gig? We are there.Thanks for a great show!

I apologize for not demanding that you go. Who knew? 3 hardcore Zappa fans were blown away.If you like FZ at all, it is a must see show.I saw Santana last night at Coors. It was a great show. It barely distracted me from how great Fridays show was.Santana kicked ass and all I can think about is how well the Zappa songs were done.

Thanks for the great Grand Mothers show in San Diego. Great job!  Well, thanks for keeping the Mothers alive, and please let me know when you play in San Diego again. I will fly all of my Mothers fan friends out from Baltimore to come see what a fabulous job you've done to keep the band together.Frank would be proud.

Thanks! The Grandmutha's ROCK!!!! It was neat to hear'em do a couple of Zappa tunes, but I like some of their original stuff better. I got a cd at the show. Love it! The show in San Diego was VERY cool. The band really opened themselves up for the crowd. They were very accessible which is friggin' unheard of these days. So enough rantin' and ravin'...Just wanted to say thanks again...

CD REVIEWS FROM THE FANS
I got my new Grandmothers CD today! I have just finished listening to it ONCE and all I can say is WOW!!!!! You guys are really really hot! I mean it man, this is coming from a guy who has followed your shit most of his life and this is it!! Hearing this album was like a shot in the arm for a sick junky, it has been so damn long since I lived in such anticipation for the "new" album and today I received the same rush I used to get years ago. The covers (if you can call them that) were so faithful I almost cried and the original stuff is so beautiful I almost danced naked in the steets! You have to get this one to David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, even Oprah for God's sake.
WHAT A SOUND!!!! Of course I am going to love your music but I mean it, I have been listening to your "classics" for many many years and this is goooood! I certainly hope you take the new stuff to it's fullest potential, "Amsterdam" was a religious experience, I need more music like that! Well I could gush forever and I want to listen to it again. Thanks so much for such beautiful music, it definitely filled a hole in my soul. I haven't felt so inspired in years.

Really well-chosen material, and I think the whole band is great, individually and as a group. This was obviously not just thrown together with whomever was available. It's well-chosen repertoire and players who complement each other and work well for that material. And I think Ken Rosser does a real good job of evoking Frank's guitar playing without mimicking it or pushing the point too far. Napoleon's in good voice. Roy sounds real good. And I like Don's pieces.........

_____________________________________________________________________________________

SEPTEMBER 2003 ISSUE OF JAZZWISE
www.jazzwise.com

THE GRAND MOTHERS
A GRANDMOTHERS NIGHT AT THE GEWANDHAUS
This being the tenth anniversary of Frank Zappa's death, four ex-Mothers of Invention joined with two newcomers to take this group to Leipzig's "Strings of Fire Festival. The idea was for Don Preston to arrange  a performance with strings adding a few new compositions to his selecton of Zappa classics. This, as they , say, is the result and jolly fine it is too. Guitarist Ken Rosser fits in fine for Zappa himself with just enough of an infulence in style to make it work without pastiche. His solo on 'Trouble Coming Every Day' is superb and drummer Chris Garcia aquits himself well in a chair recently occupied by Jimmy Carl Black  (Arthur Trip lll is working as a chiropractor in Mississippi)
The orchestra is used only on the new compositions and its interesting to speculate what Zappa might have made with them. Of these, Preston contributes three with the blues, 'Peace for All', coming from Brock. The long 'Lamont's Laments'  is perhaps the most successfully Zappa-esque of these pieces but let's be honest, it's the FZ stuff that will make you shell out for this record. The versions of 'Orange County Lumber Truck', 'Montana', 'Hungry Freaks Daddy', 'Echindas Art(Of You)' and 'Mother People' work just fine and vocally even show some improvements on the originals. Nostaglia could easily persuade me to give this an extra phone.
JAZZWISE

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

.Gewandhaus ZU Leipzig

PRESS DOCUMENTATION