The music of Frank Zappa has remained a treasured and respected part of so many musicians and fans lives ever since Frank first formed The Mothers of Invention back in the mid-1960's. Since Zappa's death in 1993, saxophonist, jazz arranger & composer Ed Palermo has taken to covering and performing Big Band versions of Frank Zappa material with his band. Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance is a vibrant re-imagining of eight Zappa classics, done with more of a smooth jazz flair rather than a note for note remake, giving these already masterful songs an accessible sheen that should easily bring Zappa's music to the mainstream jazz fan.
Palermo's band consists of 16 members and 2 guests, with most of them part of the horn section, giving the overall sound a huge and rich presentation that helps these songs really swing in a sort of Grand Wazoo way. "Pound For A Brown On the Bus" really cooks with plenty of soaring sax and muscular horns, while the cascading melodies and tight rhythms of "Rdnzl" sees the lengthy Zappa guitar solo on the original recording replaced by horns and reeds. Zappa's guitar parts are again replaced by some dreamy sax on "Sleep Dirt", while the funky take on "Gumbo Variations" brings new life to this early Zappa classic thanks to some heavy grooves from the horn section and some scorching guitar licks from Carl Restivo. The quirky, complex, & progressive side of Zappa's arsenal comes out through "Mom and Dad/Oh No", with Palermo's band really firing on all cylinders on a song with many intricate parts.
Ultimately, Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance really is a blast, whether you are a Frank Zappa fan or not. For the longtime Zappa fan the CD offers up classic songs given a new and refreshing treatment, and for the casual fan who loves jazz, there's plenty of stunning jazz and fusion here to tantalize your senses.
Track Listing
1. Rdnzl
2. Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
3. Dwarf Nebula Processional March & Dwarf Nebula
4. Pound For A Brown On The Bus
5. Sleep Dirt
6. Gumbo Variations
7. Mom And Dad/Oh No
8. Moggio
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