Customer Reviews

Roxy & Elsewhere

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

ROXY & ELSEWHERE is arguably Zappa's best live album. It features what was, for my tastes, the best lineup of musicians he ever shared a stage with: Napoleon Murphy Brock, Bruce and Tom Fowler, Ruth Underwood, the demon-fingered George Duke, and several others you can read about in the liner notes. (Anybody who enjoyed this cast of characters should also check out the studio album ONE SIZE FITS ALL.)

Zappa is comfortable and at ease with his audience on this album; he delivers a couple of relaxed monologues about, e.g., monster movies, and his guitar work is always both brilliant and accessible. His musical arrangements are funky and tasteful; his lyrical satire is in top form, has left behind the snide contemptuousness of some of his early stuff, and hasn't yet taken on the bitter, curmudgeonly edge that came to characterize some of his later work. In short, he comes across as what he was: a genius guitarist and composer who was enjoying himself onstage with both the audience and the band.

There are some serious Zappa classic on this album -- notably "Cheepnis," his hilarious but appreciative parody of low-budget monster movies (". . . the monster, which the peasants in this area call FRUNOBULAX . . . "); a redux version of FREAK OUT's "Trouble Every Day," rendered this time out as a slow and bluesy number with an achingly brilliant guitar solo; and the very, very long "Be-Bop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen's Church)," which occupied an entire album side on the original LP and features both Zappa's signature "audience participation" and some terrific keyboard-and-vocal work from George Duke ("This is BEEEEEEEEEEEEE-bop, even though you think it doesn't sound like that . . . ") -- plus some others I won't list here.

Classic stuff. In short, Zappa at his finest, and a must for FZ fans and neophytes alike.

Many will disagree with me here, but honestly, right before this album came out, I was finding my devotion to my utmost musical hero severely tested. Overnite Sensation was fun, but not as amazing as what I was used to from FZ. Apostrophe' plain left me cold, despite how popular it was amongst new Zappa converts.

Roxy and Elsewhere restored much needed faith. I had seen some of this material played live in concert, heard something about a PBS special he was working on, forked out my hard-earned neo-teenage cash for a double live album, and was dancing on the ceiling from the first listening. I'd never heard such a great live recording, and the energy from the performance brought a much-needed element missing from the bottom-heavy, too-clean production of the two previous albums.

"Penguin in Bondage" is a hilarious view of sexual deviance, made somehow more so due to the restraints of having the performance recorded for television broadcasts; since he could not resort to outright raunch, the lyrics are peppered with strange, suggestive images (ie: kleenex on a coat-hang wire), and the song becomes a surrealistic goof on the whole 70s S&M phenomena. Zappa later pays homage to creature features of the 50s and 60s in "Cheepnis", a love letter to all those who ever sat out late night movies on TV just to look for costume zippers, 2x4s on fake cave sets, and visible nylon strings on giant insects.

A highlight of the album kicks off with an affectionate (yes, Frank COULD be affectionate) recollection of life in Palmdale, "Village of the Sun", famous for its turkey farms. Without missing a beat the band segues into a phenomenal instrumental of shifting rhythms, textures, keys, sounding by turns jazzy and cartoonish, even quite beautiful (Bruce Fowler's tromboning can ellicit chills), and through it all Zappa maintains the theatrical aspect as well ("ladies and gentlemen .... WATCH RUTH!"). Not only are his musicians expected to play complex, very difficult music ..... they also had to make it look fun.

This is exemplified in the final piece, "Be-Bop Tango", whose live performance borders on the athletic. In between the two tightly-structured sections his musical crew is given license to improvise, free-form, around a series of secret hand signals before coming back together to bring the piece to an abrupt finish. At one point during the proceedings, Zappa explains "Jazz isn't dead; it just smells funny."

In the five or so years that were to follow this album's release, Frank Zappa would go on to create the most extraordinary music of that decade, some of which was not to be heard until nearly twenty years later (see Laether). Apostrophe' snagged him a gold album, but it was this later release which really clues the listener in to the direction he was going. He was not finished pushing the limits yet. ... .

This is simply the best-sounding live recording I have ever heard. Most of the disc was recorded using 16-track equipment, a rarity for 1973. It sounds like you're in a small-club, in the third-row, center. Not only is the listener hit with a jazz/funk/blues small-big band-big bang (11 members: 3 guitars, 2 keyboards, 3 percussion, 3 brass) fronted by the free world's most underrated guitarist (see solo on "More Trouble Every Day") but Mr. Zappa's spoken and compositional humor is at a peak. (see "Cheepnis") Mostly songs with words, this disc features two inconceivable-for-stage instrumentals which are effectively nailed. This album is virtual Zappa and, although no substitute for the real thing, offers a slight return to perhaps Zappa's most astute combo. A 10? This one goes to 11. Get it, folks, even if you have to hide it from the spouse.

You know it... You love it... You can't live without it!

I'd recommend buying this one for a friend who doesn't know or thinks (like most people) that he/she doesn't like Frank Zappa because he's too weird.

This album is most likely ranked in every Zappa fan's top 5 of the 70 official releases. It is a brilliant live recording full of astounding playing by Frank on guitar and the incomparable rhythm section of Ruth Underwood on percussion, George Duke on keyboard, Chester Thompson and Ralph Humphries on drums (although not both together on all tracks, gets into a serious drumming duel on "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?") along with the Fowler Brothers on horn and bass, not to mention Napoleon Murphy Brock on Sax and vocals and just to keep it real, Don Preston on synthesizer in this jazz-rock extravaganza!

Fans of Zappa's humorous side will delight in Frank's storytelling on such tracks as "Cheepnis" and his way with audience members in the "hard one to play" Be-Bop Tango. Fans of Frank's guitar playing will marvel at the always uncompromising playing on "Penguin In Bondage", "Son of Orange County" and "More Trouble Every Day" to name a few.

Definitely one of the best Zappa/Mothers live recordings. There are, of course, many others but this one is probably most easily digestable to the uninitiated or Zappa skeptic.

Sounds as fresh today as it did nearly 30 years ago when first recorded. A two-record set fit perfectly onto one disc and NOT remixed by Frank - a complaint and sticking point on numerous other releases by Frank when put out on CD.

Roxy and Elsewhere is my favorite Mothers album. The recording is excellent and the performances are impressive. There are some really great tunes here: Village of the Sun, Penguine in Bondage, Cheapness, it's all masterful. Great band, great guitar playing, great music. Roxy and Elsewhere is a timeless rock classic.

I'm surprised though that nobody else mentioned "Echidna's Arf" which is followed immediately by "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing" - absolutely exquisite jazz-rock, flawlessly realized by musicians completely at their peak. Wonderful!

The title of my review says it all: this is Frank's best live album and it just so happens to be my personal favorite in his entire catalog.

Simply put- I believe that this is the finest band Frank ever assembled. Napoleon Murphy Brock in particular adds so much to the lineup that it's amazing he wasn't a star on his own. Between his incredible energy, great vocals and superb sax work- the man literally steals the show from Frank.

Combine Brock with a handful of other supremely tallented musicians (Ruth Underwood on percussion will leave your jaw on the floor on more than one occasion) and you'll know why Frank regarded this group so highly. Oh, and Frank is no slouch either- his guitar tone on "Penguin in Bondage" must be heard to be believed.

-The group is stunning.

-The songs are among Frank's best.

-The recording sounds flawless.

There is no reason not to own this album. If you're new to Frank- this is a great place to start (as is Hot Rats). If you've heard some of his stuff and are looking for more- look no further. A genuinely fun album to listen to that contains music that will blow you away everytime you listen to it.

ROXY & ELSEWHERE is one of a handful of albums I would recommend to a beginner. It is a great place to enter Frank's bizarre universe. Once you walk thru that door you won't want to return to the corporate music world.

This album is EASILY one of the best live rock albums EVER recorded. This is probably my second favorite Zappa recording after ONE SIZE FITS ALL. I was introduced to this album as I was getting deeper into jazz music, and I loved it immediately. Not that you have to be a jazz fan at all. But this album is a great mix of rock and jazz stylings. "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing" is very jazzy indeed. But don't fear, Frank and crew are rocking as good as ever on great tunes like "Pygmy Twylyte" "Dummy Up" (what a great song), the nostalgic "Village of the Sun", "Bebop Tango..." (listen to George Duke!) and the hilarious "Cheepnis" ('...here fido...here fido...*laugh*). What a riot. The stage banter and audience participation from time to time only add to the zany-ness (is that a word?).

"Ladies and gentlemen, WATCH RUTH!"

Be sure you get this album. It is a perfect mix of rock and jazz and humor, a great into to FZ. He had a way of being humorous in his delivery but always taking his music seriously. I think many people miss that. Don't be one of them.

Highly recommended.

WHAT AN ALBUM !!! This is the Zappa that one should first listen to . Fluid music and astonishing stage presence. The album is a must have for any rocker who has come of age. Mature yet not boring . Rocking yet not forced in. The Mothers of Invention are a brilliant backing band for the craftman ship of Zappa. I personally like the live albums where the band interacts with the crowd as it give the out there feeling to the listener. This concert was just that , good for any mood listening. Got get it RIGHT NOW !.

Music listeners frequently associate Frank Zappa solely with his satire. While they understand that Zappa possessed an incredible musical talent, the songs they remember most are ones that fall into the "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" category. Admittedly, Zappa had a knack for debunking the conventions of contemporary society, but we shouldn't remember him from this aspect alone. If anyone wants to explore the depth of Zappa's talent, "Roxy & Elsewhere" provides an excellent starting point.

While the album does feature plenty of humorous moments ("Dummy UP," Penguin in Bondage," and "Cheepnis" as examples), the most memorable aspect of this recording is the music. The musicians are in top form. When you hear something Like "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" it makes you realize how incredibly tight and focused these players were. To borrow a quote from The Bonzo Dog Band, "Baby, you're so far ahead, it's beautiful."

"Roxy & Elsewhere" also offers a glimpse into Zappa's past with the song "Village of the Sun." Here Frank takes a nostalgic turn, remembering his early days playing at the Village Inn, playing R&B with "The Blackouts." (By the way, there is a great recording of The Blackouts featured on "The Mystery Disc.")

Anyone interested in discovering the complexity of Frank Zappa and his music needs to own a copy of "Roxy & Elsewhere." It offers a wide range of styles, ranging from the classic Zappa wit to some intense instrumental offerings. You won't be disappointed with this one.