Customer Reviews

Waka Jawaka

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am listening to this CD as I write this review. I bought this CD when it first came out. I have lost count how many times I have played it. I never get tired of hearing this brilliant album. I have almost all of Zappa's CD's and this one together with "Hot Rats" and "Grand Wazoo" are my absolute favourites because he has allowed himself to concentrate on producing serious progressive music rather than his more comic and bizzare CD's. Don't get me wrong - I like almost all of Zappa's music - it is just that the above mentioned CD's really show us the genious that was Zappa. Like most of the other reviewers I agree with them that "Big Swifty" and "Waka Jawaka" are the most incredible tracks on the CD. I wont bother describing these tracks because words fail me. Let me say though, that I have lost count of the number of times on a Sunday afternoons I have cranked up the volume in my lounge room and have imitated all the instruments in the songs going from guitar to horn to trumpet and back again. I loose myself in his music. If you are a fan of creative, progressive, jazzy music then buy this CD - now!

Although I had heard "Freak Out," "We're Only in it for the Money," "Just Another Band From L.A." and several other Mothers albums, this - along with "Hot Rats" - was the first Zappa album I ever purchased. I was a trumpet player and this recording had a lot of horns, played primarily by Sal Marquez, so, for a 16 year old looking for cool music for horns, this was the album. "Big Swifty" takes the entire Side One of the album, something I hadn't heard in rock music up to that time. On the other hand, this recording was so far beyond the "progressive" rock bands of the day; others began to play catch up with Zappa.

Listen to the guitar solo in "Big Swifty" with Sal Marquez's muted counterpoint scratching just beneath the guitar, and it is really apparent Zappa was the preeminent composer of the day. The rhythm section of Erroneous on bass, Aynsley Dunbar on drums and George Duke on electric piano keep the piece on a single track without becoming monotonous metronomes; indeed, as others have stated, Dunbar gives a clinic in polyrhythmic percussion. Back in the day, people were talking about Bill Bruford and Ginger Baker - both great percussionists - but Dunbar was the real cutting edge of the drum kit.

The next three songs need to be listened to in succession, from "Your Mouth" to "It Just Might Be a One Shot Deal" to the title track, "Waka Jawaka," which, after 34 years, still stands as my all time favorite Zappa recording. All that brass! The pedal steel guitar solo (Sneaky Pete Kleinow) in "It Just Might Be a One Shot Deal" is one of the more awesome moments in Zappa music, not just for the solo, but the backing music as well. But once you get to "Waka Jawaka," you're taken on a totally different trip, yet, it seems like the logical extension of the preceding song. All that brass - and a Don Preston Moog solo to boot.

Most of the other reviewers speak of this and "Grand Wazoo" in the same vein, which is stylistically accurate, but when I listen to this, I almost always listen to "Sleep Dirt," "Orchestral Favorites" or "Studio Tan" as well, three later albums that have Zappa dipping deep into his instrumental bag, but in a very different direction.

Truly, one of Zappa's greatest recordings. Buy this one.

As a synthesist, I realize I could probably count the number of people who will appreciate this review on one hand. Nevertheless, all synthesists should hear Don Preston's great work on Waka/Jawaka. I have been playing synthesizer for almost thirty years and consider Jan Hammer the best player of all time. However, Don's solo here has got to be heard to be believed. In thirty years, I have yet to hear a more expansive, boundless, breathtaking solo, and of course it is monophonic. It is also played over what is arguably Aynsley Dunbar's greatest contribution to Zappa's catalog (Aynsley was one of Zappa's favorite drummers of all time largely because of the loose, creative style of polyrhythmic playing exemplified here). Waka/Jawaka is a beautiful composition with classical development of multiple motifs, and features classic solos by Sal Marquez and Zappa.

While Big Swifty is avant garde electric jazz, the rest of the record is simply excellent rock/blues, with eccentric instrumentation such as electric bed springs.

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.

This title is possibly my favourite Zappa recording. The performances on this disc are almost faultless, and the compositions themselves are among the best that Frank has ever written.

'Big Swifty' is an exceptionally jazzy piece with some amazing horn arrangemants, and an excelent solo that concludes with a reprisal of the main theme - the best 30 seconds on the disk.

'Your mouth' is a fine piece of blues with piogniant yet humerous lyrics, and some very quirky horn arrangements.

'One Shot Deal' is a piece of country music as only Frank could've played it ie - weird. It changes quite a bit, but it's interesting how Aynsley Dunbar manages to keep the beat all the way through some of the more psychotic sections.

'Waka / Jawaka' seems quite quiet in comparason with the rest of the album, and is a nice way to finish what is one of Zappas more jazzy albums.

Bottom line: Eclectic jazz weirdness.

Frank Zappa is unfortunately saddled with the Mr. Satire tag for so many rock music fans - that people tend to overlook his more ambitious/complex works.

This album is a treat and an important milestone in the ever-evolving tradition of rock and jazz. The playing is top order. Pity then that his contributions have been scarcely acknowledged. This deserves a place amongst the finest in the genre(alongwith Hot Rats and Grand Wazoo - simply superlative)

This album got mixed reviews on release. But i love it. big swifty is a triumph. It has this irresistable groove running through it, a credit to the rhythm players. George Duke plays some of his best music here. There's great zappa guitar and horns. It's a sprawling epic. The tune itself is another zappa classic. Words don't do the music justice , get this! The two songs are very good songs. Your mouth has some great singing, and good guitar too. One shot deal is cool too. It has nice singing and a killer steel pedal guitar solo from pete kleinow sneaky pete. title tune is gorgeous. i played it to my friend, and he said to me 'dallas!' ie he thought it sounded like the tv theme. It has a lovely melody played by the horn players. Then a lovely trumpet solo, sal marquez. And then one of the greatest solos i've ever heard. It's by Don Preston on mini moog. Don Preston played with the original mothers of invention, and appeared in 200 motels too. I think this is his finest zappa moment. Hear it folks. Frank comes in at the end of don's solo, playing gloriously. Aynsley Dunbar gets to play a little solo, then we go back into the theme tune. There is more really beautiful music from the horn section, brilliant bass playing from alexander dmchowski (excuse my spelling al),and the tune wraps up with some bells ringing, like church bells . It's a glorious finale. 36 minutes of great music which i recommend strongly. Thank you

This is a wonderful album with highly imaginative extended brass arrangements (and great playing, of course). In particular, check out "Big Swifty". It's also got some great recording effects, on the vocal and instrumental parts, which were somehow created by Zappa long before computers were used in recording studios. Think about buying this along with the "Grand Wazoo" and maybe "Hot Rats", too.

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.

Zappa, hard to take seriously after notorius gross-out tunes like 'penis dimensions', revealed his serious musical psyche with the stunning title track 'Waka-Jawaka', an amazing piece comprised of a main theme coupled with secondary poly-melodic & counterpuntal themes, and utilizing atypical scales. The main melody grabs you and burrows into your brain, then eloquently flows into artfully crafted solos from Zappa's top-notch sidemen, who served with the likes of Buddy Rich, Benny Golson, and Bill Watrous. Don Preston's mini-moog solo is required listening for any keyboard player, along with drummer Dunbar's clinic on polyrhythm. This is an instrumental masterpiece, culminating with Zappa restating the opening horn phrase in cut-time while the band blows on in 4/4. Amazing in every respect, Waka-Jawaka whets your appetite--after 33 years, it's still as fresh to me as the first time I heard it!