The Grand Wazoo cover
Released

On this, the jazziest of his records, Zappa assembled a huge band - six woodwinds, five brass players and more - for several extended pieces of orchestrated jazz. Musicians are layered on top of each other, often doubling their lines, giving Zappa’s music a bombastic, big band feel, even in its trickier passages. But the key to this one comes in the second half, when George Duke delivers solos on “Eat That Question” and “Blessed Relief” that shine even on repeated listens. Zappa’s playing, meanwhile, is restrained and tasteful here, settling into a nice, laid back groove.

Roz Milner

Recommended by

Suggestions
Expansions cover

Expansions

Lonnie Liston Smith & the Cosmic Echoes
Kalimba cover

Kalimba

Majid Bekkas, Joachim Kühn, Ramón López
Sleep Dirt cover

Sleep Dirt

Frank Zappa
The Inner Mounting Flame cover

The Inner Mounting Flame

John McLaughlin, Mahavishnu Orchestra
Dogs of Great Indifference cover

Dogs of Great Indifference

Jim Black, AlasNoAxis
Jazz Moods cover

Jazz Moods

Yusef Lateef