In October 1971, FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION performed two full-length shows on one night at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall. For the first time ever those recordings are available for pre-order now on a four-disc set via Vaulternative Records and the ZAPPA FAMILY TRUST (www.zappa.com).
CARNEGIE HALL celebrates a one-night musical marathon–two shows (7:30 and 11:30) with ticket prices ranging from $3.50 to $6.00–featuring FRANK ZAPPA (lead guitar, vocals) with Mark Volman (vocals, percussion); Howard Kaylan (vocals); Ian Underwood (keyboards, alto sax); Don Preston (keyboards, gong); Jim Pons (bass, vocals); and Aynsley Dunbar (drums). The package is accompanied by extensive liner notes in which GAIL ZAPPA describes these shows as “recorded Live in glorious MONO,” they “represent the ONLY time Frank Zappa, with or without the Mothers of Invention, appeared at Carnegie Hall. Promoter Ron Delsener, who had to convince the venue’s booker that Frank Zappa was “a very accomplished classical musician of several wind instruments like the cello, viola and harp,” says “enjoy genius and smile, Frank is smilin’ at you.”
The four-disc set launches with the evening’s openers, The Persuasions–the a cappella group whose first album was recorded by FRANK ZAPPA in 1970. The CARNEGIE HALL album kicks off with “Call Any Vegetable” from the 1967 ABSOLUTELY FREE album and includes “Peaches En Regalia,” a 30-minute version of “King Kong” and other FRANK ZAPPA & The Mothers of Invention compositions.
Headed by ZAPPA’s widow GAIL ZAPPA, the ZFT administers exclusively the extensive and iconic legacy of the Composer, Musician, Bandleader and Filmmaker. ZAPPA was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Zappa’s official biography is: Frank Zappa, American Composer, fl. 1940 – 1993.
Carnegie Hall…warts and all…on Vaulternative Records…in glorious mono. As GAIL ZAPPA says, “We tweaked and we tweezed and did everything possible to be certain this does not sound like a breakfast cereal gone mad somewhere in the Van Allen Belt. I am happy to say The Mud Shark Legend Continues.”
The full track listing is as follows:
Disc 1
THE PERSUASIONS SHOW
1. I Just Can’t Work No Longer
2. Working All The Live Long Day/Chain Gang
3. Medley #1
4. Pieces Of A Man
5. Buffalo Soldier
6. Medley #2
7. Medley #3
FZ SHOW 1
8. Hello (To Foh)/Ready?!
9. Call Any Vegetable
10. Anyway The Wind Blows
11. Magdalena
12. Dog Breath
Disc 2
FZ SHOW 1
1. Peaches En Regalia
2. Tears Began To Fall
3. Shove It Right In
4. King Kong
5. 200 Motels Finale
6. Who Are The Brain Police?
Disc 3
FZ SHOW 2
1. Auspicious Occasion
2. Divan Persist Of: Once Upon A Time
3. Sofa #1
4. Magic Pig
5. Stick It Out
6. Divan Ends Here
7. Pound For A Brown
8. Sleeping In A Jar
9. Wonderful Wino
10. Sharleena 1979
11. Cruising For Burgers
Disc 4
FZ SHOW 2
1. Billy The Mountain
2. Billy The Mountain
3. Billy The Mountain
4. The $600 Mud Shark Prelude
5. The Mud Shark
