Frank Zappa - Trance-Fusion (2006)

I’m not certain when this record was known to FZ as an actual project. He might have easily been
collecting/collating candidates and building a reel of sorts for a few years. But once he knew his eon
was closing this quickly emerged as one among the few projects that he chose to complete. Curiously,
the date on the disc from Bob Ludwig is 23 May 2005 and the date on the Master Tape check sheet
is 23 May 1993. Other coincidental and tangential collisions have occurred throughout every Zappa
project and Trance-Fusion is no exception – check out the gypsy mutant vacuum cleaner swirling in
castanets and the glow of the Chunga’s Revenge studio campfire album art. This piece had long been
an FZ standard when the existence of a certain famous (sic) flamenco dancer, La Chunga, was brought
to our attention. The last time I heard this record with FZ was Thanksgiving, 1993. Among those
present were one or two members of Gorky Park, our friend Beverly D’Angelo, my brother Midget (tech
to FZ), Joe Travers (then Drummer for Z), Diva and Dweezil. I might have been the only one considering
the gathering gloom of the end of the lease on time. I might have been. And the very something that
is the way this album closes and opens with the soon-to-be other Mr. Zappa on Guitar. Once, later
and much beyond these last times, I remarked on this very thing. Dweezil said in a measured tone,
“It’s just a guitar record,” and of course it is. But also, in the same way that predicting Higgs’ Boson is
just another theory. Of Dark Matters and the cold heart of gravity. Surrounded by Music what I miss
is the running commentary on the view from the window beyond lightspeed by my favorite Guide to
this Universe. And speaking of Science, one little anecdote about his powers of observation, dexterity,
and thoughtspeed: Frank was amused by the sport he invented of finding as many possible ways
to spell the name of a certain hotelier and lifestyler – with as many effs, pees and aitches in as many
combinations thereof as possible, prompted no doubt by the majesty of the pose struck in the wallsized framed photograph of the owner, just opposite the elevators, just off in general and specifically, the
lobby of the Hotel in question, where FZ often stayed when performing in Chicago. While advancing on
the elevator and in one seamless economic motion, Frank articulated his comment, well comet actually,
thoroughly undetected by several others traveling through the same arc towards the same elevator.
Well do I remember being boxed in at full capacity load, with the elevator doors slowly closing on the
sight before us all – the glistening globulent lobbed lugey oozing in ominous silence down the image
from face central. And there was just the most fleeting moment of acknowledgement between us.


Tracks:

01. Zappa - Chunga's Revenge (Live At Wembley Arena, London,UK 1988) (7:02)
02. Zappa - Bowling On Charen (Live At The Palladium, NYC 1977) (5:04)
03. Zappa - Good Lobna (Live At The Orpheum Theater, Memphis, Tennessee 1984) (1:39)
04. Zappa - A Cold Dark Matter (Live At Memorial Hall, Allentown, Pennsylvania 1988) (3:31)
05. Zappa - Butter Or Cannons (Live At The Pier, NYC 1984) (3:25)
06. Zappa - Ask Dr. Stupid (Live At Rhein-Neckarhalle, Eppelheim, Germany 1979) (3:20)
07. Zappa - Scratch & Sniff (Live At Brighton Centre, Brighton, UK 1988) (3:56)
08. Zappa - Trance-Fusion (Live At Liederhalle, Stuttgart, Germany 1988) (4:20)
09. Zappa - Gorgo (Live At Johanneshovs Isstadiom, Stockholm 1988) (2:41)
10. Zappa - Diplodocus (Live At The Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island 1984) (3:22)
11. Zappa - Soul Polka (Live At The Memorial Hall, Allentown, Pennsylvania 1988) (3:18)
12. Zappa - For Guiseppe Franco (Live At Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington 1984) (3:47)
13. Zappa - After Dinner Smoker (Live At Palasport, Genoa, Italy 1988) (4:46)
14. Zappa - Light Is All That Matters (Live At Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington 1984) (3:47)
15. Zappa - Finding Higg's Boson (Live At Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria 1988) (3:41)
16. Zappa - Bavarian Sunset (Live At Rudi-Sedlmeyer Sporthalle, Minuch, Germany 1988) (4:00)

Musicians:

Frank Zappa Guitar, All Tracks
Dweezil Zappa Guitar, Tracks 1, 16
Tracks 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16:
Mike Keneally Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
Bobby Martin Keyboards
Ed Mann Vibes, Marimba, Electronic Percussion
Walt Fowler Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Keyboards
Bruce Fowler Trombone
Paul Carmen Alto, Soprano, Baritone Saxes
Albert Wing Tenor Sax
Kurt McGettrick Baritone, Bass Saxes, Contrabass Clarinet
Scott Thunes Bass, Mini-Moog
Chad Wackerman Drums, Electronic Percussion
Tracks 3, 5, 10, 12, 14:
Ray White Rhythm Guitar
Ike Willis Rhythm Guitar
Bobby Martin Keyboards
Allan Zavod Keyboards
Scott Thunes Bass
Chad Wackerman Drums
Track 6:
Warren Cuccurullo Rhythm Guitar
Denny Walley Slide Guitar
Tommy Mars Keyboard
Peter Wolf Keyboard
Ed Mann Percussion
Arthur Barrow Bass
Vinnie Colaiuta Drums
Track 2:
Adrian Belew Rhythm Guitar
Tommy Mars Keyboards
Peter Wolf Keyboards
Ed Mann Percussion
Patrick O’Hearn Bass
Terry Bozzio Drums