Shut up 'N Play Yer Guitar - Zappa, Frank (CD 1995)

Frank Zappa is (was) a national treasure that too few knew about. Solos from his great music are highlighted in the compilation. Not to mention the groovy little dialog tracks interspersed hither and yon. They sound so great if you enjoy listening to people just talking. They leave the listener with a mental picture that can be so fun. You get to fill in the blanks. They go really well with the music, because the music demands your full mental interaction. The voice tracks are a great primer for that.

"Oh, ship ahoy!"

Any guitar in the western world worth their salt should be at least familiar with this great player. And if you can't get into his music, at least get into his solos. No one says you must like FZ, but he truly is a master of the unexpected. Great soloing is helped immensely by unexpected playing. Zappa is a player's player, without a doubt. He is so different in his playing and composing, a "active" listener cannot help but be affected somehow. The more one really /listens/ to his soloing, the more they gain a respect for FZ and his musicians. He changes tempo, time signatures, whatever it takes to get the desired result. His music is so complex, it is almost exhausting just listening to it. Yet, it is exhilerating to hear what /can/ be done. This compilation gives a taste of all that, but it can't be a passive experience.

Listening to FZ is a risky proposition for some, as it can show people that Top 40 music is by and large junk because there is SO much more out there to be done. However, it is hard for so many to step outside the parameters. Frank Zappa set fire, kicked, punched, buried, and out-lawed those parameters.

Frank Zappa is singular in his talent and range. He could be included in pantheon of great American composers like Gershwin, and Copland. Yet included in another pantheon of influential guitarists like Hendrix, Reinhardt.