All compositions were executed yesteryear Frank Zappa on the Synclavier DMS with the exception of "St. Etienne", a guitar solo excerpted from a alive surgical physical care for Zappa gave of "Drowning Witch" during a concert inward Saint-Étienne, France, on his 1982 tour.
"While You Were Art II" is a Synclavier surgical physical care for based on a transcription of Zappa's improvised guitar solo on the rail "While You Were Out" from the album Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (1981). The unreleased master Synclavier surgical physical care for was done using only the unit's FM synthesis, piece the recording flora hither was Zappa's "deluxe" scheme featuring newer samples as well as timbres.
"Night School" was peradventure named for a late-night demo that Zappa pitched to ABC; the network did non pick it up. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 music video was made for the song.
"G-Spot Tornado", assumed yesteryear Zappa to live impossible to play yesteryear humans, would live performed yesteryear Ensemble Modern on the concert recording The Yellow Shark (1993).
Zappa won a 1988 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for this album.
Though Jazz from Hell is an solely instrumental album, in that location is an unconfirmed study that the Fred Meyer chain of stores sold it inward their Music Market subdivision featuring an RIAA Parental Advisory sticker. This could induce got been the number of Zappa's feud with the Parents Music Resource Center (which had also inspired the 1985 Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention), an objection to the purpose of the discussion "hell" inward the album title, or inward reference to the rail "G-Spot Tornado", describing the erogenous zone inward human anatomy usually known every bit the G-Spot.
While Frank Zappa had ostensibly been "on his own" since the dissolution of the Mothers of Invention inward 1969, never earlier had he used the term "solo artist" every bit literally every bit he does on the Grammy Award winning (in the "Best Rock Instrumental Performance yesteryear an orchestra, grouping or soloist" category) Jazz from Hell (1986). After 2 decades of depending on the skills, virtuosity, as well as temperament of other musicians, Zappa all but abandoned the human chemical component inward favor of the flexibility of what he could gain with his Synclavier Digital Music System. With the exception of the stunning closer "St. Etienne" -- which is a guitar solo taken from a alive surgical physical care for of "Drowning Witch" at the Palais des Sports inward St. Etienne, French Republic on May 28, 1982 -- the remaining 7 selections were composed, created, as well as executed yesteryear Zappa with aid from his concurrent figurer assistant Bob Rice as well as recording engineer Bob Stone. Far from beingness only a synthesizer, the Synclavier combined the might to sample as well as manipulate sounds earlier assigning them to the diverse notes on a piano-type keyboard. At the fourth dimension of its release, many enthusiasts considered it a slick, emotionless effort. In retrospect, their conclusions appear to induce got been a gut reaction to the methodology, rather than the music itself. In fact, show to the reverse is apparent every bit it brims throughout the optimistic bounding tune as well as tricky time-signatures of "Night School." All the to a greater extent than affective is the frenetic sonic trajectory coursing through "G-Spot Tornado." Incidentally, Zappa would revisit the latter -- during 1 of his lastly projects -- when the Ensemble Modern worked upward Ali N. Askin's scheme for the Yellow Shark (1993). Another cutting with a fleck of history to it is "While You Were Art II," which is Zappa's Synclavier-rendered version of the Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (1982) entry "While You Were Out." Speaking of guitar solos, every bit mentioned briefly above, "St. Etienne" is the only vocal on Jazz from Hell to characteristic a band as well as is a care for specifically for listeners craving a sampling of Zappa's inimitable fretwork. The six-plus infinitesimal instrumental also boats back upward from Steve Vai (rhythm guitar), Ray White (rhythm guitar), Tommy Mars (keyboards), Bobby Martin (keyboards), Ed Isle of Mann (percussion), every bit good every bit the prominent beat subdivision of Scott Thunes (bass) as well as Republic of Chad Wackerman (drums). Zappa-philes should similarly regime notation that splendid (albeit) amateur-shot footage of the number was included yesteryear Zappa on the companion Video from Hell (1987) abode video.
Jazz From Hell may non live 1 of Frank's most pop albums as well as I'm certain it's 1 of the lowest sellers, but it's also 1 of his finest.
Frank had announced his intention of quitting the liva arena inward 1982 as well as and so in 1 lawsuit again inward 1984 ( he would live tempted dorsum inward 1988 ) but yesteryear 1986 he was composing solely on his Synclavier inside the comfort of his recording studio, as well as the results are amazing.
Night School as well as G-Spot Tornado are with his best e'er compositions, nobody else to this twenty-four hours writes such strange as well as withal beautiful music, it's ironic to regime notation that the championship rail ( 1 of the weaker tracks ) won Frank a Grammy !
Probably to placate the fans of his guitar solos he pick out to include 1 real fine ( as well as frail ) solo.
This album rewards repeated listenings as well as and it's swell insight into what made the human being actually tick .
On this solo digital-synth excursion, the indefatigable Zappa takes a breather from R-rated satire as well as battling the PMRC dragons to create upward 1 of his periodic classical-jazz-boogie stews. There is cypher specially hellish nigh the 8 pieces on the album, though it may induce got been a bitch to programme these densely packed parcels of subdivided rhythms as well as Chinese-checker themes. But piece most of Jazz from Hell employs now-standard Zappa compositional devices — abrupt tempo changes, harmonic wide jumps as well as volcanic polyphonic clusters — in that location is a deviant playfulness as well as almost affable melodic resolution nigh these tracks that is unique inward Zappa's serious instrumental canon.
While purchasing this CD:
Just got dorsum from LA as well as piece I was in that location I went to Time Warp Records, a lilliputian tape shop off of Venice BL. Among the exactly over lxxx CD's I ain yesteryear Frank I hadn't replaced the "Jazz From Hell" from my lp collection. It was in that location so I picked it upward as well as in that location was only 1 guy in that location also the possessor as well as or so other gentleman walked inward exactly every bit I was nigh to leave. Just every bit I flora my lastly buy (McCoy Tyner - Infinity (with Michael Brecker) as well as I over heard the guy that had exactly walked inward that he had been to an lawsuit with Luna Zappa the previous nighttime every bit I'm walking upward to the counter with Jazz From Hell, I showed to the guy talking as well as the possessor as well as nosotros all had a lilliputian laugh, :-)
Crimhead420.
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Tracks Listing
1. Night School (4:47)
2. The Beltway Bandits (3:25)
3. While You Were Art II (7:17)
4. Jazz From Hell (2:58)
5. G-Spot Tornado (3:17)
6. Damp Ankles (3:45)
7. St. Etienne (6:26) *
8. Massaggio Galore (2:31)
* Recorded 1982 at Palais des Sports, St. Etienne, France.
Total Time: 34:26
Personnel:
Frank Zappa – atomic number 82 guitar, Synclavier, keyboards, production
On "St. Etienne":
Steve Vai – beat guitar
Ray White – beat guitar
Tommy Mars – keyboards
Bobby Martin – keyboards
Scott Thunes – bass guitar
Republic of Chad Wackerman – drums
Ed Isle of Mann – percussion
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