Dweezil Zappa

Hi,
 
Dweezil's work on his own is not as good as one would think. I tend to have the silly idea that he is too far ingrained in the whole star thing about his dad, and coming out of it, the only real thing he has going for him, is some dexterity with his fingers, none of which make his own music better, or improve his dad's work at all.
 
That said, the ZPZ stuff is very good. The family has been preventing the play or use of Frank's music, to help ensure that ZPZ can sell some of it, and while not fantastic, or super great, they are very good, and the musicianship, is above average and then some.
 
There is a sad side to it, though ... that is strange and sad. Their ability to get beyond a certain point and improve is totally limited, and I think that this is on account of Dweezil not having the ability to see between the lines and allowing the team to add an inch in the middle that stretches things some and makes them better. Thus, the best you can get is a nice oiled machine that can play this and that ... and that is it.
 
The example here is this ... look, go listen to Karajhan's version of Stravinsky. Then go listen to Bernstein's, then go listen to Ozawa's ... and you will find different details that do NOT change the BASIC music, but they add the slightest touch that makes this part or that part more lively, and for one's brains, it adds a different sight and vision, which, in the end, makes the music more lively, and above all ... slightly different ... you exercised the left foot this time on the run, instead of the right foot ... still the same person, the same music, the same track, the same everything, but a different accent in various spots. Dweezil, is not capable of finding these points and improve on them, because he does not have the wide perspective as mentioned above (as an example -- there is no formula!) to take the music further. His idea is that his dad's version is the furthest it can go. Heck, we would not be listening to any composers of the past 500 years, then ... because we already know, them, right?
 
This was very clear ... and super visible, when I saw them opening for "Return to Forever" ... and they ended up looking like a garage band that didn't know what they were doing, and tried to show off a guitar hieroglyph or slick this and that with Dweezil, to show that they were just as good, with the exception that the attitude was vacuous and the music was not his own ... which made it harder to improve ... or change. RTF blew them off the stage, and showed what a band can do, and Corea, White, Ponty, Clarke and company simply ... shone as the other group faded into oblivion.
 
To me, I think Dweezil has to wake up ... and stop being a professor of chords and notes! But by the time he does, many of these things will be gone, and the work of his dad ... hopefully will have a kinder appreciation.
 
For a GREAT comparison, watch the Roxy DVD, and appreciate the freedom and intensity that Frank gets from his folks ... and he can sit back and just enjoy it! Dweezil is nowhere near that freedom and appreciation!

I think he's just trying to keep the flame alive. I can't see him doing it for the money, not with all those wages to pay!
 
The fact that he CAN play that music is enough to get big respect from me.

Mesh
(IMO) I think it's a bit unfair to compare them and expect Dweezil to be just as good or up to par as Frank. 

Why not? My son has far out shined me in all aspects of music. 

Newer generations are meant to evolve.  For example, Bapu is all about the Am, well, the obvious evolution would be this:
 

 
An Am with a suspended fifth. 

jamesg1213
 
I think he's just trying to keep the flame alive. I can't see him doing it for the money, not with all those wages to pay!
The fact that he CAN play that music is enough to get big respect from me.

 
For many years, this has been one of the discussions in the Zappa boards. What was Gail doing and such, and what her preferences were. We also knew that she was not allowing too much of Frank's music to go out and get played by many other folks, and the material that went out was limited.
 
It was understood, and I don't think anyone had a problem with it, that Dweezil playing the stuff and getting a new generation to see and hear it, was a magnanimous gesture and I agree. For all intents and purpposes he is sacrificing his own career, to ensure that father's legacy lives on, and I think this was a request from Gail all along.
 
The question is, now that Gail has taken leave and can finally get some rest from all the aggravation she has taken over so many legal things and rights and what not, how will things change here on out! I think/hope that Dweezil can start playing more material and different material, up to and including some of the orchestral stuff ... but us here, are all rockers, and if he does that, many of us are not going to go to the show!
 
Now what? I'm not sure that Dweezil knows yet, and in the next few years we will know better. 

Moshkito
....I just wish that Dweezil stepped back a bit and watched Frank's relaxed moment in the Roxy DVD, and realize how much Frank allowed his players to play!
 

That is a facade. I met one of his players and he said Frank was slave driver in rehearsals and that the stage show better match what he expected of them or they would be fired. Frank did not "allow" he "demanded" according to the man I met. So that "allow" that you think you saw was the result of what Frank wanted, not necessarily what the players would have done.
 
What we see and what is may not always be the same.
 
Now, to back that up, I had an uncle by marriage that was #2 French Horn player in L.A. for over 30 years. He told me of a session that he played on for Frank. He said Frank was the most demanding conductor he ever met.

batsbrew
man,
dweezil has been around since the 80's.....

I loved Shampoo Horn.
(still do actually)
It's git some badass fretless guitar playing on it.

Mesh

batsbrew

Mesh
Just listening to different stuff on Youtube, I ran into a clip of Dweezil playing some VH songs......and really well at that (the audio is crappy, but he's clearly doing a great job). I was impressed with his talent and started listening to more of his stuff........and ran into this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOtuqYzJTsM 
 
Very good musicians/music (sadly, I never had given Frank a proper listen......but will).

man,
dweezil has been around since the 80's.....
 
surprised you're just now finding it....

In my sad defense, I actually knew about both of them for awhile, but had only heard 1 or 2 of Franks tracks back in the 90's. At that time, those tracks didn't appeal to me at all, and I just discarded them both . Since then, I've learned to appreciate lots of music that I "normally" wouldn't have given the time of day.........my apologies to the purists.   

No need for apologies Mesh, what appeals to you, and when, is a purely personal thing. Took me a long time to 'get' Tom Waits for example.

The singer's better than Ian Anderson is now.

bapu
That is a facade. I met one of his players and he said Frank was slave driver in rehearsals and that the stage show better match what he expected of them or they would be fired. Frank did not "allow" he "demanded" according to the man I met. So that "allow" that you think you saw was the result of what Frank wanted, not necessarily what the players would have done.
...

I've read the Miles book and Frank's. My old roommate also had a bad story about it, but the music itself (it was the warmup!) was magnificent. The show ... stunk!
 
He admits that he is tough, but he even says ... have you heard the results? These guys can play, but you have to push them to get it done!
 
I remember a few teachers ... and all of them were tough ... but they were GREAT teachers, not hams, or jerks.
 
I agree, and yes, there are way too many stories about Frank being a jerk ... but it's hard to agree with the results and what folks put together. And I think there was a lot more here than folks being threatened to "get fired' ... even Frank would know that it would be stupid to let some folks that he worked with go that easily. Many of them were there for their ability and they knew there was something there to work with. And it was better than most rock music over hyped songs in the top ten.
 
You make it sound like Beethoven and many other composers were nice guys that ...

you should rent the dvd 'zappa plays zappa'
 
you'd really dig that

bapu

Moshkito
 
You make it sound like Beethoven and many other composers were nice guys that ...

I said no such thing and I do not appreciate having unsaid words attributed to my mouth/pen/keyboard.

I have it and I reviewed it and got a thank you from Gail!