Annotation
Description from zappa.com:
Fourty three years ago in December 1973, Frank Zappa played a series of legendary concerts at the famed Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Considered a high-water mark of his career, owing to the incredible, virtuosic performances of himself and his stellar band The Mothers, the five shows – across three nights – included a private invite-only performance/soundcheck/film shoot followed by back-to-back doubleheaders. A few days later, continuing this incredibly prolific week, Zappa brought his band and camera crew to Ike Turner’s Bolic Sound in Inglewood for a filmed recording session. In typical Zappa fashion, he recorded it all.
On February 2, 2018, Zappa Records/UMe will release The Roxy Performances, a definitive seven-CD box set that collects all four public shows from December 9-10, 1973, and the December 8th film shoot/soundcheck, each presented in their entirety for the first time, along with bonus content featuring rarities from a rehearsal, unreleased tracks and highlights from the Bolic Studios recording session. This complete collection, totaling nearly eight hours, documents the Roxy shows as they happened and presents brand new 2016 mixes by Craig Parker Adams from new 96K 24 Bit transfers of the multi-track masters. The set is rounded out with a 48-page booklet that includes photos from the performances, extensive liner notes by Vaultmeister Joe Travers, essays from Zappa family friend, Australian writer Jen Jewel Brown, and American singer/songwriter Dave Alvin, who give their firsthand recollections about the shows, and a selection of archival press reviews. Those who digitally pre-order the box set will receive an instant grat download of “RDNZL.” Culled from the very first show on December 9, the track is a live version of the classic song featuring the never-before-heard 2016 mix that exemplifies the sonics of the new box set.
Tracklist
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| 2CD |
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| 3CD |
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| 4CD |
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| 5CD |
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| 6CD |
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| 7CD | |||
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| # | Title | Rating | Length |
| 1 | Saturday Show Start (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 2:21 | |
| 2 | Pygmy Twylyte / Dummy Up (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 20:25 | |
| 3 | Pygmy Twylyte, Part II (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 14:25 | |
| 4 | Echidna’s Arf (Of You) (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 3:43 | |
| 5 | Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing? (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 6:02 | |
| 6 | Orgy, Orgy (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 3:39 | |
| 7 | Penguin in Bondage (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 6:30 | |
| 8 | T’Mershi Duween (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 1:54 | |
| 9 | The Dog Breath Variations (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 1:46 | |
| 10 | Uncle Meat / Show End (12‐8‐73 sound check/film shoot)
| 4:01 | |
Credits
Release
| art direction and graphic design: | Michael Mesker (graphic designer, art director, creative director and photographer) |
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| photography: | Michael Mesker (graphic designer, art director, creative director and photographer) Sherwin Tilton |
| liner notes: | Dave Alvin (singer-songwriter, guitarist) Jen Jewel Brown Joe Travers (American drummer, engineer, “vaultmeister”/ archivist & researcher for the Zappa Family Trust) |
| remastering: | Craig Parker Adams (in 2016) |
| flute and tenor saxophone: | Napoleon Murphy Brock (from 1973-12-08 until 1973-12-10) |
| percussion: | Ralph Humphrey (American drummer and teacher) (from 1973-12-08 until 1973-12-10) Chester Thompson (US drummer Chester Cortez Thompson) (from 1973-12-08 until 1973-12-10) |
| synthesizer: | George Duke (from 1973-12-08 until 1973-12-10) |
| vocals: | George Duke (from 1973-12-08 until 1973-12-10) Frank Zappa (US musician, composer, activist & filmmaker) (from 1973-12-08 until 1973-12-10) |
| distributed by: | Universal Music Distribution (major-label distribution subsidiary of UMG Commercial Services, Inc.) |
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| copyrighted (©) by: | Zappa Family Trust (legal entity which holds title and copyright to Frank Zappa's musical and artistic products) (in 2018) |
| Discogs: | https://www.discogs.com/release/11504188 [info] |
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| ASIN: | US: B077Y87PR8 [info] |
Release group
| part of: | Zappa Official Release (number: 111) (order: 22) |
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| Allmusic: | https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003134794 [info] |
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