Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ed Palermo: Eddy Loves Frank

227

Ed Palermo: Eddy Loves Frank

By

Sign in to view read count
Ed Palermo: Eddy Loves Frank
Since 1994, Ed Palermo has arranged and performed over 200 works by the late Frank Zappa, a brilliant musician whose often controversial lyrics distracted people from his gifts as a composer. Putting together a tightly rehearsed band consisting of New York City-based musicians, Palermo has played his charts in nightclubs around the city for over 15 years, while excelling at putting his personal stamp on Zappa's music in a jazz setting, drawing material from different periods in the rocker's career.

The opener, "Night School," was originally composed on the Synclavier, deemed too difficult for musicians to play (though the Ensemble Modern proved up to the challenge before Zappa's death). Palermo and his players dive head first into this complex work, with the leader soloing with gusto on alto sax. Palermo adds a tense bluesy strut to introduce "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" while "Regyptian Strut" showcases Phil Chester's intricate soprano sax and Joe Fiedler's sassy trombone. Longtime pianist Bob Quaranta gets the spotlight in the sarcastic "What's New in Baltimore" and also takes "Dupree's Paradise" into new territory. The setting of "Let's Move to Cleveland" captures the energy of Zappa's live performances (spotlighting Quaranta and a greasy muted solo by trumpeter Ronnie Buttacovoli), so the lack of a closing guitar solo is not a problem. The one non-Zappa track is Palermo's heartfelt arrangement of "America the Beautiful" in honor of his father, with a warm vocal by guitarist Bruce McDaniel.

To appreciate Ed Palermo's Big Band, one has to see them perform in person, as their energy is even more potent. This is another memorable tribute by Palermo to his hero.

Track Listing

Night School; Echidna's Arf (Of You); Regyptian Strut; Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?; Dupree's Paradise; What's New in Baltimore; Let's Move to Cleveland; America the Beautiful.

Personnel

Ed Palermo
saxophone

Ed Palermo: leader, arranger, alto sax; Paul Adamy: electric bass; Ray Marchica: drums; Bob Quaranta: acoustic piano; Ted Kooshian: Kurzweil; Bruce McDaniel: guitar, vocals; Cliff Lyons: lead alto sax, clarinet; Phil Chester: second alto sax, flute, piccolo, soprano sax; Bill Straub: lead tenor sax, clarinet; Ben Kono: second tenor sax, flute, oboe; Barbara Cifelli: baritone sax, Eb mutant clarinet, bass clarinet; Charles Gordon: lead trombone; Joe Fiedler: second trombone; Matt Ingman: bass trombone; Ronnie Buttacavoli: lead trumpet; John Hines: 2nd trumpet; Steve Jankowski: 3rd trumpet; John Palermo: mandolin (2, 3, 6), guitar (8); Veronica Martell: vocals (8); Rob Paparozzi: bass harmonica (7).

Album information

Title: Eddy Loves Frank | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Cuneiform Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.