180g Audiophile Vinyl Mastered by Friday Music's Joe Reagoso with Kevin Gray From Original World Pacific/Capitol Record Tapes!
In 1969, the legendary Frank Zappa introduced the rock music world to the stellar electric violin and keyboard work of Jean-Luc Ponty. Their collaborative work together on his album Hot Rats proved to be a success with the progressive rock movement and therefore more recording ensued between the two master musicians with the collaborative masterwork King Kong: Jean Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa.
Born in France, Jean-Luc Ponty had immediate success as a classical musician in his home country at a young age but soon caught the jazz bug and later developed his own fusion sound, experimenting with various electronics to amplify his violin, which led to massive acclaim all over Europe. His talent was very unique as the violin music he created resembled characteristics of wind instruments like the saxophone as well as the electric lead guitar, when he employed devices like wah-wah pedals and fuzz boxes to his amplified violin. Fame quickly spread to the United States thanks to an invite to perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival and a new recording contract with World Pacific /Blue Note Records.
Introduced to each others music a year earlier by legendary jazz producer Dick Bock, both Frank Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty began recording the King Kong album in 1970. The sessions featured a handful of Zappas earlier classics like Idiot Bastard Son from Were Only In It For The Money, America Goes Home and Drinks from Absolutely Free, as well as the exceptional orchestral piece composed especially for this album Music for Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra.
Their collaboration proved to be a windfall for the fans and the music world alike. Along with some of the finest musicians ever assembled for a futuristic piece of music like this, both Zappa and Ponty soulfully displayed their amazing talents to create a modern day classic. Featuring Mothers of Invention cohorts like George Duke, Ian Underwood, and Artie Tripp III, as well as top jazzmen like Wilton Felder (The Jazz Crusaders) and Ernie Watts, Frank Zappas compositions, his arrangements and his guitar flavorings, and Jean-Luc Pontys violin work made this album the masterwork it is to this day. For further proof, just check out the amazing dual lead guitar and violin breaks on Pontys own How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That, truly one of the coolest fusion collaborations ever caught on wax.
It is with much honor and excitement to announce the first time ever 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl limited edition release of Jean-Luc Pontys King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa. Mastered impeccably from the original World Pacific/ Blue Note tapes by Joe Reagoso at Friday Music Studios with Kevin Gray, King Kong is truly an incredible choice and listen for the audiophile vinyl domain.
Also, for the first time in several decades, the original Ron Wolin album cover graphics are used with the informative liner notes by jazz author Leonard Feather as well as captivating studio shots of Frank Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty during the recording of this very important and probably one of the first jazz rock fusion projects of that time.
The King Kong album is packaged in a poly sleeve to protect the LP cover as well as a poly lined inner sleeve to keep the 180 Gram Vinyl in great shape for years to come.
Features:
Limited Edition
180g Audiophile Vinyl
Mastered from Original World Pacific/Capitol Record Tapes
Mastered by Joe Reagoso with Kevin Gray at Friday Music Studios
Original Ron Wolin album cover graphics
Liner notes by Leonard Feather
Studio shots by Frank Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty
Protective outer poly bag
Poly-lined inner sleeve
Musicians:
Jean-Luc Ponty, electric violin, baritone violectra
Frank Zappa, guitar
George Duke, electric piano, piano
Gene Estes, vibes, percussion
Bueli Neidinger, bass
Wilton Felder, fender bass
Arthur D. Tripp III, drums
John Guerin, drums
Ian Underwood, tenor sax, conductor
Ernie Watts, alto & tenor sax
Donald Christlieb, bassoon
Gene Cipriano, oboe, English horn
Vincent DeRosa, French horn, descant
Arthur Maebe, French horn, tuben
Jonathan Meyer, flute
Harold Bemko, cello
Buell Neidinger, bass
Milton Thomas, viola
Selections:
Side One:
1. King Kong (Frank Zappa)
2. Idiot Bastard Son (Frank Zappa)
3. Twenty Small Cigars (Frank Zappa)
4. How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That (Jean-Luc Ponty)
Side Two:
1. Music For Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra (Frank Zappa)
2. America Drinks and Goes Home (Frank Zappa)
In 1969, the legendary Frank Zappa introduced the rock music world to the stellar electric violin and keyboard work of Jean-Luc Ponty. Their collaborative work together on his album Hot Rats proved to be a success with the progressive rock movement and therefore more recording ensued between the two master musicians with the collaborative masterwork King Kong: Jean Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa.
Born in France, Jean-Luc Ponty had immediate success as a classical musician in his home country at a young age but soon caught the jazz bug and later developed his own fusion sound, experimenting with various electronics to amplify his violin, which led to massive acclaim all over Europe. His talent was very unique as the violin music he created resembled characteristics of wind instruments like the saxophone as well as the electric lead guitar, when he employed devices like wah-wah pedals and fuzz boxes to his amplified violin. Fame quickly spread to the United States thanks to an invite to perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival and a new recording contract with World Pacific /Blue Note Records.
Introduced to each others music a year earlier by legendary jazz producer Dick Bock, both Frank Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty began recording the King Kong album in 1970. The sessions featured a handful of Zappas earlier classics like Idiot Bastard Son from Were Only In It For The Money, America Goes Home and Drinks from Absolutely Free, as well as the exceptional orchestral piece composed especially for this album Music for Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra.
Their collaboration proved to be a windfall for the fans and the music world alike. Along with some of the finest musicians ever assembled for a futuristic piece of music like this, both Zappa and Ponty soulfully displayed their amazing talents to create a modern day classic. Featuring Mothers of Invention cohorts like George Duke, Ian Underwood, and Artie Tripp III, as well as top jazzmen like Wilton Felder (The Jazz Crusaders) and Ernie Watts, Frank Zappas compositions, his arrangements and his guitar flavorings, and Jean-Luc Pontys violin work made this album the masterwork it is to this day. For further proof, just check out the amazing dual lead guitar and violin breaks on Pontys own How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That, truly one of the coolest fusion collaborations ever caught on wax.
It is with much honor and excitement to announce the first time ever 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl limited edition release of Jean-Luc Pontys King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa. Mastered impeccably from the original World Pacific/ Blue Note tapes by Joe Reagoso at Friday Music Studios with Kevin Gray, King Kong is truly an incredible choice and listen for the audiophile vinyl domain.
Also, for the first time in several decades, the original Ron Wolin album cover graphics are used with the informative liner notes by jazz author Leonard Feather as well as captivating studio shots of Frank Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty during the recording of this very important and probably one of the first jazz rock fusion projects of that time.
The King Kong album is packaged in a poly sleeve to protect the LP cover as well as a poly lined inner sleeve to keep the 180 Gram Vinyl in great shape for years to come.
Features:
Limited Edition
180g Audiophile Vinyl
Mastered from Original World Pacific/Capitol Record Tapes
Mastered by Joe Reagoso with Kevin Gray at Friday Music Studios
Original Ron Wolin album cover graphics
Liner notes by Leonard Feather
Studio shots by Frank Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty
Protective outer poly bag
Poly-lined inner sleeve
Musicians:
Jean-Luc Ponty, electric violin, baritone violectra
Frank Zappa, guitar
George Duke, electric piano, piano
Gene Estes, vibes, percussion
Bueli Neidinger, bass
Wilton Felder, fender bass
Arthur D. Tripp III, drums
John Guerin, drums
Ian Underwood, tenor sax, conductor
Ernie Watts, alto & tenor sax
Donald Christlieb, bassoon
Gene Cipriano, oboe, English horn
Vincent DeRosa, French horn, descant
Arthur Maebe, French horn, tuben
Jonathan Meyer, flute
Harold Bemko, cello
Buell Neidinger, bass
Milton Thomas, viola
Selections:
Side One:
1. King Kong (Frank Zappa)
2. Idiot Bastard Son (Frank Zappa)
3. Twenty Small Cigars (Frank Zappa)
4. How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That (Jean-Luc Ponty)
Side Two:
1. Music For Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra (Frank Zappa)
2. America Drinks and Goes Home (Frank Zappa)
