The following is an excerpt from "Chapter 2: Early Encounters with Jazz" of Zappa and Jazz: Did it Really Smell Funny, Frank? by Geoffrey Wills (Matador, 2015). Was Zappa being disingenuous here?

The music of psychedelic mind-bender Frank Zappa lives on thanks to his son. Fronting the foremost Zappa tribute band, guitarist Dweezil Zappa spent three years studying the intricate music and ...

On Thursday, April 16, big band leader and arranger Ed Palermo will conduct the U.S. Army Blues ensemble in a program of the music of 20th century composer Frank Zappa. As a jazz arranger, composer, ...

Even though he's best known by the general public for his seemingly silly, and occasionally, obscene songs, Frank Zappa was one of the most innovative musicians and greatest guitar players of the 20th ...

At his core, Frank Zappa was a composer. As well, he was a humorist whose lyrical sensibilities ranged from satirical and silly to profane and absurd. He was also a fantastic guitar player. Still, ...

Looking more and more like his late father Frank every year, Dweezil Zappa continues to keep his dad’s legacy of classically complex, absurdist jazz-rock alive through his constantly touring “Zappa ...

Frank Zappa was always waiting to get zapped. With his eccentric, experimental music, the rock iconoclast believed that, for all of his influential innovation, he was seen as a “threat” in the ...

Streaming platforms for Zappa Plays Zappa - House Of Blues 2015 haven’t been announced yet. Check back soon for updates on where you can watch it online.