Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa was a musical polymath whose work extended from the late 1950's to his untimely death December 24, 1993. He pioneered technological advances and conducted social engineering experiments with masterful ease despite the public's opinion that he was an "outside" drug user.
Contents
Biographical Notes
First Band
At Mission Bay High School in San Diego Zappa joined The Ramblers, a local R & B band, as a drummer. Around the same time he began building his record collection. He was interested mostly in the sounds of drums and other percussion instruments which has inspired him enough that at age 12, he obtained a snare drum and began learning rudiments of orchestral percussion.
Influence
Zappa grew up influenced by avant-garde composers such as Edgar Varèse, Igor Stravinsky and Anton Webern as well as R&B, doo-wop groups, and modern jazz. His own heterogeneous ethnic background, and the diverse social and cultural mix in and around greater Los Angeles, were crucial in the formation of Zappa's unique style of music.
Musical Style
Zappa is notable in that he is one of the few famous composers to have invented a genre alone. Zappa routinely combined different aspects of several genres into an eclectic mix within his albums as well as his single works. The result was from a powerful and diverse set of classical music to simplistic pop music.
Notable Compositions
"Eat That Question" "We Are Not Alone" The 'Lumpy Gravy' Album
