Frank Zappa The Freak Out List (2010)

On the liner notes to Freak Out the 1967 debut album by Zappas original band the Mothers of Invention Zappa listed some seventytwo names on the liner notes and cited them as influences The Freak Out List intends to explore who these artists are and what influence they had on Zappas music This listing encompasses all sorts of music from classical composer Edgar Varese to RB star Johnny Guitar Watson to jazzman Eric Dolphy to flamenco guitarist Sabicas You can hear for instance how the esoteric classical influence of Varese shaped Zappas longform epics like Lumpy Gravy or how Dolphys instrumental prowess led Zappa to incorporate jazzfusion on albums like Weasels Ripped My Flesh 1970 which even included a song titled The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue Interviews with various Zappa biographers and music historians as well as musicians George Duke Ian Underwood and Don Preston all of whom played in the Mothers at one time or another help add additional context