(Modern Big Band, Progressive Jazz, Fusion) [WEB] The Ed Palermo Big Band - Oh No! Not Jazz!! (2 CD) - 2014 [Cuneiform Records], FLAC (tracks), lossless {Frank Zappa Related}

"Palermo developed these charts during years of live shows with these musicians, and their mastery of the material shows in the performances, which turn on a dime yet feel fierce with spontaneous invention.... Palermo’s arrangements and these performances are precise, dedicated, raucous and incisive—just like Zappa himself."
– JazzTimes
The Ed Palermo Big Band is led by alto saxist and arranger Ed Palermo; he has had this big band with much of the same personnel for over 30 years, which is a hugely impressive feat in itself, and has had his band performing the music of Frank Zappa for 20 years.
The band is a 18 piece ensemble of five woodwind players, four trumpeters, three trombonists, two keyboardists, guitar, violin, bass and drum. There are a number of ensembles performing the music of Frank Zappa, who, 20 years after his death, is now recognized as one of the greatest American composers of the 20th century, but no one does it with the ease, skill and originality that Ed and his band do!
'Oh No! Not Jazz!!' consists of two albums of musical performances. The first album (tracks 1-8) further explores Ed's distinctive, big band interpretations of the music of Frank Zappa and for the most part, he concentrates here on Frank's initial burst of creative works from original Mothers Of Invention era of 1966-1970. In addition, two notable pieces are performed here. One of Frank's most loved works, Inca Roads, with a vocal by guest Napoleon Murphy Brock contrasts with one of his most 'notoriously difficult' works, The Black Page #2. All of the performances and arrangements of these great pieces are fun, musically witty and masterful. The second album (tracks 9-19) features Ed's own colorful compositions, which are here featured on a recording for the 1st time in over 25 years!
This double album shows that despite the financial and practical difficulties of running a large sized band, that the very fact that there are so many musical voices in a big band allows for showcasing arrangements better than any other vehicle. This is an exciting listen for fans of Frank Zappa and all adventurous rock and jazz music.

The Ed Palermo Big Band:
Ed Palermo: bandleader, arranger, composer, alto sax
Paul Adamy: electric bass, webmeister, godsend
Ray Marchica: drums, kindness
Bob Quaranta: acoustic piano + adorable twin daughters, one of which prefers dental surgery to the EPBB
Ted Kooshian: electrified keyboards, sparkplug management
Bruce McDaniel: guitar, vocals, aces in the brain game
Katie Jacoby: violin, perky youthfulness
Cliff Lyons: lead alto sax, clarinet, Troy, NY dregs of society
Phil Chester: 2nd alto sax, flute, piccolo, soprano sax, Texas swagger
Bill Straub: lead tenor sax, clarinet, soprano sax solo on “An Escape Nonetheless,” five mouths to feed on a sax player's salary
Ben Kono: 2nd tenor sax, flute, oboe, devilish good looks but only by comparison to the rest of the EPBB
Barbara Cifelli: baritone sax, Eb mutant clarinet, bass clarinet, angelic good looks but only by comparison to Ben Kono
Charles Gordon: lead trombone, Jewish, but only in comparison to Ben Kono and Barbara Cifelli
Joe Fiedler: 2nd trombone, but much taller than the lead trombone player
Matt Ingman: bass trombone, babe-magnet tuba player
Ronnie Buttacavoli: lead trumpet, devout Catholic but not according to the nun he slapped as a child
John Hines: 2nd trumpet, at least he never hit a nun
Bonnie Buttacavoli: 3rd trumpet, cousin of the devout Catholic but refuses to confess to that transgression
Bonnie Hines: 4th trumpet, cousin of the 2nd trumpet player, confesses often but only of Ronnie Buttacavoli’s sins
Special Guests:
John Palermo: mandolin (1, 4, 6, 7, 12, 14)
Napoleon Murphy Brock: vocals (1)
Gary Schreiner: accordion (5)
Mike James: vocals, complaints, and liver spots (8, 18)