Ed Palermo - Oh No! Not Jazz! / 2CD set

2014 CD release.

"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!