Big Band Zappa — Ed Palermo
Three reasons to purchase every Ed Palermo Big Band CD you can possibly get your hands on:
One:
Ed Palermo’s Big Band performs “Echidna’s Arf” with Mike Keneally during the early show at River Street Jazz Café in Wilkes-Barre, PA, on August 16th, 1998.
Two:
Ed Palermo Big Band performs “Cruising For Burgers” at the Iridium Jazz Club, NYC, November 10th, 2004.
Three:
The Ed Palermo Big Band probably has the greatest horn section since the 1988 Zappa band disbanded (Ed Palermo’s interpretations of Frank Zappa compositions are always a delight to hear).
Yes, Balint, I can feel Eddie’s love for Frank.
April 19th, 2009 at 1:39 pm »
“The Ed Palermo Big Band probably has the greatest horn section since the 1988 Zappa band disbanded (Ed Palermo’s interpretations of Frank Zappa compositions are always a delight to hear).”
Personally I think Ed’s horns arrangements are vastly better than FZs on that tour…. really because he knows how to arrange for horns.
April 19th, 2009 at 5:52 pm »
Holy crap, that version of “Echidna’s Arf” KILLS.
April 20th, 2009 at 1:53 am »
The only thing that makes me think when I hear cover like these (that are indeed beautiful) is that I feel like the musicians are “not singing, but just counting”…
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:27 pm »
I’ve tried really hard to like Ed Palermo’s Big Band, but I just can’t. They always sound a bit stiff to my ear. I think they’re missing the eyebrows.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:23 am »
Disciple of Bob: I don’t think you HAVE TO like it…
This is just one possible way to play a certain music – and some (like me) like the enthusiasm and richness and re-orchestration behind the whole thing. Of course it’s different – but cover-bands are for being different, to make new arrangements, to give ne perspectives, etc. This is ONE possibility – and TO ME its quite tasteful. But there are so much other things to like… 
fortunateli Ed Palermo is not the only one makking FZ-covers.
)
(BTW: did I mention zappafan.net lately?…