Sleep Dirt

Frank Zappa - Orchestral Favorites (1978) {1995 Ryko Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 208 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 77 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 30 Mb
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10529
Classical / Experimental Rock / Jazz Rock

ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES contains five symphonic works written by Frank Zappa, performed by Zappa himself and his mid-'70s rhythm section with a full orchestra. Recorded at the Royce Hall in Los Angeles in 1975, ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES is similar to Zappa's other symphonic works (parts of BURNT WEENY SANDWICH, 200 MOTELS, etc.). The album was not released until four years later however, due to a skirmish with Warner Bros. Zappa wanted to release a three-record set entitled LATHER, which was to include material from ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES plus the other late-'70s releases SLEEP DIRT and STUDIO TAN. But Warner Bros. forced him to release the complete work as separate albums (LATHER did finally appear as a three- disc set in 1996).

Frank Zappa - Bongo Fury (1975) + Zoot Allures (1976) {2012 UMe Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 542 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 200 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 35 Mb
© 2012 UMe / ZFT | ZR 3854 / ZR 3855
Rock / Experimental Rock / Jazz Rock

Bongo Fury captures Captain Beefheart aka Don Van Vliet with Frank Zappa during their brief reunion for a series of shows in the spring of 1975. This album is a pastiche of both live performances – taken from two evenings at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, TX – and studio recordings that were almost a year-and-a-half old. This is the last album to feature the highly technical jazz fusion of Mothers of Invention, whose roots can be traced back to 1973 circa Over-Nite Sensation. The live portions are highlighted by the latest addition to the band – frenetic percussionist extraordinaire Terry "Ted" Bozzio, who would stay with Zappa for a majority of the '70s.

Frank Zappa - Zappa In New York (1977) + Studio Tan (1978) {2012 UMe Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 967 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 338 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 32 Mb
© 2012 UMe / ZFT | ZR 3856 / ZR 3857
Rock / Experimental Rock / Jazz Rock

Zappa in New York was recorded in December 1976 at the Palladium and originally intended for release in 1977. It was held up due to arguments between Frank Zappa and his then-record label, Warner Bros. When the two-LP set finally appeared in March 1978, Warner had deleted "Punky's Whips," a song about drummer Terry Bozzio's attraction to Punky Meadows of Angel. When Zappa reacquired the album and released it as a double CD in 1991, he restored "Punky's Whips" and added four bonus tracks.

Frank Zappa - Zoot Allures (1976) {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 266 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 127 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10523
Rock / Experimental Rock

Zoot Allures, released in October 1976, is mostly a studio album (there are some basic live tracks, as in the title track and "Black Napkins") featuring a revolving cast of musicians who, oddly, do not correspond to the ones pictured on the album cover (for instance, Patrick O'Hearn and Eddie Jobson did not contribute). Compared to previous releases like One Size Fits All, Roxy & Elsewhere, or even Over-Nite Sensation, and to upcoming ones such as Zappa in New York, Studio Tan, or Sheik Yerbouti, Zoot Allures sounds very stripped down to bare essentials.

Frank Zappa - Orchestral Favorites (1979) {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 216 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 81 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 155 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10529 | Rykodisc Zappa catalog
Rock / Experimental Rock / Modern Composition

ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES contains five symphonic works written by Frank Zappa, performed by Zappa himself and his mid-'70s rhythm section with a full orchestra. Recorded at the Royce Hall in Los Angeles in 1975, ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES is similar to Zappa's other symphonic works (parts of BURNT WEENY SANDWICH, 200 MOTELS, etc.). The album was not released until four years later however, due to a skirmish with Warner Bros. Zappa wanted to release a three-record set entitled LATHER, which was to include material from ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES plus the other late-'70s releases SLEEP DIRT and STUDIO TAN. But Warner Bros. forced him to release the complete work as separate albums (LATHER did finally appear as a three- disc set in 1996).

Frank Zappa - Joe's Camouflage (2013) {Vaulternative Records VR 20132 rec 1975}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 329 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 113 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 159 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1975, 2013 Vaulternative Records / ZFT | VR 20132
Rock / Experimental Rock

Official Release #98. Is it a group? Is it a band? Is it real? Yes, Yes & Yes! But, Oh Nooooooo! It never toured. This fine lineup brings with it stuff you’ve never heard before. This is the fifth album in the Joe's Corsaga that started with Joe's Corsage (covering pre-Freak Out! recordings from The Mothers circa 1965-1966) in 2004 and seemed to conclude with 2008's Joe's Menage (cassette tape produced by Zappa, recorded from 1975 Virginia). This covers the band that rehearsed in the Summer of 1975 but never toured. This band is consisting of the following Napoleon Murphy Brock, Robert "Frog" Camarena, Denny Walley, Novi Novog, Terry Bozzio and Roy Estrada.

Frank Zappa - Lather (1996) {3CD Set Rykodisc RCD10574-76 rec 1973-1977}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.08 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 410 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 656 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1973-77, 1996 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10574/75/76
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Official Release #65. The full saga of Läther (pronounced leather) is tangled enough to give a migraine to all but committed Zappaphiles. Basically, what you need to know is that this project was originally conceived of as a four-record box set. When record company politics prevented its release in that format, much of the material was spread over the albums Live in New York, Sleep Dirt, Studio Tan, and Orchestral Favorites. This three-CD set presents the album as it was originally conceived, with the addition of four bonus tracks at the end. It mixes previously available material, alternate mixes, and edits, and previously unissued stuff, though only the most serious Zappa fans will have a good grip on exactly what has appeared where (the liner notes are surprisingly unexact in this regard).

Frank Zappa - Where The Shark Bubbles Blow (2018) {5CD Set Sandoz Digital Download rec 1968-1975}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (deezer.com) -> 1.79 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 766 Mb | Cover | 5% repair rar
© 1968-75, 2018 Sandoz | SNZCD2009
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

There have recently been a number of legitimate releases of radio shows, most of which have been available only as bootlegs. Some of these have been been poor audience recordings not intended for radio and so I bought this set with some trepidation. I was pleased to find that the sets seem to be genuine radio shows. The first (Wollman Ice Rink 1968) was quite hissy on bootleg recordings and the fourth (Vancouver 1975) criticised for very poor sound and fractured recordings. These recordings on the Sandoz label are curiously labelled as 'mastered at Studio J' and the sound quality is here very good.

Frank Zappa - The Guitar World According To Frank Zappa (1987) {2019 Vinyl, Record Store Day, remastered, UMe BPR1233}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/48kHz - Vinyl Rip -> 205 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 79 Mb | Full Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 1987, 2019 Zappa Records / UMe | BPR1233
Rock / Experimental Rock / Avant-Garde / Art Rock / Jazz Rock / Guitar

Record Store Day 2019 Release. 180 Gram Audiophile Clear Vinyl. "The Guitar World According To Frank Zappa" - the 1987 guitar compilation by Frank Zappa was originally available on cassette only through Guitar World magazine and Barfko-Swill mail order, and will be reissued for the first time on 180g clear audiophile vinyl. The album was mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.