Keeping Up

The bump? I thought it was a dance. Well, back in the day, it was. And, I'll have you know, I could do a pretty mean bump. Today, not so much. I think I'm as round as I am tall. I could fall, and roll, and you'd never see me again. Hmmm. Ok, regardless . . . the BUMP is back-- in a new technological-kinda way.  It's a new app for the iPhone that exchanges phone numbers with just a shake. Now, I don't have an iPhone, don't care about having an iPhone (touch-screen challenged here), but I do love hearing about all the new apps. How brilliant is this one? Ok, everyone go and get the new Bump app, K? I just can't keep up with all this technological goo. But, I am trying to keep up with music. Don't ever take that from me. Please. 

Earlier in the summer, a friend told us that ZPZ (Zappa Plays Zappa) was coming to the Schermerhorn, our beautiful symphony hall here in Nashville. I had not seen Dweezil (Frank's oldest son) do ZPZ nor had I been to the Schermerhorn. So yes, I was gonna go--if there were only one seat left in the place, I was gonna go. Of course, all I could think of was my brother Johnny and how he told me about his experience, several years' back, of seeing ZPZ. He said, "When I closed my eyes, I was in Zappa heaven." I will never, ever forget that. Hey, who knows, Johnny and Frank my be somewhere jamming right now. Who knows. Johnny sure could play a great guitar in his day.

You know the most influential music in my childhood was The Beatles and Frank Zappa (w/ and w/o The Mothers). My brothers raised me on those two staples. We never missed a Zappa concert that was within 100 miles of DC. I was probably all of 13 when I first saw him live. It was always the highlight of the year for us. At least it was for me.  My brothers would buy an entire row of seats when they could and then all of our friends would get their tickets from one of them. That many friends in one spot at a concert? Priceless. What great memories.

I'm still grinning thinking about it. No one was disappointed, I don't think. It was a great show by Dweezil and the rest of the players. I was very surprised that the Dweez didn't open his mouth once to sing. Wonder whatup? The young Ben Thomas did the singing. Not bad. Kinda comical, kinda cute --as it should be in that role singing Zappa, right? Well, at least he had all the words correct. Now, Dweezil's channeling of his father on guitar was amazing though. Yes, you could close your eyes at those times and say "Yup, Zappa heaven."

So, you wonder. Could it get any better? Oh yes, my friends. It could. It did.  Looky at who played after ZPZ. Um, yes, that is Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty, Chick Corea, Frank Gambale and Lenny White--aka Return to Forever. Who knew? I am definitely going to have to do a better job at keeping up with this music thing.

 

Let me tell you what. Stanley? Still got it, baby. (Did I tell you the first time I saw Stanley Clarke? Well, he opened for Bob Marley. Uh huh. The Bob Marley. That concert was a spiritual experience for me. No, it wasn't the ganja. People! Well, hmmm, maybe it was, ha! That place was smokin'!) Stanley is still smokin'!

Ok, click on the photo above, please. WHO is this guy?? And why is he wearing sunglasses and a business suit? I spied him earlier and thought, well, perhaps he was blind. Nope. Just hot sh*^, I guess. (And yes, of course, Stanley is pointing to me. Yes he is. hahahahaha)

The only thing that would have made the night Zappa Shangri-La? Jean-Luc playing with Dweezil. But, that's ok guys. I'll keep those Zappa-heaven moments close to my heart.