Hello all,... I have been working on learning this piece that Jobson did with UK (at about 80% speed haha). In my internet travels I have run across comments to the effect of - boy, you can sure tell Jobson just got out of Zappa's band,.. or, sounds like Zappa etc. I was wondering if you *folks in the know* could give me an example or two of a Zappa composition that is like Presto Vivace. I'm not familiar with Frank's catalog, and I wish to judge for myself. Thanks !
I had a friend in college that transcribed it back in the day, after I can't count how many times he plaed it back. I think he finally got it right after recording it to a tape deck and playing back at half speed. Anyway he gave me a copy and I learned how to play it. The fingering is the tricky part, but yeah, maybe at about 80-90% speed at best.
From what I read it is supposed to be compositionally based on some modal stuff off the original theme. Well I for one can't hear any similarities.
As for Zappa, he had some fairly complex little runs that always seemed to be played on the xylophone (Ruth Underwood), maybe doubled on keys or guitar as well.
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Try parts of the middle section in "Inca Roads", one of the most generally beloved Zappa compositions at large. Or perhaps even better - the end section of "Echidna's Arf (Of You)".Originally Posted by ProgMusician
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Or how about St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast- the Rollo Interior sequence, performed on marimba. One of my favorite bits.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Jobson had played a demo of it to Zappa on the tour bus and Zappa had congratulated him for the tribute. Not sure this is 100% accurate though. What I do know for sure is that Zappa attended a playback of the finished (s/t) album once mixed (coincided with Zappa playing in London in Feb 1978) so he definitely knew about the piece.
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That's what I did to learn it. I mentioned that to Jobson at Nearfest and he replied he'd heard that quite a lot from keyboard players.
In the booklet from Jobson's 1971-1979 The Band Years he also mentions "Frank's Highly technical music like "Inca Roads" and "Purple Lagoon"", while he selected "Läther" for this compilation as the only Zappa-track.
Some time ago Alan Benjamin showed the playlist of the show Vai did with his band Morning Thunder where they did not only played "Presto Vivace" but also Happy The Man's "Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo".
Would've loved it if Jobson had been in the 80s Yes. In all honesty, I would've loved it if it had been Cinema sans Anderson.
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Bruford's book When In Doubt, Roll had a transcription of his drum part and some comments about the piece. I remember he said it was entirely composed by Jobson and not subject to "committee modification" unlike most of the material U.K. and Bruford's other bands played.
"It was not open to committee modification, but of course, as the drummer in the group, I was free to approach the percussion of it any way I liked."
Gotta love Bruford’s take on many projects. His sharp, droll sense of humor is hilarious.
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