On the evening of October 23, 2013, Walt Disney Concert Hall was the place to be in Los Angeles, as Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale in a spectacular, sold-out orchestral performance of Frank Zappa’s ‘200 Motels (The Suites).’ Recorded for posterity, the acclaimed, one-night-only 13-suite performance of Zappa’s 1971 masterwork will be released worldwide on November 20 by Zappa Records/UMe. The new 2-CD and digital audio release’s expertly recorded audio brings the listener back to Walt Disney Concert Hall to experience the exciting ‘200 Motels (The Suites)’ spectacle. (PRNewsFoto/Zappa Records/UMe)
On the evening of October 23, 2013, Walt Disney Concert Hall was the place to be in Los Angeles, as Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale in a spectacular, sold-out orchestral performance of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels (The Suites). Recorded for posterity, the acclaimed, one-night-only 13-suite performance of Zappa’s 1971 masterwork will be released worldwide on November 20 by Zappa Records/UMe.
The new 2-CD and digital audio release’s expertly recorded audio brings the listener back to Walt Disney Concert Hall to experience the exciting 200 Motels (The Suites) spectacle, complemented by photos from the evening and essays by the show and recording’s producers, Gail Zappa and Frank Filipetti, the evening’s director James Darrah, “Scoremeister” Kurt Morgan, and performers including Diva Zappa, Michael Des Barres, special guest “Rock” rhythm section drummer Joe Travers, and former Zappa band member Scott Thunes. Essays by some notable members of the audience, including Steve Vai and Peter Asher, are also included.
“This marks the 101(st) Frank Zappa album release and the last record Gail creatively worked on, as well,” says Ahmet Zappa. “It was an incredibly important project for her and a real labor of love to see it through to completion. It was an amazing night of music — the performances were extraordinary and the Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen was phenomenal. This is an especially emotional release for my family and I know both Gail and Frank are smiling down with pride at this record. Enjoy!”
The 2013 200 Motels (The Suites) performance by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Master Chorale was a special evening – and some might even say it was predestined (even if the LA Weekly’s preview headline asked, “Is Disney Hall ready for an evening of uncensored Frank Zappa?”). Written and produced by Frank Zappa to accompany his 200 Motels feature film, portions of the score were premiered by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta conducting in May 1970 at UCLA (a performance the Los Angeles Times’ then music and dance critic Martin Bernheimer called “an unsettling evening”), before the kaleidoscopic film and double LP soundtrack’s release in 1971.
“I would say that the outrageous aspects of Zappa are perhaps less important for today’s audience,” Salonen told Variety in an interview before the 2013 performance. “We’re witnessing an historical moment where we can actually hear the other aspects of his music better because we are no longer stunned by the outrageousness. Reading this score now, there is a sheer richness of fantasy. He had such a vivid imagination in every way.”
“The stars aligned – in the Vault of All Ideas and in the canopy over the main stage at Disney Hall.” – Gail Zappa
“For those of us who were lucky enough to be at Disney Hall on the 23(rd) of October, 2013, it will remain as defining an experience as Woodstock, or our first hearing of Bernstein’s West Side Story, or Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.” – Frank Filipetti
“You all know 200 Motels from the record and the movie. Now you’ll know it as a brand new, totally-different-yet-the-same record and the one-off performance you’ll never get to see (unless you were there, of course).” – Scott Thunes
“200 Motels and 1000 light years had passed and we left that once-in-a-lifetime moment with love in our hearts and deafening appreciation of Frank Zappa’s monumental posthumous triumph ringing in our ears.” – Michael Des Barres
www.zappa.com
FRANK ZAPPA: 200 Motels (The Suites) [2-CD; digital]
DISC 1
1. Overture [2:17]
2. Went On The Road [1:41]
3. Centerville [2:24]
4. This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich [10:15]
5. The Restaurant Scene [4:23]
6. Touring Can Make You Crazy [2:06]
7. What’s The Name Of Your Group? [11:46]
8. Can I Help You With This Dummy? [2:33]
9. The Pleated Gazelle [21:00]
DISC 2
1. I’m Stealing The Room [13:44]
2. Shove It Right In [7:26]
3. Penis Dimension [9:58]
4. Strictly Genteel [11:14]