Ensemble Ambrosius: The Zappa Album
Since his death, Frank Zappa has enjoyed several translations of his extremely original and quirky material onto discs performed by jazz ensembles and major European orchestras with such eminent conductors as Pierre Boulez. Not too shabby. This disc by the Finnish Ensemble Ambrosius takes some of Zappa's more tuneful pieces and reworks them for Baroque instruments. This is actually a brilliant maneuver, since much of Zappa's writing translates well for such instruments as oboe, harpsichord, and mandolin (or lute). Highlights here include the catchy theme fromUncle Meat, the short but goofy "Igor's Boogie," and "Idiot Bastard Son," sung with the solemnity of a monk's chant. The performances are above average, but there is some blurring of textures and some lack of clarity in the recorded sound. Overall, though, it's a worthy effort that advances the cause of Zappa's music.--Paul Cook