Francis Vincent Zappa & The Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra And Chorus: Lumpy Gravy (Verve)

WITH THE guile and cunning of a Zaptieh, Zappa presents his first 'solo' record: a ballet, an opera, a collage of all the elements then present. (It should have been released 16 months ago when it was recorded.) A shifting of the musical grid, blending Cage's 'Fontana Mix' with John Carisi's 'Moon Taj' (Into The Hot – Impulse A9) with that degree of lyricism and cynicism peculiar to Zappa alone.