Jimmy Carl Black (USA)
& The
Muffin Men
Click their names
to visit their respective websites
The Muffin Men play Frank Zappa Music, (… with some Captain Beefheart and stuff thrown in).
They perform their own arrangements of Zappa songs and instrumentals with precision, wit and conviction.
Originally formed in 1990 to play a one off show to celebrate the 50th birthday of their favourite composer, the Muffin Men have gone on to play more than 500 shows in 10 countries. They have recorded 10 CDs and had 6 original members of the Mothers of Invention/Zappa bands in their line-up. Their line-up and flavour have changed somewhat over the years –just as Zappa himself evolved his bands and repertoire, allowing the music to grow.
Jimmy Carl Black, original drummer and vocalist with The Mothers Of Invention is special guest for these dates. Jimmy not only appeared on more than 15 of the original Zappa/Mothers albums, he also starred in the movie “200 Motels” with Ringo Starr and Keith Moon, played drums with Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band and recorded countless albums around the States and Europe. Jimmy had been performing with The Muffin Men on and off since 1993 –“The Muffins are the best band I’ve ever played with, they take the music and turn it into something else, something new!”
Founder
member and muffins leader Roddie Gilliard is a tutor at the world famous Liverpool
Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) founded by Sir Paul
McCartney. The other band members also work within LIPA and other university
colleges, some write for the theatre. The brass and horn players are often called
upon by various other Liverpool based bands to supply lines to their albums
and performances, most recently with Liverpool band The Coral, you hear them
on the various tracks on their new album.
Last summer saw the band as special guests at the world famous Zappanale Festival, held in Germany, they played shows with ex-Zappa vocalists Ike Willis and Napoleon Murphy Brock, and also guitarist Mike Keneally – highlights of these performances will feature on the forthcoming DVD and CD releases of the event.
The Muffin Men also collaborate with members of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra to perform “When Worlds Collide” – project that fuses rock band and classical musicians together to perform Zappa compositions. Conductor Clarke Rundell admits “most rock/classical collaborations only work on a cosmetic level, but these people manage to play together in a way that seems so natural”.
Although The Muffin Men were formed some years before the term “tribute
band” was invented, they are unfortunately often placed in that category.
Granted, the band do play tribute to Frank Zappa, his Music and his heritage,
but take it further –adding their own edge to the whole. Don’t expect
a “look-a-like-sound-a-like” affair: expect fine musicians playing
fine music. From complex rock to jazz styling, boogie blues to avant-garde,
chamber music to silly doo-wop, the band take on anything –always with
eyebrows raised- just how Frank would have wanted it.