“Frank Zappa - 1969-1973: Freak Jazz, Movie Madness, and Another Mothers” DVD

Superb and focused historical document of Zappa jazz

Despite Sexy Intellectual's releases being "unauthorized" biographies, their works are often labors of love, and quite well-researched. This exhaustive documentary is no exception, and holds up as one shining example of a comprehensive and well-done “fan-made” document.

Centering on Zappa's work from 1969 to 1973, this 2.5 hour film interviews Zappa's bandmates, associates, and session musicians (as well as the usual journalists and music historians). There are plenty of video and audio clips to illustrate the story and background behind the recording of seminal jazz/fusion albums like "Hot Rats" and “The Grand Wazoo”.

Any serious fan or student of Zappa’s intelligent and baffling proto-jazz experiments should make this an essential viewing. Very worthy!

Sexy Intellectual / Chrome Dreams

Zappa family website

"From Straight To Bizarre: Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper, and LA's Lunatic Fringe" DVD

This nearly 3-hour unauthorized documentary does an admirable job compiling a history lesson on the short-lived, but influential labels set up by Frank Zappa and manager Herb Cohen in the late 1960s. Straight Records and Bizarre Records both were showcases for some of the wildest and most unusual sounds to come from the era.

Featured here are looks at the artists who benefit from Zappa's tutelage, from the medically-diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic Wild Man Fischer to Captain Beefheart to Alice Cooper, Lenny Bruce, Tim Buckley, and others. As with most of the releases from Sexy Intellectual, there are plenty of interviews with friends and acquaintances, though particularly absent are words from the most pivotal players. Nonetheless, this is an interesting document and a fine history lesson, especially to fans of Zappa. (Sexy Intellectual via MVD Visual)

Zappa website

Patrick O'Hearn - "Transitions" CD

With an impressive resume behind him (he was in Frank Zappa's band, among others), O'Hearn has quietly crafted a gorgeously subtle album of quietly introspective songs that skirt the lines between ambient and new age. "Transitions" consists of 9 mostly electronic instrumentals, based around emotive melodies and simple motifs. Don't expect any sort of bombast or cinematic drama here, as tracks like "Patterns" are brilliantly low-key, playing with sub-melodies and fragile minimalist structures. If you find Brian Eno too cold and detached, O'Hearn's "Transitions" would make an ample replacement, with plenty of mesmerizing, lilting atmospheres. Brilliant! (Patrick O'Hearn Music)

"Derailroaded - Inside The Mind Of Larry "Wild Man" Fischer" DVD

I had never heard of Wild Man Fischer, but this documentary does a great job bringing me up to snuff. Back in the wild 60's, Los Angeles street singer Fischer was "discovered" by one Frank Zappa, who brought the troubled young man into a studio to record an album that would go on to be seen as an "outsider" classic, and a favorite on quirky radio shows like Dr. Demento with his signature tune, "Merry Go Round".
But beyond this level of fringe stardom lies the story of a man who was institutionalized as a teen, suffered a tragic and disturbing family life, and has lived with paranoid schizophrenia for his entire life. In "Derailroaded", director Josh Rubin looks closer at Fischer, and his unbiased eye lets the viewer see Wild Man in his prime, as well as in recent years. Music, interviews with family and friends, and lots of archival films make this one an important and fairly comprehensive look into the man and his music. Interviews include friends Barnes & Barnes, Weird Al Yankovic, Mark Mothersbaugh, Dr. Demento, and Frank and Gail Zappa. A fine documentary and a fascinating individual. (MVD Visual)

Frank Zappa - "The Freak-Out List" DVD

Frank Zappa's comprehensive knowledge of musics both scholarly and street-level was rather impressive (to say the least), as this unauthorized look at the man's influences covers basically what amounts to a history of 20th century musics. So, in effect, this DVD is, in itself, a good history lesson.

From the early modern classical and avante-classical inspirations of Edgard Varese and Stravinsky to doo-wop, early blues, r&b, and along the path to free jazz and fusion, Zappa always had his fingers on the heart of sound itself. The man was literally one of the century's greatest artistic minds, and when he left this mortal coil in 1993, he left a legacy of always-smart, often silly, and sometimes outright weird recordings, many of which attest to the genre-bending capabilities of Zappa himself. He brought in a number of since-became-legendary musicians (George Duke, Adrian Belew, Steve Vai, Terry Bozzio, and others) to realize his projects. Some of these players, peers, writers, and Zappa fans are allowed their say here, and it comes together rather well. "The Freak-Out List" isn't only for avowed Zappa fans...it will make non-fans curious to hear more of this man's seminal works. Now I need to track down "Weasels Ripped My Flesh"... (Sexy Intellectual via MVD Visual)

Zappa's official site