Post Description

Frank Zappa – Imaginary Diseases
Live, released in 2006

Songs / Tracks Listing 

1. Oddients - Montreal, Canada, 1972-10-27 - 1:13
2. Rollo - Philadelphia, PA, 1972-11-11, Show 1 - 3:21
3. Been to Kansas City in A Minor - Kansas City, MO, 1972-12-02 - 10:15
4. Farther O’Blivion - Unknown – 16:02
5. D.C. Boogie - Washington, D.C., 1972-11-11, Show 1 - 13:27
6. Imaginary Diseases - Waterbury, CT, 1972-11-01 - 9:45
7. Montreal - Montreal, Canada, 1972-10-27 - 9:11
Total Time: 63:08
Line-up / Musicians 
- Frank Zappa / conductor, guitar, vocals
- Malcolm McNabb / trumpet
- Gary Barone / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Tom Malone / tuba, saxes, piccolo trumpet, trumpet
- Earl Dumler / woodwinds
- Glenn Ferris / trombone
- Bruce Fowler / trombone
- Tony Duran / slide guitar
- Dave Parlato / bass
- Jim Gordon / drums
Releases information 
CD Zappa Records (ZR 20001), 2006 
Recorded: October 27, 1972 – December 15, 1972

Review by Ken Dryden
Since the untimely death of Frank Zappa in 1993, fans of his music have patiently awaited the release of additional unissued tracks from his huge personal archives in his home studio. Imaginary Diseases features a series of live recordings from a 1972 tour by Zappa's so-called Petite Wazoo band, a ten-piece group that was full of potential but never sufficiently documented on commercial albums during his lifetime. The miniature "Oddients" has an avant-garde flavor with a bit of encourage audience participation in the vocal chants. "Rollo" was often performed as the finale to the suite of songs heard on the first side of the album Apostrophe, though this version omits the vocals heard on some bootleg issues. "Farther Oblivion," a song recorded as a part of that suite, is very different in this conception, including snippets that would later be incorporated into the magnum opus "Gregerry Peccary" and songs like "Bebop Tango" and "Cucamonga," also showcasing Tom Malone's effective tuba. "Been to Kansas City in A Minor" is an extended blues workout with a blistering solo by the leader. "D.C. Boogie" initially has a Middle Eastern flavor, though it gradually shifts into a driving boogie, contrasting Zappa's invigorating fuzz tone with Tony Duran's rocking slide guitar. "Imaginary Diseases" features another blistering Zappa solo, bracketed on each side by a peppy showcase of brass and reeds. Zappa has the only solo in the cooking jam "Montreal." The sound on these 1972 concert recordings is at times a little rawer than typical Zappa live albums of the era. But it seems likely that he worked on them briefly before turning his focus to various other projects, leaving them for Zappa Records "vaultmeister" Joe Travers to uncover and prepare for release.