P O In ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Project/Object (feat. ex-Zappa bandmembers Ike Willis & Napoleon Murphy Brock) now on tour!
2002-09-23
Greetings! the following is a press release for this
fine ensemble's Seattle show, but note that it contains
all of their current tour info! Enjoy, JLK, WA, USA
*** PROJECT/OBJECT ***
feat. Ike Willis & Napoleon Murphy Brock
CELEBRATING THE TIMELESS MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA -
AND STARRING 2 OF FRANK'S LONGTIME BANDMEMBERS:
IKE WILLIS & NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK!
will play live all evening (two sets!) on:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4th, 2002
at THE RAINBOW
722 N.E. 45th St.
Seattle, WA
(206) 634-1761
HREF="http://www.therainbowlivemusic.com">www.therainbowlivemusic.com
21+ / doors: 9 pm / showtime: 10 pm
$15 advance / $15 day of show tickets
FASTIXX - 1.800.992.TIXX - fastixx.com
[adv. tickets also avail. at the Rainbow]
THE BAND:
IKE WILLIS - Electric Guitar, Vocals
[www.ikewillis.com - starred w/Frank from 78 - 93]
NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK - Tenor Sax, Flute, Vocals
[www.napoleonmbrock.com - starred w/Frank f/74 - 83]
André Cholmondeley - Guitar, Vocals
Robbie "Seahag" Mangano - Guitar, Vocals
Jordan Shapiro - Keyboards, Vocals
Dave Johnsen - Electric Bass
Glenn Leonard - Drums, Percussion
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ONLINE PRESS KIT/DOWNLOADABLE JPEGS:
HREF="http://www.randexpr.com/projectobject">www.randexpr.com/projectobject
OFFICIAL SITE: HREF="http://www.projectobject.com">www.projectobject.com
(lots of audio!)
WEBCASTS: HREF="http://www.dcn.com">www.dcn.com
(search for "project object")
PROJECT/OBJECT REUNITES TWO OF FRANK ZAPPA's
TOP VOCALISTS ON ENCORE COAST-TO-COAST TOUR
Ike Willis & Napoleon Murphy Brock return to help faithfully
recreate the live Zappa experience!
"If there's a rock & roll artist worthy of a repertoire band, it has to be Frank Zappa. The genre has seen few, if any, composers as talented or prolific as FZ. And Project Object deserves to be called a "repertoire" band, like the Mingus Big Band or the Duke Ellington Orchestra, because it's much more than a cover band. Like the Mingus and Ellington bands, Project Object's goal is to keep alive a vast stock of incredible compositions, not simply to imitate a famous performer. They also succeed in proving that while the music will never be the same without the great artist who created it, a group of talented, committed musicians can make it worth hearing again. Ike Willis, one of Zappa's most famous front men, has become a pseudo-permanent member of the band, and longtime fans might be surprised by his ability on the guitar." - Brian Falk, Creative Loafing (Charlotte, NC) - July, 2002
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"Tribute band to the genius of Frank Zappa should make the water turn black. The Skinny: When Project/Object hits the road they make it bleed. Featuring former FZ guitarist and vocalist Ike Willis who was Joe on "Joe's Garage." While many tributes keep the vibe by donning outfits or looks similar to their heroes, these guys have just worked the chops and capture the sound and complexity of FZ'z staggering work. After fronting for FZ, Ike Willis has recorded solo records and played with P/O. Expect to hear pieces from "Joe's Garage," plus songs by FZ like "Cheepnis," "Reggae in F# Minor," "Dinah Moe Hum," "Sofa" and "Charlie's Enormous Mouth." The Crowd: Young heads who thought FZ was a "drug band," intellectuals by themselves, music editors, guitarists, satire fans and those in the know." - Patrick Rooney, Editorial Review, Citysearch.com (New York, NY) - September 2002
(NEW YORK) - PROJECT/OBJECT, the Mother of Frank Zappa reinvention, is answering frenzied fan demand by reuniting the maestro's two most beloved vocalists for a fall encore -- their second major tour this year with the dueling frontmen.
Ike Willis and Napoleon Murphy Brock will do it again this fall with an equally extensive coast-to-coast trek, furthering PROJECT/OBJECT's ongoing mission to perpetuate the music of one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century. On their first national tour together in 18 years, the two ex-Zappa vocalists helped PROJECT/OBJECT draw rabid audiences and numerous sell-out events this spring and summer from coast to coast, as well as in Europe.
Ike Willis (1978-93) is one of Zappa's most durable and beloved sidemen, whose soulful vocal hysterics are best remembered as the voice of Joe on the "Joe's Garage" rock opera trilogy. He toured the world six times with the maestro and was the voice of his music for 14 years on countless recordings, many still unreleased. Napoleon (1974-84) preceded Ike as Zappa's first front man vocalist-musician. Napoleon's unmistakable voice and stage presence brought an energetic new theatricality to the band, helping to define the Zappa stage show. And both musicians played integral roles in Zappa's "Thingfish" rock opera.
PROJECT/OBJECT will be playing many authentic renditions from "Roxy and Elsewhere," "One Size Fits All" and "Joe's Garage" at every stop, plus plenty of other classic Zappa material Ike and Napoleon made famous, specially rearranged to accommodate both of their vocals.
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"Ike and Napoleon had a magical effect on the band and the audience last spring," marvels PROJECT/OBJECT ringleader Andre Cholmondeley. "I can't wait to see what will happen this fall."
Since its formation a decade ago, PROJECT/OBJECT has been rapidly gaining notoriety for its onstage dedication to its singular mission. The band continually introduces successive generations of improv-oriented music fans around the country to Zappa's monumental legacy, performing music from every era of Zappa's prolific career while acutely recreating the unique fun and excitement of the Frank Zappa concert experience.
PROJECT/OBJECT BIO:
The members of PROJECT/OBJECT feel that Frank Zappa is one of the 20th Century's greatest and most important composers, and they are on a mission to bring his music to the masses by faithfully recreating the live Zappa experience, much in the same way that symphony orchestras the world over dedicate themselves to the music of Beethoven, Bach, and the like.
PROJECT/OBJECT formed in the early '90s as an offshoot from an annual Frank Zappa birthday celebration that took place in guitarist Andre Cholmondeley's basement in New Jersey. As the event grew in size and popularity, PROJECT/OBJECT began performing Zappa's music in larger and larger venues, with a growing set list from every era of Zappa's 30-year recording career. The band strives to stay true to Frank's vision of constantly challenging the musicians and the audiences.
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During Zappa's 1984 and 1988 tours, members of PROJECT/OBJECT became friendly with Ike Willis, the legendary 10-plus year Zappa vocalist and guitarist whose career with Frank began in the role of "Joe" on the classic Zappa album, Joe's Garage. In 1995, the members of PROJECT/OBJECT sent a tape of a live show to Ike and he was impressed enough that he agreed to come out to the East Coast to join the band onstage for a few gigs in the New York area. After that tremendous first outing, Ike agreed to repeat this experience in the future.
Ike felt the members of PROJECT/OBJECT were able to recreate the fun and excitement that he felt with Frank Zappa on stage. Other Zappa alumni have also performed with the band, including Jimmy Carl Black, Denny Walley, Mike Keneally and even Al Malkin. Big band leader and "Zappologist" Ed Palermo and Capt. Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas have frequently collaborated with the band as well.
PROJECT/OBJECT wants to remind old Zappa fans of the way it used to be and let younger fans, who never experienced a Zappa show, see and hear the way it was. They intend to perpetuate his music and spirit for as long as they are physically capable. In every new city that they visit, PROJECT/OBJECT converts the curious into dedicated fans.
In the last few years, PROJECT/OBJECT has been touring predominantly on the East Coast and Midwest, but as of the spring 2001 tour, began to reach cities from coast to coast, including huge debuts in Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, among many other major cities. The band also sold out the 1,000-capacity Irving Plaza in New York City on Halloween while raising $10,000 for prostate cancer research.
And thanks to the one-two punch supplied by Ike Willis and Napoleon Murphy Brock for the band's highly anticipated European debut this summer, PROJECT/OBJECT has now become an international force as well!
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P O in Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel
Zappa redux
It's been nearly a decade since spoof-rock pioneer Frank Zappa passed away after a battle with
cancer. His legacy spawned a significant amount of tribute bands, both local and national in stature.
A more noteworthy Zappa tribute is Project Object, a nine-piece outfit
that includes singer-guitarist Ike Willis and Napoleon Murphy Brock, who
sang lead vocals on a few later-era Zappa albums. Project Object plays at 10
tonight at Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave. ($15).
P O in the Seattle PI
Speaking of songs for the deaf, with Sunday's lineup of Isis, Dalek, Thrones and Akimbo rattling Graceland, you'd almost have to be deaf or at least have your ears well plugged to withstand the sonic battery (7 p.m.; $8). . . . You also can treat your ears tonight to the delicious torment of Project Object at the Rainbow (9 p.m.; $15).
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