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bio
PROJECT/OBJECT
Recreating the Live Frank Zappa Experience
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.
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.
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.
Frank Zappa was extremely influential to many musicians, especially many
jam
bands, including Phish, moe., and Deep Banana Blackout. While many
jam band
fans are aware that Frank Zappa was very influential, many are
unfamiliar
with his music. Of those that are familiar, many were too young to have
seen
him in concert. PROJECT/OBJECT is the closest they will get to the
live
Zappa experience, and the band enjoys much support from this
demographic.
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. In every new market that they visit, they convert
the
curious into dedicated fans.
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.
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