Frank Zappa Cheap Thrills CD

CHEAP THRILLS is an Enhanced CD containing both a full audio program as well as multimedia computer files.
Personnel includes: Frank Zappa (vocals, guitar, Synclavier, synthesizers, drum programming); Bobby Martin (vocals, saxophone, keyboards); Ray Collins (vocals); Steve Vai (acoustic & electric guitars); Mike Keneally (guitar, synthesizer, vocals); Ray White, Ike Willis (guitar, vocals); Captain Beefheart (harmonica, vocals); Bunk Gardner (alto & tenor saxophones); Albert Wing (tenor saxophone); Kurt McGettrick (baritone & bass saxophones, contrabass clarinet); Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugelhorn, synthesizer); Bruce Fowler (trombone); Don Preston (piano); Tommy Mars (keyboards, vocals); George Duke, Alan Zavod (keyboards); Scott Thunes (bass, Mini-Moog synthesizer); Chad Wackerman (drums, electronic percussion); Terry Bozzio (drums).
Compilation producer: David Greenberg.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Frank Zappa (vocals, guitar, synthesizer, Synclavier, drum machine); Captain Beefheart (vocals, harmonica); Bobby Martin (vocals, saxophone, keyboards); Tommy Mars (vocals, keyboards); Mike Keneally (vocals, synthesizer); Ike Willis, Ray Collins, Ray White (vocals); Steve Vai (guitar); Denny Walley (slide guitar); Dick Fegy (mandolin); Kurt McGettrick (clarinet, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, double bass); Marty Krystall, Napoleon Murphy Brock (saxophone); Paul Carman (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Ian Underwood, Bunk Gardner (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Motorhead Sherwood (baritone saxophone, tambourine); Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugelhorn, synthesizer); Bruce Fowler (trombone); Don Preston (piano); George Duke, Allan Zavod, Arthur Barrow (keyboards); Scott Thunes (mini-Moog synthesizer, electric bass); David Ocker, Steve DeFuria (Synclavier); Ed Mann (vibraphone, marimba, percussion, electronic percussion); Roy Estrada (electric bass); Chad Wackerman (drums, electronic percussion); Terry Bozzio (drums).
Director: Frank Zappa.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Howard Kaylan; Jeff Simmons.
Arranger: Frank Zappa.
Cheap Thrills is designed for the curious listener who has always wanted to explore Frank Zappa but was intimidated by his overwhelming catalog. Of course, so is Strictly Commercial, which contains all of Zappa's most familiar songs, but Cheap Thrills has the advantage of being cheap, plus giving an idea of the weird diversity of Zappa's catalog, since it's filled with cult favorites, live tracks, smutty jokes, and assorted album tracks. It's not necessarily the most accessible introduction to Zappa -- again, that would be Strictly Commercial -- but it's more accessible than the average album while giving a sense of what the albums feel like. And you can't ask for much more than that from a budget-priced introduction. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
CHEAP THRILLS serves as a 40-minute introduction to the varied world of Frank Zappa's vast catalog. Drawn from a dozen different releases, most of the tracks are live. However, Zappa used the stage the way other artists use the studio (and the way he used the studio as well)--as a platform for experimentation. He recorded nearly all of his performances and indeed, many of them became cornerstones of assorted albums, when not constituting an album in its entirety. Long before many other acts were even aware of the process, Zappa was refining his approach to live multi-track recording.
"Hot Plate Heaven At the Green Hotel" (from the album BROADWAY THE HARD WAY) is one of several fine guitar workouts included here. "Zomby Woof" is a fine testament to both his skills as a bandleader and his ear for hiring impressive players. The earliest song included in this set is "Cheap Thrills" from the 1968 release CRUISING WITH RUBEN & THE JETS. The latest song here is culled from his final tour in the late eighties.

Compilation;Cheap!!!!;13 Songs