King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa CD

 Not for everyone
Despite it's really awful, cheesy cover with dear Jean-Luc standing in the giant gorilla's hand while being buzzed by biplanes, this is a great album, but certainly not for everyone! First, for fans of Jean-Luc Ponty himself, this is a window on the period that brought him to the attention of a wider audience through his work with Frank Zappa. For fans of the music of Frank Zappa, this album goes a step further than the avante-garde grab bag of 'Weasels Ripped My Flesh' and goes towards the ‘fusion’ sound which Frank played around with on his contemporaneous 'Hot Rats' set. 'King Kong' features quite a few of Frank's 'usual suspects' from this time - Ian Underwood on saxes, George Duke on keyboards and the tighter than tight John Guerin on drums. Ponty's violin playing is almost a quantum leap away from his mid-sixties Parisian style which was closer to Coltrane than Captain Beefheart. Although Frank himself only plays on one track ('How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That?') it is one of his less self-indulgent solos and almost worth the price of the CD itself. The rest of the tracks are up to that standard and mix Zappa's influences and the virtuosity of his instrumentalists perfectly. There are not too many musical ‘sets’ as interesting and inventive as this one. 5/5
Submitted by a reviewer (Sydney, Australia) 
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 Jazz meets Zappa
Jean-Luc Ponty was a jazz violinist developing at the end of the late 60's. He went on to perform with the second edition of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and launched a successful solo career in the mid 70's. ( I recall a (semi)-popular video from the early 80's which is the last time I recollect hearing about him. No idea what he's doing currently [if he's alive even!] but could Google him later.) Anyway, this album is Jean-Luc's first album. A fortuitous hearing of his work by Frank Zappa led to his involvement in this project. Supposedly this was to be a collaborative venture, but the Zappa influence is all pervasive, possibly overwhelming Ponty's. Zappa wrote and arranged the album, and, although his is not the producer acknowledged in the liner notes, there are many similarities between the sound quality of this album and his of the same period! Basically, if you're a fan of Jean Luc Ponty, you know what he's about and why you're reading this review , and still won't know whether you should buy it.. If you're a Zappa fan you probably should own this album. Whilst he only plays a solo on one track, the music contains some of his most pleasing compositions done by a cast of ex(and soon to be) Mothers of Invention,as well as by some skilled jazz and classical musicians. Jean Luc Ponty is an interesting jazz/rock violinist, playing some of Zappa's greatest melodies with a sterling cast.
Submitted by pete_tarrant (Coburg, Vic, Australia) 
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 Still good to listen to.
This is an overlooked classic. A tight version of 'King Kong' opens proceedings and it goes on from there. I love FZ's solo on 'How Would You Like a Head Like That?'; his 'guest' solos were always good - check out George Duke's 'Feel' album and also Grand Funk Railroad's session with him. As the other reviewer noted, the solo is worth the price of the album alone. The orchestral number is also worth comparing to the version on 'Gregory Peccary'. Jean-Luc's playing is fluid. Ernie Watts on sax deserves a mention too. Don't expect 'Zoot Allures'style Zappa on this worthy release though!
Submitted by Kevin (London, UK)
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