Zappa and Jazz: Did it really smell funny, Frank?

Although Frank Zappa passed away over twenty years ago, he continues to be regarded as an iconic figure in 20th-century culture. In 1973, he famously quipped, 'Jazz is not dead... it just smells funny,' and in this new book, Geoff Wills takes a fresh look at Zappa's widely assumed antipathy for the jazz genre. Along the way, he uncovers some very interesting facts.

Frank Zappa's music possesses a unique and easily recognisable quality, brilliantly synthesising a wide range of cultural influences. Zappa and Jazz focuses on the influence of jazz on Zappa in an attempt to clarify the often-confusing nature of his relationship with it. Zappa's early years are meticulously examined, from his first foray into a recording studio to the formation and progress of his band, The Mothers of Invention. The book offers exhaustive critiques of the key jazz-related albums Hot Rats, King Kong, The Grand Wazoo, and Waka/Jawaka. Along the way, Wills analyses Zappa's music and the wider influences that were crucial in forming his attitudes, not only to jazz but to society in general. The book concludes with a discussion of Zappa's similarity to more orthodox jazz leaders, his enduring legacy, and his profound influence on jazz-related music. This promises to appeal to all Zappa fans seeking new insights into his music, to open-minded jazz listeners, and to anyone with an interest in the vibrant melting pot of 20th-century music.