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Aug 10, 2023 Web Exclusive By Hays Davis

During his lifetime, no moss grew on the creative dynamo that was Frank Zappa. Though five albums (plus the Mothermania compilation) were released between 1969-1970 under the Mothers of Invention’s or Zappa’s name, Funky Nothingness presents a “lost album” that may have been pegged as a sequel to ’69’s Hot Rats within this collection of 25 rare, unreleased tracks.

While this set is bookended by 1967’s “Funky Nothingness,” a short piece of blues that was originally planned as the opening to an early version of the Chunga’s Revenge album, and ’67’s brief “Fast Funky Nothingness,” the rest of this material was recorded in February and March of 1970. With the Mothers having disbanded in 1969, Zappa brought together Mothers member Ian Underwood (keyboard, saxophone, rhythm guitar), violinist/vocalist Don “Sugarcane” Harris, and bassist Max Bennett, all of whom had played on Hot Rats, plus English drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who had recently relocated to Los Angeles with his invitation to join Zappa.

The 3-CD edition of Funky Nothingness (also available as a double LP) features the 11-track album on the first disc. The musical diversity found on the disc labeled “Funky Nothingness – The Album” makes for a pleasingly revelatory whole, especially considering its historical context. The soulful “Love Will Make Your Mind Go Wild” leads to the group stretching out with Zappa soloing on guitar for the 12-minute “I’m a Rollin’ Stone,” “Chunga’s Revenge (Basement Version),” and “Khaki Sack,” while “Tommy/Vincent Duo II” sees Zappa and Dunbar going toe-to-toe in an up-tempo guitar/drum run. The band chemistry here showcases how this excellent set of players was up to Zappa’s new ideas and compositional challenges.

“Zappa/Hot Rats ’70: Session Masters & Bonus Nothingness” spans the second and third discs. Among these outtakes, alternate edits, unreleased masters of songs from the period, and improvisational recordings is “Tommy/Vincent Duo III (Unedited Master),” which finds Zappa and Dunbar squaring off on nearly 22 minutes of guitar/drum improvisation. With this welcome offering of three and a half hours of unheard studio Zappa that follows one of his most celebrated albums, one can’t help but wonder what else might eventually escape from the Zappa vault. (www.zappa.com)

Author rating: 7.5/10