Frank Zappa’s ‘Zappa In New York’ Deluxe Edition Features Unreleased Performances

On March 29, Zappa Records/UMe will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of the famed Frank Zappa live album Zappa In New York by issuing a suite of expanded anniversary editions that will be available as a 5-CD box set, 3-LPs on 180-gram audiophile grade vinyl and digitally. Included within is over three hours of unreleased material from FZ’s legendary 1976 four-night stand at The Palladium in New York City.

Frank’s band for the famed run included Ray White on vocals and guitar, Terry Bozzio on drums and vocals, Eddie Jobson on keyboards, Ruth Underwood on percussion and synthesizer, Patrick O’Hearn on bass and vocals and David Samuels on timpani and vibes. Don Pardo provided “sophisticated narration” and the brass section, featuring jazz duo the Brecker Brothers with Randy Brecker on trumpet and Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone, was joined by Saturday Night Live band members Lou Marini on alto sax, Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax and Tom Malone on trombone.

The shows were recorded for what was expected to be a 1977 release. However, censorship issues, mostly over the content of “Punky’s Whips,” led to a delay of over a year. Zappa In New York was finally issued in 1978. The Zappa Family Trust oversaw the new collection which has been produced by Ahmet Zappa and Vaultmeister Joe Travers. The deluxe 5-CD set comes within a limited-edition metal tin shaped like a NYC street manhole cover and includes a replica ticket. Not only has the original album been newly remastered by Bob Ludwig, there’s a bevy of bonuses. Here’s more on what to expect:

The four additional discs are loaded with relevant Vault nuggets and more than three hours of unreleased live performances from the NYC Palladium concerts, representing every composition played during the concerts and the best alternate performances of every tune Zappa picked for the original album, all newly mixed in 2018. To achieve the highest-level sound quality, the audio team went back to the original two-inch 24-track multi-track master tapes and transferred every reel at 96kHz 24-bit wavs.

“We are excited to bring you this new Deluxe version of Zappa in New York: an opportunity to re-examine and celebrate the source material of a great album while exploring the events of Frank’s life in late December 1976, Collections like these really show of the work ethic of a musical genius,” exclaims the Zappa Family Trust in the album notes.

The package also includes previously unseen live photos taken by Gail Zappa alongside extensive liner notes. Band members Ruth Underwood and Ray White are among those who contributed to the liner notes. Those who pre-order will receive an instant grat download of the unreleased rarity “The Purple Lagoon/Any Kind Of Pain” recorded on the first night of the run.

ZAPPA IN NEW YORK – 5CD DELUXE EDITION

DISC 1 – THE ORIGINAL 1977 VINYL MIX
1. Titties & Beer
2. I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth
3. Big Leg Emma
4. Sofa
5. Manx Needs Women
6. The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1
7. Black Page #2
8. Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?
9. The Illinois Enema Bandit
10. The Purple Lagoon

DISC 2: BONUS CONCERT PERFORMANCES – PART ONE
1. “The Most Important Musical Event Of 1976”
2. Peaches En Regalia
3. The Torture Never Stops
4. The Black Page #2
5. Punky’s Whips Intro
6. Punky’s Whips
7. I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth
8. Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?
9. The Illinois Enema Bandit
10. “Two For The Price Of One”
11. Penis Dimension
12. Montana

DISC 3: BONUS CONCERT PERFORMANCES – PART TWO
1. America Drinks
2. “Irate Phone Calls”
3. Sofa #2
4. “The Moment You’ve All Been Waiting For”
5. I’m The Slime
6. Pound For A Brown
7. Terry’s Solo
8. The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1
9. Big Leg Emma
10. “Jazz Buffs and Buff-etts”
11. The Purple Lagoon
12. Find Her Finer
13. The Origin Of Manx
14. Manx Needs Women
15. Chrissy Puked Twice
16. Cruisin’ For Burgers

DISC 4: BONUS CONCERT PERFORMANCES – PART THREE
1. The Purple Lagoon/Any Kind Of Pain
2. “The Greatest New Undiscovered Group In America”
3. Black Napkins
4. Dinah-Moe Humm
5. Finale

DISC 5: BONUS VAULT CONTENT
1. The Black Page #2 (Piano Version)
2. I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth (Alternate Version)
3. Chrissy Puked Twice
4. Cruisin’ For Burgers (1977 Mix)
5. Black Napkins
6. Punky’s Whips (Unused Version)
7. The Black Page #1 (Piano Version)

ZAPPA IN NEW YORK – 3LP 40^th ANNIVERSARY EDITION

LP 1 / Side 1 – Original Album Mix Remastered
1. Titties & Beer
2. I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth
3. Big Leg Emma

LP 1 / Side 2 – Original Album
1. Sofa
2. Manx Needs Women
3. The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1
4. Black Page #2

LP 2 / Side 3 – Original Album
1. Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?
2. The Illinois Enema Bandit

LP 2 / Side 4 – Original Album
1. The Purple Lagoon

LP 3 / Side 1 – Bonus Vault Content
1. Black Napkins
2. Cruisin’ For Burgers (1977 Mix)

LP 3 / Side 2 – Bonus Vault Content
1. The Black Page #2 (Piano Version)
2. I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth (Alternate Version)
3. Punky’s Whips (Unused Version)
4. The Black Page #1 (Piano Version)