Chamber Works

by Jonathan WidranOne of the most eclectic figures in rock music moves deeply and wholeheartedly into the classical realm (with his innovative drum kit exploring the landscape throughout) on a set with Holland's classic Metropole Orkest that would do his mentor, Frank Zappa, proud. Terry Bozzio's résumé boasts Jeff Beck, the Brecker Brothers, and the formation of Missing Persons, but he seems proudest of his three-year association (1975-1978) with the symphonically influenced Zappa -- which brought him into the public eye. Even as this dramatic, multi-movement "film score without visuals" engages, intrigues, and maddens the listener with its constant dramatic twists and turns, it's easy to sense the ghost of Zappa encouraging, even chuckling along; from on high, he's no doubt enjoying his former protégé's tom-tom flurries (on the well-titled "Hypnotic") and classical meets tribal intros on works like "Untitled." On "IBO," he duets with himself via tom toms and clever foot drum patterns, creating a tribal backdrop for a tense action scene listeners are, alas, left to visualize for themselves. The catalyst for this quirky but ultimately profound labor of love is Zappa's friend Co de Kloet, a Dutch radio producer, who hooked Bozzio up with the 60-year-old, 60-piece orchestra conducted by Dick Bakker. The orchestra version of this collaboration was premiered in Groningen in October, 2003, and performed the next day in the Paradiso in Amsterdam. The audience response was so overwhelming that the NPS (Netherlands Programma Stichting) decided to use the studio recording for both radio broadcast and release on CD.