the don and bunk show

= don preston and bunk gardner

random notes

discography

	the don and bunk show: necessity is...     (2000, cdr, usa, brain records) – incl. ‘eric dolphey memorial barbecue’ (frank zappa), 'neon meat dream' (van vliet)
	various artists: eyeinhand sampler volume 1     (2001, cd, spain, vaso music vm 032) - all zappa related artists
	the don and bunk show: joined at the hip     (2002, cdr, usa, brain records) - incl. 'little house' (frank zappa)
	the don and bunk show: s/t     (2014, cdr, usa, brain records)
	bunk gardner: bunkmania     (2018, cd, usa, private release) - incl. 'the little house i used to live in' (frank zappa), feat. don preston, buzz gardner, jimmy carl black

concerts

• 1999/10/28    concert 'downtown playhouse', los angeles, usa
  • bunk gardner: sax/flute * don preston: keyboards/synth * rick bartow: bass * mumbo: drums
    
• 2001/12/29    concert 'milestones', rochester, ny, usa

  • don preston, bunk gardner rick bartow & mumbo
    (both rick bartow and mumbo are members of project/object.  this was their first performance with don and bunk. their first rehearsal had taken place that same afternoon.)

  • what was zappa really like? * little house i used to live in * 20 small cigars * holiday in berlin * it's all nothin' * memories of el monte * caravan with a drum solo * not so cute * how are you doing, really? * sweet 15

  • a 47 minute recording of this concert circulates

• 2002/01/05 concert 'visualite theatre', charlotte, nc, usa
  • don preston, bunk gardner rick bartow & mumbo
  • eye of agamoto * twenty small cigars * holiday in berlin * it's all nothin' * memories of el monte * caravan (with a drum solo) * motherly love * progress? * neon meate dream of a octafish * immaculate deception * the eternal question – part 1 * the little house i used to live in * the eternal question – part 2
  • a 63 minute recording of this show circulates
    

• 2003/08/23 concert 'the downtown playhouse' in los angeles, ca, usa

  • don preston, bunk gardner, roy ‘orejon’ estrada, christopher garcia

 

2010 03 20  -  the Don and Bunk Show...on tour!! THIS SUNDAY -- for those of you in the Wilmington DE, Philly, Baltimore area -- Don't miss an amazing and rare show with the two and only DON PRESTON & BUNK GARDNER from the Mothers Of Invention....... These guys have been playing jazz, rock, and experimental music for around 50 years! They know what they are doing!! Do not try this at home -- instead - catch their shows..... I've had the pleasure of touring and recording with these gentlemen, and there is...simply nothing like it. The tour opens at SCHOOL OF ROCK in Wilmington DE, General Admission only $10. BE THERE. BE SOMEWHERE. JUST BE.  The Don & Bunk Show East Coast Tour Mar 21 The Garage-Willmington, MD Mar 24 Bearsville theater Woodstock NY Mar 25 Rongovian Trumansburg, NY Mar 26 The Magic Room Boston, MA Mar 27, Toads Place New Haven, CT
2010/03/28 The Don & Bunk Show - private concert 'Maclean Studio', Cape Cod
2010/03/31 concert 'The Hi Hat', Providence, RI
2010/04/01 concert 'Sullivan Hall', New York City, NY line-up Don Preston: keyboards, vocals, iPod touch, gong Bunk Gardner - saxophone, flute, vocals setlist intro, King Kong, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, The Other People, intro to pound for a brown, Pound For A Brown On The Bus, Go Cry On Somebody Elses Shoulder, Don explains himself, intro, Hey Joe/Hey Punk,Trouble Every Day, now we get weird, Who Are The Brain Police, I want that Chocolate Donut, Help I'm A Rock, intro, I am The Slime, What Was Zappa Really Like, Absolutely Free An audience recording of this concert got seeded at DimeADozen
2010/04/03 The Don & Bunk Show, featuring Paul Sears - concert 'Orion Sound Studios', Baltimore, MD, usa line-up Don Preston: keyboards, vocals, iPod touch, gong Bunk Gardner - saxophone, flute, vocals special guest: Paul Sears: drums, vocals setlist Annoucements and Introduction, King Kong, technical troubles and song intro, The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Medly: You Didn't Try to Call Me / Toads Of The Short Forest / The Idiot Bastard Son, Pound for a Brown story, Pound For a Brown -> Free Energy, Uncle Meat story, Uncle Meat -> Absolutely Free, keyboard tuning, Mother People, Zappa's taste in music, Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder, Don recites Carlin's "Modern Man", Q&A session, Hey Joe -> Flower Punk/Bunk, Trouble Every Day, Who Are the Brain Police -> Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish -> food freakout, Evelyn, a Modified Dog, Help I'm a Rock -> It Can't Happen Here, I'm the Slime, The Eternal Question encore: Wowie Zowie An audience recording of this show got seeded at DimeADozen

2011 01 26

Legendary Mothers of Invention Members Don Preston and Bunk Gardner To Tour East Coast

1/26/2011 - Los Angeles, CA - Don Preston and Bunk Gardner, both original members of the the legendary Mothers of Invention with Frank Zappa, are gearing up to tour east coast once again with The Don & Bunk Show. The duo will be playing a full range of Zappa's music from Freak Out to Zoot Allures. The evening will be full of the zany antics, wild improvisations and strange electronic music the early Mothers were famous for, along with the expert mastery of their instruments. "We're doing this tour because I think Zappa fans need to come and hear how Zappa's music was performed by the originals," says Don Preston. "Hey people! We're still doing it!"

Bunk Gardner and Don Preston are featured on several albums with the original Mothers of Invention (along with various later compilations of unreleased material by Frank Zappa) which include Absolutely Free, We're Only In It For The Money, Cruising With Ruben & the Jets, Uncle Meat, Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh. Gardner also appeared on Zappa's first solo venture Lumpy Gravy, while Preston went on to appear on several albums after the break-up of the original Mothers, which include Fillmore East, June 1971, Just Another Band From L.A., Roxy & Elsewhere as well as the feature film 200 Motels.

The Don & Bunk Show started in 2001 with the duo wanting to show audiences their unique abilities that were revealed in Zappa's first band. Gardner and Preston have both been long known for their amazing inprovising abilities and interpretation of Zappa's music. They have recorded two CDs for Brain Records: Ahead Of Their Time and Joined At The Hip. Bunk has also recorded and/or performed with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, Geronimo Black, Tim Buckley, The 4 Winds Ensemble, ANT-BEE and many others. Don Preston has recorded/performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gil Evans, Carla Bley, The Residents and many others. He has also completed 23 film scores including Apocalypse Now. Don Preston was quite possibly the first person to add synthesis to live rock performances, taking Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention into uncharted musical territories over several tours and albums. Today, four decades after having built "analog synthesizers" from scratch before most people had heard of such things, Preston is a living legend and a pioneer who now tweaks synths on his Apple laptop. He has a new download only CD titled 'Colliding Galaxys' released on Norway's Zonic Entertainment.

The Don & Bunk show will be appearing on the following dates:

• Feb 10 Thur - REGGIE'S - Chicago, IL

• Feb 11 Fri. - Papa Pete's - Kalamazoo, MI

• Feb 12 Sat - Magic Bag - Ferndale, MI (Detroit)

• Feb 13 Sun - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH

• Feb 16 Wed - The Abilene - Rochester, NY

• Feb 17 Thurs - Bearsville - Woodstock, NY

• Feb 18 Fri - The Rongovian Embassy - Trumansburg, NY

• Feb 19 Sat - The Magic Room - Boston, MA

• Feb 21 Mon - The Rotunda -Philadelphia, PA

• Feb 22 Tues - Mexicali Live - Teaneck, NJ (special gig featuring Project Object, Ray White and Ike Willis)

• Feb 25 Fri - The Funhouse - Bethlehem, PA

• Feb 26 Sat- Orion - Baltimore, MD

• Feb 27 Sun - Hard Rock Cafe - Pittsburgh, PA

Some of the songs the duo will be performing are:  Uncle Meat, A Pound For A Brown On The Bus, Holiday In Berlin Full Blown, I Am The Slime, Duke Of Prunes, Eric Dolphy's Memorial Barbeque, Who Are The Brain Police and many other beloved Frank Zappa compositions.

A special date with Project Object is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2010 at the Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ, which will also feature Zappa alumni Ray White and Ike Willis!

For more information: www.myspace.com/donandbunk

Check out Don Preston's new download only CD 'Colliding Galaxys' www.hotclub.musiconline.no/shop/displayAlbum.asp?id=40350&cid=&sid

The Don and Bunk Show 2014 07 18 concert at the Zappanale #25 exhibit Don Preston: Keyboards  Bunk Gardner: Sax & Flute  setlist Twenty Small Cigars (Frank Zappa)  Free Energy (Don Preston)  King Kong (Frank Zappa)  Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue (Frank Zappa)  Jim Cohen Interview with Don and Bunk
Don Preston and Bunk Gardner performing as The Don And Bunk Show at the Zappanale #25 exhibit on 2014 07 18  (picture by Javier)
Jim Cohen talking to Don Preston and Bunk Gardner  (picture by Javier)
Don Preston and Javier at the Zappanale #25 exhibit.