| lady bianca -
bianca odin
October 1976 Zappa toured with vocalists Ray
White and Bianca Odin (another
strongly gospel-influenced singer), Eddie Jobson (freed from Roxy Music as Bryan
Ferry split for a solo career) on violin and keyboards, and the O'Hearn
/ Bozzio
rhythm section.
(from Ben Watson (Negative Dialectic Of Poodle
Play) /
p. 346)
Recordings from this line-up got released on "You Can't Do That
On Stage Anymore - Vol.6", and on "Philly '76".
Picture on the right taken from the insert of Zappa's "Philly
'76" album. |
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discography
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quinn harris:
quin harris and the masterminds
(1970, lp, usa, reynolds records) feat.lady
bianca |
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jon hendricks:
tell me the truth
(1975,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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san
francisco medicine ball: slowboat to china
(1976,
lp, usa, real turkey 0815) feat.bianca thornton |
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sly
and the family stone: heard ya missed me, well i'm back
(1976,
lp, usa, epic al 34348) feat.bianca thornton |
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vitamin
e: sharing
(1977,
lp, usa, buddah 5690) feat.bianca thornton |
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giants:
giants
(1978, lp, usa, mca records mca-3188) - feat.bianca
thornton-oden |
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lee oskar:
before the rain
(1978,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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taj
mahal: taj mahal and the international rhythm band live
(1979,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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van morrison:
beautiful vision
(1982,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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van morrison:
inarticulate speech of the heart
(1983,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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country
joe mcdonald: peace on earth
(1984,
cd, usa, rag baby 109) feat.lady bianca |
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van morrison:
sense of wonder
(1985,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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van morrison:
live at the grand opera house belfast
(1985,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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van
morrison: no guru, no method, no teacher
(1986,
lp, usa, ??) feat.bianca thornton |
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lady
bianca: in the middle of the night / i cant stop dreaming
(1987, 12", usa, suspex spx-s3) feat.lady
bianca |
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lady
bianca: passion / made up my mind
(1991, 7", usa, magic -o 502) |
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lady
bianca: passion / made up my mind
(1991, 12", usa, magic -o ma 502) |
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| 59 |
frank zappa: you can't do that on
stage anymore vol.6
(1992, 2cd, usa,
ryko) |
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frank zappa:
you can't do that on stage anymore, vol. 6
(1992,
2cd, usa, ryko) feat.bianca odin |
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frankie
lee: going back home
(1994,
cd, usa, ??) feat.lady bianca |
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lady
bianca: best kept secret
(1995, cd, usa, telarc 83367) |
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maria muldaur:
fanning the flames
(1996,
cd, usa, ??) feat.lady bianca |
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blue
gold: blue gold
(1996,
cd, usa, ??) feat.lady bianca |
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various
artists: the best of every woman's blues
(1998,
cd, usa, ??) feat.lady bianca |
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lady
bianca: best kept secret
(1998,
cd, usa, ??) |
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lady
bianca: rollin'
(2001, cd, usa, rooster blues records 2644) |
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lady
bianca: all by myself
(2003, cd, usa, magic-o 503) |
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lady bianca: let love have it's way
(2005, cd, usa, magic-o 504) |
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86 |
frank zappa:
philly '76
(2009, 2cd, usa, vaulternative records) |
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random notes
AKA Bianca Odin
From: Patrick
First things first. The artist would like the world to know that she is
first and foremost
A LADY and that her name is LADY BIANCA. Ok.
From: murksoyg
How long did she tour with FZ?
From: Charles Ulrich
She was in the band when the tour started on October 16, 1976. She was still
around on November 6, but she was gone by November 19. Bianca sang "You Didn't
Try To Call Me" and "Black Napkins" in virtually every show, but they never got
near Melbourne on the fall 1976 tour. FZ only toured Australia in summer 1973
(the band with Jean-Luc Ponty) and winter 1976 (the band with Roy Estrada,
Napoleon Murphy Brock, and Andre Lewis). All of Bianca's appearances with FZ
were in the eastern United States.
From: Jon Naurin
Her first concert was in Miami, Oct 16 1976. She quit some time between Nov.
11th-16th '76. I.E., the last tape with Bianca is Quebec Nov. 11th
and the first
without her is Toronto Nov 16.
From: murksoyg
Why did she leave?
From: Charles Ulrich
Possibly because audience members wanted her to take her clothes off. I thought
she handled such requests pretty well: "Tell your mama to take *her* clothes
off. And while she's got 'em off, tell her to suck a rat's dick." (10/24/76,
early show)
From: Redtutu
P.S at the time Frank was not pleased with me at all ....he didn't like my
comment to the
person in the audience. and told me so. oh well.....LB
From: Ben Watson (Negative Dialectic Of Poodle
Play)
p. 346
In October 1976 Zappa toured with vocalists Ray White and Bianca Odin (another
strongly gospel-influenced singer), Eddie Jobson (freed from Roxy Music as Bryan
Ferry split for a solo career) on violin and keyboards and the O'Hearn/Bozzio
rhythm section. With so few participants, there was less need for the elaborate
arrangements used for larger forces, and the music was exceptionally fluid -
the sound wet and live. The was room for a great deal of spontaneity. (etc)
p. 498
'Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station' features the rare vocals of Bianca Odin. Her
strong voice and swaggering attitude were perfect, but apprarntly she could not
handle the 'get 'em off' choruses that greeted her appearances on stage: Zappa's
base in rock, the music of American male adolescence, claiming another aesthetic
casualty.
From: Biffyshrew
The original issue of YCDTOSA6 credits her as Bianca Odin; the 1995 reissue
changes the credit to Bianca Thornton. She appears under the latter name on
several Van Morrison albums. The first place I saw her name given as Odin was
in one of the big interviews with FZ in Society Pages USA: I've never seen it
spelled Oden.
From: connah
As I understand it, Bianca lives in East Oakland. My friend was working club
dates with her
back in 1992.
From: Lady Bianca
Hello to you my friend would like to correct you on a few things...
I was Frank for not one month but for almost a year. I was in the band that had
terry bozzio on drums, ray white on guitar, patrick O'hearn on bass and myself
on piano. I was never Bianca Odin or Oden this name was given me by the people
i worked for..my stage name is and has always been Lady Bianca.
I am doing fine and very well here in Oakland CA. I have a Blues CD out on
Telarc Records and am as hot as ever. I want to thank you for your continued i
nterest in my career
-- Lady Bianca
I must add a P. S. Ed Jobson was the main keyboard and
synth player. I did the following songs: advance romance, chrissy puked
twice, dyna moe hum. the torture never stops, you didn't try to call me, wind up
workin at the gas station, and oh yeah i still have my set list and lyrics and
folder of songs i sang..if you are going to dish get the right plate. thank you
Hello Patrick I am doing fine thanks...I have been
raising my family and was singing with van Morrison, until 1985. Then I met my
new husband and producer and song writer and have been singing and recording
ever since. I am now on the hot and rising stars list in the blues world LOL.
I left Frank Zappa because I am a lady. I did not feel I had to be humiliated
by taking off my cloths or letting frank use me as a prop on his show. I feel
that my vocals and musicianship should have sufficed. That is why I left, it
was my choice.
Yes, I have a Jr. CD called "Best Kept Secret" I am now working on my sophomore
CD.
(re: we you really harrassed by the audience?)
Oh yeah to answer the question about the person in the audience in Boston yes he
was very obnoxious and wayyyy out of line! That is why I said what I did to
him. I was unable to deal with him in a normal manner. LOL (that was funny)
You can see my CD pic on
http://www.Telarc.com/releases/release.req?ID=83367
Dear pat...I was on good terms with Frank when I left as
a matter of fact I returned to see some of his performances when he was in
town. We kinda laughed about the whole thing. But it wasn't funny at the
time. The band was just host of incredible musicians and highly talented. I
recommend Ray white for the guitar position and Terry I met when I auditioned
for Frank. Patrick O,Hearn was the most kind and fabulous bassist. I got a
call on the phone one day from intercontinental absurdities and they said Frank
would like me to come down and audition for his band..I said Frank who? Then my
friend said Frank Zappa! (I still didn't know who he was) but I went anyway and
the rest is history. He said you got the gig. I will not tell anymore about the
experiences I had because I am gonna save it for my book.
By the way do you know what happened to the videos he
recorded during that
time i was with
him. that would be something to see.
From: Patrick
If you care to elaborate on your name, I'll post it of course. It looks like
Taj Mahal may have been the first to call you that? Were you always Lady Bianca
and have been trying to shake this Odin stuff all along?
From: Redtutu
(Lady Bianca) was my stage name all the time throughout this whole ordeal, with
Frank Zappa, Van, and even Sly.
Oh and Taj Mahjal (I love him dearly) did not give me my stage name...It was a
man named QUINN Harris...my name is Bianca and he put Lady on the front of the
name because I was very very green in the business. He had a cd out called
QUINN Harris and the Masterminds....out of San Francisco it is a vinyl LP I have
one and maybe about 100 others do as well (it was my very first
recording and
attempt at song writing)
--
Lady Bianca
From: Charles Ulrich
Title: Slowboat to China
Artist: San Francisco Medicine Ball
Year: 1976
Label: Real Turkey Records & Tapes
Instrumentation: three banjos, guitar, string bass, plus numerous guests.
Bianca is credited for lead vocal on "America The Beautiful". The other
noteworthy track is "Caravan"--with a drum solo, naturally. The woman in the
cover photographs is not Bianca, but Amanda Hughes, who sings the title track.
From: Patrick
Here is Lady Bianca's website. Check it out for information on her latest
releases and tourdates, as well as interviews, a biography, and other stuff:
http://www.ladybianca.com
From: Charles Ulrich
(ulrich@sfu.ca)
Lady Bianca (aka Bianca aka Bianca Thornton aka Bianca Odin) has a new album due
June 12. It's entitled Rollin'. CDUniverse is taking advance orders for $11.71.
(CDNow is charging a couple of dollars more.) I couldn't find any information
about the new album at Lady Bianca's own
website, but check
for yourself (http://www.ladybianca.com/).
