the grand wazoo

The Grand Wazoo is a dutch band. They borrowed their name from the famous Zappa album, and have various Zappa-references in their repertoire. Think of songs entitled 'Plastic People', or 'Guacomole Queen'.

Grand Wazoo is:

• Milan Mes (trompet)

• Franke van der Molen (saxofoons)

• Sven Hamerpagt (gitaar)

• Martijn van der Riet (basgitaar)

• Felix Schlarmann (drums)

• Annejan Reijn (elektronica)

from the band's website: www.grandwazoo.nl

On the phenomenon of Grand Wazoo

[statement]
Grand Wazoo Jazzes. Jams. Funks. Screams. Whispers. Listens. Laidback. Straight up. Is raw. Sweet. Experimental. Traditional. Likes seven beats in one bar. Is not afraid of quadruple time. Likes analogue. Likes digital. Is nu-jazz. Electronic downtempo funk. Post jazzrock. Is... itself.

[flashback]
It's spring 2003. Scene; 52° 22' latitude, 4° 55' longitude (estimated). In the hotbed of the Amsterdam music scene a couple of likeminded souls meet. Their mission: to create transgressing psycho-acoustic experiences. How? By forming a band. By with this band creating original music that combines composition and improvisation, jazz and groove. By spreading this music through live performance, recording media and miscellaneous means of communication. And then see what happens. Grand Wazoo is born. From day one Grand Wazoo writes its own music. At first its style is best described as progressive analogue jazz-funk, as can be heard on the first, self-titled cd "Grand Wazoo" (2004). In 2004 the band starts integrating live-electronics into its music. Grand Wazoo's first steps in this wondrous digital world are recorded on the recently issued cd "Room 19". At the moment the band is further expanding its repertoire in which electronic and acoustic instrumentation, improvisation and groove are welded into a distinctive whole.

discography