GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME
FRANK ZAPPA,
GMOI,
JOHN BERGAMO,
RUTH UNDERWOOD
and more
THE
GRAND
MOTHERS
OF
INVENTION
the only MOI/FZ ALUMNI consistently performing the music of the MAESTRO
since 2003 with literally hundreds of concerts under our collective belts
"EVERYTHING ELSE ISNT"
- featuring original and former members of the Mothers Of Invention including
BUNK GARDNER
(with the Mothers of Invention from 1966-1969)
tenor sax, flute, bassoon, CASIO DH-100, bar walking,
straight man, food critique/commentary and vocals
DON PRESTON
(with the Mothers from 1966-1974)
piano, keyboard synthesizers, electronic wizardry, gongage, wigs,
exploding devices, cycles adjuster, magic hands, Mr. MOTO, and vocals
with
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA
drums, percussion, EAST LA (isms),
invisible Mexican announcer, Art Laboe(isms),
marimba, and vocals
LINKS
BUNK GARDNER ON WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunk_Gardner
BUNK GARDNER ON GLOBALIA
http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/musicians/D-G.html
BUNK GARDNER ON UNITED MUTATIONS
http://www.united-mutations.com/g/bunk_gardner.htm
DON PRESTON ON UNITED MUTATIONS
http://www.united-mutations.com/p/don_preston.htm
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA WEBSITE
http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA ON UNITED MUTATIONS
http://www.united-mutations.com/g/christopher_garcia.htm
NOTE FROM CG
BOBBY BRADFORD
LACMA
DON PRESTON
JOHN BERGAMO
the AWARD WINNING CAL ARTS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
LOONEY BOOMS
GMRI ALUMNUS
GMOI POWER TRIO
BUNK GARDNER
DON PRESTON
I was asked to participate in a panel on jazz and improvisation @ SELF HELP GRAPHICS
in East Los Angeles, CA,USA, summer of 2002
and Bobby Bradford, probably best known for his work with Ornette Coleman's band,
his duos with John Carter and his own groups THE BOBBY BRADFORD MO'TET was there.
After the discussion he asked me to come see his ensemble at LACMA,
which included
William Jeffreys. Chuck Manning Roberto Miranda, Don Preston, Ken Rosser, and Michael Vlatkovich
On their break, Don Preston walked up to me and asked me if I played drumset.
I said yes.
He said, "I thought you only played those drums of India."
I said,
"No, I also play drumset and marimba."
Then he asked me,
"Do you know any Zappa music ?"
And, of course,
John Bergamo, my mentor at CAL ARTS,
worked with Frank Zappa on a few recordings
see list below
John would bring some of these pieces in and the CAL ARTS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
would rehearse and perform these pieces under John Bergamo's direction and ears
That particular CAL ARTS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE featured
Robert Fernandez
Donna de Stefano
M.B. Gordy
Arthur Jarvinen
Leonice Shinneman
Jim Snodgrass
and we participated a percussion ensemble competition
that John Bergamo had signed us up for and we won
best soloist
best duo
and best ensemble
Years later I would co-lead another percussion ensemble with Jeanette Wrate
called LOONEY BOOMS,
we would arrange music by
Bergamo, Bruford, Scott, Stalling, Stravinsky, Washington, Zappa
as well as composing original compositions
So, I said,
"Yeah, I know some tunes. But you need to narrow it down for me a bit,"
since he had 68 records out at the time.
So Don would give me a title and I would sing it back to him.
He then finally asked me if I would like to participate in a reunion with
Napoleon Murphy Brock,
Roy Estrada
Bunk Gardner
Don Preston
with Ken Rosser and myself.
I was told it would be for one time only concert.
Since then we have performed over 500 concerts in
the US, CANADA, EUROPE and AUSTRALIA
performing the music of Frank Zappa with original and former members
of the Mothers Of Invention,
when the band was a band and used to rehearse all the time
not just for 6 weeks before a tour
music they were a huge part of with the maestro between 1962 and 1983.
Since 2002 the band has featured the following FZ ALUMNUS
BASSISTS
Roy Estrada,
Tom Fowler,
David Parlato
GUITARISTS
Denny Walley
PERCUSSIONIST
Ed Mann
SAXOPHONISTS
Napoleon Murphy Brock,
Bunk Gardner
and non FZ alumnus
BASSISTS
David Johnsen,
Eric Klerks
DRUMMER
Johnny VATOS Hernandez
who graciously subbed 2 concerts for me
for years my music was being performed by different
ensembles I put together and I was subbing out my own performance
so that I could play with the MOTHERS and I realized I could no longer do that
as my music continues to be performed in the US, CANADA, MEXICO, ITALY and more
GUITARISTS
Ken Rosser
Miroslav Tadic
Robbie SEAHAG Mangano
Mike Miller
Max Kutner
THE GRAND MOTHERS POWER TRIO
2015 - 2016
JOHN LEON GUARNERA AKA BUNK GARDNER
woodwinds, bar walking upside down, straight man
Bunk and Don had been doing various versions of the GMs for years
and then in 2002 we met and started rehearsing for a 1 time concert
to be held at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, DE in 2003, it was recorded
and released by WB. Bunk went into semi retirement in 2005 and took
care of family business, and now he is back, playing his jazzed inflected
solos in the midst of MOI/FZ contexted chaos and doing a great, he also
steals the show every night during the doo wop tunes............
DON PRESTON
pianos, keyboard synths, phone synths, gongs etc.,.
Don Preston, is not an original member of the Mothers of Invention,
but an ORIGINAL player/composer nonetheless
and the first official keyboard player for the MOI
(Don joined FZ after the 1st record, and was asked back by FZ several times throughout his career)
Anyone remember the other 2 keyboardists that played on FREAK OUT that never toured
with the band?????
While most folks in the rock world know Dr. Don Preston for his work with the MOI/FZ
he is widely known in jazz circles for own unique trailblazing with jazz heavies
and electronic music.
Don has performed with artists like:
Frank Zappa, Lou Rawls, Al Jarreau, Nat King Cole,
Billy Daniels, Johnnie Ray, Vaughn Monroe, Connie Francis,
Herbie Mann, Elvin Jones, Charlie Haden,
Art Davis, Zakir Hussain, Paul Bley, Carla Bley, Joe Beck,
Shorty Rogers, Leo Sayer, Charles Lloyd,
Nelson Riddle, J.R. Monterose, Flo & Eddie , Yusef Lateef,
Don Ellis, Meredith Monk, Bobby Bradford, Michael Mantler
The "father of modern synthesis".
Don is always, full of surprises, I think he even surprises himself sometimes.
He continues to pull off amazing MOOG solos on keyboards, IPODs
and ladders(!) combined with his acerbic wit and Donnyisms.
Something only Preston can do.
A true original by any standards,
the only vegetarian I know who refuses to eat anything green(!)
Donnie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/musicians/M-Q.html#PrestonDon
http://www.united-mutations.com/p/don_preston.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Preston
and as for me,....................
http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/index.html
or
http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/previous-performances.html
I was also exposed to percussion ensemble music thru John Bergamo
e.g.,
Cage, Cowell, Harrison, Varese, Zappa etc., to name a few
Ruth Underwood also came by to give master classes (1979)
I remember sight reading Ganassi on marimba while she walked around and behind us
looking over our collective shoulders
she gave each of us a copy of the BACH cello suites and hand wrote our names on each copy
mine sits on my shelf as I type this
she also gave us pointers on performing THE BLACK PAGE PART 1 among other things
In 1979 I was asked by Arthur (While you were Art) Jarvinen
to go to her home and pick up some music that she had for us
I also had an opportunity to meet her husband, Ian Underwood,
at their home at that time
they probably don't remember, but I recall every detail
I went to CAL ARTS specifically to study North Indian tabla and had no idea at the time that
in order to maintain my scholarship that I would have to play in a Western percussion
ensemble under the direction of MAESTRO John Bergamo
we were given an opportunity to rehearse,
and bring that music to life with various CAL ARTS monster percussionists
including
Arthur (While you were Art) Jarvinen,
MB Gordy,
Bob Fernandez,
Donna deStafano,
Leonice Shinemann,
Jim Snodgrass
etc.
we also won the percussion ensemble competition among universities
from west of the Mississippi, performing among other pieces,
THE BLACK PAGE PART 1 in 1979
which Bergamo had recorded on LIVE IN NEW YORK
I remember that every other percussion ensemble were wearing matching uniforms,
and had drums that were the same color
and performing Bach and Handel on multiple marimbas
we didnt do that
each ensemble had 20 minutes to set up, play and tear down
we did
a hand drum piece - every member playing a hand drum
most percussion ensembles at that time just playing "western orchestral percussion"
INTERACTIONS by John Bergamo
- every member with a multiple percussion set up
and
THE BLACK PAGE PART 1 by Frank Zappa
with 5 of us on mallets, and 1 of us on drumset
one of the percussionists asked John while we were rehearsing,
"do you think this is legitimate, people are playing Bach and Handel,
and we are playing ZAPPA among other things?"
and Bergamo answered,
" are you kidding, the judges are going to be lost by the time we get to the 3rd bar..."
THANKS TO
MAESTRO JOHN BERGAMO,
PANDIT TARNATH RAO
SWAPAN CHAUDHURI
CAL ARTS - for the full scholarship
and every member of that ensemble
for giving me tremendous opportunity after tremendous opportunity
THE GMOI
the ONLY MOI/ZAPPA ALUMNI CONSISTENTLY
performing the music of THE MAESTRO since
1980
no one else even comes close
THESE GUYS ROCK AND ROLL
individually and collectively Bunk and Don
played and made the music with FZ,
day in, day out
week in, week out,
month in, month out,
year in, year out
and contributed mightily to it's existence
they literally have thousands of hours and decades playing and making
this music under their collective belts
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE and INTENTION = the X FACTOR:
that can NEVER be bought,
that can NEVER be replaced,
that can NEVER be replicated,
that can NEVER be paid for
and/or taken away from these guys
by anyone...............
they are ALL truly "ORIGINALS"
FZ thought so,
and worked with them in various incarnations over the years
in and out of the studio and on the road and on film
if he didn't think so he wouldn't continue to work with them
if you weren't there you don't know
if you don't know you can't say
if you can't say?????????
"Nuff said"
some folks think that music is relegated to only the notes on a page
if that is true,
then every string quartet,
every chamber group,
every symphonic orchestra would sound exactly the same
THEY DON'T
other people will continue to play this music
but the GMOI will continue to MAKE this music
no one does this music like these guys
no one
"If you've got ears you've gotta listen"
nod to Don Van Vliet
check them out while you can ..........
or better yet
hear it directly from THE MAESTRO
FRANK ZAPPA,
GMOI,
JOHN BERGAMO,
RUTH UNDERWOOD
and more
THE
GRAND
MOTHERS
OF
INVENTION
the only MOI/FZ ALUMNI consistently performing the music of the MAESTRO
since 2003 with literally hundreds of concerts under our collective belts
"EVERYTHING ELSE ISNT"
- featuring original and former members of the Mothers Of Invention including
BUNK GARDNER
(with the Mothers of Invention from 1966-1969)
tenor sax, flute, bassoon, CASIO DH-100, bar walking,
straight man, food critique/commentary and vocals
DON PRESTON
(with the Mothers from 1966-1974)
piano, keyboard synthesizers, electronic wizardry, gongage, wigs,
exploding devices, cycles adjuster, magic hands, Mr. MOTO, and vocals
with
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA
drums, percussion, EAST LA (isms),
invisible Mexican announcer, Art Laboe(isms),
marimba, and vocals
LINKS
BUNK GARDNER ON WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunk_Gardner
BUNK GARDNER ON GLOBALIA
http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/musicians/D-G.html
BUNK GARDNER ON UNITED MUTATIONS
http://www.united-mutations.com/g/bunk_gardner.htm
DON PRESTON ON UNITED MUTATIONS
http://www.united-mutations.com/p/don_preston.htm
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA WEBSITE
http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA ON UNITED MUTATIONS
http://www.united-mutations.com/g/christopher_garcia.htm
NOTE FROM CG
BOBBY BRADFORD
LACMA
DON PRESTON
JOHN BERGAMO
the AWARD WINNING CAL ARTS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
LOONEY BOOMS
GMRI ALUMNUS
GMOI POWER TRIO
BUNK GARDNER
DON PRESTON
I was asked to participate in a panel on jazz and improvisation @ SELF HELP GRAPHICS
in East Los Angeles, CA,USA, summer of 2002
and Bobby Bradford, probably best known for his work with Ornette Coleman's band,
his duos with John Carter and his own groups THE BOBBY BRADFORD MO'TET was there.
After the discussion he asked me to come see his ensemble at LACMA,
which included
William Jeffreys. Chuck Manning Roberto Miranda, Don Preston, Ken Rosser, and Michael Vlatkovich
On their break, Don Preston walked up to me and asked me if I played drumset.
I said yes.
He said, "I thought you only played those drums of India."
I said,
"No, I also play drumset and marimba."
Then he asked me,
"Do you know any Zappa music ?"
And, of course,
John Bergamo, my mentor at CAL ARTS,
worked with Frank Zappa on a few recordings
see list below
- Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra (September 1975) percussion
- Zappa In New York (1978) percussion
- Studio Tan (1978) percussion
- Orchestral Favorites (1979) percussion
- Tinsel Town Rebellion (1981) percussion
- Läther (1996) percussion
- QuAUDIOPHILIAc (2004) percussion
- One Shot Deal (2008) percussion
John would bring some of these pieces in and the CAL ARTS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
would rehearse and perform these pieces under John Bergamo's direction and ears
That particular CAL ARTS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE featured
Robert Fernandez
Donna de Stefano
M.B. Gordy
Arthur Jarvinen
Leonice Shinneman
Jim Snodgrass
and we participated a percussion ensemble competition
that John Bergamo had signed us up for and we won
best soloist
best duo
and best ensemble
Years later I would co-lead another percussion ensemble with Jeanette Wrate
called LOONEY BOOMS,
we would arrange music by
Bergamo, Bruford, Scott, Stalling, Stravinsky, Washington, Zappa
as well as composing original compositions
So, I said,
"Yeah, I know some tunes. But you need to narrow it down for me a bit,"
since he had 68 records out at the time.
So Don would give me a title and I would sing it back to him.
He then finally asked me if I would like to participate in a reunion with
Napoleon Murphy Brock,
Roy Estrada
Bunk Gardner
Don Preston
with Ken Rosser and myself.
I was told it would be for one time only concert.
Since then we have performed over 500 concerts in
the US, CANADA, EUROPE and AUSTRALIA
performing the music of Frank Zappa with original and former members
of the Mothers Of Invention,
when the band was a band and used to rehearse all the time
not just for 6 weeks before a tour
music they were a huge part of with the maestro between 1962 and 1983.
Since 2002 the band has featured the following FZ ALUMNUS
BASSISTS
Roy Estrada,
Tom Fowler,
David Parlato
GUITARISTS
Denny Walley
PERCUSSIONIST
Ed Mann
SAXOPHONISTS
Napoleon Murphy Brock,
Bunk Gardner
and non FZ alumnus
BASSISTS
David Johnsen,
Eric Klerks
DRUMMER
Johnny VATOS Hernandez
who graciously subbed 2 concerts for me
for years my music was being performed by different
ensembles I put together and I was subbing out my own performance
so that I could play with the MOTHERS and I realized I could no longer do that
as my music continues to be performed in the US, CANADA, MEXICO, ITALY and more
GUITARISTS
Ken Rosser
Miroslav Tadic
Robbie SEAHAG Mangano
Mike Miller
Max Kutner
THE GRAND MOTHERS POWER TRIO
2015 - 2016
JOHN LEON GUARNERA AKA BUNK GARDNER
woodwinds, bar walking upside down, straight man
Bunk and Don had been doing various versions of the GMs for years
and then in 2002 we met and started rehearsing for a 1 time concert
to be held at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, DE in 2003, it was recorded
and released by WB. Bunk went into semi retirement in 2005 and took
care of family business, and now he is back, playing his jazzed inflected
solos in the midst of MOI/FZ contexted chaos and doing a great, he also
steals the show every night during the doo wop tunes............
DON PRESTON
pianos, keyboard synths, phone synths, gongs etc.,.
Don Preston, is not an original member of the Mothers of Invention,
but an ORIGINAL player/composer nonetheless
and the first official keyboard player for the MOI
(Don joined FZ after the 1st record, and was asked back by FZ several times throughout his career)
Anyone remember the other 2 keyboardists that played on FREAK OUT that never toured
with the band?????
While most folks in the rock world know Dr. Don Preston for his work with the MOI/FZ
he is widely known in jazz circles for own unique trailblazing with jazz heavies
and electronic music.
Don has performed with artists like:
Frank Zappa, Lou Rawls, Al Jarreau, Nat King Cole,
Billy Daniels, Johnnie Ray, Vaughn Monroe, Connie Francis,
Herbie Mann, Elvin Jones, Charlie Haden,
Art Davis, Zakir Hussain, Paul Bley, Carla Bley, Joe Beck,
Shorty Rogers, Leo Sayer, Charles Lloyd,
Nelson Riddle, J.R. Monterose, Flo & Eddie , Yusef Lateef,
Don Ellis, Meredith Monk, Bobby Bradford, Michael Mantler
The "father of modern synthesis".
Don is always, full of surprises, I think he even surprises himself sometimes.
He continues to pull off amazing MOOG solos on keyboards, IPODs
and ladders(!) combined with his acerbic wit and Donnyisms.
Something only Preston can do.
A true original by any standards,
the only vegetarian I know who refuses to eat anything green(!)
Donnie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/musicians/M-Q.html#PrestonDon
http://www.united-mutations.com/p/don_preston.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Preston
and as for me,....................
http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/index.html
or
http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/previous-performances.html
I was also exposed to percussion ensemble music thru John Bergamo
e.g.,
Cage, Cowell, Harrison, Varese, Zappa etc., to name a few
Ruth Underwood also came by to give master classes (1979)
I remember sight reading Ganassi on marimba while she walked around and behind us
looking over our collective shoulders
she gave each of us a copy of the BACH cello suites and hand wrote our names on each copy
mine sits on my shelf as I type this
she also gave us pointers on performing THE BLACK PAGE PART 1 among other things
In 1979 I was asked by Arthur (While you were Art) Jarvinen
to go to her home and pick up some music that she had for us
I also had an opportunity to meet her husband, Ian Underwood,
at their home at that time
they probably don't remember, but I recall every detail
I went to CAL ARTS specifically to study North Indian tabla and had no idea at the time that
in order to maintain my scholarship that I would have to play in a Western percussion
ensemble under the direction of MAESTRO John Bergamo
we were given an opportunity to rehearse,
and bring that music to life with various CAL ARTS monster percussionists
including
Arthur (While you were Art) Jarvinen,
MB Gordy,
Bob Fernandez,
Donna deStafano,
Leonice Shinemann,
Jim Snodgrass
etc.
we also won the percussion ensemble competition among universities
from west of the Mississippi, performing among other pieces,
THE BLACK PAGE PART 1 in 1979
which Bergamo had recorded on LIVE IN NEW YORK
I remember that every other percussion ensemble were wearing matching uniforms,
and had drums that were the same color
and performing Bach and Handel on multiple marimbas
we didnt do that
each ensemble had 20 minutes to set up, play and tear down
we did
a hand drum piece - every member playing a hand drum
most percussion ensembles at that time just playing "western orchestral percussion"
INTERACTIONS by John Bergamo
- every member with a multiple percussion set up
and
THE BLACK PAGE PART 1 by Frank Zappa
with 5 of us on mallets, and 1 of us on drumset
one of the percussionists asked John while we were rehearsing,
"do you think this is legitimate, people are playing Bach and Handel,
and we are playing ZAPPA among other things?"
and Bergamo answered,
" are you kidding, the judges are going to be lost by the time we get to the 3rd bar..."
THANKS TO
MAESTRO JOHN BERGAMO,
PANDIT TARNATH RAO
SWAPAN CHAUDHURI
CAL ARTS - for the full scholarship
and every member of that ensemble
for giving me tremendous opportunity after tremendous opportunity
THE GMOI
the ONLY MOI/ZAPPA ALUMNI CONSISTENTLY
performing the music of THE MAESTRO since
1980
no one else even comes close
THESE GUYS ROCK AND ROLL
individually and collectively Bunk and Don
played and made the music with FZ,
day in, day out
week in, week out,
month in, month out,
year in, year out
and contributed mightily to it's existence
they literally have thousands of hours and decades playing and making
this music under their collective belts
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE and INTENTION = the X FACTOR:
that can NEVER be bought,
that can NEVER be replaced,
that can NEVER be replicated,
that can NEVER be paid for
and/or taken away from these guys
by anyone...............
they are ALL truly "ORIGINALS"
FZ thought so,
and worked with them in various incarnations over the years
in and out of the studio and on the road and on film
if he didn't think so he wouldn't continue to work with them
if you weren't there you don't know
if you don't know you can't say
if you can't say?????????
"Nuff said"
some folks think that music is relegated to only the notes on a page
if that is true,
then every string quartet,
every chamber group,
every symphonic orchestra would sound exactly the same
THEY DON'T
other people will continue to play this music
but the GMOI will continue to MAKE this music
no one does this music like these guys
no one
"If you've got ears you've gotta listen"
nod to Don Van Vliet
check them out while you can ..........
or better yet
hear it directly from THE MAESTRO
"For me it was always more interesting to encounter a musician who had a unique ability,
find a way to showcase that and build that unusual skill into a composition so that forever
and ever afterward that composition would be stamped with the personality of the person
who was there when the composition was created."
FRANK ZAPPA
a part of BBC Late Show with Matthew Collings
"BBC Television Tribute" 1993.
GO HERE TO SEE THE WHOLE INTERVIEW
<a>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDryzF</a>...