While most of the discussions of
Frank Zappa
have to do with his satirical and off-color lyrics, the fact remains that he was one of the finest and most underappreciated guitarists around. This collection places the spotlight squarely on
Zappa
's mastery of the guitar. Recorded for the most part in 1979 and 1980 (with a few tracks dating as far back as 1977),
Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar
is simply a collection of guitar solos. Even though most of the tracks were just edited out of their original song context, they fare well as stand-alone pieces, as
was an ever-inventive player. Take, for example, the three versions of
"Shut Up."
These tracks were simply the guitar solos from
"Inca Roads,"
but thanks to
's ability for "instant composition," each version has its own complete story to tell, without ever being redundant. Other highlights are the
reggae
-tinged
"Treacherous Cretins"
and the beautiful
"Pink Napkins."
In addition to the electric guitar mangling contained on
, there are a couple of rare tracks that feature
on acoustic guitar in a trio with
Warren Cuccurullo
on acoustic rhythm guitar and
Vinnie Colaiuta
on drums. In fact, special mention goes to
Colaiuta
for his polyrhythmic daring all over this album. All bandmembers play great throughout, but
's playing is mind blowing. The album closes with another oddity: a gorgeous duet between
on electric bouzouki and
Jean-Luc Ponty
on baritone violin. This is an album that should be heard by anyone who's into guitar playing. Highly recommended. ~ Sean Westergaard