THE BEST BAND YOU NEVER HEARD IN YOUR LIFE

I read FZ interviewed that this release was a companion of "Make a Jazz Noise Here" with this one having the more accessible material and MAJNH with the more challenging music. Both are superb but this is the one with the definitive versions of classic material.

The other release from this tour, "Broadway the Hard Way," is a terrific single disc of new material from that last tour.

The other blurbs I've read here rightly mention the perfect performances of the whole string from "Zomby Woof" through "Sofa #1" but I missed any praise of the dazzling, two-part version of "The Torture Never Stops." The first part features gymnastic arrangements of the vocal portion with a Spike Jones flavor (including the Torture lyrics sung to the tune of the "I Love Lucy" theme). Then, after a diversion or two, he returns to play a ten-minute, forty-seven-second guitar solo that is, for my money, his best single solo in all of his recordings.

I recommend both this set and "Make a Jazz Noise Here" for different takes on this amazing band. (As well as "Broadway the Hard Way.") But, for performance and recording excellence of some of his most popular songs, this is the one to get.