The Supernova that Was Jazz-Rock Fusion

There is no denying Frank Zappa's penchant for fusion: almost every thing he ever did was the product of the fusion of many musical genres, styles, or elements--including DooWop, musique concrète , Rock-In-Opposition, classical and jazz, avant garde, parody and satire, and so many others. His crazy, often-ridiculously-complex compositions were all informed and made manifest through the formidable musicianship that he demanded from his revolving door of virtuoso musicians.      As Jazz-Rock Fusion was emerging and forming out of its primordial soup,  Frank was there on its fringes, releasing album after album of non-traditional jazz, rock, and classically-infused musics, some that feel closer to "fitting in" to the core, many that feel related but tangentially askew of the dominant sounds and forms that helped define the new paradigm. It is for this reason that I've accompanied each Zappa/Mothers of Invention release with a number score sitting parenthetically next to...