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This album (and a video of the same title) documents the big tribute concert thrown for Frank Zappa (who, it turned out, was too ill to attend) in New York City in November 1991. The show included an odd mix of performers - some ex-Zappa sidemen like Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Steve Vai, and Frank's son Dweezil, as well as some unexpected performers such as not one but two a capella vocal groups (The Persuasions and Rockapella) and vocalist Dale Bozzio (who was married to Zappa drummer Terry Bozzio, and who was the voice of "Mary" on the Joe's Garage concept album). Plus a small orchestra backing up the rock band. The mixture worked out pretty well, with the Persuasions being notably impressive (they would later record their own Zappa tribute album).

The real star of the show, though, is Keneally. His passionate vocals and blistering guitar work carry the majority of this album, and bought him to the attention of many Zappa fans who had previously known him only as a backing guitarist on the 1988 tour. The two members of the FZ-influenced band Mats and Morgan also shine on the keys and drums, as does Scott Thunes (whose bass is cranked way up in the mix on this CD).

Speaking of the mix, that brings us to the album's production, which is unfortunately awful. Rather than presenting the whole concert, certain songs are skipped. That wouldn't be so bad, if it weren't painfully pointed out by segues where just as the listener starts getting interested in the next song it's suddenly faded out. The worst case is probably on the song "Sofa", which was obviously the show closer, ending with a huge barrage of guitar pyrotechnics from Vai. The crowd probably went nuts after that, but they're faded out so fast that it sounds like this impressive display is met by indifferent silence. Keneally was so disappointed in the disc that when "Sofa" won a Grammy for "best live instrumental" (this was just after Frank died), Mike kicked in a window of a Tower Records in disgust (see web links below to get the story straight from the horse's mouth).

If you can get around the bass and treble heavy mix and the songs fading in and out, there are some parts that are still worth hearing. The sly way that the Persuasions (?) slip "Return to Sender" into "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" is priceless. Mike's guitar work on "Moggio" is staggering, and whoever is playing keyboards on that song (Oberg? Ziegenhagen?) matches him note for note. The blending of rock band and orchestra to replicate the synclavier piece "Nite School" is stunning, if not quite perfectly performed (it's still amazing how well they pull it off, given what must have been very limited rehearsal time). The updated sound of "Hungry Freaks, Daddy" has given me a new appreciation of a song that I always thought sounded dated on the original Freak Out. And "Heavenly Bank Account" is given a unique spin by Rockapella (it's definitely a unique experience to hear a gospel-style vocalist belt out lines like "Tax the fuck out of the churches!").

All in all, I'll go along with the conventional wisdom of most FZ fans who say that, given the choice, you should get the video of this event instead of the CD. It includes more songs, with better flow from one to the next, and the sound mix makes it easier to hear how the orchestra was blended with the rock band. Plus you get to see what was going on (that is when the cameramen aren't going overboard with zooming in and out or turning the camera upside down. Why the hell can't rock concerts be filmed in a way that makes them watchable? I blame MTV.) But for Zappa fanatics, the disc is also worth picking up. Those who are considering getting the disc as an intro to Zappa might be better advised to look elsewhere though