"'Joe's Domage' is one of a possible 15 to 20 scheduled releases for the near future, collectively called 'Joe's Corsaga'. If this CD is any indication of what is to come, this Zappa fan won't be along for the journey.
Noted as a 'lost rehearsal tape' from 1972 sessions, 'Joe's Domage' is just that - a rehearsal tape! Just Frank and his band noodling around on pieces that show up on 'Waka/Jawaka' and 'The Grand Wazoo'. If you're a Zappa fanatic/collector who wonders what it would have been like to be a fly on the wall during these sessions, you might get something out of this. At $20 to $25, I found this CD to be way overpriced and sort of a cheap way to make a buck. While I never met the man, I have a hard time believing that Frank would have approved of this release. My faith in the 'Zappa Family Trust' has taken a serious blow...
If you're interested in this CD and do not own 'Waka/Jawaka' or 'The Grand Wazoo', purchase them instead. Excellent albums in which all of the material on this collection is fully realized and sounding great!! I rated this collection with two stars instead of one only because I really like what the pieces on here later become and as a big fan, I had a hard time giving anything of Zappa's that low of rating."
Not a grammy winner
Patrik Lemberg | Tammisaari Finland | 12/10/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"It is an unfortunate thing, but this is possibly the worst release by the Zappa Family Trust since Frank's passing. I cannot be 100% sure of this as I haven't heard "Joe's Corsage" (which, as well as upcoming releases in this "corsaga," I probably won't give any attention.)
I own every official FZ release (over 80 CD's) and some unofficial releases as well, so I am very familiar with all of his recorded music, and recognize what is being rehearsed here (music, that as finished products I very much enjoy.) This is a 1972 recording of the rehearsals for the recordings of "The Grand Wazoo" and "Waka/Jawaka." The whole album is of poor audio quality as it has been transferred from a C-90 cassette! It can be especially bothersome where the whole band is rehearsing simultaneously, as it distorts so much that you can't help making a face.
Mostly throughout the recording, though, only a few musicians are practicing their parts together (sometimes while someone else might be practicing another part or speaking in the background.) It gets messy at times.
No songs are being played from beginning to end - far from it, and the last track ends abruptly (in the middle of one of Frank's sentences.)
It seems to be a one microphone recording, and is of similar sound quality as recordings I've made while leading rehearsals with one of my bands (which has been made on a portable tape recorder in a basement.)
I guess this CD could be a useful listen for someone who's interested in simplifying the process of transcribing a few brass lines from some of the songs that are being rehearsed, but aside from such use, I don't think this is a disc that people are going to listen to more than once, as opposed to "Everything is Healing Nicely" (the rehearsals for "The Yellow Shark") which, despite being a rehearsal tape, is quite entertaining and of good sound quality.
While I'd assume it is a question of budget (and maybe a battle of rights for some recordings,) I honestly do not understand why the Zappa Family Trust aren't releasing the tons of unreleased concert recordings on both audio and video instead of a 55 minute long early-in-the-process rehearsal tape of poor quality. Long time FZ fans have expressed high anticipation for such releases as the Roxy concerts on DVD - a project for which a trailer was released on the 2003 edition of "Baby Snakes," but seems to have been buried or set aside. THAT, though, would light up the lives of many FZ fans and make money internationally...
"Joe's Domage" would be highly appreciated as bonus audio material on a DVD, but as a separate production it sadly fails.
It's a shame to have to give an official FZ release a rating this low, but it was a big let down - especially considering the price of the CD..."
The FZT (esp Gail) is Conning Us
x | USA | 01/14/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)
"It is unbelievable that with so many professionally recorded Zappa shows sitting in the vaults of the FZT, with so many projects deserving of reissue (e.g., "Beat the Boots #2"), with so much professionally recorded film footage yet to surface, that the FZT gives the loyal fans "Joe's Domage," a moderately interesting but overall meaningless collection of music that would only be worthy of release once the good stuff sitting in the vaults is freed from the ideological tyranny, stinginess, and greed of the FZT. Buy "Joe's Domage" used if you can--don't reward the creators of this effort. The sound is shoddy and the tunes are incomplete, fragmented jams. Evidently the FZT is going to milk Frank's music to such an absurd extent that they are putting out the poor, meaningless releases before they ever issue anything of value. They are going to ride this train as long as they can--all at the expense of the fans.
No, wait, this whole thing is entirely believable. It is the FZT."
This is for people who like behind the scenes stuff...
E. Tims | 05/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Don't judge this as another Zappa album. It's a little documentary of the rehearsal of some of the best music you'll ever hear (Great Wazoo and Waka/Jawaka). The sound quality is not the same as a real album - that's not what this is. But if, like me, you've listened to those two albums mentioned with pure admiring pleasure, you might find this little peek into the process of their creation very interesting. I guess not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it!
I'm giving it 5 stars because it was such a pleasant surprise for me to run across this CD; I didn't know this material existed."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1