By Justin Charles

Project/Object has been performing the music of Frank Zappa world wide for over twenty years, making them one of the premiere Zappa experiences still playing today. For their upcoming fall tour, the group will be joined by two of Zappa’s most well known vocalists, Ike Willis and Ray White, giving the show a new level of authenticity and approval.

Live For Live Music recently caught up with Project/Object founder Andre Cholmondeley, who told us exactly what we can expect on the upcoming tour,

“We’re actually known for covering all of Zappa’s legacy.  Some bands out there, such as the Grandmothers who only cover stuff from 75-78 in the same style as Zappa’s line-ups during that time, only cover a small fraction of the Zappa timeline.  We’re happy to say we do it all.  Having Ike in there really helps this.  He was the longest remaining singer in the band, and was there for a long chunk of Zappa’s history, so he helps us to stay broad in how much of Zappa’s catalog we cover.  We also do a lot from the 88’ tour, which Zappa coins as the year that “wrapped up his career””.

Cholmondeley also shared some of the benefits of playing and touring with Ike and Ray:

“One of our favorite things to do will be just listening to them tell stories of previous experience with Zappa for inspiration.  For example, we’ll be playing in Europe or something, and they’ll turn to each other as we’re approaching the venue and go, “Shit!  I remember playing here!”.

That, in itself, is great fuel for the band’s synergy.  There’s a lot of technical stuff with the music, too.  They’ll specify the miniscule details of a section or a song, help us out with the chord voicing that were originally used, and even lyrical content”.

Project/Object also has faced legal action over the years from Gale Zappa and the Zappa Estate. Cholmondeley explained the situation, and the reason Project/Object is billed as playing “The Music of Frank Zappa and More”,

“Gail Zappa isn’t happy that there are any Zappa related bands out there.  She’s tried multiple times to sue me, she’s gone after a giant Zappa based festival in Germany… She’s got a very confrontational view of people doing this music to say the least.  Having said that, I have learned over the years that it’s better to go a little bit outside of the Zappa catalog to stray away from allowing others to call your musical endeavor a straight imitation.  We do some free-form improv stuff, a few covers, etc.  For example, on this tour, we’ll be covering Whipping Post by The Allman Brothers a few times, a Little Richard tune, and other songs that Zappa covered.  As a retort to Gail, we kind of flaunt the covers as a means of letting her know that even Zappa was walking on the backs of giants.  He himself was guilty of following in the footsteps of his predecessors.”

Catch Project/Object at the Iridium Jazz Club on September 21st and 2nd. Check below for a complete list of tour dates and information. You can learn more about Project/Object at their official website, www.projectobject.com; Learn more about Project/Object’s guest drummer for this tour, Gregg Bendian, at his official website, www.greggbendian.com.

Thu 9/20 Mexicali Live Teaneck NJ

Fri 9/21 Iridium Jazz Club NYC NY

Sat 9/22 Iridium Jazz Club NYC NY

Sun 9/23 Stage One Fairfield CT

Tue 9/25 Iron Horse Northampton MA

Wed 9/26 The Blockley Philadelphia PA

Thu 9/27 Bayou Café Albany NY

Fri 9/28 Nectars Burlingon VT

Sat 9/29 Arch St Tavern Hartford CT