Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra was a group of Hollywood session musician
s organized by Frank Zappa
in 1967 to record music for his first solo album Lumpy Gravy
. Some of these musicians are thought to have worked together in various combinations under the leadership of Ken Shroyer as far back as 1959. However, it was Zappa who gave them the name several years later.
In 1975 Zappa organized another group using the same name which involved a few of the same musicians. This group recorded music for the album Orchestral Favorites
. Zappa's Orchestral Favorites album was not released until 1979.
In 1983 soundtrack music for The Chipmunks
was recorded by yet another permutation using the same name but organized without the involvement of Zappa or Shroyer. The last appearance by this later ensemble was on the Who Framed Roger Rabbit
soundtrack in 1988.
Dates that each musician performed with the group are contained in parentheses. These dates may be approximate.
The following performed spoken dialog on Lumpy Gravy but were not members of the orchestra and did not play an instrument:
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s organized by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
in 1967 to record music for his first solo album Lumpy Gravy
Lumpy Gravy
Lumpy Gravy is the first solo album by Frank Zappa, originally released in 1967, but not generally available until May 1968. Zappa was credited as conductor on the album cover and he described the contents as "a curiously inconsistent piece, which started out to be a BALLET, but probably didn't...
. Some of these musicians are thought to have worked together in various combinations under the leadership of Ken Shroyer as far back as 1959. However, it was Zappa who gave them the name several years later.
In 1975 Zappa organized another group using the same name which involved a few of the same musicians. This group recorded music for the album Orchestral Favorites
Orchestral Favorites
Orchestral Favorites is an album by Frank Zappa first released in May, 1979 on his own DiscReet Records label. The album is instrumental and features music performed by the 37-piece Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra...
. Zappa's Orchestral Favorites album was not released until 1979.
In 1983 soundtrack music for The Chipmunks
The Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
was recorded by yet another permutation using the same name but organized without the involvement of Zappa or Shroyer. The last appearance by this later ensemble was on the Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 American fantasy-comedy-noir film directed by Robert Zemeckis and released by Touchstone Pictures. The film combines live action and animation, and is based on Gary K. Wolf's novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, which depicts a world in which cartoon characters...
soundtrack in 1988.
Dates that each musician performed with the group are contained in parentheses. These dates may be approximate.
Musician credits for Lumpy Gravy (1967)
- Harold Ayres - violin (1959–1974)
- John Balkin - bass (1959–1974)
- Arnold Belnick - violin (1959–1974)
- Harold G. Bemko - cello (1959–1974)
- Chuck Berghofer - bass (1959–1974)
- Jimmy Bond - bass (1959–1974)
- Dennis Budimir - guitar (1959–1979)
- Frankie Capp - drums (also Latin percussion, 1959–1979)
- Don Christlieb - bassoon, contra bassoon (1959–1979)
- Gene Cipriano - oboe, flute, bass flute, E flat clarinet, bass clarinet, contra bass clarinet (1959–1979)
- Vincent DeRosaVincent DeRosaVincent DeRosa is a Los Angeles studio musician who played horn for Hollywood soundtracks and other recordings from 1935-2008.-Early Life and Training:...
- French horn (1959–1974) - Joseph DiFiore - viola (1959–1974)
- Jesse Ehrlich - cello (1959–1974)
- Alan Estes - percussion (1959–1974)
- Gene Estes - percussion (also mallets, tympani, Latin percussion)(1959–1974)
- Victor FeldmanVictor FeldmanVictor Stanley Feldman was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.-Early history:...
- percussion (also mallets, tympani, Latin percussion)(1959–1979) - Bunk GardnerBunk GardnerJohn Leon "Bunk" Gardner born . Gardner is a American musician who most notably played for Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention until the group disbanded in 1969. He plays woodwinds and tenor sax....
- flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, bass, soprano, tenor saxes (1959–1979)(left after participation in AnimalympicsAnimalympicsAnimalympics is a 1980 animated film produced by Lisberger Studios and released by Warner Bros.. Originally commissioned by the NBC network as two separate specials, it spoofs the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, and features the voices of Billy Crystal, Gilda Radner, Harry Shearer and Michael...
scoring session) - James Getzoff - violin (1959–1979)
- Philip GoldbergPhilip GoldbergPhilip S. Goldberg is a United States diplomat who was Ambassador to Bolivia and was expelled by the Bolivian government in 2008, the eighth chief of mission in US diplomatic history to be declared persona non grata...
- viola (1959–1974) - John GuerinJohn GuerinJohn Payne Guerin worked as a drummer, percussionist, and recording artist worldwide.Guerin was born in Hawaii and raised in San Diego. As a young drummer he began performing with Buddy DeFranco in 1960...
- drums (1959–1974) - Jim Haynes - guitar (1959–1974)
- Harry Hyams - viola (1959–1974)
- Jules Jacob - oboe, English horn, flute, piccolo, tenor sax (1959–1974)
- Pete JollyPete JollyPete Jolly was an American West Coast jazz pianist and accordionist....
- piano, celeste, electric harpsichord (1959–1974) - Raymond J. Kelley - cello (1959–1974)
- Jerome A. Kessler - cello (1959–1974)
- Alexander Koltun - violin (1959–1974)
- Bernard Kundell - violin (1959–1974)
- William Kurasch - violin (1959–1974)
- Mike Lang - keyboards (also celeste, electric harpsichord)(1959–1974)
- Leonard Malarsky - strings (1959–1974)
- Shelly ManneShelly ManneShelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
- drums (1959–1979) - Lincoln MayorgaLincoln MayorgaLincoln Mayorga is an American pianist, arranger, conductor and composer who has worked in rock and roll, pop, jazz and classical music.-Pop music in the 1950s and 60s:...
- piano, celeste, electric harpsichord piano, celeste, electric harpsichord (1959–1979) - Arthur Maebe - French horn (1959–1974)
- Ted NashTed Nash (saxophonist, born 1922)Ted Nash was born in Boston, Massachusetts on Oct. 31, 1922. His brother Dick Nash became a famous trombonist. He first played at Club 15 and when drafted was labeled 4F because of his back. In 1944 Ted joined Les Brown's Band of Renown. He was met at Union Station by Butch Stone, the band's...
- flute, bass flute, alto sax, contra b. clarinet, clarinet, bass clarinet (1959–1974) - Richard Parisi (Perrisi) - French horn (1959–1974)
- Jerome J. Reisler - violin (1959–1974)
- Emil RichardsEmil RichardsEmil Richards, born Emilio Joseph Radocchia on September 2, 1932 in Hartford, Connecticut, is a percussionist who plays a variety of different percussion instruments.-Biography:...
- percussion (also mallets, tympani, Latin percussion)(1959–1979) - Lyle Ritts (Ritz) - bass (1959–1974)
- Tony Rizzi - guitar (1959–1974)
- Johnny Rotella - flute, piccolo, baritone sax, E flat contra clarinet, bass clarinet, clarinet, bass and alto sax (1959–1979)
- Joseph Saxon - cello (1959–1974)
- Ralph Schaeffer - violin (1959–1979)
- Leonard Selic - viola (1959–1979)
- Ken Shroyer - tenor and bass trombone, bass trumpet (also formed the orchestra)(1959–1974)
- Paul SmithPaul Smith (pianist)Paul Smith , is a jazz pianist. He has performed in various genres of jazz, most typically bebop. However, he has also performed in cool jazz, swing music, and traditional pop.He was born in San Diego, California...
- piano, celeste, electric harpsichord (1959–1979) - Tommy TedescoTommy TedescoThomas J. Tedesco was an American master session musician and renowned jazz and bebop guitarist.Tedesco's credits include the iconic brand-burning accompaniment theme from television's Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Vic Mizzy's iconic theme from Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley's '68...
- guitar (also bells, bongos)(1959–1974) - Al ViolaAl ViolaAlfred Viola was an American jazz guitarist who worked with Frank Sinatra for 25 years and also played the mandolin on the soundtrack of the film The Godfather.-Biography:...
- guitar (1959–1974) - Bob West - bass (1959–1974)
- Tibor Zelig - violin (1959–1974)
- Jimmy Zito - trumpet (also flugelhorn, piccolo)(1959–1974)
The following performed spoken dialog on Lumpy Gravy but were not members of the orchestra and did not play an instrument:
- Bruce HamptonBruce HamptonBruce Hampton is a surrealist American musician. In the late 1960s he was a founding member of Atlanta, Georgia's avant-garde Hampton Grease Band...
- chorus - Harold Kelling - chorus
- John Kilgore - chorus
- Charlie Phillips - chorus
- Ronnie Williams - chorus
Musician credits for Orchestral Favorites (1975)
- Mike Altschul - flute and clarinet (1975–1988)
- Terry BozzioTerry BozzioTerry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
- drums (1975) - Bobby Dubow - violin (1975–1988)
- David Duke (musician) - French horn (1959–1979)
- Earle Dumler - oboe (1975–1988)
- Bruce FowlerBruce FowlerBruce Lambourne Fowler is a prominent American trombone player and composer. He notably played trombone on many Frank Zappa records, as well as with Captain Beefheart, and in the Fowler Brothers Band...
- trombone (1975–1988) - Pamela Goldsmith - viola (1975–1988)
- Dana Hughes - bass trombone (1975–1988)
- Jerry Kessler - cello (1975–1988)
- Mike Lang - keyboards (1975–1988)
- Joann McNab - bassoon (1975–1988)
- Malcolm McNabMalcolm McNabMalcolm Boyd McNab is a trumpeter and player of other brass instruments, and a Los Angeles-based session musician who has performed on nearly 2000 film and television soundtracks.-Education:...
- trumpet (1975–1988) - Dave Parlato - bass (1975)
- Ray Reed - flute (1975–1988)
- Emil RichardsEmil RichardsEmil Richards, born Emilio Joseph Radocchia on September 2, 1932 in Hartford, Connecticut, is a percussionist who plays a variety of different percussion instruments.-Biography:...
- percussion (1959–1979) - David Shostac - flute (1975–1988)
- John Wittenberg - violin (1975–1988)
Musician credits for other versions of a group using the same name
- John BergamoJohn BergamoJohn Bergamo is an American percussionist and composer. Since 1970 he has been the coordinator of the percussion department at the California Institute of the Arts....
- percussion (1975–1988) - Arthur E. Briegleb - French horn (1959–1974)
- Jock Ellis - trombone (1975–1988)
- Gene Goe - trumpet (1975–1988)
- Ralph Grierson - keyboards keyboards (1980–1988)
- Raymond Kelley - cello (1959–1974)
- Andre Lewis - keyboards keyboards (1980–1988)
- Lew McCreary - trombone (1959–1974)
- Bill MaysBill MaysWilliam Allen Mays , best known as Bill Mays, is a jazz pianist from Sacramento, California He came from a musical family and at fifteen he became interested in jazz at an Earl Hines concert....
- clavinet (1975–1988) - Jay MiglioriJay MiglioriJay Migliori was an American saxophonist, best known as a founding member of Supersax, a tribute band to Charlie Parker....
- woodwinds (1975–1988) - Tommy Morgan – harmonica (1975–1988)
- Victor Morosco - flute, clarinet, saxophone (1975–1988)
- Lou Anne Neill - harp (1975–1988)
- Ray Pizzi - bassoon, clarinet (1975–1988)
- Thomas Poole - percussion (1959–1974)
- Roy Poper - trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet (1975–1988)
- George Price - French horn (1959–1974)
- Tom Raney - percussion (1975–1988)
- Robert Ross - arranger (1959–1974)
- Don Waldrop - tuba and contrabass trombone (1975–1988)
- Kenneth Watson - percussion (1959–1974)
Trivia
- One of the orchestra's first appearances is thought to be on the recording "Alvin's Orchestra", which reached #33 on Billboard's Pop SinglesBillboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1960. This was the Chipmunks' fourth single to chart on the Billboard charts.