Ruth Underwood
Encyclopedia
Ruth Underwood is a retired professional musician, best known for playing xylophone
, marimba
, vibraphone
and other percussion instruments in Frank Zappa
's Mothers of Invention from 1967 to 1977.
Underwood began her music training in the classical tradition, studying both at Ithaca College under Warren Benson and under Saul Goodman at Juilliard
. Throughout 1967, she kept a regular attendance at the Garrick Theater in New York City when Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention was the resident band, resulting in her association with Zappa beginning in December 1967.
As Ruth Komanoff and Ruth Underwood she also appeared on drums with a rock group named The Hamilton Face Band during 1969, appearing on some of their recordings released by Philips Records
and Bell Records. She married fellow Zappa musician Ian Underwood
in May 1969. They later divorced in 1986.
Underwood went on to perform in over twenty Zappa/Mothers recordings. Examples of her virtuosity can be heard on such tracks as the Rollo Interior interlude from St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast, from the Apostrophe (')
album (1974). Equally impressive work is documented on Roxy & Elsewhere
(1974) and on Inca Roads, the opening track on One Size Fits All
(1975). Some glimpses of Underwood in action can be seen in the Zappa movie 200 Motels
(1971), and the Dub Room Special DVD, which includes performances from the KCET Special 'A Token Of His Extreme'. She also features in the (as yet unreleased) film of the Roxy performances.
During the 1970s Underwood played on sessions for a small number of other performers, most notably the band Ambrosia
, Jasun Martz
and jazz-keyboardist George Duke
. By some accounts (which are vague), she retired from music by the beginning of 1980, concentrating instead on her family and raising two children, both accomplished classical musicians. However, in a 1993 interview she revealed that she played on one final session for Zappa shortly before his death from cancer in December of that year.
Xylophone
The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
and other percussion instruments in 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...
's Mothers of Invention from 1967 to 1977.
Underwood began her music training in the classical tradition, studying both at Ithaca College under Warren Benson and under Saul Goodman at Juilliard
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
. Throughout 1967, she kept a regular attendance at the Garrick Theater in New York City when Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention was the resident band, resulting in her association with Zappa beginning in December 1967.
As Ruth Komanoff and Ruth Underwood she also appeared on drums with a rock group named The Hamilton Face Band during 1969, appearing on some of their recordings released by Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
and Bell Records. She married fellow Zappa musician Ian Underwood
Ian Underwood
Ian Robertson Underwood is a woodwind and keyboards player. He began his career by playing San Francisco Bay Area coffeehouses and bars with his improvisational group the Jazz Mice in the mid 1960s before he became a member of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in 1967 for their third studio...
in May 1969. They later divorced in 1986.
Underwood went on to perform in over twenty Zappa/Mothers recordings. Examples of her virtuosity can be heard on such tracks as the Rollo Interior interlude from St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast, from the Apostrophe (')
Apostrophe (')
Apostrophe is an album by Frank Zappa, his eighteenth, released on March 22, 1974 in both stereo and quadraphonic formats. An edited version of its lead-off track, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", was Zappa's first chart single, reaching position 86. Apostrophe remains Zappa's biggest commercial...
album (1974). Equally impressive work is documented on Roxy & Elsewhere
Roxy & Elsewhere
Roxy & Elsewhere is a live album by Frank Zappa & The Mothers which was released in 1974. Most of the songs were recorded at The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California on December 8, 9 and 10, 1973...
(1974) and on Inca Roads, the opening track on One Size Fits All
One Size Fits All
One Size Fits All is a 1975 rock album by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. It is the last Zappa album to be released with the subheading of "Mothers of Invention". A special four-channel Quadraphonic version of the album was prepared and advertised, but not released...
(1975). Some glimpses of Underwood in action can be seen in the Zappa movie 200 Motels
200 Motels
200 Motels is a 1971 American-British musical surrealist film cowritten and directed by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer and starring The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel and Ringo Starr. The film covers a loose storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town Centerville...
(1971), and the Dub Room Special DVD, which includes performances from the KCET Special 'A Token Of His Extreme'. She also features in the (as yet unreleased) film of the Roxy performances.
During the 1970s Underwood played on sessions for a small number of other performers, most notably the band Ambrosia
Ambrosia (band)
Ambrosia is an American rock band formed in southern California in 1970. Ambrosia had five Top Forty hit singles between 1975 and 1980.-Formation and inspiration:...
, Jasun Martz
Jasun Martz
Jasun Martz is an American record producer, composer, musician, fine artist, creative director and sculptor who has worked on several international hit records. He has recorded with Michael Jackson, toured with Frank Zappa and helped arrange the hit "We Built This City" by Starship.Martz has lived...
and jazz-keyboardist George Duke
George Duke
George Duke is a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He has worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music...
. By some accounts (which are vague), she retired from music by the beginning of 1980, concentrating instead on her family and raising two children, both accomplished classical musicians. However, in a 1993 interview she revealed that she played on one final session for Zappa shortly before his death from cancer in December of that year.
Movies
- 200 Motels200 Motels200 Motels is a 1971 American-British musical surrealist film cowritten and directed by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer and starring The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel and Ringo Starr. The film covers a loose storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town Centerville...
- Baby SnakesBaby SnakesBaby Snakes is a movie which includes footage from Frank Zappa's 1977 Halloween concert at New York City's Palladium Theater, backstage antics from the crew, and stop motion clay animation from award-winning animator Bruce Bickford....
- The Dub Room SpecialThe Dub Room SpecialThe Dub Room Special is a film produced by Frank Zappa for direct-to-video release in October, 1982. The video combines footage from a performance at the KCET studios in Los Angeles on August 27, 1974, a concert performed at The Palladium, NYC on October 31, 1981, some clay animation by Bruce...
- The Amazing Mr. BickfordThe Amazing Mr. BickfordThe Amazing Mr. Bickford is a video released by Frank Zappa in 1987, containing orchestral pieces by Zappa set to the clay animation of Bruce Bickford.-See also:*Adult animation*List of stop-motion films*List of animated feature-length films...
- Video From HellVideo from HellVideo From Hell is a video released in 1987 by Frank Zappa. It is a compilation of pieces of music and video from a series of projects that Zappa presumably planned to finish and release for home video, including a companion video for the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore series of albums, but...
- The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 MotelsThe True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 MotelsThe True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels is a video documentary film released in 1989 by Frank Zappa, detailing the making of Zappa's 1971 film 200 Motels.-Cast:Appearing as themselves:*Theodore Bikel*Jimmy Carl Black*George Duke...