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Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa
Usage Conditions Apply
Artist
George Rodríguez, born 11 Aug 1937
Sitter
Frank Vincent Zappa, 21 Dec 1940 - 4 Dec 1993
Roy Estrada, born 1943
Henry Vestine, 25 Dec 1944 - 20 Oct 1997
Ray Collins, 19 Nov 1936 - 24 Dec 2012
Jimmy Carl Black, 1 Feb 1938 - 1 Nov 2008
Date
c. 1966
Type
Photograph
Medium
Chromogenic print
Dimensions
Image: 33.4 × 28 cm (13 1/8 × 11")
Sheet: 35.4 × 28 cm (13 15/16 × 11")
Topic
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair
Costume\Headgear\Hat
Exterior
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table
Frank Vincent Zappa: Male
Frank Vincent Zappa: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician
Frank Vincent Zappa: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Composer
Frank Vincent Zappa: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Rock singer
Frank Vincent Zappa: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Rock musician
Frank Vincent Zappa: Grammy
Roy Estrada: Male
Roy Estrada: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician
Roy Estrada: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer
Henry Vestine: Male
Henry Vestine: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Guitarist
Ray Collins: Male
Ray Collins: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer
Jimmy Carl Black: Male
Jimmy Carl Black: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Percussionist\Drummer
Portrait
Place
United States\California\Los Angeles\West Hollywood
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
©1992 George Rodríguez
Object number
NPG.2015.54
Exhibition Label
A figure of the American counterculture, composer and guitarist Frank Zappa (1940–1993) believed that “Anything, Any Time, Anywhere for No Reason at All”—music, texts, interviews, films, statements, etc.––should be considered part of his aesthetic. This maximalist credo revealed as much about the eclectic sources that nourished his compositions as about his prolific and varied output. Born in Maryland and raised partly in California, Zappa became interested during his teenage years in the avant-garde classical music of Edgard Varèse, as well as in doo-wop, blues, and R&B. After graduating from high school he formed the band that would become the Mothers of Invention. In 1966 they released the seminal Freak Out! in which Zappa’s acerbic humor, socially critical lyrics, and complex orchestral arrangements were already evident. The band performed together with different lineups until 1975. With them and on his own, Zappa recorded close to eighty albums of compositions ranging from jazz and electronica to concrete music and rock and roll.
Conocida figura de la contracultura estadounidense, el compositor y guitarrista Frank Zappa (1940–1993) creía que “cualquier cosa, en cualquier momento, en cualquier lugar, sin razón particular”, ya fuera música, textos, entrevistas, películas, declaraciones, etc., debía considerarse parte de su estética. Este credo maximalista refleja no solo las fuentes eclécticas que nutrieron sus composiciones sino también su prolífica y variada producción. Zappa nació en Maryland y en su adolescencia se mudó con su familia a California, donde se interesó en la música clásica vanguardista de Edgard Varèse y también en el doo-wop, el blues y el R&B. Al graduarse de escuela superior formó la banda que se convertiría en Mothers of Invention. En 1966 el grupo lanzó su seminal disco Freak Out!, donde ya se evidenciaba el incisivo humor de Zappa, sus letras de crítica social y sus complejos arreglos orquestales. La banda continuó actuando con distintos integrantes hasta 1975. Con ellos o por separado, Zappa grabó casi ochenta discos de composiciones en distintos géneros, desde jazz y música electrónica hasta música concreta y rock and roll.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Location
Currently not on view