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Buzz Gardner - definitely the most underrated hornman that ever played with FZ. I've been listening to "The Ark" and damn, his solo on "King Kong" is so far-freaking-out, his tone and lyrical expression are of very idiosyncratic air. I've never heard anyone else play the trumpet the way he did! He's clearly one of the unsung talents on that instruments. On "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" and "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" he rarely got a chance to shine, although "Igor's Boogie"'s neoclassicism is neat and his attack at the beginning of "Didja Get Any Onja" is dead-on! "Here Lies Love" on Stage 5 has got good trumpet parts as well. His contributions to "Starsailor" by Tim Buckley were also valuable.

I agree about Bunk totally. I also think Art Tripp didnt get to shine as much as he could have. I know I've heard some badass portions of his playing on a lot of the albums but Frank was always playing those sorta dumbed down blues drums with Jimmy.

I'm dronk too.

I heard some people complaining about Ricky Lancelotti. I think he was a great singer (screamer):

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The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true Art and Science. - Albert Einstein

What about Robert Martin?

Yea bunk was great and so was Art.

Who played that difficult drum part on Call Any Vegetable? JCB or Art?

louis the turkey

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Eh, the drummers on CAV were JCB and Billy Mundi. My take is that JCB lied down the basis and Mundi played complex counterrhythms on top.

I highly respect the multi-reedist brother of Buzz too.

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"If Frank Zappa cut a fart and mixed it to stereo, I'd buy it!" - jimmie d

That guy Bob Harris #1 who played with the Flo and Eddie band sounds like a pretty good keys player on various boots and on the PP version of 'Billy The Mountain'. Too bad there aren't that many official recordings that feature him.

Ralph Humphrey and Aynsley Dunbar are pretty underrated when it comes to Zappa's drummers, imo.

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"When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone in the air. You can never capture it again." -- Eric Dolphy

http://www.frappr.com/frankzappaforum - FZ Forum World Map

...and loved by FZ. Has just gone over The Real FZ book during vacation, and probably he is one of the musicians who gets most positive mention by Frank in the book. Also, I would guess (and I don't know anything here) that any bad feelings between Ike and ZFT have probably not too much to do about his performance as a sideman. Or?

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"Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform, and don't kid yourself" - FZ
http://www.myspace.com/kirnehness

I was going to say those two but most people know of their greatness.

Ralph Humphrey did some drum moves on Roxy & Elsewhere that were more than head-turners they were breath takers and he did them without missing a microsecond of a beat. You could put him up against the mathmatically absolute perfection of any computer drum program and at least at the time of "Roxy & Elsewhere" recordings he could compete.
I've never heard anyone else ever say this but I've always had trouble with the production on "Over-Nite Sensation" because so much of the high-end was muted out that my ears always had trouble with it. If it hadn't been you would've heard Ralph Humphries come through clearer in that mix.

--Batchain

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There's a lot of underrated Mothers. Ralph Humphrey was great, and Chester Thompson was no slouch either. Humphrey's work with The Don Ellis Big Band was also good, and Chester Thompson plays some of the tastiest stuff on Weather Report's "Black Market" album.

Aynsley Dunbar did not benefit from good live recording techniques. A lot of the stuff that he did live never made it onto tape. There is a marked difference between the sound quality on "Live at The Fillmore East/Just Another Band From LA", and "Live at The Roxy....". The "Roxy" is light years ahead of the other two recordings. Aynsley Dunbar playing the drums live and in person 25 feet away is something to see.

I would liked to have seen Art Tripp live with The Mothers, but I didn't. Saw him live with Captain Beefheart.

No one has ever underestimated Aynsley Dunbar. At least, not since I can recall knowing of his work. Late sixties. If there is ANY drummer who's not overlooked, it's Dunbar.

Maybe Peter Wolf never got much attention, as he was overshadowed (in many senses) by Mars. But if the album credits are right, he plays the synth solo on Sy Borg, which is one of my favorite non-Zappa solos on Zappa records ever.

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"Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform, and don't kid yourself" - FZ
http://www.myspace.com/kirnehness

underrated, yeah. important influence, yes.

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

For drummers I'd say Ralph Humphrey, John Guerin, & Paul Humphrey. Even though Humphrey only played on Hot Rats, but I think Guerin played a couple of tunes on Chunga's Revenge as well.

For keyboardists, I never hear much mention of Don Preston. I liked his work on a live version of King Kong I heard. I also say Ian Underwood. In fact Ian Underwood is my favorite member of the '68-'70 Mothers lineup. And I believe he played a little bit in 200 Motels too. I think he's underrated in general. FZ really knew where to find great musicians.

Ian Underwood and Vinnie Colaiuta are my favorite FZ sidemen.

But, they were hardly underrated, so I guess I would say Eddie Jobson.

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

Peter played on the entire Joes Garage LP's not Tommy. Tommy only played on the title track.

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I agree. I always thought he was great.

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Take it away Don Pardo!

bianca thornton. damn i love when she sings dirty love. I wish she wouldn't have left. also andre lewis plays quite nicely on FZ:OZ.

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I agree as well. I think he's very talented that he can make all of those different voices.

Earle Dumler is underrated definitely. I think his oboe solos are beautiful and definitely one reason to adore 1972 bands.

Likewise, David Parlato (bass). He has, along with Ralph Humphrey, played with both Don Ellis and FZ and his electric bass tone was very tasteful.

I agree, Ricky Lancelotti could have done more with FZ. Apparently it was Ricky who decided not to work more with Frank.

For me it is Ruth Underwood who is the least rated performer.

not sure about that. she's one of those musicians who is arguably the most praised for greatness of the 1973-4 bands. and as a mallet percussionist she's definitely more appreciated than art tripp or even ed mann.