Terry Bozzio and Chad Wackerman 'Solos & Duets – Featuring ‘The Black Page’ (PR-01-TBCW-VHS) Once you get past the fact that part of this project is a big commercial for DW equipment (which is fine, it’s their video), this is a pretty historic document. For the uninitiated, Terry Bozzio is arguably the most famous drummer to come out of Frank Zappa’s band. After his stint in the late ‘70s, he went on to do several different projects with Jeff Beck, Tony Levin, Mick Karn, Frank’s son Dweezil, and his own pop group, Missing Persons. Currently he’s best known in the drumming community for his orchestral compositions for the drumset, and amazing ostinato-soloing techniques. Although Wackerman didn’t necessarily gain the notoriety that Bozzio did, he actually played with Zappa for a longer duration—as the late composer’s rhythm anchor throughout much of the ‘80s. His other gigs include Allan Holdsworth, Barbara Streisand, Steve Vai, Dweezil, and Men-At-Work’s Colin Hay. Currently he writes, records, and tours with his own fusion group based out of his home in Australia. The concept of the video was to have both drummers play their own solos, showcasing their superlative talents, as well as collaborating improvisationally. The highlight for Zappa fans is, of course, the duo performance of the famous “Black Page #1,” which Frank wrote for Bozzio in 1978. A nice bonus, the sheet music is featured on half the screen as they’re playing, for those who are masochistic enough to want to follow along or (heaven forbid) learn the thing. While “The Black Page” scores collector points, the real deal comes from the breakthrough improvisations, proving that it’s nice to rekindle the past, but far more exciting to jump off a cliff into the unknown, without a net. Even better news, plans are evidently in the works to release CDs of their favorite improvisations—a must for fans of this kind of drumming. Special mention should also go to Bozzio’s brilliant “Harmonic Etude.” Max Roach made harmonic statements with a jazz kit almost forty years ago, and Bozzio is taking it to another level with more than an octave’s worth of tom-notes on his behemoth set. Review by Don Zulaica For more information: Call DW at (866)4DW-SWAG or check out your local music store

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