Frank Zappa Memorial Pancake Breakfast

Bio:

.. Music of Frank Zappa a.k.a. Finnish Zappa tribute band a.k.a Frank Zappa Memorial Pancake Breakfast (we have used a lot of imagination with the names!) was founded by drummer Joni Leino. In 2002 Joni was asked by a bar keeper in Nurmijärvi to assemble a project that would play something different from the mainstream, so he had the idea of putting together a big Frank Zappa tribute band with marimba and horns. A nine member band was assembled in 2003 and started gathering the material. Joni, guitarist Mikko Enqvist and bassist Antti Kivimäki selected, transcribed and arranged most of the songs. The band started rehearsing them and soon we had two sets of Zappa tunes. _________________________________________________________________ We had our first two gigs in the spring of 2004. First one was at Nurmijärvi in a bar called Duetto, the second one was Arabia Hall at Helsinki. Both concerts were recorded, the latter was also filmed and put on dvd. The material can now be found at www.youtube.com under the name of Finnish Zappa Tribute. After the concerts we were planning to arrange more gigs, but then Mikael announced that he would go study abroad in Utrecht Netherlands in fall 2004, so the idea was postponed. _________________________________________________________________ In the fall of 2006 the project became alive again, when we were contacted by organizer for Zappanale festival in Germany. They had seen the dvd and expressed their interest of wanting us to play at Zappanale. After long and painful negotiations, Finnish Zappa Tribute band was booked for Zappanale 2008. _________________________________________________________________ The event turned out to be the highlight show for Finnish Zappa Tribute band, for we were asked to perform the festivals ending concert on Sunday 17.8.2008 along with Napoleon Murphy Brock, Denny Walley (both former Zappa band members) and Stanley Jason Zappa (Frank’s nephew). We performed in front of an audience over 1,000 and the atmosphere was astounishing, thanks to all who were there making it happen! _________________________________________________________________ Since Zappanale, we have performed once on September 2008 at Semifinal in Helsinki. The concert was a great and probably the tightest performance the group has yet played. We also did a FZ memorial concert at restaurant BELLY in Helsinki honouring the 15th anniversary of passing of the Master on December 4th 2008. We will performing around Helsinki in Spring 2009, so be there, and bring your mustache with you! Also, we’re in the middle of discussion with a former Zappa band member Napoleon Murphy Brock to do a Finland tour, so maybe summer of 2009, who knows... (1/2009)

Member Since:

September 01, 2008

Members:

Antti Koivula - Vocals Janne Toivonen - Trumpet Petteri Hietamäki - Alto sax Heikki Tuhkanen / (Antti Hermaja) - Trombone Olli Kari - Marimba & Vibes Iikka Kotaja / (Mikael Kakko) - Keyboards Mikko Enqvist - Guitar Antti Kivimäki - Bass & Backing vocals Joni Leino - Drums

Influences:

Frank Zappa, Phil Collins

Sounds Like:

INCA ROADS @ Arabia-sali 2004 MONTANA @ ZAPPANALE 2008 w/ Napoleon M. Brock & Denny Walley Pictures ZAPPANALE 2008

Record Label:

Contacts: basistiantti(a)gmail.com