Jean-Luc Ponty’s Turning Point

The end of the Sixties and the beginning of the Seventies mark the real start of Jean-Luc Ponty‘s international stardom.

Hooking up with 23 years old George Duke.

Recording his own “King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa” album.

Recording the “Open Strings” album in Germany with Philip Catherine and Joachim Kühn.

Relocating to Los Angeles with family. Embarking on various tours with Zappa and his own band.

Not to mention his violin parts on Elton John‘s “Honky Chateau” and growing a beard.

WATCH

Track Listing Video : 1.The Loner (Jean-Luc Ponty Quartet) – 06:04 . 2.King Kong (The Mothers Of Invention) – 13:43 . 3.Circles (Jean Luc Ponty) – 18:32 . 4.How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That (Jean Luc Ponty) – 14:58 . 5.Amy (Elton John) – 04:02

Musicians : Jean-Luc Ponty – Violin . Michel Graillier – Piano On (1) . Alby Cullaz – Bass On (1) . Bernard Lubat – Drums On (1) . Howard Kaylan – Vocals On (2) . Mark Volman – Vocals On (2) . George Duke – Keyboards, Trombone On (2) . Ian Underwood – Keyboards, Alto Sax On (2) . Jeff Simmons – Bass, Vocals On (2) . Aynsley Dunbar – Drums On (2) . Jasper Van’T Hoff – Keyboards On (3-5) . Philip Catherine – Guitar On (3-5) . Peter Trunk – Bass On (3-5) . Aldo Romano – Drums On (3-5) . Nana Vasconcelos – Percussion On (3-5)

Recorded On June 4, 1970 At Jazz Harmonie Program Broadcast On French Television (1); On December 15, 1970 At Gaumont Palace, Paris (2) ; On September 20, 1972 At Studio 10, Funkhaus, Hamburg, Germany (3-5).

Track Listing Audio: 1.King Kong (Frank Zappa) – 04:54 . 2.Idiot Bastard Son (Frank Zappa) – 04:00 . 3.Twenty Small Cigars (Frank Zappa) – 05:35 . 4.How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That (Jean-Luc Ponty) – 07:14 . 5.Music For Electric Violin And Low-Budget Orchestra (Frank Zappa) – 19:20 . 6.America Drinks And Goes Home (Frank Zappa) – 02:39 . 7.Flipping, Pt.1 (Jean-Luc Ponty) – 04:40 . 8.Flipping, Pt.2 (Jean-Luc Ponty) – 10:40 . 9.Flipping, Pt.3 (Jean-Luc Ponty) – 05:33 . 10.Open Strings (Jean-Luc Ponty) – 15:40 . 11.Sad Ballad (Joachim Kühn) – 04:11

Musicians : Jean-Luc Ponty – Electric Violin, Baritone Violectra . Frank Zappa – Guitar, Conductor On (1-6) . George Duke – Piano, Electric Piano On (1-6) . Ernie Watts – Alto And Tenor Sax On (1-6) . Ian Underwood – Tenor Sax, Conductor On (1-6) . Buell Neidlinger – Bass On (1-6) . Wilton Felder – Fender Bass On (1-6) . Gene Estes – Vibraphone, Percussion On (1-6) . John Guerin – Drums On (1-6) . Art Tripp – Drums On (1-6) . Donald Christlieb – Bassoon On (1-6) . Gene Cipriano – Oboe, English Horn On (1-6) . Vincent Derosa – French Horn, Descant On (1-6) . Arthur Maebe – French Horn, Tuben On (1-6) . Jonathan Meyer – Flute On (1-6) . Harold Bemko – Cello On (1-6) . Milton Thomas – Viola On (1-6) . Gerald Wilson – Conductor On (1-6) . Philip Catherine – Guitar On (7 -10) . Oliver Johnson – Drums On (7 -10) . Joachim Kühn – Keyboards On (7 -10) . Peter Warren – Bass On (7 -10)

Production : Produced By Richard Bock On (1-6), Joachim E. Berendt On (7 -10) . Rolf Donner – Engineer On (7 -10) . Willi Fruth – Engineer On (7 -10)

Arrangements : Frank Zappa On (1-6)

Package : Leonard Feather – Liner Notes On (1-6) . Bernhard Wetz – Design On (7 -10) . Anno Wilms – Cover Photography On (7 -10) . Hans Harzheim – Photography On (7 -10) . Joachim E. Berendt – Liner Notes On (7 -10)

Recorded On October 6–7, 1969 At Whitney Studios, Glendale (1-6); In December 1971 At Mps-Studio, Villingen, Germany (7-11).

Released On May 25, 1970 By As “King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa ” By World Pacific/Liberty (1-6); In 1971 As “Open Strings” By Mps (7-11).

Zappa Wiki Jawaka!
Ponty visited the U.S. for the first time in 1967, at a Monterey Jazz Festival workshop. He signed with a record label, and began working with an “unknown” pianist, George Duke. […]

innerviews
I am lucky to have lived during the ’60s and ’70s during which artists were leading the way and people in the music business such as record companies and radio programmers would follow. It was a time of wide experimentation and the more you dared explore and be adventurous, and came up with something new, the more you had a chance to be appreciated. […]

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