Jimi Drouillard’s Zappa’s Songs is a 2018 tribute built around the pleasure of playing these songs rather than sanding off their odd angles. Guitar and voice lead a five-piece with Thierry Eliez on keyboards and vocals, Laurent Vernerey on bass, Francis Arnaud on drums and Franck Tortillier on percussion. The tracklist moves from “I Have Been in You” and “Dirty Love” to “Sofa,” “Uncle Remus” and “Yo Mama,” with medleys and shortened pieces including “Apostrophe / Pojama People,” “Inca Roads” and “More Trouble Everyday / Son of Orange County.”
That lineup points to the set’s main appeal. There’s enough rhythmic muscle for the funkier numbers, while the keyboards, guitar and percussion leave room for Zappa’s shifts between rock, blues, jazz and more composed material. It won’t replace the originals, and anyone after the full instrumental maze may find the extracts and song-focused arrangements a little streamlined. Still, Drouillard’s long connection to Zappa gives the project a clear reason to exist, and the broad selection makes it a friendly entry point for fans who know “Camarillo Brillo” and “Peaches en Regalia,” as well as curious newcomers. Released from France as a paid release with CD and lossless options, it’s aimed at people who want a played, sung tribute rather than a museum piece.
