cclvii. PERSUASIONS, THE: Hotplate Heaven at the Green Hotel

cclvii. PERSUASIONS, THE

Hotplate Heaven at the Green Hotel (2000)
Jerry Lawson, baritone, lead vocal heroics, duodenum
Jimmy Hayes, bass, falsetto, scat trombone
"Sweet Joe" Russell, tenor, excellent cuisine, ay-yi-yi's
Jayotis Washington, baritone, tenor, dramatic reading
Bernard "B.J." Jones, baritone, good vibes
Raymond Sanders, tenor, impossible high notes, cayenne pepper tea
(2:54)

from Frankly a Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa.

In 1969, a guy named Stan Krause in Jersey City, New Jersey owned a record store, and promoted a cappella groups on the side. Another guy (David Dashev, who knew Zappa) heard a tape of the group, called up FZ and played the tape over the phone.

"I could tell, even over the phone, that these guys were something special." -- FZ

Dashev knew that Zappa had started his own label (Straight Records, a Warners subsidiary) and set out for California to try to convince FZ to sign them.

Dashev recalls that he played the first song on the crude tape ("Searchin' For My Baby"), as Zappa sat stone-faced and unresponsive (the way he always listened to music) ...

"Let me get Gail."

**

Thus began the career of one of the greatest a capella groups in history. They didn't actually meet Zappa until the 1971 Carnegie Hall concert.

This album was recorded after Frank's death.