Personnel: Frank Zappa (vocals, guitar); Napoleon Murphy Brock (vocals, flute, tenor saxophone); George Duke (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer); Johnny "Guitar" Watson (vocals); Bloodshot Rollin' Red (harmonica); Ruth Underwood (marimba, vibraphone, percussion); Tom Fowler, James Youman (bass); Chester Thompson (drums).

Recorded between December 1974 and April 1975.

Digitally remastered by Bob Stone.

Personnel: Frank Zappa (vocals, guitar); Johnny "Guitar" Watson (vocals); Napoleon Murphy Brock (vocals, flute, tenor saxophone); Bloodshot Rollin' Red (harmonica); George Duke (vocals, keyboards, synthesizers); Ruth Underwood (marimba, vibraphone, percussion); Tom Fowler, James Youman (bass); Chester Thompson (drums).

Recorded between December 1974 and April 1975.

All songs have been digitally remastered.

More than any of his other mid-'70s albums, ONE SIZE forecasts the direction Zappa would take in the '80s with the Ike Willis/Steve Vai/Chad Wackerman incarnation of his band, tackling socio-political issues while essaying virtousic jazz/rock/classical fusion with unprecedented facility. Aided by long-timers George Duke and Ruth Underwood as well as powerhouse fusion drummer Chester Thompson, Zappa turns out eight extended pieces that combine grand ensemble work with fiery solos (mostly from Zappa himself) and satirical lyrics that trade Zappa's former goofiness for a more incisive approach. On tracks like "Inca Roads" (arguably ONE SIZE's centerpiece), Zappa ventures into the realm of artsong; Duke's keyboards and Underwood's marimba navigate tricky time signatures, extended melodic lines and adventurous harmonic structures without ever sounding academic. Zappa's soloing, often colored by effects, is at a high point here, highly evolved but not yet marred by the excesses of his latter-day output.

Unusual for a Zappa album to open with the star turn; he usually waits until midway. "Inca Road" is a superb piece that reaffirms, should it be necessary, that Zappa was an astonishingly great lead guitarist. The quality of the guitar solo is matched throughout by some skillful keyboards from George Duke. Having said that, the solo on "Po-Jama People" is also pretty nifty. This was a high-charting album for Zappa (in the USA), and for once justice was done, as other similarly great Zappa albums failed completely. This is one of 71 necessary FZ albums to own!

Q (8/95, pp.150-151) - 3 Stars - Good - "...Zappa's meditation on the universe..."

Q (8/95, pp.150-151) - 3 Stars - Good - "...Zappa's meditation on the universe..."