"Salad Party 93"

Videography

January 8, 1993
UMRK
90 min.

Raw footage of the salon party held at UMRK on January 8, 1993 (see notes on The Tuvans In California), apparently filmed by the BBC crew for The Late Show (BBC, 1993). There are two parts, not necessarily in chronological order. There were at least two cameras filming the same event at certain points.

More footage appears in:

• The Late Show (BBC 1993)
• Tuvans Invade America (Friends Of Tuva, 1994)
• A&E Biography (1994)
• Frank Zappa—The Freak-Out List (2010)

Includes:

See below for identifications.

• PART 1—Scene #1—00:06-01:48
  • In the room. The Tuvans rehearse their singing while hearing The Chieftains (off camera) playing in the studio.
  • People on screen: FZ, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol Ondar, Anatoli Kuular, Rada Chakar (the translator), Sayan Chakar (Rada's brother), seated on the sofas; Terry Bozzio, an unidentified girl (Girl #1, probably Ev Kvamme, wife of Terry Bozzio), and Motorhead, standing in the back.
• PART 1—Scene #2—01:48-11:45
  • In the studio. The Tuvans join The Chieftains. Paddy Moloney discusses with FZ (off camera) what they're going to do. Then they do two complete takes of the song (05:24-07:58 and 09:18-11:36).
  • People on screen: Seán Keane (fiddle), Martin Fay (fiddle), Matt Molloy (flute), Paddy Moloney (pipe), Derek Bell (harp), Kevin Conneff (bodhrán), Anatoli Kuular, Kongar-ol Ondar, and Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, play in the studio; sound engineers Dave Dondorf and Spence Chrislu place the microphones.
• PART 1—Scene #3—11:46-14:44
  • Buffet. Musicians and friends eat some salad and rolls.
  • People attending: Tohru Ohnuki (friend and sound man of the Tuvans, formerly identified as Boy #1), an unidentified woman (Woman #1), Beverly D'Angelo, Peter Coyote, Rada Chakar, Sayan Chakar, Ralph Leighton (Friends Of Tuva), Kongar-ol Ondar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoli Kuular, Martin Fay, Kevin Conneff, Matt Molloy, Paddy Moloney, an unidentified boy (Boy #2, probably Padcraig Moloney, second son of Paddy), Derek Bell, Seán Keane, Motorhead, Terry Bozzio, the unidentified girl (Girl #1, probably Ev Kvamme), an unidentified bald headed man (Man #2), Gail Zappa, Matt Winegar.
• PART 1—Scene #4—14:45-34:53
  • In the studio, the Tuvans sing and play with some other musicians, while FZ and a lot of other people (some of them standing, others seated on the floor) are watching them. Shankar and Caroline (off camera) are joined by Terry Bozzio; Mike Keneally brings an acoustic guitar for Johnny Guitar Watson; Dweezil sets up an electric guitar for FZ; Dondorf and Chrislu set up microphones; the Tuvans play and sing "The Song Of The Caravan Drovers" ("Ching Söörtükchülerining Yryzy") accompanied by some Chieftains (at least Paddy Moloney, Derek Bell and Kevin Conneff), Shankar & Caroline, Terry Bozzio, Alain Johannes & Natasha Shneider, and Johnny Guitar Watson; FZ asks Kaigal-ool to sing one more time with the low voice again; FZ asks for a piano for Johnny Guitar Watson; Chrislu and Dondorf in the control room trying to figure out how to set up Natasha's keyboard; everybody is standing up and preparing to leave.
  • People attending (more or less in order of appearance): Moon Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, another unidentified boy (Boy #3, probably a friend of the Zappas), Terry Bozzio, the unidentified woman (Woman #1), Gail Zappa, FZ, Ahmet Zappa, Beverly D'Angelo, Derek Bell, Alain Johannes, Johnny Guitar Watson, Shankar, another unidentified girl (Girl #2, probably Phoebe Kwan, wife of Ralph Leighton), Ralph Leighton, Peter Coyote, Seán Keanne, Kevin Conneff, Dave Dondorf, Caroline, Kongar-ol Ondar, Natasha Shneider, Spencer Chrislu, Paddy Moloney, Mike Keneally, Martin Fay, Thomas Nordegg, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoli Kuular, Matt Winegar, the unidentified bald headed man (Man #2), another unidentified blonde woman (Woman #2), Matt Groening, Rada Chakar, Motorhead, another unidentified man (Man #1, probably an assistant of The Chieftains).
• PART 1—Scene #5—35:01-44:20
  • In the room. With the help of interpreter Rada Chakar and Ralph Leighton, FZ interviews the Tuvans about Tuva's religion and the origins of throat singing; Kaigal-ool sings a short solo piece; FZ is interested in the lyrics as he thinks he heard them singing "MOO-AHH!"; FZ asks them to go to a better sounding room.
  • People attending: Rada Chakar, Sayan Chakar, Anatoli Kuular, Matt Winegar, FZ, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol Ondar, Ralph Leighton, Motorhead, the unidentified blonde woman (Woman #2), Tohru Ohnuki, an unidentified man in the background (Man #3, maybe a technician), Matt Groening, Spencer Chrislu.
• PART 2—Scene #1—00:05-17:33
  • The Tuvans in the studio room with the grand piano. They sing "The Song Of The Caravan Drovers" ("Ching Söörtükchülerining Yryzy") with Khovalyg on igil, Ondar on doshpuluur, and Kuular on byzaanchy; Khovalyg plays doshpuluur and sings "Kombu"; Kuular performs the "Borbangnadyr" later used for "Calculus" on Dance Me This (2015) (here is another performance from Minneapolis, 1999); Ondar plays doshpuluur and sings "Charazhym" ("My Beauty") (here is another performance from Encino, 2011).
  • People on screen: Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol Ondar, Anatoli Kuular, FZ, Ralph Leighton, Spencer Chrislu, Sayan Chakar, Rada Chakar.
• PART 2—Scene #2—17:42-19:38
• In the room. FZ, the Tuvans, and Paddy Moloney chat on the sofas, with some other people attending; Paddy Moloney plays pipes; FZ invites Moloney to go to the studio and says he will be back.
• People attending: FZ, Paddy Moloney, Ralph Leighton, Rada Chakar, Anatoli Kuular, Kongar-ol Ondar, Sayan Chakar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg; Matt Winegar, Peter Coyote, Matt Groening, Ahmet Zappa, Gail Zappa, Motorhead.
• PART 2—Scene #3—19:38-39:34
• In the studio. The Chieftains rehearse; Beverly D'Angelo attending; Alain & Natasha come in and are greeted by FZ; Spencer Chrislu and Dave Dondorf set up microphones; The Chieftains perform their piece (what is its name?) two times; the Tuvans join them and they all perform the piece twice. (Part 1, Scenes #1 & #2, but a different camera angle.)
• People on screen: Beverly D'Angelo, the unidentified man with a green sweater (Man #1), Dave Dondorf, FZ, Alain Johannes, Natasha Shneider, Ahmet Zappa, Kevin Conneff, Paddy Moloney, Matt Molloy, Martin Fay, Seán Keanne, Spencer Chrislu, Derek Bell, Rada Chakar, Ralph Leighton, Kongar-ol Ondar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoli Kuular, a man with earphones (probably from the BBC team)
• PART 2—Scene #4—39:34-40:11
• In the room. Everybody stands up and they are all invited to go upstairs.
• People on screen: Derek Bell, Terry Bozzio, Kevin Conneff, Beverly D'Angelo, Motorhead, Matt Molloy, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol Ondar, Paddy Moloney, the unidentified woman (Woman #1), Matt Winegar, Rada Chakar, Peter Coyote, Boy #2 (Padcraig Moloney?), Sayan Chakar.
• PART 2—Scene #5—40:11-45:44
• Upstairs. Orange room with a grand piano. The Tuvans talk and sing with Natasha Shneider at the piano.
• People on screen: Seán Keanne, Kevin Conneff, Derek Bell, Boy #2 (Padcraig Moloney?), Martin Fay, Kongar-ol Ondar, Rada Chakar, Sayan Chakar, Anatoli Kuular, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Natasha Shneider, Matt Winegar, Paddy Moloney, Alain Johannes, Matt Molloy, Peter Coyote, Beverly D'Angelo, Spencer Chrislu, Matt Groening, Ralph Leighton, Tohru Ohnuki, Thomas Nordegg, and an unidentified man with a white stripped short leaved shirt (Man #4).

Probable chronological order

• PART 1—Scene #5—35:01-44:20
• PART 2—Scene #1—00:05-17:33
• PART 2—Scene #2—17:42-19:38
• PART 2—Scene #3—19:38-30:44/PART 1—Scene #1—00:06-01:48
• PART 2—Scene #3—19:38-39:34/PART 1—Scene #2—01:48-11:45
• PART 2—Scene #4—39:24-40:11
• PART 2—Scene #4—40:11-45:44
• PART 1—Scene #3—11:46-14:44
• PART 1—Scene #4—14:45-34:53

People attending:

FZ, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol Ondar, Anatoli Kuular, Rada Chakar, Sayan Chakar, Ralph Leighton, Terry Bozzio, Motorhead, The Chieftains (Seán Keane, Martin Fay, Matt Molloy, Paddy Moloney, Derek Bell & Kevin Conneff), Dave Dondorf, Spence Chrislu, Gail, Moon, Dweezil, Ahmet, L. Shankar, Caroline, Johnny Guitar Watson, Alain Johannes, Natasha Shneider, Matt Groening, Mike Keneally, Beverly D'Angelo, Peter Coyote, Matt Winegar, and some other unidentified persons. Claude Barthelemy, Lunda Hoyle Gill, have also been suggested.

Román, April 1, 2011

On the video I can see a lot of people: FZ, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ool Ondar, Anatoli Kuular, the interpreter, Ralph Leighton, Terry Bozzio, Motorhead, Seán Keane, Martin Fay, Matt Molloy, Paddy Moloney, Derek Bell, Kevin Conneff, Dave Dondorf, Spence Chrislu, Gail, Moon, Dweezil, Ahmet, L. Shankar, Alain Johannes & Natasha Shneider from Eleven, Johnny Guitar Watson, Matt Groening, Mike Keneally, Beverly D'Angelo and I think a certain Claude Barthelemy mentioned on The Yellow Shark booklet.

Charles Ulrich, April 2, 2011

One possibility is artist Lunda Hoyle Gill (1928-2003), who was reportedly at FZ's house twice with the Tuvans. But I couldn't find a photo of her on line, so I don't know what she looks like.

 

Notes & Comments

Rip Rense, L.A. Weekly, c. 1996

One of the most spectacular salon evenings produced what might just have been the most peculiar recording session in history—peculiar, that is, for the disparate styles of the participants: The Chieftains (the Irish folk music ensemble non pareil ), the magnificent drummer Terry Bozzio, blues guitar legend Johnny "Guitar" Watson, jazz/fusion violinist L. Shankar, and several Tuvan "throat" singers from northern China. The Chieftains piped and plucked, Bozzio thumped, Shankar fiddled, the Tuvans whipped up a Mongolian folk ditty in their unique, nasally, double-toned drone (the song concerned their nomadic life as herdsmen), and Watson strummed minor chords, periodically offering the Tuvans chuckling, pithy encouragements like "Sing about them sheep, now." The master of ceremonies particularly relished recounting that eclectic night, despite the fact that pain forced him to retire early (some of that session will be released on "Dance Me This," one of several forthcoming albums Zappa managed to complete.)

Dameon Walker, May 6, 2004

Perhaps the most intriguing is the two-part film, which appears to be hand-held and home-made footage, shot in and around the Zappa family home and studio in 1993. The film is approx. 1hr 30 in durationand appears to be the raw footage featured, edits of which are briefly glimpsed in the 1993 BBC documentary and the 1994 re-edit of the same.

There are a wealth of intriguing sequences here, including:

• The Chieftains, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson and the visiting Mongolian throat singers 'jamming' (unfortunately that sequence finishes without hearing F.Z.'s guitar, hastily plugged in by Dweezil during the jam)
• Two versions of the tune played in the BBC and A&E programs, apparently shot from different camera angles, in it's complete form and contiguously segued into another tune
• A lot more footage of the Mongolian singers, both solo and in concert. They play a variety of traditional stringed instruments which they tune to different open chords before commencing each song. Most amazing of all is their ability to 'sing chords'; a feat which must be heard to be believed
• Terry Bozzio apparently playing an over-dub track on a large, floor-standing drum. The tape track appears to be a mix of Chieftains and Mongolian musicians
• Various commands, suggestions and requests from F.Z. to everyone involved, via a translator where the Mongolian musicians are concerned
• Joe Travers and Bob Stone (I think...) discussing the technical problems they are facing while attempting to capture all of this on digital multi-track
• Everyone together (plus Gail, Ahmet, Moon, Motorhead, Matt Groening, possibly Dale Bozzio) and several others, tucking into a large buffet, including vast bowls of salad (presumably the rather curious choice of origin for the file name) and having a jolly nice time

Patrick Neve

Don't forget that L. Shankar, Terry Bozzio, and Motorhead Sherwood can all be seen in this program.

 

The Old Discussion About The Date

• The real date was January 8, 1993. See notes on The Tuvans In California on Dance Me This (2015).

John White, April 22, 2009

in [Jeff Dickson's] review he states that he arrived at the zappa house on a monday afternoon...

later he also tells us that it was matt groenong's birthday...

i googled matt's birthday and it is february 15

a check of the calendar reveals that in 1993 february 15 was indeed a monday...

i believe this party can be dated as occuring on february 15, 1993...

Charles Ulrich, July 14, 2015

Dickson also points out that it was the fifth anniversary of Richard Feynman's death (February 15, 1988).

Román, April 2, 2011

According to Dickson's article, the February 15 visit was just before the Tuvans left L.A. and it was not their first visit to FZ. On the other side the video seems to be filmed on their first visit, right after their concert in Caltech, January 5. Also the article doesn't mention any of the guests shown on the video.

zy100 borg, alt.fan.frank-zappa, March 15, 2012

The footage for this soiree was shot by Christopher Sykes while making the biography documentary for BBC. Sykes was also responsible for several films on Richard Feynman. Feynman of course tried to travel to Tuva, as described in the book Tuva or Bust, co-written by his friend Ralph Leighton. A few years later, the Tuva throat singers were introduced to Zappa by Leighton, who was a guest at the soiree and can be seen in the video, It was thanks to Ralph that Zappa ever heard of them. The connection to Sykes and Leighton might also explain why Feynman appears in the thank you list in the MOFO box. Not, perhaps, because Frank and Dick ever met (Dick died in 1988), but because somebody explained to Frank about Dick and his life's work and that had an impact on Frank's thinking about the universe, time and those waves.

 

People On Screen

This is an attempt to identify the people that appear in the video. Any correction or addition is welcome.

PART 1—Scene #5

[left to right (clockwise): Rada Chakar, Sayan Chakar, Anatoli Kuular, Matt Winegar, FZ, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol Ondar, Ralph Leighton]

[left to right (clockwise): unidentified man in the background (Man #3), Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol Ondar, Ralph Leighton, Tohru Ohnuki, Rada Chakar, Sayan Chakar, (Anatoli Kuular), (Matt Winegar), FZ]

[Matt Groening]

PART 2—Scene #

[sitting, left to right (clockwise): Anatoli Kuular, Kongar-ol Ondar, Sayan Chakar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, FZ, Paddy Moloney, Ralph Leighton, Rada Chakar; standing, left to right: Matt Winegar?; Peter Coyote, Matt Groening, Ahmet]

[Peter Coyote]

[Paddy Moloney]

[Motorhead]

[Beverly D'Angelo]

[Beverly D'Angelo, Man #1 (?)]

[Ahmet, Alain Johannes, Natasha Shneider]

PART 1—Scene #1

[(Anatoli Kuular), Girl #1 (probably Ev Kvamme, wife of Terry Bozzio), Kongar-ol Ondar, Sayan Chakar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, FZ, Motorhead]

Javier Marcote, August 13, 2017

I was wondering if "girl #1" would be Ev Kvamme (wife of Terry Bozzio at the time). In the very beginning of Salad Party-part 1 they appear very close.

[Rada Chakar, Terry Bozzio, Anatoli Kuular, Girl #1 (probably Ev Kvamme, wife of Terry Bozzio), Kongar-ol Ondar, Sayan Chakar's hand, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg's knee]]

[Kongar-ol Ondar, Sayan Chakar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg]

PART 1—Scene #2

[Seán Keane, Martin Fay, Matt Molloy, Anatoli Kuular, Kongar-ol Ondar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Spencer Chrislu, Paddy Moloney, Derek Bell]

[Dave Dondorf]

[Dave Dondorf, Spencer Chrislu]

[Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Paddy Moloney, Derek Bell, Kevin Conneff, Black T-Shirt Guy (?)]

[Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Paddy Moloney, Derek Bell, Kevin Conneff, White T-Shirt Guy (Harry Andronis?)]

[Kevin Conneff, Red Scarf White Shirt Guy (Todd Yvega?)]

 

[Seán Keane, Kevin Conneff, Derek Bell, Boy #2 (Padraig Moloney?)]

[Sayan Chakar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Kongar-ol ondar, Matt Winegar, Paddy Moloney]

[Matt Winegar, Seán Keane]

Curt Tuckfield, YouTube, 2016

At 1:26:48 you can see Matt Winegar, he recorded and produced the first two Primus albums as well as my Grimpths album "Seed". He told us about this and I believed him but then I saw this video and now I definitely believe him.

[Natasha Shneider]

[Spencer Chrislu, Man #4 (?), Beverly D'Angelo, Peter Coyote]

59mar, YouTube, c. 2012

a few actors there too—peter coyote, beverly d'angelo...

[Ralph Leighton, Tohru Ohnuki, Thomas Nordegg, Matt Groening, Spencer Chrislu, Man #4 (?)]

PART 1—Scene #3

[Woman #1, Tohru Ohnuki]

Ralph Leighton, to Charles Ulrich, January 9, 2017

Boy #1 is Tohru Ohnuki, about 25 yrs old at the time. He's a family friend, knew Feynman, and served as sound man for the Tuvans on tour in 1993 in CA.

[Paddy Moloney, Boy #2 (Padraig Moloney?), Derek Bell]

[Girl #1 (probably Ev Kvamme, wife of Terry Bozzio), Motorhead, (Chieftains & Tuvans), Terry Bozzio]

[Man #2 (not Paul Shaffer), Motorhead]

mvunit3, YouTube, 2016

Hehe, Paul Schaffer at 13:49 :D that guy knew everybody! As it seemed Zappa did. I mean what a gathering!

[Gail Zappa, Girl #1 (probably Ev Kvamme, wife of Terry Bozzio)]

PART 1—Scene #4

[Boy #3 (?), Moon, Dweezil, Terry Bozzio]

[Gail]

[Dweezil, Woman #1 (Lunda Hoyle Gill?)]

[Moon, FZ, Ahmet, Boy #3 (?), Dweezil]

[Ahmet, Boy #3 (?), Dweezil]

[Derek Bell, Moon]

[Terry Bozzio]

[Alain Johannes, Johnny Guitar Watson, Caroline, Shankar, Girl #2 (probably Phoebe Kwan, wife of Ralph Leighton), Ralph Leighton, FZ, Peter Coyote, Seán Keanne, Kevin Conneff]

[Terry Bozzio, FZ, Alain Johannes]

[Boy #3 (?), Mike Keneally, Dweezil, Paddy Moloney]

[Dweezil, Mike Keneally, Thomas Nordegg, Terry Bozzio, Peter Coyote]

[Girl #2 (probably Phoebe Kwan, wife of Ralph Leighton), Seán Keane, Gail, Matt Winegar?, FZ, Thomas Nordegg, Dweezil]

[Woman #2 (?), Man #2 (?), Woman #1 (?), Girl #2 (probably Phoebe Kwan, wife of Ralph Leighton)]

[Paddy Moloney, Alain Johannes]

[Johnny Guitar Watson, Shankar]

[Caroline]

Charles Ulrich, July 26, 2015

The woman sitting on the floor next to L. Shankar, playing some long-necked string instrument (which doesn't look like a guitar) is his wife Caroline.

[A shadow in the control room]