The Z3 play Funky Takes on Frank Zappa, in the present tense.
Frank’s compositions, jams, humor, joy, sarcasm, and razor sharp takes on current events, all reimagined for the discerning ear of a 2020’s listener!
Tim Palmieri (Lotus, The Breakfast) - Guitar, Vocals
Bill Carbone (Max Creek, Melvin Sparks) - Drums, Vocals
Beau Sasser (Kung Fu) - Organ, keys, vocals
The Z3 was forged in the garage-like environment of an industrial park known as Erector Square.
Hundreds of hours of rehearsals. Many quarts of beer. A ton of New Haven pizza. So many quintuplets.
They play the music of Frank Vincent Zappa, but they do it their way.
For starters, they’re an organ trio. Guitar, drums, and keyboards, which also cover the bass.
For the Z3 this minimal instrumentation is a liberation, not a limitation. It means every song gets a new treatment, something that makes it feel alive to Tim, Beau and Bill. It allows Tim Palmieri’s ebullient and virtuosic guitar playing to lead the trio into the improvisational stratosphere with a spirit of adventure.
And adventure they have! Since 2011, The Z3 has tackled everything from Freak Out to Broadway the Hard Way. They’ve performed at the Blue Note, The Iridium, and The Bitter End in New York City and played countless festival and club sets throughout the US. Their legendary 3+ hour set at the 2013 Zappanale Festival in Germany was released as a double CD. They returned to Zappanale in 2015 and will perform there again in 2025.
