Editing Lumpy Gravy (section)

== Recording ==
[[File:Frank Zappa in Toronto, Sept. 24 1977.jpg|thumb|left|In 1966, Frank Zappa was commissioned to compose ''Lumpy Gravy'' for [[Capitol Records]].]]
Following the release of ''[[Freak Out!]]'', the debut album of the [[rock music|rock]] band [[the Mothers of Invention]], [[Capitol Records]] A&R representative [[Nick Venet]] commissioned [[Lumpy Gravy (1967 album)|an album of orchestral music]] composed by the Mothers of Invention's leader, [[Frank Zappa]], a self-taught composer. Venet spent [[United States dollar|$]]40,000 on the album.<ref name=Fricke>{{cite AV media notes |title=Lumpy Money |title-link=Lumpy Money |others=Frank Zappa |year=2008|first=David |last=Fricke |publisher=Zappa Records }}</ref><ref name=Slaven/> Because Zappa's contract with [[Verve Records|Verve]] and [[MGM Records]] did not allow for him to perform on albums recorded for any other label, he could not play any instrument on the proposed album, and instead served as the conductor of an orchestra consisting of session musicians hired for the recording. Zappa stated that "my contract [with MGM] did not preclude me from doing that. I wasn't signed as a conductor."<ref name=Fricke/>

''Lumpy Gravy'' was conceived as a short [[oratorio]], written in eleven days.<ref name=Slaven>{{cite book |title= Electric Don Quixote: The Definitive Story Of Frank Zappa|last= Slaven|first= Neil|publisher= Music Sales Group|access-date=August 20, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0lyCSdW78-sC&pg=PA84|isbn= 9780857120434|date= 2009-11-17}}</ref> Zappa named the group assembled for the sessions the "Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra & Chorus".<ref name=Slaven/>

Percussionist Emil Richards recalled that he did not know who Zappa was and did not take him seriously as the recording sessions began, believing that Zappa was merely the guitarist for a rock band. However, upon meeting them, Zappa handed the musicians the scores for the pieces, which were dense, complex and varied in time signatures.<ref name=Fricke/> Richards' close friend, guitarist [[Tommy Tedesco]], was another member of the recording sessions. Tedesco mocked Zappa, believing that Zappa did not know what he was doing.<ref name=Fricke/> The bassoonist and bass clarinetist hired for the sessions refused to perform their parts, declaring them impossible to play. Zappa responded, "If I play your part, will you at least try it?" Zappa then used his guitar to demonstrate the parts for the musicians, who then agreed to perform their assigned parts.<ref name=Fricke/> By the end of the recording sessions, Richards and Tedesco became convinced of Zappa's talent, and became friends with the composer. Richards later performed on sessions which appeared on Zappa's album ''[[Orchestral Favorites]]''.<ref name=Fricke/>