Bunk Gardner
Encyclopedia
John Leon "Bunk" Gardner born (May 2, 1933, Cleveland, Ohio
, United states
). Gardner is a American musician who most notably played for Frank Zappa
's Mothers of Invention until the group disbanded in 1969. He plays woodwinds and tenor sax.
Gardner started playing music at the age of 7 by taking piano
lessons. When he was a teenager he started playing the tenor sax. In 1959 he played with Bud Wattles & his Orchestra's album Themes from the Hip. Later played with Joanna & the playboys in 1962. By late 1966 Gardner joined Frank Zappa
& the Mothers of Invention
playing Woodwinds and Tenor Sax. Success came along for the Mothers with top chart albums Absolutely Free
, and We're Only In It For The Money
. In late 1968 his brother Buzz Gardner
joined the Mothers until the group disbanded a year later. Gardner played with Menage A Trios with Buzz and John Balkin. Later recorded with Geronimo Black
and the Grandmothers.
In 1980 Gardner, some of the members form the Mothers of Invention reunited to form the Grandmothers. Recording a few albums and reuniting again in 2002. Gardner has done a few projects with Don Preston, a band member of the Mothers by making a few albums and tours together.
Gardner also plays flute
, piccolo
, clarinet
, bass clarinet
, bassoon
, bass, and soprano.
In 2010 he recorded his autobiography (audiobook) "The Bunk Gardner Story" (featuring Don Preston
), in Arthur Barrow
's lotek studio, produced by Jon Larsen
for Zonic Entertainment.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, United states
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). Gardner is a American musician who most notably played for Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
's Mothers of Invention until the group disbanded in 1969. He plays woodwinds and tenor sax.
Gardner started playing music at the age of 7 by taking piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons. When he was a teenager he started playing the tenor sax. In 1959 he played with Bud Wattles & his Orchestra's album Themes from the Hip. Later played with Joanna & the playboys in 1962. By late 1966 Gardner joined Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
& the Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1964 to 1969, and again from 1970 to 1975.They mainly performed works by, and were the original recording group of, US composer and guitarist Frank Zappa , although other members have had the occasional writing credit...
playing Woodwinds and Tenor Sax. Success came along for the Mothers with top chart albums Absolutely Free
Absolutely Free
Absolutely Free is the second album by The Mothers of Invention, led by Frank Zappa. Absolutely Free is, again, a display of complex musical composition with political and social satire. The band had been augmented since Freak Out! by the addition of saxophone player Bunk Gardner, keyboardist Don...
, and We're Only In It For The Money
We're Only in It for the Money
We're Only in It For the Money is the third studio album by The Mothers of Invention, released in March 1968. The album peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 200...
. In late 1968 his brother Buzz Gardner
Buzz Gardner
Charles "Buzz" Guarnera was a American trumpet and flugelhorn player. He is the brother of Bunk Gardner, both notably played with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention.-Early life:...
joined the Mothers until the group disbanded a year later. Gardner played with Menage A Trios with Buzz and John Balkin. Later recorded with Geronimo Black
Geronimo Black
Geronimo Black was a short-lived hard rock band founded in 1972 by Jimmy Carl Black and named for his youngest son Geronimo. It is also the name for an album by "Geronimo Black Two", formed in 2003 by Jimmy's sons, Geronimo and James D. Black, which released a CD under their father's Inkanish...
and the Grandmothers.
In 1980 Gardner, some of the members form the Mothers of Invention reunited to form the Grandmothers. Recording a few albums and reuniting again in 2002. Gardner has done a few projects with Don Preston, a band member of the Mothers by making a few albums and tours together.
Gardner also plays flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, piccolo
Piccolo
The piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
, bass, and soprano.
In 2010 he recorded his autobiography (audiobook) "The Bunk Gardner Story" (featuring Don Preston
Don Preston
Donald Ward Preston also known as Dom DeWilde or Biff Debrie born September 21, 1932 in Flint, Michigan. Preston is an American jazz and rock and roll musician.-Biography:Preston was born into a family of musicians and began studying music at an early age...
), in Arthur Barrow
Arthur Barrow
Arthur Barrow is a multi-instrumental musician, best known for his stint as a bass guitar player for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s and early 1980s.-Early life:...
's lotek studio, produced by Jon Larsen
Jon Larsen
Jon Larsen is an autodidact guitarist, composer, surrealistic painter, and record producer with heavy influence on the revival of Gypsy jazz worldwide...
for Zonic Entertainment.
With Frank Zappa & Mothers of Invention
- Absolutely FreeAbsolutely FreeAbsolutely Free is the second album by The Mothers of Invention, led by Frank Zappa. Absolutely Free is, again, a display of complex musical composition with political and social satire. The band had been augmented since Freak Out! by the addition of saxophone player Bunk Gardner, keyboardist Don...
- We're Only In It For The MoneyWe're Only in It for the MoneyWe're Only in It For the Money is the third studio album by The Mothers of Invention, released in March 1968. The album peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 200...
- Lumpy GravyLumpy GravyLumpy Gravy is the first solo album by Frank Zappa, originally released in 1967, but not generally available until May 1968. Zappa was credited as conductor on the album cover and he described the contents as "a curiously inconsistent piece, which started out to be a BALLET, but probably didn't...
- Cruising With Ruben & The JetsCruising with Ruben & the JetsCruising With Ruben & The Jets is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in December 1968, and controversially reissued in an alternate mix with newly recorded bass and percussion in 1984.-Concept:...
- Uncle MeatUncle MeatUncle Meat is the fifth studio album by the Mothers of Invention, released in 1969. It is billed as a supposed "soundtrack" to a film by The Mothers of Invention which was, in the end, never made. The front cover, designed by Cal Schenkel, included the words ""...
- Burnt Weeny SandwichBurnt Weeny SandwichBurnt Weeny Sandwich is a live and studio compilation album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1970 ....
- Weasels Ripped My FleshWeasels Ripped My FleshWeasels Ripped My Flesh is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1970.Given Zappa's already stated penchant for expressing his music in "phases"—We're Only in It for the Money was written up as "phase one of Lumpy Gravy"—conceptually, Zappa fans occasionally label this...
- You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 is a double disc set of live tracks by Frank Zappa. It was released in 1988 under the label Rykodisc.-Disc one:#"The Florida Airport Tape" – 1:03...
- You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 is a two-CD set of live recordings by Frank Zappa, recorded between 1969 and 1988, and released in 1991.-Disc one:#"Little Rubber Girl" - #*...
- You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 is a double compact disc collection of live recordings by Frank Zappa. Disc one comprises performances by the Mothers of Invention spanning the period from 1966 to 1969. "My Guitar" had been previously released as a single in 1969...
- Ahead Of Their TimeAhead of Their TimeAhead of Their Time is a live album by The Mothers of Invention. It was recorded at the Royal Festival Hall, London, England on October 25, 1968 , and released in 1993 on CD by Barking Pumpkin...
- Mystery DiscMystery DiscMystery Disc is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was released on CD in 1998, compiling tracks that were originally released on two separate vinyl records and included in the mail order Old Masters box sets, which were released in three volumes between 1985 and 1987...
- The Ark (BTB)
- Electric Aunt Jemima (BTB)
- Our Man In Nirvana (BTB).
Bunk Gardner solo releases
- The Bunk Gardner Story - part one. Zonic Entertainment 2011
- The Bunk Gardner Story - part two. Zonic Entertainment 2011