DESCRIPTION:
Jimmy Carl Black, "the Indian of the group", is probably best remembered as the original drummer with Frank Zappa's group The Mothers of Invention, later known as The Mothers. In fact in 1965 Jimmy, along with Roy Estrada and Ray Collins, auditioned and hired Frank Zappa to join their group The Soul Giants and shortly thereafter Frank took over as the band leader and the group became The Mothers.

Jimmy also played and jammed with other artists including Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, The Doors, Joe Cocker, Arthur Brown, Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Turtles, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, and The Moody Blues.

Following his time with Frank Zappa and The Mothers Jimmy Carl Black formed several bands including Geronimo Black, The Valley Loboys, Big Sonny and The Loboys, The Grandmothers, partly a Zappa tribute band playing early Zappa, Jimmy Carl Black and The Mannish Boys and The Farrell & Black Band.

From 1995 Jimmy often guested on tour and on album with Liverpool band The Muffin Men doing Zappa and Beefheart numbers.

In 2001 Jimmy was diagnosed with leukaemia and in August 2008 with inoperable lung cancer. Jimmy died on Saturday 1st November 2008.

A benefit event to raise funds to help pay for Jimmy's medical expenses had been organised to take place in London on Sunday 9th November. As he had passed away the week before the gig became a tribute to Jimmy and benefit for his wife and family.

Regards the short video I have posted here, the "live" clips are shot on a digital stills camera pretending to be a video camera and the sound and picture quality are rough, very rough, but it's all I've got. The actual sound quality at the venues on the nights was excellent.

So the "live" bits are Jimmy singing with the excellent Muffin Men at The Borderline, London W1, on 31st March 2005. (The segue during "The Duke of Prunes" goes from Jimmy singing live to Ray Collins singing on the album "Absolutely Free").

The other "live" clips are MC Ben Watson talking onstage at the benefit and tribute gig at Bridgehouse 11, London E16, on Sunday 9th November 2008.

Jimmy Carl Black, 1st February 1938 - 1st November 2008.
Jimmy Carl Black, "the Indian of the group", is probably best remembered as the original drummer with Frank Zappa's group The Mothers of Invention, later known as The Mothers. In fact in 1965 Jimmy, along with Roy Estrada and Ray Collins, auditioned and hired Frank Zappa to join their group The Soul Giants and shortly thereafter Frank took over as the band leader and the group became The Mothers.

Jimmy also played and jammed with other artists including Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, The Doors, Joe Cocker, Arthur Brown, Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Turtles, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, and The Moody Blues.

Following his time with Frank Zappa and The Mothers Jimmy Carl Black formed several bands including Geronimo Black, The Valley Loboys, Big Sonny and The Loboys, The Grandmothers, partly a Zappa tribute band playing early Zappa, Jimmy Carl Black and The Mannish Boys and The Farrell & Black Band.

From 1995 Jimmy often guested on tour and on album with Liverpool band The Muffin Men doing Zappa and Beefheart numbers.

In 2001 Jimmy was diagnosed with leukaemia and in August 2008 with inoperable lung cancer. Jimmy died on Saturday 1st November 2008.

A benefit event to raise funds to help pay for Jimmy's medical expenses had been organised to take place in London on Sunday 9th November. As he had passed away the week before the gig became a tribute to Jimmy and benefit for his wife and family.

Regards the short video I have posted here, the "live" clips are shot on a digital stills camera pretending to be a video camera and the sound and picture quality are rough, very rough, but it's all I've got. The actual sound quality at the venues on the nights was excellent.

So the "live" bits are Jimmy singing with the excellent Muffin Men at The Borderline, London W1, on 31st March 2005. (The segue during "The Duke of Prunes" goes from Jimmy singing live to Ray Collins singing on the album "Absolutely Free").

The other "live" clips are MC Ben Watson talking onstage at the benefit and tribute gig at Bridgehouse 11, London E16, on Sunday 9th November 2008.

Jimmy Carl Black, 1st February 1938 - 1st November 2008.