Album Notes

The Zobo Funn Band was a fabulously creative rock/jazz ensemble based in Ithaca, NY 1973-1980. Throngs of stoned and straight post-hippies, college students, professors and locals came to the ZFB's shows to "zobo dance" with wild abandon across the floors of local clubs and Cornell University's church-like Willard Straight Hall. The band also gigged in the NYC area, with a memorable show at Max's Kansas City. The 1977 studio LP "Zobo" didn't capture the energy of the band's transcendant live shows, which flew on the wings of principal songwriter Jeremy Werbin's eclectic tunes and extended solos from acknowledged avant-weird guitarist David Torn and saxophonist Jim Campagnola. This set from the Haunt nightclub in Ithaca was recorded on four tracks, mixed by ZFB bassist James Twomey, and remastered by Jim Watson. Certain to please fans of the band, the set provides a powerful glimpse into that all too obscure world where players really learn to play and songwriters are more concerned with saying something than selling something. Werbin struggled for recognition as a singer and songwriter until 1997, when he passed away from complications of diabetes. The surviving members of the band are all working musicians. Keyboardist David Arnay now lives in L.A., with two original jazz CDs available on CD Baby. Drummer Michael Wellen is still in Ithaca, playing with numerous bands. Campagnola and Twomey live in the NYC area. Torn has been advancing his film scoring career ("The Order") while producing and laying tracks for A-list clients including David Bowie and Jeff Beck. Fans of his eclectic sonic strategies may be surprised at the strength of his roots, in ample display on this disc, as a blazing blues-based guitar monster. Profits from sales of this CD will be donated to embryonic stem-cell and diabetes research.