Ruth Underwood
Ruth Underwood is an American musician best known for playing xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, and other percussion instruments for Frank Zappa and his band The Mothers of Invention. She played for Zappa from 1968 until the mid-1970s, and again briefly before Zappa's death in 1993. She married fellow Zappa musician Ian Underwood.
Background
Underwood began her music training in the classical tradition, studying both at Ithaca College under Warren Benson and at Juilliard under Saul Goodman and Morris Goldenberg. Throughout 1967, she kept a regular attendance at the Garrick Theater in New York City when Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention were the resident band. This resulted in her association with Zappa, beginning in December 1967.In May 1969 she married keyboardist/saxophonist Ian Underwood, a fellow Zappa musician. They divorced in 1986. Professionally she used both her birth name, Ruth Komanoff, and her married name.
Career
Hamilton Face Band
Underwood was the drummer with a rock group named the Hamilton Face Band during 1969, appearing on their recordings released by Philips Records and Bell Records. The first album, The Hamilton Face Band was produced by Anne Tansey. The group felt that they were rushed and weren't happy with it. However, the second one that was produced by Johanan Vigoda brought them some chart success.Further activities
Underwood performed in more than 30 recordings with Zappa or Mothers. Examples of her virtuosity can be heard on tracks including the "Rollo Interior interlude" from "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast" on the Apostrophe (') album. Other work is documented on Roxy & Elsewhere and on "Inca Roads", the opening track on One Size Fits All. Underwood can be heard in the soundtrack of the Zappa movie 200 Motels, and the Dub Room Special DVD, which includes performances from the KCET Special A Token Of His Extreme. She also features in the film of the Roxy performances.During the 1970s, Underwood collaborated in recording sessions for a small number of other performers, most notably with the band Ambrosia, composer Jasun Martz, and jazz keyboardist George Duke, the last also a veteran of Zappa's bands.
In an interview Underwood revealed that she played on one final session for Zappa shortly before his death from cancer in December 1993. Zappa was then composing mostly with the electronic Synclavier system, though he used recordings of live musicians which were later manipulated and arranged with the Synclavier. She recalled:
In 2008, she commissioned Gordon Stout to write a work for the percussion ensemble Nexus.
She also features in the DVD - DC Collection: Vol. 1 - The Drummers Of Frank Zappa with Terry Bozzio, Ralph Humphrey, Chester Thompson and Chad Wackerman.
Underwood is the mother of two children, both musicians. She resides in Los Angeles.
Selected discography
Frank Zappa
Uncle Meat 200 Motels Over-Nite Sensation Apostrophe (') Roxy & Elsewhere One Size Fits All Zoot Allures Zappa in New York Studio Tan Sleep Dirt Thing-Fish You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Sampler You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 The Lost Episodes Läther Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute Have I Offended Someone? The Dub Room Special Wazoo One Shot Deal Understanding America Road Tapes, Venue #2 A Token of His Extreme Soundtrack Roxy by Proxy Roxy the Soundtrack The Crux of the Biscuit Meat Light The Roxy Performances Halloween 73- ''Zappa''
The Hamilton Face Band
The Hamilton Face BandJasun Martz and the Neoteric Orchestra
- ''The Pillory''
George Duke
I Love The Blues She Heard My Cry Liberated FantasiesBilly Cobham
- ''Inner Conflicts ''
Ambrosia
Alphonso Johnson
Eye to Eye
- ''Eye to Eye ''
Jasun Martz/The Neoteric Orchestra
- ''The Pillory ''
Malcolm McNab
- ''Exquisite ''