Art Tripp

Arthur Dyer Tripp III (aka Ed Marimba, Ted Cactus, Artie "With the green mustache" Tripp) (born 10 September 1944 in Athens, Ohio) is a chiropractor and former musician best known for his work as a percussionist with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band.

Early career

Tripp grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and started playing drums in the 4th grade with school bands. In high school he played drums with bands at weddings, fraternity parties and dances. He then became a student of Stanley Leonard, the timpanist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, from whom he learned to play other percussion instruments including xylophone, tympani, marimba, and dozens of others.

In 1961 he was accepted to the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. His private teacher at the Conservatory was Ed Weubold, a percussionist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He became a regular member of the CSO, performing with such well known artists as Igor Stravinsky, Isaac Stern, Leonard Rose, Jose Iturbi, Loren Hollender, and Arthur Fiedler. In 1966 the U.S. State Department sent the orchestra on a 10-week world tour, which provided additional seasoning for the youthful percussionist.

During this time Art also played two seasons as timpanist with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as a season with both the Cincinnati Summer Opera, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. He was selected by avant-garde composer John Cage to work with him in performances and workshops when Cage became composer in residence at the Conservatory of Music.

Having attained his Bachelor of Music degree in 1966, in 1967 Tripp accepted a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music in New York, primarily in order to finish his Master of Music degree, but also to continue his exposure to contemporary music. His teacher was the former timpanist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Fred Hinger. Mr. Hinger was then playing percussion with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and teaching a few students at the Met.

Later career

It was in New York that Art was introduced to Frank Zappa’s recording engineer, Richard Kunc. When Zappa was informed by Richard that he had met a percussionist with just the type of background and experience that Zappa was looking for, Art was invited to meet Frank and play for him at Apostolic Studio in New York’s Greenwich Village. Art went on to join the band and record seven albums with Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. He performed with the band on many tours throughout the U.S. and Europe. In early 1968, the band relocated back to Hollywood. Zappa disbanded the "Mothers" in 1969 to form a smaller unit with Tripp and two others, and began performing under his own name, later dropping the "Mothers" from subsequent album titles. Art had been spending time, and discussing projects with Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart), so when the opportunity arose, he joined up with the group Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band. At that time he also recorded with Chad Stewart, and The Brotherhood of Man. He was hired to play percussion on the "Smothers Brothers Summer Special", and was offered the percussion position in the pit orchestra for the stage show "Oh! Calcutta!".

Tripp decided to move to northern California with the Beefheart band. The move started a 5-year period of many recordings and tours in the U.S., Europe, and Great Britain. During this period he was asked to do albums with Ry Cooder and Ornette Coleman. He declined, so as to not take time away from rehearsing and touring with The Magic Band. But eventually conflicts caused the group to separate from Beefheart. They started composing and rehearsing new music, which ultimately was recorded on an album sponsored by the Jethro Tull organization - along with its drummer Barriemore Barlow and guitarist Martin Barre - called "Mallard". However by then Tripp had become discouraged with the music business. He went back to Pittsburgh to work in the insurance business with his father.

After 3 years, realizing that the insurance industry was not what he wanted either, Tripp decided to return to his music career. He went back to Hollywood where he stayed with Ruth and Ian Underwood, while he worked as a studio musician recording with artists such as Al Stewart, and various commercial producers. However studio work did not have the same allure as concert work, so he started becoming disillusioned with the music business. During that time he sought chiropractic treatment with Dr. Joel Hanson. The Hollywood practitioner saw a talent which he believed would make the musician into a superior chiropractor. Since Tripp had been treated by chiropractors since the age of 16, and he greatly admired that form of healing, he immediately started chiropractic studies in 1978.

Following chiropractic licensure in 1983, Tripp opened a practice near Eureka, CA. In 2000, tiring of the steady rise of California governmental oppression, he moved his practice to Gulfport, Mississippi, where he continues a successful practice today.

Discography

* Mothers of Invention: Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (1968, LP, Verve)
* Mothers of Invention: Uncle Meat (1969, 2LP, Bizarre)
* Wild Man Fischer: An Evening With Wild Man Fischer (1969, LP, Bizarre/Reprise)
* Mothers of Invention: Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970, LP, Bizarre)
* Mothers of Invention: Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970, LP, Bizarre)
* Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band: Lick My Decals Off, Baby (1970, LP, Straight)
* Jean-Luc Ponty: King Kong (1970, LP, World Pacific Jazz ST20172)
* Smothers Brothers: The Smothers Brothers Summer Show (1970, TV, ABC)
* Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band: The Spotlight Kid (1972, LP, Reprise)
* Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band: Clear Spot (1972, LP, Reprise)
* Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band: Unconditionally Guaranteed (1974, LP, Mercury)
* Mallard: Mallard (1975, LP, Virgin Records V2045)
* Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band: Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (1978, LP, Warner)
* Al Stewart: Time Passages (1978, LP, Arista)
* Frank Zappa: You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 (1988, 2CD, Rykodisc)
* Frank Zappa: You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 (1991, 2CD, Rykodisc)
* Mothers of Invention: The Ark (1991, CD, Rhino Foo-eee Records, R2 70538)
* Frank Zappa: You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 (1992, 2CD, Rykodisc)
* Jefferson Airplane: Loves You (1992, 3CD, RCA)
* Zappa/Mothers: Ahead Of Their Time (1993, CD, Rykodisc)
* Tim Buckley: Live at the Troubadour 1969 (1994, CD, French, Edsel Records)
* Frank Zappa: The Lost Episodes (1996, CD, Rykodisc)
* Frank Zappa: Mystery Discs (1998, CD, Rykodisc)
* Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band: Grow Fins (1999, 5CD, Revenant Records)
* Jefferson Airplane: Crown of Creation (2003, EU, CD, RCA)

Filmography

* 200 Motels, 1971
* Uncle Meat, 1987
* The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels, 1989