| Ed Mann | |
| Landscape: | yes |
| Birth Name: | Edward L. Mann |
| Birth Date: | 14 January 1955 |
| Birth Place: | Great Barrington, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1975–2024 |
Edward L. Mann (January 14, 1955 – May 31, 2024) was an American musician best known for his mallet percussion performances onstage with Frank Zappa's ensemble from 1977 to 1988, and his appearances on over 30 of Zappa's albums, both studio recordings and with Zappa's band live. Mann also released a number of CDs as a bandleader and composer.
Mann described himself as "a drummer and piano dabbler since childhood."[1] He formed a band with Tommy Mars in mid 1973; by the end of that year he was studying with John Bergamo at CalArts. In 1977 Frank Zappa asked Bergamo to do some overdubbing on the Zappa In New York album and Bergamo in turn recommended Mann.
A few months later Ruth Underwood told Mann that Zappa was looking for a second keyboard player. When Mann called to recommend Tommy Mars ("At midnight, the only time when you could reach Frank by phone"May 2019.), Zappa invited him to come to his house. Mann went to the house, where Terry Bozzio, Patrick O'Hearn, and Adrian Belew were jamming with Zappa. By 2:00am Mann was in the band. He later commented: "It took a few days for that all to sink in."May 2019.
Mann can be heard playing gongs on J21's Yellow Mind:Blue Mind album.
Until mid-2014 Mann was a member of The Band From Utopia which had featured many Zappa alumni such as Robert Martin, Chad Wackerman, Albert Wing, Tom Fowler, Ray White and Ralph Humphrey over the years. In 2008, he toured with Project Object and sat in with Agent Moosehead at the New York Harvest Festival and Freedom Rally. In 2013 Mann began performing on percussion and electronics with The Z3, an organ, guitar and drums trio that adapts Zappa music to the Hammond organ-centered jazz-funk tradition. Mann played on The White Album and did a virtuoso performance on the song 'Apple A Day.' Mann played on two of David Arvedon's albums.
Mann joined Northeast blugrasstafarian jam band Desert Rain for their set at the Wormtown Music Festival in the fall of 2015. From then on he joined the group at clubs throughout the Northeast.
In July 2016 Mann joined Mike Dillon for three dates of Dillon's northeast US tour.
Mann died on May 31, 2024, at the age of 69.[2]
Mann performances can be seen in the Zappa films Baby Snakes, Dub Room Special & Video From Hell.