Robby Krieger Taps Arthur Barrow for “The Ritual Begins At Sundown”

As guitarist for The Doors, Robby Krieger helped forge a new path in rock. Five decades later, he’s branching out with a new solo album called The Ritual Begins At Sundown that’s more influenced by jazz and experimental music. The instrumental record has jazz progressions, “but there’s a little Zappa in there and a little Doors.” It’s only fitting that he called on his longtime friend (and former Zappa bassist) Arthur Barrow for the project.

“I was hanging out with my buddy Arthur Barrow and we had some songs we had been fooling around with then we got some other friends involved,” Krieger said in a statement. “When I wrote songs for the Doors, it was always the music first. I think you have to have some musical ability to really understand jazz… when I was young I didn’t really understand it.”

“I co-produced it with him and was involved in the writing and arranging of most of the tunes, as well as playing on it, of course,” Barrow states. “I have worked with Robby for more than 40 years now, and we are still coming up with some pretty cool music.”

Barrow, who worked with Zappa during the 70s and 80s, is joined by other Zappa alumni Jock Ellis (Trombone), Sal Marquez (Trumpet), Tommy Mars (Keys) and Chad Wackerman (Drums), as well as AeB Bryne (Flute), Vince Denham (Sax), Chuck Manning (Sax) and Joel Taylor (Drums). Among the ten tracks is one Zappa cover of “Chunga’s Revenge.”

Get a taste of the album’s direction with “Hot Head”:

The Ritual Begins At Sundown is available now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).

The Ritual Begins At Sundown Track List:

1. What Was That?
2. Slide Home
3. The Drift
4. Chunga’s Revenge (Frank Zappa cover)
5. Hot Head
6. Yes, The River Knows
7. The Hitch
8. Dr Noir
9. Bianca’s Dream
10. Screen Junkie