Frank Zappa’s Longtime Percussionist Ed Mann Dies at 70

Ed Mann, the longtime percussionist for Frank Zappa, has reportedly died at the age of 70. Mann passed away on June 1, 2024.

Mann’s passing was announced on social media by fellow musician and Zappa collaborator Chad Wackerman.

“Rest easy my old friend Ed Mann,” Wackerman wrote. “A masterful and brilliant percussionist. He could read anything Frank Zappa threw at him, and I never once heard him make a mistake. He toured with Frank for 11 years and went on to record with many of the greats. Ed was a creative force and a great teacher and will be missed.”

Mann’s passion for music began in childhood. He received his first drum kit at age 11 and quickly started performing with local bands.

In 1972, he began studying at the Hartt College of Music in Connecticut but transferred a year later to the California Institute of the Arts. There, he expanded his knowledge to include jazz, world music, and experimental rock.

Mann first came into Zappa’s orbit in 1977 through a mutual friend, John Bergamo, who had been one of Mann’s instructors at Cal Arts. Months later, Mann was invited to audition for Zappa.

After his tenure with Zappa, Mann remained a popular session musician for many years, working with a wide array of artists including Andy Summers, Kenny Loggins, Tammy Wynette, Los Lobos, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

He also played on film scores for some of Hollywood’s biggest composers, including Hans Zimmer, Jeff Rona, and Klaus Badelt.