Frank Vincent Zappa would have been 65 today (Dec. 21), had he not fallen victim to prostate cancer a dozen years ago.

Here was a man who wrote and performed practically every type of music: orchestral, jazz, doo-wop, electronic, experimental, parody, rhythm and blues, country and western, and good old rock 'n' roll. He even dabbled in rap with a tune called "Promiscuous," a hilarious sendup of Dr. C. Everett Coop (remember him?), during Zappa's last tour in 1988.

He apparently liked to think of himself primarily as a composer, but he also was one of the most esteemed guitarists who ever lived. Two compilations, one called "Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar" and the other simply "Guitar," provide hours of solid evidence of his capabilities.

I've heard a story I'll pass on (no evidence whether it's true, but I like it): A reporter once asked Jimi Hendrix what it felt like to be the world's greatest guitar player. Jimi replied, "I don't know. Ask Frank Zappa."

He's primarily remembered for stuff that makes you laugh, fluke hits like "Don't Eat Yellow Snow" and his collaboration with daughter Moon, "Valley Girl." And a lot of his material isn't exactly fit for family consumption. (One of his posthumous compilations is called "Have I Offended Anyone?")

In that vein, he was a relentless champion of freedom of speech when a group of D.C. housewives started frothing at the mouth in the mid-'80s about labeling records. Frank's testimony at some of the congressional/legislative hearings show examples of his wit and intelligence even outside of the musical realm.

If you'd like to hear for yourself, here are a few recommendations from the vast catalog of Frank Zappa:

"We're Only In It for the Money" (1968) - by the Mothers of Invention, Frank's original band. This satire of the Flower Power scene has aged remarkably well, considering the subject matter. Perhaps that's because the editing techniques still sound fresh. The frequent cuts and splices, the varying speeds of vocals and instruments, and the backward-tracking all are easy to do today on the computer, but they were a royal pain to execute back then.

"Hot Rats" (1969). This served as the first real showcase for Frank's guitar playing and features perhaps his most enduring instrumental, "Peaches En Regalia."

"The Grand Wazoo" (1972) - by the Mothers. While recuperating from injuries sustained when a crazed Londoner pushed him off the stage, Frank worked with a large ensemble on extended jazz pieces for some of his most melodic and engaging music.

"Apostrophe (')" (1974). Frank Zappa actually cracked the top 10 with this album, thanks to the airplay of "Don't Eat Yellow Snow." The story goes that a Pittsburgh disc jockey came up with his own edited version of the song, started spinning it, and it caught on nationally. The rest of the album also leans toward the humor side without being scatalogical.

"Sleep Dirt" (1979). I recommend this because the title track features a rare acoustic guitar performance by Frank, along with some other catchy tunes. Look for the original LP version, which is all-instrumental. Rykodisc's CD release features vocals that were overdubbed for reasons that are too involved to get into here.

"Jazz from Hell" (1986). Most of the compositions on this album were realized on an early computer-based instrument called the Synclavier. Nothing else sounds quite like it.

"Broadway the Hard Way" (1989). Excerpts from the final tour highlight Frank's penchant for political satire, taking aim at the foibles of the Reagan administration and of various "TV preacher" types. If only he could see what's going on now ...