John Zorn- Awesome Free Jazz/Avant Garde Artist

**Frownland** · 02-08-2013, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chives

Based mostly on seeing the name pop up in Frownland's "now listening to" on last.fm, I decided to give John Zorn a go. Seems pretty rad so far, although he has a hell of a discography. I've been mainly using rateyourmusic reviews to decide which albums to listen to (I've listened to Naked City and his first Filmworks album so far), but if you guys have specific recommendations I'd love to hear them.

I got you into this mess so I'll give you a few suggestions

. Spy Vs. Spy is my favourite Zorn album not counting Naked City's material. Also check out Book of Heads, The Big Gundown, Moonchild, and his group Masada's album Alef.

And by Naked City did you mean the album or the group? Because Zorn made a few other albums with the people on the Naked City, and they're all fantastic. Especially Torture Garden, which also happens to be one of my overall favourite albums.

Chives · 02-08-2013, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I got you into this mess so I'll give you a few suggestions

. Spy Vs. Spy is my favourite Zorn album not counting Naked City's material. Also check out Book of Heads, The Big Gundown, Moonchild, and his group Masada's album Alef.

And by Naked City did you mean the album or the group? Because Zorn made a few other albums with the people on the Naked City, and they're all fantastic. Especially Torture Garden, which also happens to be one of my overall favourite albums.

Naked City the album. I had a mess of a time figuring out if I should tag the album Naked City as a Naked City album or a John Zorn album, but I eventually settled on tagging it as a John Zorn album because that seemed to be true way the album is credited...I think? It's these sort of tagging issues that keep me up at night.

I was putting off Spy vs Spy because I've never actually listened to the original works of Ornette Coleman and I want to do that before touching Zorn's versions. I mean, I'm sure it's pretty much entirely different but I'd feel weird jumping into it like that. I've been on a jazz binge lately, though, so I'm sure I'll get to some Coleman soon enough, and then I can go for Spy vs Spy. As for the other suggestions, I'll look into them.

Paul Smeenus · 02-09-2013, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chives

...I was putting off Spy vs Spy because I've never actually listened to the original works of Ornette Coleman and I want to do that before touching Zorn's versions. I mean, I'm sure it's pretty much entirely different...

To the point of being nearly unrecognizable as OC, in my opinion

ivanberdichevsky · 02-26-2013, 08:11 PM

John Zorn is a hero.

Chives · 02-27-2013, 08:19 PM

The Big Gundown was neat, although I wasn't completely in love with it at first listen. Interested enough to give it another spin, though. It was a while ago though so maybe I'm just not remembering it well!

Naked City has been great every time I listen to it. I'm a sucker for albums with tons of short tracks that pile up on each other. The content is damn fun, too. I'll continue hopping around his discography, hoping hitting up the other albums you guys have suggested.

muppetfrog · 03-02-2013, 10:17 PM

he is definitely a genius. john zorn is a big influence. quite wide ranging career

Sequoioideae · 03-10-2013, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrd00d

Moonchild is weird in that it's more like vocalizing an episode of Looney Tunes for insane adults. Like us.

Here's Patton's part in Moonchild - abrasive, yes. But shut your eyes, and imagine Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote running around and fighting and so on the whole time. Or whatever your imagination comes up with. But that's what it's all about...

It's absolutely unique. And tremendously difficult. Note he is 'reading' these 'notes'. And turning pages. I wonder what the transcript looks like:

"BWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" "chug a chug a chug a whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa "

Holy shit, ahahahaha. I didn't know Mike Patton was capable of such insanity. It's like meth for the ears!

Reminds me somewhat of Yamatsuka Eye's "duet" with Zorn. No words.

Alice in Chains · 03-11-2013, 02:04 AM

I love 'Little Bittern' and 'Moonchild' from John Zorn. He's pretty much the epitome of a genius and Moonchild feels even a little classical/jazz-ish. Such great, great work, man..

**Frownland** · 12-26-2013, 01:54 PM

Has anyone here heard all of John Zorn's work? I'm working my way to that status and I've found that finding his new releases are difficult, and I thought he was rather popular (to the extent that someone making Zorn's music can get). He's got around 500 albums and while some are disappointing, it's like an adventure to listen to his entire catalogue.

I love his record with Fred Frith called "The Art of Memory." It achieves the same ranked status as Zorn's Naked City work.

Gavin B. · 12-27-2013, 06:10 PM

I own 18 different John Zorn albums and they're only a small portion of his immense body of work over the years.

I really like his 22 volume set entitled Film Works which mostly soundtracks to non-existent movies. This song, Main Titles, is from Film Works 3 (1997). It has a very noirish sound.

02-27-2013, 08:19 PM	#55 (permalink)
Chives Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 299	The Big Gundown was neat, although I wasn't completely in love with it at first listen. Interested enough to give it another spin, though. It was a while ago though so maybe I'm just not remembering it well! Naked City has been great every time I listen to it. I'm a sucker for albums with tons of short tracks that pile up on each other. The content is damn fun, too. I'll continue hopping around his discography, hoping hitting up the other albums you guys have suggested. __________________ [My last.fm] [My Tumblr]

03-02-2013, 10:17 PM	#56 (permalink)
muppetfrog Groupie Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 8	john zorn he is definitely a genius. john zorn is a big influence. quite wide ranging career

12-26-2013, 01:54 PM	#59 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	Has anyone here heard all of John Zorn's work? I'm working my way to that status and I've found that finding his new releases are difficult, and I thought he was rather popular (to the extent that someone making Zorn's music can get). He's got around 500 albums and while some are disappointing, it's like an adventure to listen to his entire catalogue. I love his record with Fred Frith called "The Art of Memory." It achieves the same ranked status as Zorn's Naked City work. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

12-27-2013, 06:10 PM	#60 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	I own 18 different John Zorn albums and they're only a small portion of his immense body of work over the years. I really like his 22 volume set entitled Film Works which mostly soundtracks to non-existent movies. This song, Main Titles, is from Film Works 3 (1997). It has a very noirish sound. __________________ There are two types of music: the first type is the blues and the second type is all the other stuff. Townes Van Zandt Last edited by Gavin B.; 12-27-2013 at 06:16 PM.

02-26-2013, 08:11 PM	#54 (permalink)
ivanberdichevsky Groupie Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1	John Zorn is a hero.

03-11-2013, 02:04 AM	#58 (permalink)
Alice in Chains My Body is a Cage. Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Down in a hole.. Posts: 138	I love 'Little Bittern' and 'Moonchild' from John Zorn. He's pretty much the epitome of a genius and Moonchild feels even a little classical/jazz-ish. Such great, great work, man..