Happy birthday to iconoclast #JohnZorn

Happy birthday to iconoclast John Zorn, who turns 63 today. Here is JT's candid, no-holds-barred interview with the composer- saxophonist.

— JazzTimes Magazine (@JazzTimes) September 2, 2016

John Zorn

John Zorn - Acoustic Masada Live Full Concert https://t.co/HIdFMOqry0

— AddictedToJazz (@AddictedToJazz) June 17, 2016

John Zorn: Gnostic Preludes

By NENAD GEORGIEVSKI,

Composer John Zorn is a man of many projects, genres and styles. When once asked about styles, in Option, he replied "I'm not afraid of styles; I like them all." He also has a short attention span and because of that his music is a unique aural crosscut of styles—be it avant jazz, classical, cartoon cutups, free improv, computer music—continuously plunging himself into less expected musical territories. Being an intrepid explorer and musical sponge, his wide-ranging interests are so vast and ever-changing that is futile to place him in anything but in a category for himself. It seems that exploration is the motivation and main engine that leads Zorn along his journey to the extreme limits of constant and rigorous research. But not only are his musical interests so wide; his literary and film interests and influences are equally maddeningly broad and diverse, too.

All those references to literary and film interests can mainly be found in the titles of records and compositions. Zorn has found equal inspiration in various literary sources, from crime novels and Japanese manga comic books to occult subjects such as the books of Aleister Crowley, various seekers of the truth and mystics such as G. I. Gurdjieff, the Kabbalah mysticism, and demonology or Gnosticism; in other words, the alternative branch of Christianity. Literary and mystical sources aside, Gnostic Preludes is a fine example of Zorn's unique and fascinating fusion of classical music with western improvisation.

It could have easily been part of his Filmworks series because of its meditative nature. The melody of opening track, "The Middle Pillars" (referencing one of the recommended practices for Sophian initiates) closely resembles the main theme of Filmworks XIII: Invitation to a Suicide(Tzadik, 2002).

Zorn uses the talents of this unusual combination of instruments—harp, vibraphone, bells and guitar—to maximum effect and, as always, he fully engages the performers to be not just dutiful interpreters, but creatively invested collaborators. The sense of beauty lies in the way these instruments are melded in a multi-textured tapestry of sound. Guitarist Bill Frisell is particularly inspired, as his playing shows him being more engaged and focused than he has ever been. Rather than hiding behind his immediately recognizable slow and weaving guitar tones and melodicity, he is more playful and virtuosic. The interplay between vibraphonist Kenny Wollesen, Frisell and harpist Carol Emanuell on "Book of Pleasure" is beautiful, with characteristically minimalistic repetitive motifs on vibes and Frisell providing Dave Gilmour-esque edgy guitar works. It is a gorgeously slow tune with lyrical imagery for the mind and the soul.

"Prelude of Light" continues down this strange yet inviting path. It alters between beautiful backwash of harp and vibes melodies and drones, with Sephardic melodies provided by the intricate guitar. The shimmering nature of the sounds produced on "Diatesseron," "Sounds of the Spheres" and "Circumbulation" creates delicate filigrees that pulsate with absorbing detail. The layered production gives these compositions a hypnotically captivating quality that induces a dreamlike state; the effect is really intoxicating. "Sign and Signal" is another delightful track, featuring beautiful and intricate interplay between Emmanuel and Wollesen's vibes and bells. It shimmers with Steve Reich -like pulsating repetitive motifs taken further with Frisell's overtly blissful Sephardic guitar lines. It is an infinitely fascinating track that begs to be revisited over and over.

Gnostic Preludes is an intriguing and seductive recording, with a gentle and contemplative feeling that resonates with emotive power. It combines the feel of ambiance music with lyrical and melodic prowess seldom seen in Zorn's work. As such, it is a moving work well worth surrendering to.

Tracks: Prelude 1: The Middle Pillar; Prelude 2: The Book of Pleasure; Prelude 3: Prelude of Light; Prelude 4: Diatesseron; Prelude 5: Music of the Spheres; Prelude 6: Circumambulation; Prelude 7: Sign and Sigil; Prelude 8: The Invisibles.

Personnel: Carol Emanuel: harp; Bill Frisell: guitar; Kenny Wollesen: vibes, bells.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=41895

John Zorn

John Zorn (born September 2, 1953 in NYC, USA) is a Jewish American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist.

As a child, Zorn played piano, guitar and flute. He studied at Webster College (now Webster University) in St. Louis, Missouri, where he discovered free jazz. Dropping out of college and moving to Manhattan, Zorn gave concerts in his small apartment, playing a variety of reeds, duck calls, tapes, etc. He eventually became a major participant in the fertile “Downtown” experimental music scene.
In the mid 1980s he signed to the Elektra-Nonesuch label. Since then, Zorn has been quite prolific, usually putting out several new records each year. In 2006, Zorn was named a MacArthur Fellow.
Every once in a while, you can catch him live at Tonic club in NYC where he hosts jazz jams and marathon regularly. His breakthrough recording was perhaps 1985's The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone, wherein Zorn offered a number of often radical arrangements of Morricone's famed songs from various movies. The Big Gundown was endorsed by Morricone, and incorporated elements of traditional Japanese music, soul jazz, and other diverse musical genres.

Zorn owns the Tzadik record label and has worked with a large number of experimental musicians, particularly in improvised music. He is inspired by other artists and different musical styles. He has a special attraction to underground artists and musical styles that are extremely loud, wild, or creative. He is perhaps best known for his work with Masada, with Joey Baron (drums), Dave Douglas (trumpet), Greg Cohen (bass); Masada is an Ornette Coleman-influenced band playing compositions based on Jewish scales. The Masada songs are part of the songbook with several different arrangements. These include the Masada String Trio, Bar Kohkba, and Electric Masada. He has also played with Painkiller (a mix of grindcore and free jazz in which he is joined by Mick Harris of Napalm Death) and Naked City (an often aggressive mix of jazz, rock and thrash metal). He has also worked with musicians such as Bill Frisell, Gary Lucas, Wayne Horvitz, Derek Bailey, Cyro Baptista, Trevor Dunn, Mark Feldman, Fred Frith, Erik Friedlander, Keiji Haino, Bill Laswell, Arto Lindsay, Mike Patton, John Medeski, Ikue Mori, Robert Quine, Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wolleson, and the Violent Femmes. He has written music for television and film, which has been collected in the ongoing Filmworks series of records on his label, Tzadik. Some of these are jazz-based, others are classical.
Zorn has also written several “game pieces,” in which performers are allowed to improvise while following certain structural rules. These works are in the main named after sports, and include Pool, Archery, and Lacrosse, as well as Cobra. He is also often noted for his postmodern, sometimes extreme, use of formal blocks, units which he combines and contrasts in various ways. Zorn discusses his history and the musical philosophy behind his early works in the book Talking Music by William Duckworth.

Most recently, he has become the principal force behind the opening of The Stone, an avant-garde performance space in New York's Alphabet City which supports itself solely on donations, giving all door revenues directly to the performers. Zorn holds the title of artistic director.
Zorn has lived and worked extensively in Japan and performs and records under the name Dekoboko Hajime, collaborating with and producing for numerous artists including Merzbow, Otomo Yoshihide, Melt Banana and of frequent collaborator Yamatsuka Eye. Many of these artists have now released albums on Tzadik and some regularly travel to New York where Zorn is based.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=11628