John Zorn
John Zorn (right) with Masada
Background information
Born	September 2, 1953 (1953-09-02) (age 54)
Origin	New York City, U.S.
Genre(s)	jazz free jazz improvised thrash hardcore electronic music surf contemporary classical music world
Occupation(s)	composer/producer
Instrument(s)	alto saxophone
Years active	1973 - present
Label(s)	Tzadik, Avant, DIW, Elektra Nonesuch, Earache, Hat Hut, Shimmy-Disc, Eva, Toy's Factory, Nato, Lumina, Black Saint, Subharmonic, Parachute
Associated acts	Naked City, Masada, Painkiller, Hemophiliac, Weird Little Boy
Website	www.tzadik.com
Notable instrument(s)
saxophone, clarinet, duck calls, voice, piano, Theremin, wind machine

John Zorn (born September 2, 1953 in Queens, New York) is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 493 pixelsFull resolution (812 × 500 pixel, file size: 82 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 7 - President Harry S. Truman announces the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Improvisation is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of ones immediate environment. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by the high speed and aggression. ... Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ... For other uses, see Electronic music (disambiguation). ... Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture. ... In the broadest sense, contemporary music is any music being written in the present day. ... For other uses, see World (disambiguation). ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... See Tzadik for other meanings of the word. ... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... Earache Records is a heavy metal-orientated record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme music by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records, in the period 1988-1992. ... Black Saint/Soul Note is a pair of Italian jazz record labels. ... This article is about the band. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Painkiller (also officially known as Pain Killer) is a band originally formed in 1991. ... Weird Little Boy is a one off studio project featuring musicians John Zorn - Alto Saxophone, Keyboards, Samplers, Trey Spruance - Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, William Winant - Percussion Mike Patton - Drums, Vocals and Chris Cochrane - Guitar The performance follows in the vein of abstract soundscapes and avant garde expresionism though it is regarded... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family. ... Two soprano clarinets: a B♭ clarinet (left, with capped mouthpiece) and an A clarinet (right, with no mouthpiece). ... A short grand piano, with the lid up. ... Léon Theremin playing an early theremin The theremin (originally pronounced but often anglicized as [1]), or thereminvox, is one of the earliest fully electronic musical instruments. ... A vertical wind tunnel (VWT) is a wind tunnel which moves air up in a vertical column. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 7 - President Harry S. Truman announces the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb. ... For other uses, see Queens (disambiguation) and Queen. ... This article is about the state. ... A work similar to Marcel Duchamps Fountain Avant garde (written avant-garde) is a French phrase, one of many French phrases used by English speakers. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble) or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. ...

Though not well-known to the general public, Zorn's recorded output is astonishingly prolific, with hundreds of album credits as a performer, composer or producer. His work has touched on dozens of musical genres, but he is best-known for his jazz and contemporary music; he also led the notable experimental band Naked City and klezmer influenced quartet Masada. Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... In the broadest sense, contemporary music is any music being written in the present day. ... This article is about the band. ... Klezmer (from Yiddish כּלי־זמיר, etymologically from Hebrew kli zemer כלי זמר, musical instrument) is a musical tradition which parallels Hasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ...

He has also used the pseudonym Dekoboko Hajime for a number of his projects based in Japan and with Japanese musicians. Dekoboko Hajime is New York avant-garde composer John Zorns alias for a number of his projects based in Japan and with Japanese musicians. ...

Biography

John Zorn was born in New York City and, as a child, played piano, guitar and flute^[1] and absorbed the musical influences from his parents and siblings which included classical music, world music, jazz, chansons, doo-wop, and rock and roll^[2]. He picked up the saxophone after discovering Anthony Braxton's album For Alto^[3] while attending Webster College (now Webster University) in St. Louis, Missouri, where he studied under Oliver Lake^[4]. While still at Webster, Zorn incorporated elements of free jazz, avant-garde and experimental music, film scores, performance art and the cartoon scores of Carl Stalling into his first recordings^[5]. Dropping out of college and moving to Manhattan, Zorn gave concerts in his apartment and other small NY venues playing saxophone and a variety of reeds, duck calls, tapes, and other instruments^[6]. He founded the Theatre of Musical Optics, a performance art collaborative, in 1975^[7] and became a major participant in the fertile, experimental downtown music scene as a composer, performer and producer of music that challenges the confines of any single musical genre. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... A short grand piano, with the lid up. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... â™  This article is about the family of musical instruments. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the 2000s . ... World music is, most generally, all the music in the world. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Chanson is a French word for song, and in English-language contexts is often applied to any song with French words, particularly a cabaret song. ... Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American composer, multi-reedist and pianist. ... For Alto is a jazz double-LP by composer/multi-reedist Anthony Braxton which was released in 1969. ... Webster University is an American private university in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... Oliver Lake (b. ... Webster University is an American private university in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... A work similar to Marcel Duchamps Fountain Avant garde (written avant-garde) is a French phrase, one of many French phrases used by English speakers. ... For experimental rock music, see experimental rock. ... A film score is the background music in a film, generally specially written for the film and often used to heighten emotions provoked by the imagery on the screen or by the dialogue. ... This article is about Performance art. ... For other uses, see Cartoon (disambiguation). ... Carl W. Stalling (November 10, 1892–November 29, 1972) was a noted composer and arranger of music for animated cartoons. ... For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ... This article is about Performance art. ... Collaboration, literally, consists of working together with one or more others. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... The performing arts include theater, motion pictures, drama, comedy, music, dance, opera, magic and the marching arts, such as brass bands, etc. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ...

After releasing albums on several independent US and European labels, Zorn signed with the Elektra Nonesuch label and attracted wide acclaim in 1985 when he released The Big Gundown with his interpretations of music composed by Ennio Morricone, followed by the album Spillane in 1987, and the first album by Naked City in 1990^{[8][9][10][11][12]}. Zorn then recorded on the Japanese DIW and Avant labels before forming Tzadik Records in 1995, where he has been quite prolific, usually issuing several new recordings each year and releasing works by many other musicians. Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... The Big Gundown is an album by American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn. ... Ennio Morricone (born November 10, 1928; sometimes also credited as Dan Savio or Leo Nichols) is an Italian composer especially noted for his film scores. ... Spillane is an album by American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn, comprised of three file card pieces, as well as a work for voice, string quartet and turntables. ... Naked City is a 1989 album by John Zorn, featuring the band of the same name. ... This article is about the band. ... Tzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. ...

In 1993 Zorn released his premiere work of radical Jewish culture, Kristallnacht, which inspired a re-evaluation of his heritage, leading to the composition of the first Masada book of over 300 tunes incorporating klezmer styles with his already broad musical palette. The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ... Kristallnacht is an album by John Zorn that evokes the powerful stories of Jewish survivalism during and after the Holocaust. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Klezmer (from Yiddish כּלי־זמיר, etymologically from Hebrew kli zemer כלי זמר, musical instrument) is a musical tradition which parallels Hasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism. ...

In 2001 John Zorn received the Jewish Cultural Award in Performing Arts from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture. In 2006 Zorn was named a MacArthur Fellow. [2] In 2007, he was the recipient of Columbia University's School of the Arts William Schuman Award, an honor given "to recognize the lifetime achievement of an American composer whose works have been widely performed and generally acknowledged to be of lasting significance." [3] The National Foundation for Jewish Culture (NFJC) is the leading advocate for Jewish cultural life and creativity in the United States. ... The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking institution. ... Alma Mater Columbia University is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. ... William Howard Schuman (August 4, 1910–February 15, 1992) was an American composer and music administrator. ...

Early composition

Zorn's early major compositions included 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 (recorded at Martin Bisi's legendary studio), and Lacrosse. His most enduring "game piece" is Cobra which Zorn first released in 1987, recorded in subsequent versions in 1994 and 1995, and has revisited in performance many times^[13][14][15]. These compositions use cues, rules, and strategies to combine and contrast improvisations in various, sometimes extreme, ways. Zorn discusses his history and the musical philosophy behind his early works in the book Talking Music (ISBN 0-306-80893-5) by William Duckworth. Martin Bisi is an American producer and songwriter. ... Lacrosse is a double live album by John Zorn. ... Cobra is an unpublished but recorded and frequently performed musical composition by John Zorn that was conceived as a loosely structured system, or game piece, for a group of musical improvisors and a prompter. ... A theatrical cue is the trigger for an action to be carried out at a specific time. ... Rule has several meanings: A rule in mathematics is something which is always true. ... A strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. ... Improvisation is the act of making something up as you go along. ... William Duckworth (born in 1943) is credited as composer of the first postminimal piece of music, The Time Curve Preludes. ...

Breakthrough recordings

The Big Gundown - Zorn's first album released on a major label

Zorn's breakthrough recording was 1985's The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone, where Zorn offered radical arrangements of the Roman composer's themes from movies including The Big Gundown, A Fistful of Dynamite, Once Upon a Time in the West, and Once Upon a Time in America. The Big Gundown was endorsed by Morricone who is quoted as saying "This is a record that has fresh, good and intelligent ideas. It is realization on a high level, a work done by a maestro with great science-fantasy and creativity... Many people have done versions of my pieces, but no one has done them like this"^[16]. Zorn's versions of Morricone's compositions incorporated elements of traditional Japanese music, soul jazz, and other diverse musical genres. Zorn's 15th Anniversary re-release of the album featured additional explorations of Morricone's work. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Big Gundown is an album by American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn. ... The Big Gundown is an album by American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn. ... Ennio Morricone (born November 10, 1928; sometimes also credited as Dan Savio or Leo Nichols) is an Italian composer especially noted for his film scores. ... Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble) or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... The Big Gundown (Italian title: La resa dei conti - roughly Account Rendered) is a 1966 spaghetti western directed by Sergio Sollima and starring Lee Van Cleef and Tomas Milian. ... A Fistful of Dynamite is a 1971 film by Sergio Leone (original Italian title: Giù la testa; also known as Duck, You Sucker and Once Upon a Time … The Revolution). ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... Once Upon a Time in America (Italian title Cera una volta in America) is a 1984 crime film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Robert De Niro and James Woods. ... For many outsiders, Japanese music is associated entirely with cheap, disposable bubblegum pop, of which there is plenty. ... Soul jazz was a development of hard bop which incorporated strong blues and gospel influences in music for small groups featuring keyboards, especially the Hammond organ. ... Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ...

He first released the composition 'Godard', a tribute to French film-maker Jean-Luc Godard, on the Nato label tribute album The Godard Fans: Godard Ca Vous Chante? in 1986. Zorn followed this with his second major-label release Spillane in 1987 composed of three different tribute compositions. The title track featured text by Arto Lindsay set to an array of sonic film noir references, 'Two-Lane Highway' a blues-based form to highlight the guitar of Albert Collins and 'Forbidden Fruit', Zorn's tribute to a Japanese film star, performed by the Kronos Quartet. Further exploration of film noir themes were recorded for radio plays and released by Zorn as The Bribe: variations and extensions on Spillane. 'Godard' and 'Spillane' were re-released as a single CD on Tzadik in 1999. Jean-Luc Godard (French IPA: ) (born 3 December 1930) is a French filmmaker and one of the most influential members of the Nouvelle Vague, or French New Wave. Born to Franco-Swiss parents in Paris, he was educated in Nyon, Switzerland, later studying at the Lycée Rohmer, and the... Spillane is an album by American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn, comprised of three file card pieces, as well as a work for voice, string quartet and turntables. ... For other uses, see Tribute (disambiguation). ... This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... This article is about the blues musician. ... Kronos Quartet in 2006. ... This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... Tzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. ...

All of these albums contain examples of Zorn's "file card compositions", in which Zorn would write down a description of what he wanted on file cards and arrange them to form the piece. This method of organizing sound blocks into an overall structure was still largely dependent on the musicians he chose, and the way they interpreted what was written on the file cards.

Jazz interpreter

Beginning in 1986 Zorn participated in several projects focussed on modern jazz composers which highlighted his saxophone style. These included Voodoo (1986) by The Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet, with Wayne Horvitz, Ray Drummond and Bobby Previte, Spy Vs Spy (1989) featured hardcore punk-informed interpretations of Ornette Coleman's music featuring Zorn and Tim Berne on saxophones, Mark Dresser on bass and Joey Baron and Michael Vatcher on drums, and News for Lulu (1988) and More News for Lulu (1992) where Zorn, Bill Frisell and George Lewis performed compositions by Kenny Dorham, Sonny Clark, Freddie Redd, and Hank Mobley. He performed on two recordings by organist Big John Patton - Blue Planet Man (1993) and Minor Swing (1995) and contributed to the Sax Legends series (later re-released as The Colossal Saxophone Sessions) in 1993 with a version of Wayne Shorter's composition 'Devil's Island' alongside Lee Konitz. For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Born in Herminie, Pennsylvania, Conrad Yeatis (Sonny) Clark (July 21, 1931- January 13, 1963) was an American hard bop pianist. ... Wayne Horvitz is a composer and keyboard player. ... Ray Drummond (born November 23, 1946 in Brookline, Massachusetts) is a jazz bassist and teacher. ... Robert Previte (born July 16, 1954, Niagara Falls, New York) is a jazz drummer, composer and bandleader. ... Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ... Ornette Coleman (born March 9, 1930) is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. ... Tim Berne (born 1954) is an American jazz saxophone player and composer. ... Mark Dresser (b. ... Joey Baron (born June 26, 1955 in Richmond, Virginia) is a jazz drummer probably best known for his work with Bill Frisell, Stan Getz, and John Zorn. ... William Richard Bill Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is a North American jazz guitarist, progressive folk musician and composer. ... George Lewis (born 1952) is a jazz trombone player. ... McKinley Howard (Kenny) Dorham (August 30, 1924 - December 5, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer born in Fairfield, Texas. ... Born in Herminie, Pennsylvania, Conrad Yeatis (Sonny) Clark (July 21, 1931- January 13, 1963) was an American hard bop pianist. ... Freddie Redd (born in 1928) is an American hard bop pianist and composer. ... Henry (Hank) Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist. ... John Patton (1935 - 2002) (sometimes nicknamed Big John Patton) was a soul jazz organ player. ... Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz composer and saxophonist. ... Lee Konitz (born 1927 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American jazz composer and saxophone player. ...

Film music

Zorn's first Filmworks album collecting scores from 1986 to 1990

From 1986 Zorn's music has featured in many underground films, cartoons, and documentaries. Zorn has documented his music for television and film in his Filmworks albums on the Tzadik label. Some of these film scores are jazz-influenced, others classical, and most feature ensembles comprised of rotating combinations of downtown musicians. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The first use of the term underground film occurs in a 1957 essay by American film critic Manny Farber, Underground Films. ... An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn (or made with computers to look similar to something hand-drawn) film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot (even if it is a very short one). ... Documentary film is a broad category of cinematic expression united by the intent to remain factual or non-fictional. ... Tzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. ... A film score is a set of musical compositions written to accompany a film. ... Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Zorn has stated that "After my record The Big Gundown came out I was convinced that a lot of soundtrack work was going to be coming my way"^[17]. While Hollywood acclaim was not forthcoming he attracted the attention of several alternative filmakers. The first director to commission him was Rob Schwebber for the 1986 short White And Lazy. His work for Sheila McLaughlin's film, She Must Be Seeing Things (1986), featured the future members of Naked City. In 1990 he composed the soundtrack for the Raul Ruiz film The Golden Boat. All these soundtracks appeared on Filmworks 1986-1990 along with a sixty-four second interpretation of the theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly which was first relased on Nonesuch Records and subsequently on Tzadik. This article is about the band. ... ... From the obi card: For Zorn, filmscores have always been a place to experiment, and the FilmWorks Series is in many ways a microcosm of his prodigious output. ... For the album by Frankee, see The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (Frankee album). ... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... Tzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. ...

Zorn's second Filmworks release documented his Music for an Untitled Film by Walter Hill (1996). Filmworks III: 1990-1995 (1997) featured the first recordings by the Masada lineup for Joe Chappelle's Thieves Quartet along with early drafts for the Cynical Hysterie Hour project, duets with Marc Ribot which featured in Mei-Juin Chen's Hollywood Hotel, and a series of commercial soundtracks for the advertising firm Weiden and Kennedy, including one directed by Jean-Luc Godard - a long-term Zorn inspiration. Filmworks IV: S&M + More featured music to films directed by Hiroki Ryuichi, Maria Beatty, Kim Su Tieler, and Jalal Toufic. Filmworks V: Tears of Ecstasy consists of 48 sound cues lasting around one minute which were recorded in a single day. Walter Hill (born January 10, 1942 in California) is a prominent American film director, who is known in particular for his revival of the Western. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Marc Ribot (born 1954) is a Jewish American guitarist, composer and occasional singer from Newark, New Jersey. ... A television advertisement, advert or commercial is a form of advertising in which goods, services, organizations, thoughts, etc. ... Wieden+Kennedy (W+K) is an independently owned American advertising agency best known for its work for Nike. ... Jean-Luc Godard (French IPA: ) (born 3 December 1930) is a French filmmaker and one of the most influential members of the Nouvelle Vague, or French New Wave. Born to Franco-Swiss parents in Paris, he was educated in Nyon, Switzerland, later studying at the Lycée Rohmer, and the... Categories: Stub | BDSM | American actors | Gay, lesbian or bisexual people ... Jalal Toufic is a Lebanese artist, filmmaker and author of Undying Love, or Love Dies, born to an Iraqi father and a Palestinian mother. ...

Hardcore

Naked City's first album

Zorn established Naked City in 1988 after working with the group in an improvisational workshop. The band performed an aggressive mix of jazz, rock, blues, country music, and thrash metal later combined with classical compositions and ambient music styles. Featuring Zorn on saxophone, Bill Frisell (guitars), Fred Frith (bass), Wayne Horvitz (keyboards), Joey Baron (drums), and occasional vocals from Yamatsuka Eye and later Mike Patton, Naked City incorporated Zorn's appreciation of hardcore bands like Agnostic Front and Napalm Death^[18] with other styles. The band's early releases featured 'hardcore miniatures' - intense brief compositions often lasting less than a minute. Zorn also formed Painkiller (who performed a mix of grindcore, free jazz and ambient styles) with Bill Laswell on bass and Mick Harris on drums. Image File history File links John_Zorn-Naked_City_(album_cover). ... Image File history File links John_Zorn-Naked_City_(album_cover). ... This article is about the band. ... This article is about the band. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... Blues music redirects here. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) Country music, the first half of Billboards country and western music category, is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by the high speed and aggression. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the 2000s . ... Ambient music refers to a kind of music that envelops the listener without drawing attention to itself [1] // The term ambient music was first coined by Brian Eno in the mid-1970s to refer to music that can be either actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending... William Richard Bill Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is a North American jazz guitarist, progressive folk musician and composer. ... Fred Frith (born February 17, 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor. ... Wayne Horvitz is a composer and keyboard player. ... Joey Baron (born June 26, 1955 in Richmond, Virginia) is a jazz drummer probably best known for his work with Bill Frisell, Stan Getz, and John Zorn. ... Yamatsuka Eye (山塚アイ, born 1964 in Kobe) is a Japanese vocalist. ... Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Faith No More from 1988 to 1998. ... This article is about the band. ... Agnostic Front are a New York Hardcore Punk band formed in New York City in 1982. ... Napalm Death are a grindcore/death metal band from Birmingham, England. ... Painkiller (also officially known as Pain Killer) is a band originally formed in 1991. ... Grindcore, often shortened to grind, is an evolution of crust punk, most commonly associated with death metal, a very different though similarly extreme style of music. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Ambient music refers to a kind of music that envelops the listener without drawing attention to itself [1] // The term ambient music was first coined by Brian Eno in the mid-1970s to refer to music that can be either actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending... Bill Laswell (born February 12, 1955 in Salem, Illinois and raised in Albion, Michigan) is an American bassist, producer and record label owner. ... Mick Harris (full name: Michael John Harris) is a British musician. ...

Releases from both bands were criticized for their graphic or offensive album covers. Zorn left Electra Nonesuch after the company's response to the artwork for the Naked City release Grand Guignol ^[19] releasing the remaining Naked City albums on a Japanese-based label, Avant. Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... This article is about the band. ... Grand Guignol is the third album released by Naked City. ... This article is about the band. ...

Establishing a label

In 1992 John Zorn collaborated with the Japanese Disc Union label to curate the Avant imprint, a subsidiary of the DIW jazz label which released the first Masada albums. Several Naked City recordings were released through the Avant label as well as many others on which Zorn featured downtown musicians including Derek Bailey, Buckethead, Eugene Chadbourne, Dave Douglas, Erik Friedlander, Wayne Horvitz, Ikue Mori, Bobby Previte, Zeena Parkins and Marc Ribot. Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... This article is about the band. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Derek Bailey pictured at the Vortex Club, Stoke Newington, 1991. ... This article is about the Avant-garde metal composer and musician. ... Eugene Chadbourne (January 4, 1954 in Mount Vernon, NY) is a USA composer, improvisor, guitarist and banjoist. ... Dave Douglas (born March 24, 1963) is a U.S. jazz trumpeter and composer whose music is notable for drawing on many non-jazz musical styles, including classical music, European folk music and klezmer. ... A virtuosic veteran of NYCs downtown scene, Friedlander has backed John Zorn, Laurie Anderson and Courtney Love. ... Wayne Horvitz is a composer and keyboard player. ... Ikue Mori (もりいくえ Mori Ikue, born 1953 in Tokyo, Japan) is a drummer, composer, and graphic designer. ... Robert Previte (born July 16, 1954, Niagara Falls, New York) is a jazz drummer, composer and bandleader. ... Zeena Parkins (born Detroit, MI) is a harpist active in rock music, free improvisation and jazz. ... Marc Ribot (born 1954) is a Jewish American guitarist, composer and occasional singer from Newark, New Jersey. ...

In 1995, in co-operation with jazz producer Kazunori Sugiyama, Zorn established the Tzadik label to ensure availability of his catalogue and promote experimental musicians. He is inspired by other artists and different musical styles, particularly those working in improvised music. Zorn has a special attraction to underground artists and musical styles that are extremely loud, wild, or creative. Tzadik has established a diverse catalogue reflecting Zorn's range of musical influences and influence. See Tzadik for other meanings of the word. ... For experimental rock music, see experimental rock. ... See Tzadik for other meanings of the word. ...

The label's releases are divided into several series. The Archival Series features Zorn's recordings exclusively, including re-releases of several albums that appeared on other labels, Zorn's film work, and recordings from 1973 onwards. He has released several live albums recorded in September 2003 as his 50th Birthday Celebration Series. Zorn's music for 'classical' ensembles appears on the Composer Series along with work by many other contemporary composers. The Radical Jewish Culture Series features contemporary Jewish musicians and the New Japan Series features Japanese underground music. Soundtracks by other musicians appears on the Film Music Series. Zorn also established the Oracle Series featuring women in experimental music, the Key Series for notable avant-garde musicians and projects, and the Lunatic Fringe Series for music and musicians operating outside of the broad categories offered by other series. Tzadik also releases special edition CDs, DVDs, books and T-shirts.

The Masada Books

Masada: Alef - Zorn's first album of Masada compositions

John Zorn recorded Kristallnacht in November 1992 featuring a suite of seven compositions reflecting the infamous Night of Broken Glass in late 1938 where Jews were targets of violence and destruction in Germany and Austria^[20]. The experience prompted Zorn to further explore his Jewish heritage and led to an interest in Jewish musical styles. Zorn then set himself the task of writing 100 compositions within a year in these styles. Within three years the number of compositions had grown to 200 and became known as the first Masada book. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Kristallnacht is an album by John Zorn that evokes the powerful stories of Jewish survivalism during and after the Holocaust. ... In music, a suite is an organized set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed at a single sitting, as a separate musical performance, not accompanying an opera, ballet, or theater-piece. ... Kristallnacht, also known as Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht and in English as The Night of Broken Glass, was a massive nationwide pogrom in Germany on the night of November 9, 1938 (including early hours of the following day). ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ...

The initial releases featuring this compositional approach were ten albums by Masada appearing on the Japanese DIW label from 1994. Masada (later referred to as 'acoustic' Masada) was an Ornette Coleman-inspired quartet with Zorn on saxophone, Joey Baron (drums), Dave Douglas (trumpet), and Greg Cohen (bass). The band played jazz-styled compositions based on Sephardic scales and rhythms. The original Masada albums were titled after the first ten letters of the Hebrew Alphabet and the song titles were Hebrew words. Further releases by Masada consisted of live performances of the band recorded around the world. The Masada quartet performed at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in March 2007 for what were billed as their final concerts^[21]. Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Ornette Coleman (born March 9, 1930) is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. ... Joey Baron (born June 26, 1955 in Richmond, Virginia) is a jazz drummer probably best known for his work with Bill Frisell, Stan Getz, and John Zorn. ... Dave Douglas (born March 24, 1963) is a U.S. jazz trumpeter and composer whose music is notable for drawing on many non-jazz musical styles, including classical music, European folk music and klezmer. ... Greg Cohen was born in Los Angeles, California. ... In music, a scale is a set of musical notes that provides material for part or all of a musical work. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... The word Hebrew most likely means to cross over, referring to the Semitic people crossing over the Euphrates River. ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ... Combatants Jewish Sicarii Roman Empire Commanders Elazar ben Yair Lucius Flavius Silva Strength 960 15,000 Casualties 953 Unknown Masada (a romanisation of the Hebrew מצדה, Metzada, from מצודה, metzuda, fortress) is the name for a site of ancient palaces and fortifications in the South District of Israel on top of... The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. ...

The Masada Book has been performed in several different arrangements by many combinations of musicians including the Masada String Trio, Bar Kohkba, and Electric Masada. A Tenth Anniversary Series of Masada recordings was released by Zorn beginning in 2003. The Masada String Trio is a chamber music ensemble comprising Marc Feldman (violin), Erik Friedlander (cello) and Greg Cohen (double bass) formed for the performance of works by the composer John Zorn. ...

In 2004 Zorn began composing the second Masada Book - 'The Book of Angels'^[22] which resulted in an additional 300 compositions^[23]. He has released several albums of Masada Book Two compositions performed by various combinations of musicians. The titles of many Masada Book Two compositions are derived from demonology and Judeo-Christian mythology. Demonology is the systematic study of demons or beliefs about demons. ... Jacob wrestling an angel, by Gustave Doré (1832-1883), a shared Judeo-Christian story. ... For other uses, see Mythology (disambiguation). ...

Concert music

John Zorn has established a diverse repertoire of music written for chamber musicians and orchestras. Zorn's earliest released 'classical' composition (for five flutes), 'Christabel' was written in 1972 and first appeared on Angelus Novus in 1998. Zorn released the album-length suites of compositions Elegy (dedicated to Jean Genet) in 1992 and Kristallnacht in 1993 which used chamber music arrangements of strings, percussion and electronic instruments. Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. ... Orchestra at City Hall (Edmonton). ... In music, a suite is an organized set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed at a single sitting. ... Jean Genet (French IPA: ) (December 19, 1910) – April 15, 1986), was a prominent, controversial French writer and later political activist. ... Kristallnacht is an album by John Zorn that evokes the powerful stories of Jewish survivalism during and after the Holocaust. ... Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. ...

The establishment of Tzadik allowed Zorn to release many compositions which he had written (over the previous two decades) for classical ensembles. Redbird (containing new compositions for bass drums and a harp/viola/cello/percussion quartet) and The Book of Heads (35 etudes for solo guitar written in 1978) were released in 1995 as part of Tzadiks Composer Series. Zorn credits the composition of his 1988 piece for string quartet 'Cat O' Nine Tails' with awakening him to the possibilities of writing for classical musicians. This composition was featured on String Quartets (1999) and Cartoon/S&M (2000) along with variations on 'Kol Nidre' written at the same time as (but not part of) the Masada book. See Tzadik for other meanings of the word. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the 2000s . ... Tzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the 2000s . ... Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax) Masada is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer John Zorn since the early 1990s. ...

Madness, Love and Mysticism (2001) featured 'Le Mômo', inspired by Antonin Artaud, with Stephen Drury (piano) and Jennifer Choi (violin); 'Untitled', dedicated to Joseph Cornell, a cello solo for Erik Friedlander; and 'Amour Fou' featuring the trio. Magick (2004) featured the Crowley Quartet on 'Necromicon: for string quartet' and 'Sortelage' for two bass clarinets. Mysterium released in 2005 featured 'Orphée' performed by a sextet of flute, viola, harp, harpsichord and electronics; 'Frammenti Del Sappho' for female chorus; and 'Wulpurgisnacht' for string trio. Antonin Artaud Antoine Marie Joseph Artaud, better known as Antonin Artaud (born September 4, 1896, in Marseille; died March 4, 1948 in Paris) was a French playwright, poet, actor and director. ... A photograph of Joseph Cornell Joseph Cornell Untitled (Dieppe) c. ... A virtuosic veteran of NYCs downtown scene, Friedlander has backed John Zorn, Laurie Anderson and Courtney Love. ...

Zorn's concert works have been performed all over the world and he has received commissions from the New York Philharmonic and Brooklyn Philharmonic^[24]. The New York Philharmonic is the oldest active symphony orchestra in the United States, organized during 1842. ... The Brooklyn Philharmonic is an orchestra based at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). It is directed by Michael Christie. ...

Other collaborations

Zorn has also worked with musicians such as Eugene Chadbourne, Gary Lucas, Derek Bailey, Cyro Baptista, Trevor Dunn, Mark Feldman, Mike Patton, Fred Frith, Erik Friedlander, Keiji Haino, Arto Lindsay, John Medeski, Robert Quine, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wolleson, and the Violent Femmes. Eugene Chadbourne (January 4, 1954 in Mount Vernon, NY) is a USA composer, improvisor, guitarist and banjoist. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Derek Bailey pictured at the Vortex Club, Stoke Newington, 1991. ... Cyro Baptista (born December 23, 1950) is a Brazilian musician, teacher, and recording artist specializing in percussion in the genres of jazz and world music. ... Trevor Dunn (born January 30, 1968 in Eureka, California)) is an American musician. ... Mark Feldman is a violinist active in the areas of Jazz, chamber music and quartets. ... Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Faith No More from 1988 to 1998. ... Fred Frith (born February 17, 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor. ... A virtuosic veteran of NYCs downtown scene, Friedlander has backed John Zorn, Laurie Anderson and Courtney Love. ... Keiji Haino (灰野 敬二 Haino Keiji) born 1952 in Chiba, Japan, and currently residing in Tokyo, is a Japanese musician whose work has included rock, free improvisation, noise, singer-songwriter, solo percussion, psychedelic, minimalism and drone styles. ... Arto Lindsay (born May 28, 1953) is an American guitarist and singer. ... John Medeski is a pianist and composer. ... Robert Quine (December 30, 1942 - May 31, 2004), a native of Akron, Ohio, was a guitarist known for his innovative guitar solos. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the band. ...

Zorn has lived and worked extensively in Japan and performs and records under the name Dekoboko Hajime, collaborating with, and producing numerous artists including Merzbow, Otomo Yoshihide, Melt Banana and 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. Dekoboko Hajime is New York avant-garde composer John Zorns alias for a number of his projects based in Japan and with Japanese musicians. ... // Merzbow (Japanese; メルツバウ) is the name used by Japanese musician Masami Akita (秋田昌美 Akita Masami) for most of his experimental noise records, and is considered by many to be the earliest project among others in what has become known as the Japanese noise scene. He has released many CDs, LPs and cassettes... Otomo Yoshihide (大友 良英) (born August 1, 1959) is a Japanese experimental musician. ... Melt-Banana is a Japanese noise rock band that was founded in 1992 by friends attending Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. ... Yamatsuka Eye (山塚アイ, born 1964 in Kobe) is a Japanese vocalist. ...

Zorn appeared in Nicolas Humbert and Werner Penzel's 1990 documentary film on Fred Frith, Step Across the Border. Fred Frith (born February 17, 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor. ... Step Across the Border is a 1990 avant-garde documentary film on English guitarist, composer and improvisor Fred Frith. ...

Writing

In 2000 Zorn edited the book Arcana: Musicians on Music (ISBN 1-887123-27-X) featuring interviews, essays, and commentaries by musicians including Anthony Coleman, Peter Garland, David Mahler, Bill Frisell, Gerry Hemingway, George Lewis, Fred Frith, Eyvind Kang, Mike Patton and Elliott Sharp, on the compositional process. Zorn released the second volume of Arcana: Musicians on Music (ISBN 0978833767) in the Summer of 2007. According to the preface by Zorn, "This second installment of what will be a continuing series of books presenting radical, cutting-edge ideas about music is made, like the initial volume, out of necessity.” This volume contains essays by more than 30 musicians including Annie Gosfield, Trey Spruance, Zeena Parkins, Steve Coleman, Marina Rosenfeld, Carla Kihlstedt, David Douglas, Bill Laswell, Trevor Dunn, and Jewlia Eisenberg. Anthony Coleman (born in New York, 1955) is an American musician. ... Peter Garland (born January 27, 1952) is a composer best known for publishing Soundings Press, one of the few sources of new music scores and articles while in print. ... David Mahler is a hammered dulcimer player from Texas, USA. David won first place in the 2004 Walnut Valley National Hammered Dulcimer Championship held in Winfield, Kansas. ... William Richard Bill Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is a North American jazz guitarist, progressive folk musician and composer. ... Gerry Hemingway (b. ... George Lewis (born 1952) is a jazz trombone player. ... Fred Frith (born February 17, 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor. ... Eyvind Kang (b. ... Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Faith No More from 1988 to 1998. ... Elliott Sharp (born 1951) is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and performer who has personified the avant-garde experimental music scene in New York City for over thirty years. ... Annie Gosfield (born 1960) is a New York composer who specializes in using detuned or out of tune samples and industrial noises. ... Preston Lea Spruance III or Trey Spruance (born 1969 in Eureka, California) is an American composer and musician. ... Zeena Parkins (born Detroit, MI) is a harpist active in rock music, free improvisation and jazz. ... Steve Coleman in Paris, July 2004 Steve Coleman (born 20 September 1956) is an American saxophone player, spontaneous composer, composer and band leader. ... Carla Kihlstedt, a violinist and vocalist, is a founding member of Tin Hat Trio and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. ... <