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John Zorn
Drawing upon his experience in classical, jazz, rock, hardcore punk, klezmer, film, cartoon, popular, world and improvised music, John Zorn has created a controversial and influential body of work that often defies academic categories. He has earned great respect within his own community and beyond by going his own way without compromise, developing a large network of supporters world wide, often in unexpected places.
Born in 1953 and raised in New York City, Zorn has been a central figure in the Downtown Scene since 1975, incorporating a wide variety of creative musicians into various compositional formats. He is an indefatigable worker and highly prolific: he has composed over 120 works for classical ensembles including 8 string quartets, vocal music, chamber music, concerti, operas, symphonic and dance works, improvisational game pieces, studio based compositions, and has released over 150 cds under his own name, 99% of which are on his own Tzadik label.
He has led and written music for dozens of bands including Naked City, News for Lulu, Masada, Bar Kokhba, Electric Masada, Moonchild, Painkiller, Nova Express, The Dreamers, Simulacrum, Gnostic Trio, Insurrection, scored over 50 films, and written over 600 tunes (divided into 3 books) for his popular Masada project as well as a book of 300 Bagatelles which has been performed by over 30 different ensembles all over the world.
Recent projects include museum residencies where he presents short acoustic chamber concerts in various galleries in front of art that directly relates to the music. This has happened at METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, MoMA, LOUVRE, ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, LACMA and the FRICK. Beginning in 2013 he has performed solo organ recitals, many of which are documented on The Hermetic Organ CD series on Tzadik. His work is diverse and remarkably eclectic and draws inspiration from Art, Literature, Film, Theatre, Philosophy, Alchemy and Mysticism as well as Music.
In addition to his composing, recording and performing Zorn is a firm believer in community and a tireless champion of experimental music, film, art, poetry and theatre, organizing festivals, recordings and concerts, and helping to establish venues and opportunities for performance. He founded the Tzadik label in 1995 (which has released over 800 recordings of new and adventurous music); runs the East Village performance space The Stone (which has presented over 8000 concerts and 100 musical workshops since 2005) and has edited and published eight volumes of musician’s writings under the title ARCANA.
Honors include the Cultural Achievement Award from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture and the William Schuman Prize for composition from Columbia University. He was inducted into the Long Island Hall of Fame by Lou Reed in 2010 and is a MacArthur Fellow. He has received honorary doctorates from the University of Ghent, SUNY Purchase and New England Conservatory.
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Zorn This Way, Part 2
by Ludovico Granvassu
Gems from the Book of Angels, Book of Heads, Song Project and more, in the second part of this tribute to John Zorn, the composer. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 David Krakauer, Kathleen Tagg “Parzial (Breath & Hammer Version)" Breath & Hammer (Table Pounding) 0:16 Host talks 6:14 PS3 Pietro Santangelo Trio “Tse'an" Clinamen (Emme) 8:16 Host talks 12:45 David Krakauer's Ancestral Groove “Tandal" Checkpoint ...
Continue ReadingZorn This Way, Part 1
by Ludovico Granvassu
Everyone knows that describing John Zorn as a prolific composer is an understatement. Everyone also knows how inclusive he has been, sharing his compositions with the many musicians who are in his circle of trust. Countless renditions of his music have been recorded by these musicians for Zorn's label, Tzadik. To mark his birthday, on September 2nd, here we focus on interpretations of the John Zorn songbook, mostly from Masada Book One, independently released. Happy listening!
Continue ReadingA Few More of My Favorite 2023 Jazz Things - Part 2
by Ludovico Granvassu
It's that time of the year when we look back at the past twelve months and realize that jazz continues to be possibly the only thing that doesn't let us down, while the world is getting crazier by the hour. So here we are again, sharing a few mores tunes we've loved the most in the past few months.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Idris Ackamoor & The ...
Continue ReadingJohn Zorn@70 a Modena, Reggio Emilia e Bologna
by Mario Calvitti
John Zorn Teatro Storchi e Teatro Valli John Zorn @70 Modena e Reggio Emilia 30-31.10.2023 Nella ricorrenza del suo settantesimo compleanno (coincidente quest'anno con l'anniversario di mezzo secolo di carriera professionale, iniziata con le prime incisioni nel 1973), e analogamente a quanto fatto in precedenza per i suoi 50 e 60 anni, il sassofonista e compositore John Zorn ha organizzato una serie di concerti celebrativi in giro per il mondo per proporre una ...
Continue ReadingJohn Zorn at 70 at Great American Music Hall
by Roy Strassman
Zorn at 70 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA August 30-September 3, 2023 Day One, August 30, 2023 “Breaking Ground" with John Medeski and Dave Lombardo Last night, the intergalactic Starship John Zorn descended from New York into San Francisco for a five- night residency at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall to celebrate Zorn's 70th birthday. Zorn, a legendary avant-garde composer and saxophonist whose Promethean and prolific output of ...
Continue ReadingJohn Zorn and Bill Laswell: Memoria
by Nenad Georgievski
John Zorn and Bill Laswell, two towering figures of the New York Downtown scene, have once again joined forces to deliver a captivating musical experience, entitled Memoria. Following the success of their previous collaboration, The Cleansing, (Tzadik, 2021) this new release pays tribute to three artistic visionaries whose legacies continue to inspire and shape the realms of creativity and artistic integrity. The album title, Memoria, serves as a heartfelt tribute to three influential figures who have passed away: ...
Continue ReadingButch Morris: Current Trends in Racism in Modern America
by Howard Mandel
When a full house of ardent downtown music followers flocked to the old Kitchen, a performance loft on Broome Street in Manhattan's artsy Soho district on the cold night of February 1, 1985 to hear Current Trends in Racism in Modern America by Lawrence Douglas “Butch" Morris--I don't recall if it was advertised as “Conduction No. 1"--no one knew what to expect. At that time, as now, Butch was an inspired and productive presence on a diversified music ...
Continue ReadingOctober Revolution 2018: John Zorn, The music of Legendary Hasaan with Christian McBride, Wolf Eyes & Marshall Allen, and more!
Source:
Ars Nova Workshop
ACCLAIMED PHILADELPHIA FESTIVAL EXPANDS LINEUP The October Revolution of Jazz & Contemporary Music, a four-day international music festival presented by Ars Nova Workshop, in partnership with FringeArts, has confirmed several additional artists for its 2018 lineup as well as announcing single-day tickets. Featuring some of the most groundbreaking and uncategorizable artists in modern music, Ars Nova is pleased to announce that John Zorn, Tomeka Reid Quartet with Mary Halvorson, Christian McBride, as well as Wolf Eyes featuring Marshall Allen all ...
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35th Edition Of Jazz Em Agosto - John Zorn Special Edition
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Gulbenkian Musica
Jazz em Agosto celebrates its 35th edition this year with a program entitled “John Zorn Special Edition”, for 10 days, from 27 July to 5 August, at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. For the first time in the festival’s history, the entire program of Jazz em Agosto is organised around a single musician, the North- American John Zorn, celebrating one of the most inspiring, inspired and intriguing figures, who is constantly leaving a deep personal mark on innovative music of our ...
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John Zorn’s Masada Book III The Book Beriah At Roulette on September 10th
Source:
Isabelle Deconinck
Launched in 1993 with the idea of expanding the definition of what Jewish music can be, John Zorn’s Masada project has become a touchstone of New Jewish Music for the last three decades. This marathon concert will feature the world premiere of many compositions interpreted by four exciting bands from the extended Masada family: Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista and his quartet Banquet of the Spirits; the psychedelic ambient experimental rock band Cleric; the Klezmer trio Nigunim with Frank London (trumpet), ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: John Zorn
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating John Zorn's birthday today!
John Zorn is an 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. ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: John Zorn
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating John Zorn's birthday today!
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... Read more.
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John Zorn - At the Gates of Paradise (Tzadik, 2011)
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Music and More by Tim Niland
When I was in college I had to take one humanities class to fulfill a requirement for graduation. I took a class on the visionary poet and engraver William Blake. I found it fascinating, although I admit that some of his more complex later works were a bit beyond me. Blake's work has had an effect on composer John Zorn as well, and he put together this suite performed by John Medeski on piano and organ, Kenny Wollesen on vibes, ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: John Zorn
Source:
All About Jazz is celebrating John Zorn's birthday today!
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...John Zorn (born September 2, 1953 ...
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John Zorn - Masada Guitars (2003)
Source:
Something Else!
By Mark Saleski John Zorn's Masada is an interesting group. The way I've come to describe them is “Ornette Coleman-listens-to-klezmer." While that's not the only way to get there, it'll do. Pick any recording from the Masada series and you'll hear some fine interplay between Zorn's sax, the trumpet of Dave Douglas and Greg Cohen's bass. All of this supported (and sometimes shattered) by the fricken' exquisite drumming of Joey Baron. So what to make of Masada Guitars? Pretty cool ...
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The Dreamers - The Gentle Side (Tzadik, 2010) **
Source:
Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels
By Stanley Zappa More than once Bill Dixon talked about music in terms of problems and solutions. Gerry Mulligan's quartet with Chet Baker was a solution to the problem of there being no piano. At least one semester of ensemble class with Dixon was dedicated to solving the problem of an ensemble with no drummer. Vade Mecum (5 stars, by the way) solved the problem posed by symmetric, academic sounding lines (and did so by eliminating them all together.) If ...
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John Zorn - Interzone (Tzadik, 2010)
Source:
Music and More by Tim Niland
To call John Zorn a saxophonist and composer really limits the scope of his music His vision derives from many sources, from art to film, to in this case the literature of William S. Burroughs. The author became famous in the early to mid 1960's for his technique of “cut up" storytelling; a process that Zorn borrowed for his own technique of card based musical improvisation. For this album, Zorn appropriates musical representations of several of Burroughs' themes and develops ...
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John Zorn
Location: New York City
Instrument: Saxophone, alto
Born: September 2, 1953
