Top 10 Zorn Albums

TockTockTock · 01-29-2011, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skaligojurah

Torture Garden is probably the most original of Zorn's work. Has a very visceral feel that not many albums I've ever listened to can top. I mean, what sounded like that in 1989? Closest thing is it's source material Napalm Death which far lacks the eclecticism, and technical precision.

I personally think that sealing the gap between Jazz, Metal, and Punk that way so seamlessly while having it's own unique niche is an astounding accomplishment

I know, but I just don't see myself actually listening to it. Anyone can just scream unintelligibly, play saxophone strangely, and play thrash-like guitar. The problem with me is that I have a love/hate relationship with avant-garde. I remember I despised Throbbing Gristle and Velvet Underground at one point, but I have now grown to love them both. Maybe you can understand my position. I want to like and respect John Zorn, but I'm having trouble. I'm sorry if I sound a bit ignorant to this, though. Eh, maybe you can help.

EDIT: I do have Naked City's album, Radio, but it isn't necessarily their most ground-breaking/avant-garde work.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 01-29-2011, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Pat

Anyone can just scream unintelligibly, play saxophone strangely, and play thrash-like guitar.

Naked City is actually quite a bit more complicated than that. The thing that's amazing about Naked City is that none of it is improvised, really. The technicality comes in the fact that the assortments are basically constructed exactly as they are, and followed to a T. The entire point of Naked City was to be difficult to perform. Whether your ear likes it or not, is up to you. But don't dis the amount of technicality that's going on there.

< Watch at 3:11 where Fred Frith describes how Naked City operated.

TockTockTock · 01-29-2011, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skaligojurah

Naked City is actually quite a bit more complicated than that. The thing that's amazing about Naked City is that none of it is improvised, really. The technicality comes in the fact that the assortments are basically constructed exactly as they are, and followed to a T. The entire point of Naked City was to be difficult to perform. Whether your ear likes it or not, is up to you. But don't dis the amount of technicality that's going on there.

< Watch at 3:11 where Fred Frith describes how Naked City operated.

Oh, I see what you mean. This will help open my mind a lot more. A lot of it just seemed so visceral and done on the spot, but now I get it. Thanks.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 01-29-2011, 07:45 PM

Well, I can get how one could argue how Torture Garden really doesn't have heart, and is just as many melodies crammed together as complexly as possible. I personally like that, though.

There are some refined traits of Naked City's spastic hardcore minitures. You just have to listen closely. An excellent example is Speedfreaks which I believe literally changes genre every couple of measures.

Stephen · 08-02-2012, 10:38 PM

The only Zorn I have is The Goddess: Music for the Ancient of Days.

I quite like it but its accessibility tells me maybe it's not representative of his wider catalogue.

Holerbot6000 · 08-08-2012, 12:57 PM

Torture Garden almost doesn't count as it is really just a compilation of the most obnoxious tracks from Naked City and Grand Guignol albums. Both of those albums, taken in their original form, work better than Torture Garden, I think, because you get a better mix of styles and Naked City was all about mixing different styles. All of the other Naked City albums - Absinthe, Radio and Heretic, are also just excellent.

For Masada, it would be really hard to pick any one of the official 10 Masada albums and say one is better than the others but I think taken as a whole, they represent the strongest Masada output; better than any of their subsequent Tzadik releases.

If you want another good intro to Zorn, try 'The Dreamers', an excellent straight Jazz album! I believe this is also a comp of more recent work, designed for maximum accessibility.

**Janszoon** · 08-08-2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holerbot6000

Torture Garden almost doesn't count as it is really just a compilation of the most obnoxious tracks from Naked City and Grand Guignol albums. Both of those albums, taken in their original form, work better than Torture Garden, I think, because you get a better mix of styles and Naked City was all about mixing different styles. All of the other Naked City albums - Absinthe, Radio and Heretic, are also just excellent.

For Masada, it would be really hard to pick any one of the official 10 Masada albums and say one is better than the others but I think taken as a whole, they represent the strongest Masada output; better than any of their subsequent Tzadik releases.

If you want another good intro to Zorn, try 'The Dreamers', an excellent straight Jazz album! I believe this is also a comp of more recent work, designed for maximum accessibility.

I own a decent amount of Zorn material but have never heard The Dreamers. I'll have to give that a listen.

I really want to check out some more Masada too. I only have the 50th birthday release but I'd love to hear more.

**Goofle** · 08-08-2012, 01:12 PM

Love this album. Working through his catalogue though. love most of it.

Holerbot6000 · 08-08-2012, 04:17 PM

I got into Zorn through Peter Blegvad - I was a big Blegvad/Slapp Happy fan and that led to the first Golden Palominos album and Locus Solus. I would recommend that first Palominos record to anyone who is new to that whole 'Downtown' music scene, as just about all the primary players are represented there, I think, and Zorn does some nice work.

Locus Solus is a great intro to the improvisational side of Zorn's music, as the songs are short and relatively accessible and feature multiple trios to keep things interesting. You get some nice post-DNA work from Arto Lindsay and the Zorn-Blegvad-Christian Marclay trio is just plain awesome.

Spectralmusic · 05-02-2017, 06:59 AM

This thread showed up in a google search, lol:

I'm such a huge fan, so I can't make a proper limited list

Astronome
Radio
Aporias
Cartoon S/M
Chimeras
What Thy Wilt
Mount Analogue
Fragments, Prayers and Interjections
The Garden of Early Delights
On The Torment of Saints
Simulacrum
Naked City (debut)
The String Quartets
IAO
Templars In Sacred Blood
The Alchemist
Songs Without Words
Hen To Pan
Grand Guignol
At the Mountains of Madness
Spillane
Interzone
Angelus Novus
Elegy
Guts of a Virgin
The Gift
Hermetic Organ (2 or 3, they're all amazing though)
Classic Guide to Strategy
Cobra

Anything from the original Masada band and the Book of Angels (that's an entire world in itself!!)

08-02-2012, 10:38 PM	#25 (permalink)
Stephen I sleep in your hat Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Melbourne, Vic. Aus. Posts: 1,847	The only Zorn I have is The Goddess: Music for the Ancient of Days. I quite like it but its accessibility tells me maybe it's not representative of his wider catalogue.

08-08-2012, 12:57 PM	#26 (permalink)
Holerbot6000 Music Mutant Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: near a record store Posts: 327	Torture Garden almost doesn't count as it is really just a compilation of the most obnoxious tracks from Naked City and Grand Guignol albums. Both of those albums, taken in their original form, work better than Torture Garden, I think, because you get a better mix of styles and Naked City was all about mixing different styles. All of the other Naked City albums - Absinthe, Radio and Heretic, are also just excellent. For Masada, it would be really hard to pick any one of the official 10 Masada albums and say one is better than the others but I think taken as a whole, they represent the strongest Masada output; better than any of their subsequent Tzadik releases. If you want another good intro to Zorn, try 'The Dreamers', an excellent straight Jazz album! I believe this is also a comp of more recent work, designed for maximum accessibility.

08-08-2012, 04:17 PM	#29 (permalink)
Holerbot6000 Music Mutant Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: near a record store Posts: 327	I got into Zorn through Peter Blegvad - I was a big Blegvad/Slapp Happy fan and that led to the first Golden Palominos album and Locus Solus. I would recommend that first Palominos record to anyone who is new to that whole 'Downtown' music scene, as just about all the primary players are represented there, I think, and Zorn does some nice work. Locus Solus is a great intro to the improvisational side of Zorn's music, as the songs are short and relatively accessible and feature multiple trios to keep things interesting. You get some nice post-DNA work from Arto Lindsay and the Zorn-Blegvad-Christian Marclay trio is just plain awesome.

05-02-2017, 06:59 AM	#30 (permalink)
Spectralmusic Contemporary Composer Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: 93/93 Posts: 462	This thread showed up in a google search, lol: I'm such a huge fan, so I can't make a proper limited list Astronome Radio Aporias Cartoon S/M Chimeras What Thy Wilt Mount Analogue Fragments, Prayers and Interjections The Garden of Early Delights On The Torment of Saints Simulacrum Naked City (debut) The String Quartets IAO Templars In Sacred Blood The Alchemist Songs Without Words Hen To Pan Grand Guignol At the Mountains of Madness Spillane Interzone Angelus Novus Elegy Guts of a Virgin The Gift Hermetic Organ (2 or 3, they're all amazing though) Classic Guide to Strategy Cobra Anything from the original Masada band and the Book of Angels (that's an entire world in itself!!)