Top 10 Zorn Albums

Holerbot6000 · 08-08-2012, 11:57 AM

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, 12:10 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, 12:12 PM

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

Holerbot6000 · 08-08-2012, 03:17 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, 05:59 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!!)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-08-2012, 11:57 AM	#1 (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, 03:17 PM	#4 (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, 05:59 AM	#5 (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!!)