Yep, I thought the same thing, but it turns out this particular album didn’t come with a sleeve for the CD, which was a bit strange I must say.
FWIW, my copy has a thick, clear (see-through) U-shape sleeve for the CD. If memory serves, I bought it on/close to release day at Newbury Comics, Boston.
I received quite a few in the mail today: Nove Cantieri per Francesco d’Assisi Forro in the Dark Plays Zorn Music Romance, Vol. 1 - Music for Children Music Romance, Vol. 2 - Taboo and Exile Filmworks XII - Three Documentaries 49 Acts of Unspeakable Depravity in the Abominable Life and Times of Gilles de Rais The Song Project: Live at LPR Magick Mysterium
A person could literally spend the rest of their life exploring Zorn’s music. There’s just so much to listen to. Would it be possible for any of you to give a list of ‘Top 20’ Zorn albums to check out? I’m sure we’ll see some interesting lists.
I'll do a top 10 (in chronological order): The Big Gundown Masada Live In Sevilla 2000 The Gift Film Works XIII: Invitation To A Suicide Azazel: Book Of Angels Volume 2 (Masada String Trio Plays Masada Book 2) Stolas: The Book Of Angels Volume 12 (Masada Quintet feat. Joe Lovano Plays Masada Book Two) The Goddess Ipos: Book Of Angels Volume 14 (The Dreamers Play Masada Book Two) Dreamachines The Mockingbird
Here's my top 10: Electric Masada: At the mountains of madness Masada: Live in Sevilla Interzone The Gnostic Preludes Valentine's day Magick Painkiller: Execution ground The Circle Maker Midsummer moons Masada recital Tomorrow it could be different though!
The Big Gundown, The Goddess, The Gift, and Dreamachines are favorites of mine as well. I’ll be getting around to more of those Filmworks recordings very soon.
Naked City (first record) The Big Gundown Xaphan, Book of Angels Vol. 9 (Secret Chiefs 3) Electric Masada at the Mountains of Madness Midsummer Moons (Julian Lage/Gyan Riley) O'o (The Dreamers--Ipos is also a killer) Paimon, Book of Angels Vol. 32 (Mary Halvorson Quartet) Stolas, Book of Angels Vol. 12 (Masada Quintet--maybe the most traditionally "jazzy" thing in Zorn's catalog? And it's great.) 50th Birthday Celebration, Vol. 11 (Bar Kokhba Sextet--maybe my favorite Zorn release of them all) Masada First Live 1993 (I haven't heard a lot of the studio records, and I have to admit the Masada quartet records I have heard, as great as they are, sound a little "samey" to me--but I feel the band must be represented and this one has a lot of excitement and energy that I love--I always think if they'd never recorded anything else, this would be considered a real classic) Those are probably my top ten, as of now, but of course, that's leaving off a lot of great stuff. I also rep hard for the Book Beriah box set--I didn't feel like that should count as one release for this type of exercise, and couldn't decide on one disc that stands above the others, since they are so different from one another, but if you like Zorn, you need it.
Book Beriah is definetely essential. These days I would vote for Cleric as the best of the box, but that changes according to what disc I'm listening at the moment
You know, I've been wondering for years when Tzadik would start releasing records and having just had a look it seems they've actually put one or two LPs out recently! They must've been one of the last really prolific labels out there to get around to it. Such a vast catalogue they could potentially dip back into..
Yeah, they’re offering some vinyl issues, but, personally, I would never buy them as I’ve got the CDs and I’m not about to start buying vinyl of John Zorn (that is, if they released most of his catalog). Talk about a massively expensive rabbit hole that would be!
I think these are the tops in my Zorn collection: Naked City Grand Guignol (Naked City box version) The Big Gundown + remaster with extra material Filmworks VII Cynical Hysterie Hour Songs From The Hermetic Theatre Filmworks V Tears of Ecstasy Naked City Torture Garden Naked City Leng T'Che Godard ça Vous Chant? Early Recordings Cobra 2xCD Spillane Elegy Interzone Spy vs. Spy Naked City Absinthe Music Romance series Interpretation of Dreams Painkiller Guts Of A Virgin Painkiller Execution Ground Tractatus Musico-Philosophicus
Great thread, thank you MI! I came to John Zorn through the Naked City debut, and then the subsequent boxed set, which I purchased in 2003. I think I spent a good month devouring that music. I own probably a dozen or so other releases, but haven't listened for quite awhile. That, however, changed today, as I've listened to Masada Live At Tonic 2001, and now Electric Masada 50th Birthday No. 4. Really digging both. Thank you all for your discourse and recommendations. A sad shame about the Pledge Music debacle.
It's worth owning but, honestly, none of the live performances are better than the original 7" versions. I suspect he only released it because he was concerned too many fans couldn't afford the vinyl set.
most definetely. insanely good cds, all of them. plus the bonus piano cd which won't be released separately.
Everyone in this thread should own the box. I don't feel that it's fair to do a top ten or twenty list with Zorn, but here are some albums that I especially like, in no particular order: The Goddess: Music for the Ancient of Days Mount Analogue In Search Of The Miraculous Bar Kokhba The Circle Maker Masada Guitars The Classic Guide To Strategy, Vols 1 & 2 Masada Quartet: 50th Birthday Celebration, Sanhedrin, Live in Seville Nova Quartet: Nova Express, Dreamachines, On Leaves Of Grass Bar Kokhba Sextet: Lucifer Brian Marsella: Buer, The Hierophant Moonchild: Six Litanies For Heliogabalus, Ipsissimus Vocal Ensemble: Shir Hashirim, Madrigals Dither Plays Zorn Klezmerson: Amon Garth Knox: Leonard Craig Taborn Trio: Flaga Erik Friedlander: Volak
Has anyone checked out this: John Zorn/Quatuor Molinari - Cat O'Nine Tails / The Dead Man / Memento Mori / Kol Nidre. I'm pretty sure that is the same track list as The String Quartets performed by Mark Feldman et al and released on Tzadik in 1999. Funny story, i had purchased The String Quartets from Amazon Japan along with a few other Zorn albums, and when it arrived it was a copy of The Beatles Revolver with the String Quartets obi (i'll try to post a photo, might have to do it as a separate post). One of my few bad experiences with the normally excellent Amazon Japan. It was right before Christmas and i couldn't be bothered sending it back. Could never bring myself to re-order a copy of The String Quartets, but i've ordered this!
