Back From The Dead!!

Ok, first off I would like to apologize for keeping all the millions of readers out there in Blogdom that have been patiently waiting for the newest post here, but what can I say I was busy.

Anyway I hope everyone has been well these last few weeks and had a great Halloween...I know I did.


So in these last few weeks I have been checking out tons of great new music and have been dying to share it all with you, but then every time I thought of doing a CD review post I got annoyed and kept procrastinating writing something, but in the long run I will do a couple reviews right now.

So the last few months I have really gotten into the music of John Zorn. Think of any adjective; and that best describes John Zorn, you have to hear his music to believe it. This guy puts out about 10 CDs a year! He just put out 3 in the last 3 months!! All with different groups and projects but he writes all the music, so unfair...

The first CD I would like to review is
John Zorn's Masada Quintet:
Stolas: Book of Angels Vol. 12
2009
****

John Zorn's Masada group is usually comprised of Zorn on alto sax, Dave Douglas on trumpet, Greg Cohen on bass and Joey Baron on drums. The band plays a mix of avantgarde jazz infused over Jewish folk melodies. The band sounds like if Ornette Coleman went to Temple Beth David. A great band that I'll admit took a few listenings to get into but was totally worth it.

This disk however is an altered line up with Zorn only on 1 track, and the rest of the band joined by Joe Lovano on tenor sax and Uri Cane on piano. The first part that struck my attention was the addition of Lovano who at first would seem out of his element but knocks your socks off with incredible inside/outside playing a la early 60's Coltrane. Douglas and Cane show off track after track that they are truly two modern titans of the genre and Cohen and Baron once again make me think they are 'the buck stops here' with avant rhythm sections.

The first track, Haamiah, is a Jewish inflected song over a latin rhythm which is both intriguing and enjoyable. What I love about a lot of this music is the different use of feel and style with such a distinct set of harmonies, it makes the music so fresh.

Another track that stood out was Rahtiel, which is the only track Zorn is on. His use of sax sqealing sometimes sounds like a maniac chasing after you with a butcher knife chewing on his last victims brains....yeah you get it.

The whole band sounds tight and like they've been doing this forever. Now the name Stolas comes from Jewish lore. Stolas is a high prince in Hell who controls 26 legions of demons and teaches astronomy and the knowledge of poisonous plants, herbs and precious stones and his form is depicted as a crowned owl. If you enjoy this album, check out Book of Angels Vol. 11 by Medeski, Martin and Wood.


John Zorn and The Dreamers:
O'o
2009
****

I don't know where to begin! Again John Zorn has written another album of completely original, addictive music.

This time he has shift gears completely and wrote this music for his more up beat band: The Dreamers.

The Dreamers are comprised of keyboards, vibes. guitar, bass, drums and alto sax, however on this disk, Zorn lays out and only takes on the easy roles of writer, arranger, conductor and producer...piece of cake.

The Dreamers blend everything from surf-rock to jazz to pop to lounge music to latin music. Again, you have to hear it to believe it.

This disk is named after a type of bird only found on Hawaii but has been extinct for over a centuary. The other titles are also named after rare, extinct birds but what surprised me the most was no track named after the Dodo....oh well.

The first track, Miller's Crake, starts off the disk in a very upbeat way that you just can't help but smile when you first hear it. Its got a surf rock, country feel to it and when the vibes kick in with the melody you will be hook....I was. Great soloing by pianist Jamie Saft follows and the tune just never gives up. It took many listenings of this song before I moved on.

Another track of note is the waltz ballad, Po'o'uli, which has a very simple ostinato under neath the groove and to top the tune off, it has various bird calls which is almost hypnotic.

Little Bittern changes the vibe entirely with a Fender Rhodes sound, back beat driven funk feel that has great playing on it. Lastly, Laughing Owl is by far my favorite track that has a melody played on vibes that sounds too perfect to be written. It has a sound that reminds you of a childhood song and you just can't help but make sure no one's looking and start bobbing in your seat.


Its incredible that these two albums were released back to back in a two month period. If you are on a tight budget save your pennies and get these albums immediately.