Keiji Haino, Yamatsuka Eye and John Zorn improvising.
 

When 3 utter geniuses collide into total mayhem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rKM7B9Q-yc

Speaking of melding of geniuses, here's Nels Cline doing a reinterpretation of Coltrane's 'Interstellar Space'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcjAy3VtMVU

God awful.

fantastic.

I'd seen this before, and it's a fantastic video (though I don't really consider Zorn a "genius", he's definitely talented and has been involved in tons of awesome shit and runs the best record label of all time).

Sides' Harry Partch stuff and a couple other random things (Ikue, Afrirampo) I think Zorn is by far the best thing on his label.

i'm really starting to hate zorn. he's like zappa in the sense that he feels the need to release everything that comes out of his butt, except the crap:good ratio of his output is far higher. just so much godawful crap.

I really like Naked City, but that's about it. Never really into Zorn beyond that, though I can appreciate some of his stuff, it just doesn't really do anything for me, and never has. Absolutely amazing record label, though. Seeiichi Yamamoto, Xtatika, Melt Banana, Kayo Dot, Derek Bailey, Time of Orchids, Merzbow, Keiji Haino, Ruins, Toby Driver, Otomo Yoshihide, Marc Ribot, Bill Laswell, Brown Wing Overdise, Dion Mcgregor, Mike Pathos, Cyro Baptista, Massacre, Phantom Orchard, Mr. Dorgon, Ikue Mori, Harry Partch, Eyvind Kang, David Shea, Fred Frith, Mystic Fugu Orchestra, Rabbanical School Dropouts, Frank London, New Klezmer Trio, Boredoms, Gary Lucas, Toby Driver, Cracow Klezmer Band, Oren Ambarchi, Yasauno Tone, Zakarya, Evan Parker, Limited Express (Has Gone?), Z'Ev, Tim Sparks, Koby Isrealite, Death Ambient, Rovo, Synapse, Naked City, Jamie Saft, etc., etc., etc. are all mindblowing.

i thought the video was pretty dumb, would have been better without eye, but still not quite good

pure bliss!

Shit just sounds so damned tired.

I think if that was my first exposure to Zorn, Eye, Haino, Marclay and Moore I'd probably think they were all crap. I tend to prefer Eye in his shouting improv mode (MC Hellshit vs DJ Carhouse). I think that, unlike Zappa, Zorn is capable of doing some utterly astonishing stuff (The solo on Ne'Eman from Masada's live in Seville is probably one of my favourite horn solos, for whatever that means). I think that he also actually shows some affection for music in general, rather than sneering from 'above' it, like Zappa. And for getting Bailey to do Standards he should get a knighthood. But he should probably stop doing Painkiller. Awful.

Electric Masada's double album is one of mine favorite record ever. Still most of his stuff you doesn't do it for me(expect for naked city and spy vs spy)

Zorn I think is very mixed in his output, but that's kind of inevitable when you're as prolific as he is. He do with better self editing. That said, Naked City and Masada have a lot of AMAZING stuff, and yeah, he's responsible for a LOT of great stuff getting released with all the Tzadik stuff. Oh, and this:



with Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, is totally fantastic.

I'm not usually a fan of that kind of thing but that's pretty flippin' amazing.

I don't understand why people are so critical of Zorn. He's done plenty of fantastic things; some solo offerings, Naked City, Masada, Electric Masada, the TZADIK label. Honestly, Zorn has said he runs a massive financial loss by continuing the Tzadik label (which nothing is ever out of print on by the way) and runs an avant-garde performance area in New York called The Stone where every aspect of the show is controlled by the artist and all the money from the door goes to them as well. I find it ludicrous when people call Zorn out considering the love and effort he puts into exposing and creating interesting, creative music even if all of it doesn't quite appeal to me.

see, that's great and all, but i just find the actual music he's been involved in lately to be tremendous overkill. there's just too much of it and it all seems rather formulaic and klitsch-y after a while. i can't recall anything zorn-related i've liked since "at the mountains of madness."

then again, i enjoy about ten residents releases a year, so perhaps i'm not one to comment on overkill.

I've heard from people involved in that (who'll remain anonymous) that it's not quite the musician-centric ide that it seems.

Your post is interesting because I was wondering by reading another thread on another forum if he's able to make a living out of the sort of music he plays. And other less established musicians who seem to be able to tour overseas regularly.

Sounds like some meaty gossip, I'd love to know more!

Don't forget he's soundtracked films and the like, I'm sure that's a significant money earner. From what I've gathered though, his living expenses are minimal, he's lived in the same cheap Brooklyn loft for the past 25 - 30 years. I'm talking shite though probably.

The Stone is awesome; that said, I don't go that often. Zorn doesn't choose the musicians there (in general), but I believe he does choose the curators who choose the musicians.
And I've heard there are issues with some musicians getting gigs and those who don't, but they moan about that regarding VisionFest and Tonic and ToddP. I'm not sure what the anonymous person is claiming (bitching about), but it is my understanding the artist does get all the door money for their set. They can play whatever they want and with whomever they want. The bills get paid from CD sales and Zorn's monthly concerts. The guy at the door is a volunteer. For a music listener it is great because people don't talk, it is usually an adult audience unlike the alcohol clubs, although it can be very hot or cold in there depending on the weather.

The problem is more that it's not the 'free-flowing rainbow of ideas' that it seems. Ok, so financially it might be pretty spot-on for the artists, but I've heard it a few times that it's a creatively stifling environment.

Is it not curated monthly by acknowledgable musicians? Or is it precisely that which adds into the equation?

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/silent...ik___new_japan

I have heard just about every album on this list, and they are all FUCKING BRILLIANT. Check out Smoke by Jon, it sounds like a 10 year old palying an organ and singing about a dog.

I'm actually in the process of listening to some albums I've missed like Ni Hao's "Gorgeous" (Limited Express Has Gone side project with two bass players) and Sajjanu's "Pechiku!!" (imagine RUINS, Yowie, Scissor Shock, U.S. Maple, Hella old Boredoms collaborating -- some of the most complex music ever created!). Tzadik never fails to blow my mind.

Yep, DEREK, get Sajjanu's "Pechiku!!" asap. MINDBLOWING ALBUM.

I upped pechiku:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/j5imk8

I also highly reccomend that ADACHI TOMOMI ROYAL CHORUS album "Yo". Basically, weird cartoon type music as performed with experimental vocalists. Like Zubi Zuva but goofier (?!).

I love a lot of albums in that list. I've not heard that Muddy World album in years, I forgot it even existed.