JOHN ZORN | BILL LASWELL — The Cleansing (2022) Spectrum Series – 37 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Zorn and Laswell have been friends and musical compatriots since they first met in 1978, and have been responsible for some of the most intense and memorable music in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Recorded in early 2021, near the end of the year’s pandemic lockdown, it marks the first time Zorn had touched the saxophone in over fifteen months. Laswell had spent most of the year locked in his apartment. Something special was happening that day—and after the session Laswell felt rejuvenated—as if all the toxins and poisons had left his body. Soulful and essential, "The Cleansing" is an historic meeting—and the first recorded duo project by these two Downtown magicians. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Brion Gysin    10:04

2    Aleister Crowley    6:52
3    Austin Osman Spare    6:47
4    William Burroughs    10:19
5    Alejandro Jodorowsky    8:56
6    The Cleansing    3:41
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Producer, Liner Notes – John Zorn
Bass – Bill Laswell

ARCANA : BILL LASWELL | TONY WILLIAMS — Arc Of The Testimony (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Arc of Testimony is one of the last recordings to feature legendary drummer Tony Williams, and its bold, experimental textures are a fitting epitaph to his career. Arcana was formed by bassist/producer Bill Laswell with the intention of exploring the outer reaches of fusion, ambient and free jazz. Like the group's debut, Last Wave (released only in Japan), Arc of the Testimony is a freewheeling, unpredictable blend of electronic and acoustic sounds. However, this record is even more adventurous, since it finds a common ground between improvisation and post-production studio trickery. All of the musicians -- Williams, Laswell, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, saxophonist Byard Lancaster, cornetist Graham Haynes, guitarist Nicky Skopelitis and guitarist Buckethead -- are open-minded and help push the music forward, resulting in a thoroughly involving, challenging listen. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1    Black Money    4:16
2    Gone Tomorrow    9:39
3    Illuminator    6:07
4    Into The Circle    9:25
5    Returning    4:29
6    Calling Out The Blue Light    6:37
7    Circles Of Hell    7:15
8    Wheeless On A Dark River    4:27
9    The Earth Below    5:28
Credits :
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Bass Clarinet – Byard Lancaster (tracks: 4, 6)
Artwork – Yoko Yamabe
Bass [Basses], Electronics – Bill Laswell
Cornet – Graham Haynes (tracks: 2, 4)
Drums – Tony Williams
Guitar – Buckethead (tracks: 3, 5, 7, 9), Nicky Skopelitis (tracks: 2 to 8)
Songwriter [Songs Written By] – Tony Williams, Bill Laswell, Peter Apfelbaum (tracks: 1)
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Peter Apfelbaum (tracks: 1), Pharoah Sanders (tracks: 2, 7)

MARK NAUSEEF | IKUE MORI | EVAN PARKER | BILL LASWELL - Near Nadir (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Majuu    3:33
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
2        Valhalla    4:22
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
3        In Gold Mesh    4:01
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
4        Orbs    2:14
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
5        Nooks    3:06
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
6        Funnel Drone    2:23
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
7        Yuga Warp    6:42
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
8        Near Nadir    5:35
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
9        Ternary Rite +    4:34
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
10        Flo Vi Ru Dub    8:54
 Bill Laswell / Ikue Mori / Mark Nauseef / Evan Parker
Credits :
Bass [Basses] – Bill Laswell
Electronics – Ikue Mori
Percussion [Bent Metal], Bells [Meditation Bells], Drums [Chinese Drums], Wood Block [Woodblocks], Tom Tom [Tom-tom] – Mark Nauseef
Soprano Saxophone – Evan Parker

PHAROAH SANDERS | BILL LASWELL - With a Heartbeat (2003) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

OK, this sounds like a pretty hokey concept: Pharoah Sanders and some of Bill Laswell's Material crew perform along with recordings of a heartbeat, supplied by Dr. Jean-Louis Zink. Fortunately, it comes off far better in execution than one might expect. First off, the heartbeat itself is sonically treated to be more of a bass pulse, which Laswell then elaborates on when his bass is in the picture. As might be expected with Laswell, there are strong elements of dub throughout, from the sound of the basslines to the way the instruments fade in and out. Besides the heartbeat, which is always present to varying degrees, the main sounds are the guitar and electric sitar of Nicky Skopelitis and keyboards either by Jeff Bova or Laswell. Pharoah Sanders' playing is excellent, and the album is enjoyable, but one gets the sense that this is Laswell's project, and Pharoah just plays on it. If you're looking to start a Pharoah Sanders collection, begin with something from the Impulse catalog, like Karma or Thembi. As a Pharoah Sanders record, With a Heartbeat makes a fine Bill Laswell album. Sean Westergaard
Tracklist :
1    Across Time    17:06
2    Morning Tala    7:45
3    Alankara (Beats Of The Heart)    8:58
4    Gamaka    15:52
Credits :
Bass, Flute, Keyboards – Bill Laswell
Cornet, Electronics – Graham Haynes
Guitar, Sitar [Electric] – Nicky Skopelitis
Keyboards – Jeff Bova
Producer, Arranged By – Bill Laswell
Tabla, Voice – Trilok Gurtu
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Pharoah Sanders

DEREK BAILEY | FRED FRITH | SONNY SHARROCK | JOHN ZORN | BILL LASWELL | CHARLES K. NOYES - Improvised Music : New York 1981 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is a live recording of a performance by the New York avant-garde group Material. Due to legal complications, the name "Material" was not allowed to be used on this release, as well as there being no song titles. It's an early performance (Sep. 18, 1981) only for the most open-minded listeners, for the group sticks to aggressive experimental noise which follows no musical conventions at all. Sometimes the group creates some fascinating moments (especially on track 2), but otherwise this is largely enerving, though occasionally amusing (Noyes' percussion intro on track 7). This features interesting abstract cover art by Thi-Linh Le. Christian Genzel
Credits :
Bass – Bill Laswell
Cover – Thi-Linh Le
Guitar – Derek Bailey, Fred Frith, Sonny Sharrock
Horns – John Zorn
Percussion – Charles K. Noyes

JOHN ZORN - Music Romance, Volume Two : Taboo And Exile (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Not since the early days of Naked City has there been a CD as remarkably varied and at the same time as enjoyable as Taboo and Exile. Running the gamut of styles from moody exotica, hardcore punk, classical, jazz, surf, world music and more, this second volume of this new Music Romance Series features twelve new Zorn compositions performed by the very best of today’s musical visionaries: guitar heroes Marc Ribot, Fred Frith and Robert Quine, bass renegade Bill Laswell, percussion masters Joey Baron, Dave Lombardo and Cyro Baptista, the Masada String Trio and vocalists Mike Patton and Miho Hatori, among others. For lovers of music in all its various mutations. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    In The Temple Of Hadjarim 5'12
Bass – Greg Cohen
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Piano, Organ – Jamie Saft
Violin – Mark Feldman
2    Sacrifist 4'50
Bass – Bill Laswell
Drums – Dave Lombardo
Guitar – Fred Frith, Marc Ribot
3    Mayim 3'27
Bass – Greg Cohen
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Violin – Mark Feldman
4    Koryojang 6'21
Percussion – Cyro Baptista, Joey Baron
5    Bulls-Eye 1'08
Bass – Chris Wood
Drums – Sim Cain
Lead Guitar – Robert Quine
Rhythm Guitar – Marc Ribot
Voice – Mike Patton
6    Zeraim 6'19
Bass – Greg Cohen
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Piano – Jamie Saft
Violin – Mark Feldman
7    Thaalapalassi 10'21
Bass – Bill Laswell
Drums – Dave Lombardo
Guitar – Fred Frith, Marc Ribot
8    Makkot 2'59
Bass – Greg Cohen
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Violin – Mark Feldman
9    A Tiki For Blue 6'59
Bass – Greg Cohen
Guitar – Mark Ribot
Organ – Jamie Saft
Percussion – Roberto Rodriguez
10    The Possessed 6'17
Bass – Bill Laswell
Drums – Dave Lombardo
Guitar – Fred Frith
Saxophone – John Zorn
11    Oracle 4'24
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Organ – Jamie Saft
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Voice – Miho Hatori
12    Koryojang (End Credits) 2'25
Percussion – Cyro Baptista, Joey Baron
Credits :
Composed, Arranged, Producer By – John Zorn

JOHN ZORN : IAO (2002) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The name IAO is Kabbalistically identical to the Beast and his number 666. In the tradition of Zorn's longform studio compositions Godard, Spillane, Elegy, Kristallnacht and Duras, yet completely unique in form and content, IAO is a hypnotic seven-movement suite of Alchemy, Mysticism, Metaphysics and Magic both black and white. Inspired in part by the esoteric works of Aleister Crowley and his magickal disciple, filmmaker Kenneth Anger, the seven movements range from hypnotic exotica, ritualistic percussion and death metal to ambient, electronica and a stunning piece for female chorus. As varied and listenable as The Gift and as perplexing as Songs from the Hermetic Theater, IAO is a major new work by downtown's master of the unexpected. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Invocation    7:19
2    Sex Magick    13:26
3    Sacred Rites Of The Left Hand Path    6:31
4    The Clavicle Of Solomon    9:28
5    Lucifer Rising    5:23
6    Leviathan    3:26
7    Mysteries    5:50
Featuring – Beth Anne Hatton, Bill Laswell, Cyro Baptista, Greg Cohen, Jamie Saft, Jennifer Charles, Jim Pugliese, Mike Patton, Rebecca Moore
Producer, Composed By – John Zorn

JOHN ZORN | PAINKILLER - 50¹², John Zorn 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Twelve (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A powerful and breathtaking meeting of masters. With the tight rhythm section of Laswell and Drake, who have a long history working together in a variety of bands and contexts, and the empathetic insanity of Patton and Zorn, this set was as much of a surprise to the musicians as it was to the pumped up crowd that were lucky enough to hear it that night. Although billed as Painkiller, this once in a lifetime unit was really something completely different. At times hilarious, exhilarating, outrageous and transcendent, this is music only the New American Underground could create. East Coast meets West Coast meets Midwest: New York, California and Chicago come together in this twisted, funky improviser’s paradise. TZADIK

Tracklist :
1    Your Inviolable Freedoms    20:29
2    Dpm    16:24
3    Prophethood Of Chaos    6:23
Credits :
Bass – Bill Laswell
Drums – Hamid Drake
Guest [Special Guest], Voice – Mike Patton
Music By – Bill Laswell, Hamid Drake, John Zorn, Mike Patton
Producer, Saxophone – John Zorn

JOHN ZORN - FilmWorks Anthology, 1986-2005 : 20 Years Of Soundtrack Music (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Film and film music has had a tremendous impact on the life and work of composer John Zorn, and his own soundtrack work reflects his affinity, love for and deep knowledge of the medium. As of this writing he has released sixteen volumes of film music-twenty years of work on over twenty-seven films, and dozens of commercials. Drawing upon his talented downtown musical community, the players on these recordings reads like a “who's who” of modern music: guitarists Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot and Arto Lindsay; keyboardists Jamie Saft, Wayne Horvitz, Peter Scherer and Anthony Coleman; string players Mark Feldman and Erik Friedlander; bassists Bill Laswell, Greg Cohen and Trevor Dunn; percussionists Joey Baron, Bobby Previte, Kenny Wollesen and Cyro Baptista-the list goes on and on. As one would expect, Zorn's methods in the soundtrack world are remarkably unique, and have resulted in some of the most unusual and creative music for films in the past several decades. This CD is an excellent introduction to the burgeoning sixteen volume series and features twenty-seven tracks handpicked by Zorn for this rare “best of” compilation. As a bonus is an unissued track from Zorn's most recent soundtrack release Workingman's Death. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Main Title: She Must Be Seeing Things
2    End Titles: White And Lazy
3    Yakisoba: Cynical Hysterie Hour
4    Punk Rock Hero: Cynical Hysterie Hour
5    Through The Night: Cynical Hysterie Hour
6    Surfing Samba: Cynical Hysterie Hour
7    Fanfare/Theme: The Golden Boat
8    France: Weiden And Kennedy
9    Sweden: Weiden And Kennedy
10    Arsenal Dance Mix: Looters (Trespass)
11    Main Title: Hollywood Hotel
12    Wheelchair Racers: Weiden And Kennedy
13    Pueblo: Rose Hobart
14    Lituus: Tears Of Ecstasy
15    Fireworks: Mechanics Of The Brain
16    End Titles: Anton, Mailman
17    Deseo: Latin Boys Go To Hell
18    Shanghai: Port Of Last Resort
19    Trembling Before G-d: Trembling Before G-d
20    Filming: In The Mirror Of Maya Deren
21    Shabbos Noir: Secret Lives
22    Chippy Charm: Homecoming
23    Vocal Phase: Homecoming
24    Shaolin Spirit: Shaolin Ulysses
25    Main Title: Invitation To A Suicide
26    Sekhel (Vocal Version): Hiding And Seeking
27    Main Title: Protocols Of Zion
28    Indonesia: Workingman’s Death
Credits :
Bass – Bill Laswell, David Hofstra, Greg Cohen, Trevor Dunn
Guitar – Arto Lindsay, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot, Robert Quine
Keyboards – Anthony Coleman, Jamie Saft, Peter Scherer, Wayne Horvitz
Percussion – Bobby Previte, Cyro Baptista, Joey Baron, Kenny Wollesen
Strings – Erik Friedlander, Mark Feldman, Min Xiao-Fen

JOHN ZORN : Nosferatu (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Created for a modern Polish stage production of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale, Zorn has created a music filled with nostalgia, tenderness, violent power and a great sense of mystery. Featuring the dark ambient bass tones of Bill Laswell, the sensitive keyboards of Rob Burger, Kevin Norton on drums, vibes and percussion and Zorn on sax, this is a moody and menacing program of music for late night listening. Romantic ballads, ambient soundscapes and hardcore intensity! RELEASED ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BRAM STOKER’S DEATH—APRIL 20, 1912. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Desolate Landscape    4:33
2    Mina    3:36
3    The Battle Of Good And Evil    5:14
4    Sinistera    3:23
5    Van Helsing    3:26
6    Fatal Sunrise    3:18
7    Hypnosis    2:11
8    Lucy    2:46
9    Nosferatu 2:28
Electronics, Voice [Breath] – John Zorn
10    The Stalking    7:34
11    The Undead    4:00
12    Death Ship    2:00
13    Jonathan Harker    5:29
14    Vampires At Large    4:18
15    Renfield    3:32
16    Stalker Dub    3:25
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – John Zorn (pistas: 3, 6, 10, 16)
Bass, Mixed By – Bill Laswell
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – John Zorn (pistas: 7, 14)
Piano – John Zorn (pistas: 1, 4, 5, 11)
Piano, Organ – Rob Burger
Producer, Composed By – John Zorn
Vibraphone, Drums, Bells [Orchestral], Percussion [Tibetan Prayer Bowls] – Kevin Norton

BILL LASWELL | DAVID SMITH | JOHN ZORN - The Dream Membrane (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This fabulous collaborative musical project features the legendary magus David Chaim Smith reading selections from his mystical text The Awakening Ground along with the magical creator of Dark Ambient music Bill Laswell on bass and drones, and John Zorn on shofar and alto saxophone.
Evocative and meditative, this is a rare and unique project that synthesizes Kabbalah, Mysticism and the hypnotic swirls of Dark Ambient music. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1     The Dream Membrane 47'49
Bill Laswell / David Chaim Smith / John Zorn
Credits :
Bill Laswell: Bass, Drones
John Zorn: Shofar, Alto Saxophone
David Chaim Smith: Voice, Texts

JOHN ZORN | BILL LASWELL - The Cleansing (2022) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Zorn and Laswell have been friends and musical compatriots since they first met in 1978, and have been responsible for some of the most intense and memorable music in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Recorded in early 2021, near the end of the year’s pandemic lockdown, it marks the first time Zorn had touched the saxophone in over fifteen months. Laswell had spent most of the year locked in his apartment. Something special was happening that day—and after the session Laswell felt rejuvenated—as if all the toxins and poisons had left his body. Soulful and essential, "The Cleansing" is an historic meeting—and the first recorded duo project by these two Downtown magicians. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Brion Gysin    10:04
2    Aleister Crowley    6:52
3    Austin Osman Spare    6:47
4    William Burroughs    10:19
5    Alejandro Jodorowsky    8:56
6    The Cleansing    3:41
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – John Zorn
Bass – Bill Laswell

GINGER BAKER - Horses & Trees (1986) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Bill Laswell's musical career has been a highly collaborative one. Almost every new release from solo excursions to a variety of mercurial group projects finds him engaged with a notable instrumentalist from the arenas of jazz, electronica, funk, hip-hop, reggae, and world music. It's not that he seems dominating as a musician per se, but the results do typically bare the producer's singular aural stamp. Horses & Trees is no exception. Persuaded by Laswell to continue working throughout the second half of 1980s, drummer Ginger Baker produced some of his most stimulating collections, not least of which were the Laswell produced Middle Passage and this 1986 set. The drummer is rock-solid throughout, which means that most of the compositions become a showcase for an impressive lineup of guest musicians that reads like a list of the Bill Laswell all-stars. Even when pared down to an all-rhythm trio on "Mountain Time," Baker, though undeniably effective, remains the big beat behind Daniel Ponce and Aiyb Dieng's percussion display. That does little to change the fact that this is one of the most enjoyable albums Baker (or Laswell) has been involved in. "Uncut" finds the likes of Bernie Worrell, Shankar and Laswell in fine form, taking solos like a jazz combo. "Dust to Dust" is the only piece composed solely by Baker (he shares credits everywhere else) and is the most stunning of the set with a repeated section that sounds like an alien hoe-down with world music undertones. Laswell alumni and hip-hop pioneer Grandmixer D.ST (of "Rock It" fame) returns, delivering slashes from his turntable that provide the sort of genre-bending texture Laswell is so fond of. Baker, while never caught stealing the show on any track, looms large. On Horses & Trees, his big beat pulls the greatest weight. by Nathan Bush  
Tracklist:
1 Interlock 4:55
Bass – Bill Laswell
Bells, Bata – Daniel Ponce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar – Nicky Skopelitis
Harp [Dousongonni] – Foday Musa Suso
Organ – Bernie Worrell
Talking Drum, Percussion [Chatan], Bells – Aiyb Dieng
Violin – Shankar
2 Dust To Dust 5:31
Bass, 6-String Bass, Slide Guitar – Bill Laswell
Bata – Daniel Ponce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Organ – Bernie Worrell
Percussion [Chatan] – Aiyb Dieng
Twelve-String Guitar – Nicky Skopelitis
Violin – Shankar
3 Satou 5:21
Berimbau, Cuica, Voice, Shaker – Nana Vasconcelos*
Drums – Ginger Baker
Kalimba, Violin [Nyanyer] – Foday Musa Suso
Talking Drum, Percussion [Chatan], Bells – Aiyb Dieng
Turntables – D.ST.
4 Uncut 6:50
Bass – Bill Laswell
Bata, Bells – Daniel Ponce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Harp [Dousongonni] – Foday Musa Suso
Organ – Bernie Worrell
Talking Drum, Percussion [Chatan], Bells – Aiyb Dieng
Twelve-String Guitar – Nicky Skopelitis
Violin – Shankar
5 Mountain Time 6:05
Bells – Daniel Ponce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Talking Drum, Percussion [Chatan] – Aiyb Dieng
6 Makuta 5:34
Berimbau, Cuica, Voice, Shaker – Nana Vasconcelos
Drums – Ginger Baker
Kora, Violin [Nyanyer] – Foday Musa Suso
Organ – Robert Musso
Talking Drum, Percussion [Chatan], Bells – Aiyb Dieng
Twelve-String Guitar – Nicky Skopelitis