JOHN ZORN : Songs From The Hermetic Theater (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In March 2001 Zorn entered the recording studio to create four very different compositions. American Magus is Zorn's first piece of purely electronic music, and it is dedicated to the underground innovator Harry Smith, whose legendary paintings, groundbreaking films, eclectic collections (ranging from Ukranian Easter eggs, string games, found paper airplanes to cassettes of New York City ambiences) and encyclopedic mind has continued to excite, confound and inspire artists worldwide. BeuysBlock, a bizarre meditation on the work of conceptual/performance artist Joseph Beuys, is scored for piano, string orchestra and an incredible array of homemade sound devices, all performed by Zorn himself. Also included is Zorn's tribute to Maya Deren, dancer, filmmaker, authority on Haitian voodoo and one of the most important and influential figures in the New York underground and the mindbending sonic hieroglyphs of Codebreaker, Zorn's first piece of computer music. An essential collection of dialogues from one generation of the underground to another. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    American Magus 14'03
Electronics [Electronic Music] – John Zorn
2    In The Very Eye Of Night 11'16
Electric Bass, Sounds [Water], Flute [Wooden Flute], Bass Drum, Piano, Idiophone [Glass Bowl] – John Zorn
Voice – Maya Deren
3    The Nerve Key 9'29
Computer [Computer Music] – John Zorn
4    Beuysblock 16'13
Featuring, Violin [Violins] – Jennifer Choi
Sounds [Metal Pipes, Honey, Wax Paper, Mud, Flower Pots, Mustache Scissors, Dried Leaves, Trowel, 78 Rpm Records, Mason Jar, Power Saw, Rubber Ball, Tissue Paper, Tallow, Bricks, Dirt, Razor, Writing Pad, Pencil, Lightbulb, Machine Parts, Chalkboard, Clothes Pin, Electric Fan, Metal Bucket, Phonograph, Tree Branches, Felt, Fat, Polaroid Land Camera, L-braces, Zippers, Wooden Cane, Hardcover Book, Water, Nail Clippers, Old Dust Jackets, Keys, Rubber Stamps, Blood, Door, Carcass Of A Hare, Clamp Light, Staple Gun, Hair, Newspaper, Hammer, Vacuum Tubes, Heavy Duty Garbage Bags, Towel, $82 In Cash, Paintbrush, Coffee Can, Surgical Tubing, Rusted Metal, Rubber Sole Shoes], Toy [Toy Megaphone], Maracas, Piano, Strings – John Zorn
Credits :
Artwork [Ostende], Artwork [Cover Art, Inlay, Two Girls Watching Vulcano And Geyser] – Joseph Beuys
Composed By, Performer, Producer – John Zorn
Painting – Harry Smith

JOHN ZORN : The Gift (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A beautiful and lyrical exploration of surf, exotica, easy listening and world beat, The Gift is an honest and heartfelt offering to music lovers the world over: an invitation to forget about the worries and cares of the world; to sit back and relax. Featuring Marc Ribot (Postizos), Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle), Cyro Baptista (Herbie Hancock), Jamie Saft (Bobby Previte), Joey Baron (Masada) and many special guests, this is the album Naked City fans have been waiting for. A side of John Zorn you’ve rarely heard, the music of The Gift is both relaxing and stimulating, like feeling perfectly at home in a place you’ve never been before. John Zorn "for lovers only." TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Makahaa 5'18
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Guitar – Marc Ribot
Organ – Jamie Saft
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
2    The Quiet Surf 3'15
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Piano] – Jamie Saft
Guitar – Marc Ribot
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Violin – Jennifer Choi
3    Samarkan 6'39
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Drums – Joey Baron
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Piano] – Jamie Saft
Guitar – Marc Ribot
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Shakuhachi – Ned Rothenberg
4    Train To Thiensan 3'52
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Drums – Joey Baron
Guitar – Marc Ribot
Keyboards – Jamie Saft
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
5    Snake Catcher 6'30
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Piano] – Jamie Saft
Guitar – Marc Ribot
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
6    Mao's Moon 5'17
Bass – Greg Cohen
Cello – Raman Ramakrishnan
Drums – Joey Baron
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Piano – Jamie Saft
Trumpet – Dave Douglas
Viola – Masumi Rostad
Violin – Jennifer Choi
7    Cutting Stone 7'08
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Piano] – Jamie Saft
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
8    La Flor Del Barrio 3'10
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Drums – Joey Baron
Guitar – Marc Ribot
9    Bridge To The Beyond 5'30
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Guitar – Marc Ribot
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Piano, Theremin – John Zorn
Vocals – Mike Patton
10    Makahaa (Reprise) 4'20
Bass – Trevor Dunn
Drums – Joey Baron
Guitar – Marc Ribot
Organ – Jamie Saft
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Credits :
Composed, Arranged, Producer By – John Zorn
Painting [Paintings By] – Trevor Brown

JOHN ZORN : Madness, Love And Mysticism (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Definitive performances of three dynamic new chamber pieces pushing the boundaries of virtuosity and intensity. Le Mômo, for violin and piano is a work of extremes, a ritual about exorcism and possession inspired by the works of visionary 20th Century shaman Antonin Artaud. Untitled, dedicated to Joseph Cornell, the hermetic New York artist whose delirious box constructions mix innocent nostalgia with uncomfortable personal obsessions, is a tour de force for solo cello brilliantly performed by Erik Friedlander. The piano trio Amour Fou explores love—obsessive love, mad love, doomed love in a compendium of moods ranging from Buñuel to Bataille, Scriabin to Messiaen. A mysterious and romantic new direction from John Zorn. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Le Mômo 16'08
Piano – Stephen Drury
Violin – Jennifer Choi
2    Untitled 15'11
Cello – Erik Friedlander
3    Amour Fou 20'09
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Piano – Stephen Drury
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Credits :
Composed By [1999, NYC], Producer – John Zorn

JOHN ZORN : Chimeras (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Composed throughout 2001 and previewed at the prestigious venue BargeMusic, Chimeras is a major new chamber work by John Zorn. Loosely inspired by Schoenberg's masterwork Pierrot Lunaire, and scored for the same small ensemble (plus percussion), each of the twelve movements combine different permutations of the players, climaxing with a breathtaking tutti of all eight musicians. Dramatic and colorful, with a soprano vocal part that takes virtuosity to another level, Chimeras is a work of beauty, truth and imagination. Premiere recording by a hand-picked ensemble of the best musicians in contemporary music. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    One 0'55
Celesta – Stephen Drury
Cello – Fred Sherry
Clarinet – Mike Lowenstern
Flute – Tara O'Connor
Percussion – William Winant
Violin – Jennifer Choi
2    Two 2'42
Piano – Stephen Drury
Voice – Ilana Davidson
3    Three 2'55
Bass Flute – Tara O'Connor
Organ – Stephen Drury
Percussion – William Winant
Voice – Ilana Davidson
4    Four 2'06
Cello – Fred Sherry
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Mike Lowenstern
Flute – Tara O'Connor
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Voice – Ilana Davidson
5    Five 1'45
Percussion – William Winant
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Voice – Ilana Davidson
6    Six 2'08
Cello – Fred Sherry
Clarinet – Mike Lowenstern
Flute – Tara O'Connor
Percussion – William Winant
Piano, Celesta – Stephen Drury
Violin – Jennifer Choi
7    Seven 4'39
Percussion – William Winant
Voice – Ilana Davidson
8    Eight 3'19
Cello – Fred Sherry
Piano – Stephen Drury
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Voice – Ilana Davidson
9    Nine 2'46
Alto Flute – Tara O'Connor
Cello – Fred Sherry
Clarinet – Mike Lowenstern
Percussion – William Winant
Piano, Celesta, Organ – Stephen Drury
Violin – Jennifer Choi
10    Ten 2'54
Flute, Alto Flute – Tara O'Connor
Percussion – William Winant
Voice – Elizabeth Farnum, Ilana Davidson
11    Interlude 1'24
Percussion – William Winant
12    Eleven 3'18
Cello – Fred Sherry
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Mike Lowenstern
Flute, Piccolo Flute [Piccolo] – Tara O'Connor
Percussion – William Winant
Piano, Celesta, Organ – Stephen Drury
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Voice – Elizabeth Farnum, Ilana Davidson
13    Twelve 2'51
Cello – Fred Sherry
Percussion – William Winant
Piano – Stephen Drury
Voice – Ilana Davidson
Credits :
Composed, Producer, Liner Notes [English] By, – John Zorn
Conductor – Brad Lubman
Painting [Paintings By] – Hieronymous Bosch   

JOHN ZORN : Magick (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Further explorations into the worlds of Magick and Alchemy, here featuring the long awaited premiere recording of Zorn's new string quartet. Necronomicon is a transcendent five movement work of unparalleled ensemble virtuosity and formal beauty, brilliantly played by the Crowley Quartet. Also included is an astounding piece of witchcraft and sorcery for two bass clarinets, one of the most difficult yet written for the instrument, performed with passion and precision by two of the greatest players in the world. TZADIK
Necronomicon (For String Quartet)    
1    Conjurations    2:39
2    The Magus    6:18
3    Thought Forms    3:01
4    Incunabula    7:07
5    Asmodeus    2:50
 Sortilège (For Two Bass Clarinets)    
6    Sortilège 8:53
Bass Clarinet – Mike Lowenstern, Tim Smith
Credits :
Cello – Fred Sherry (pistas: 1 to 5)
Cover – Gustave Doré
Painting [Inlay Painting] – Joseph Wright (2)
Composer, Liner Notes, Producer  – John Zorn
Viola – Richard O'Neill (pistas: 1 to 5)
Violin – Jennifer Choi (pistas: 1 to 5), Jesse Mills (pistas: 1 to 5)

JOHN ZORN : Mysterium (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Three new miniature masterpieces from the alchemical crucible of John Zorn. Orphée is a lush romantic work in the French tradition of Debussy, Boulez and Jean Cocteau. Drawing inspiration from both the ancient Greek legend of Orpheus, who ventured to the Underworld to recover his lost love and Debussy’s Sonata for flute, viola and harp, this is one of Zorn’s most emotional and classical compositions, and features the Debussy trio instrumentation augmented by percussion, keyboards and the sparkling electronics of Ikue Mori. Frammenti del Sappho is a breathtakingly beautiful motet for five female voices, and speaks to and for the feminine through a language of Renaissance Minimalism. Ending the program is of course a piece touching on Witchcraft, and Zorn celebrates the Witches’ Sabbath through the dynamic medium of the string trio. Fifteen of the world’s best performers come together in this colorful and revelatory collection of Zorn compositions from 2004. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Orphee 9'07
Celesta, Harpsichord – Stephen Gosling
Conductor – Brad Lubman
Electronics – Ikue Mori
Flute – Tara O'Connor
Harp – June Han
Percussion – David Shively
Viola – Lois Martin
2    Frammenti Del Sappho 13'28
Conductor – Brad Lubman
Voice – Abby Fischer, Kirsten Sollek, Lisa Bielawa, Martha Cluver, Martha Sullivan
3    Walpurgisnacht, Pt. 1 2'47
Cello – Fred Sherry
Viola – Richard O'Neill
Violin – Jennifer Choi
4    Walpurgisnacht, Pt. 2 5'05
Cello – Fred Sherry
Viola – Richard O'Neill
Violin – Jennifer Choi
5    Walpurgisnacht, Pt. 3 1'54
Cello – Fred Sherry
Viola – Richard O'Neill
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Credits :
Producer – John Zorn

JOHN ZORN : Rituals (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Owls, Windmachines, Gravedigging and Ritual Magick, Zorn’s strange and mystical monodrama for mezzo soprano and ten instruments is presented here in a beautiful new studio recording. Composed for the Bayreuth Opera Festival in 1998, the Rituals premiere was a bit of a scandal, with the audience split down the middle…half outraged detractors, stomping out, whistling and jeering and half cheering supporters. Performed here by a stellar group of Zorn regulars and some very special guests, Rituals is opera at its virtuosic and intimate best. Five movements of magic and alchemy from the crucible of an uncompromising and unpredictable musical maverick. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1-5     Rituals, a monodrama for voice & 10 instruments (26:35)
Credits :
Bass – Kurt Muroki
Bassoon, Contrabassoon – Peter Kolkay
Cello [Violincello] – Fred Sherry
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet [Eb] – Mike Lowenstern
Conductor – Brad Lubman
Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute – Tara O'Connor
Illustration – Austin Osman Spare
Percussion, Instruments [Wind Machines, Water, Bull Roarers, Grave Digging, Fishing Reels, Paper, Bowls Of Bb's, Bird Calls] – Jim Pugliese, William Winant
Piano, Harpsichord, Celesta, Organ – Stephen Drury
Producer, Composed By – John Zorn
Trombone – Jim Pugh
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Voice – Heather Gardner

JOHN ZORN : From Silence To Sorcery (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Three distinctive instrumental works touching upon themes of magic and mysticism. Goetia are spells and incantations for summoning demonic spirits and this colorful set of variations for solo violin draws upon the ancient alliance between the violin and the devil. Gris-Gris is a virtuosic work for thirteen tuned drums inspired by the music of Korean Shamanism, Haitian Voodoo and a scene from Howard Hawks’ classic film To Have and Have Not. It receives a spectacular performance by one of the world’s leading avant-garde percussionists—William Winant . Completing the program is one of Zorn’s most personal and elusive ensemble pieces. Scored for clavichord, three muted strings and percussion, Shibboleth is a stunning tribute to the enigmatic Jewish poet Paul Celan. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1-8    Goetia (13:51)
Violin – Jennifer Choi
9    Gris-Gris (9:41)
Drums [13 Tuned Drums], Drum [Kick Drum] – William Winant
10    Shibboleth (12:37)
Cello – Fred Sherry
Clavichord – Steve Drury
Conductor – Brad Lubman
Percussion – William Winant
Viola – Lois Martin
Violin – Jennifer Choi
10.1        i Abglanzbeladen (Laden With Reflection)    
10.2        ii Im Leeren (In Empty Space)    
10.3        iii Mandelnde (Almond-Like)    
10.4        iv Hinterlassne (Left Behind)    
10.5        v Etwas Wie Nacht (Something Like Night)    
10.6        vi Aus Verlorem (From Things Lost)    
Credits :
Artwork [Tarot Cards By] – Salvador Dali
Composed By [All Compositions By], Producer [Produced By] – John Zorn

JOHN ZORN : Femina (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Structured as a colorful tribute to women in the Arts, Femina is a triumphant return to the file card technique that has produced some of Zorn's most shockingly original compositions. Much like an aural film, the music jumps from scene to scene with breathtaking precision, following its own peculiar logic. Hildegard von Bingen, Meredith Monk, Simone de Beauvoir, Frida Kahlo, Madame Blavatsky, Isadora Duncan, Hélène Cixous, Gertrude Stein, Abe Sada, Sylvia Plath, Louise Bourgeois, Margaret Mead, Loie Fuller, Dorothy Parker, Yoko Ono and the moon goddess En Hedu’Anna are just a few of the figures who are referenced, reflected and summoned in this soulful and exhilarating tribute to some of the greatest hearts and minds that ever lived. Featuring an all-woman band of some of the downtown scene's most creative and talented musicians, Femina is one of Zorn's deepest and most profoundly beautiful creations. Unique packaging contains artwork and a booklet of images by Kiki Smith, one of the world’s greatest and most important art visionaries. TZADIK
Tracklist :
1     Femina, Pt. 1  11'42
2    Femina, Pt. 2  10'11
3    Femina, Pt. 3  10'16
4    Femina, Pt. 4  3'17
Credits :
Cello – Okkyung Lee
Composed By, Arranged By, Conductor, Producer – John Zorn
Electronics – Ikue Mori
Harp – Carol Emanuel
Percussion – Shayna Du Ikue Morinkelman
Piano – Sylvie Courvoisier
Violin – Jennifer Choi
Special Guest
Laurie Anderson: Opening Narration