John Zorn's The Dreamers - "The Gentle Side" Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Picture Disc, 2010 (Tzadik)

When I hear or read the two words put together John.  And then Zorn.  One is going on an adventure and never knows what turns or exits on that road will be.  You just hold on for dear life and go with the Zorn flow.  Zorn composed, conducted, and arranged "The Gentle Side" with his band The Dreamers, which by the way is a perfect name for a group that does this type of music.  Which is dreamy of course, but it has traces of jazz, exotica, and lounge, but not in a gimmicky fashion.  The Dreamers is profound music made by great musicians, which I need to credit: Marc Ribot on guitar, Jamie Salt on keyboards, Trever Dunn on bass, Joey Baron on drums, Cyro Baptista on percussion, and on vibraphone Kenny Wolleson.

Ribot's work on "The Gentle Side" is a combination of surf, cinematic noir, and maximum taste in adding his sound to the mixture, which is always a soft groove.  All the musicians play as if they are one brain but with many arms and hands.   This I think is due to Zorn's approach to these songs on the album.  They are written compositions, and I don't know the working method to "The Gentle Side" is,  but it's very sophisticated lounge music that is true to its tradition. There is an edge that lurks underneath the surface.  A tension that swims in the under-currents of the songs and arrangements.  That's the beauty of this album.  Also, Zorn writes strong melodies.  The Dreamers take that aspect and expand on it as jazz musicians focusing on an idea or concept.   They never make a false move, and of course, there is great respect for the composer and his work.   Also noted is the great graphic design from Heung-Heung Chin.  It's lovely to watch this picture disc go round and round on one's turntable.

John Zorn - "Naked City" CD, Album, U.S., 1990 (Nonesuch)

When I was living in Japan in 1989/1990, it was impossible to go to a good music store and not run into a large John Zorn section.  Zorn at the time had a Japanese label and was living in Osaka.  Me, having a lot of time on my hands, started to investigate the world of Zorn, which is (and still) like jumping into Alice's rabbit hole.  One never knows what they will find at the end of that hole.  The one CD I purchased was Zorn's "Naked City," which is also the name of his all-star band.  Fred Frith on bass (mostly known as a guitarist), Bill Frisell on guitar, Wayne Horvitz on Keyboards, and Joey Baron on drums Zorn on sax, with the Boredoms' Yamatsuka Eye on vocals.   At the time, I thought this would be a good introduction to the world of John Zorn, and I still think it's a great starter to the Zorn aesthetic. 

"Naked City" is a mishmash of different music styles.  Listening to the album for the first time is like going from one neighborhood to another and not being able to distinguish the differences between the areas, due to the speed of the journey.   Ultra hyper, noisy, and extreme melodic beauty all at the same time.   I never really heard music like this before, and hearing it in a foreign (at the time) land added a unique sense of intensity for me.   The very first Zorn album I purchased was in the 1980s, and it was his tribute/take on Ennio Morricone's music.  This was my first introduction to the world of Morricone, so it's interesting to be introduced to the iconic Italian genius through the medium of another genius Zorn.  

All the pieces here are short, and a burst of energy.  Even Georges Delerue's "Contempt" theme which is a beauty of a melody is done at a faster pace.   I have seen the Godard film but was never aware of the music piece till I heard this recording.  Now, I'm obsessed with getting any version of this melody on vinyl.  That with the theme of "Batman," The James Bond Theme," Mancini's "A Shot in the Dark," and the great "The Sicilian Clan" by Morricone.   Zorn, without a doubt, introduced me to the world of soundtracks.   The Morricone tribute album opened the door, and "Naked City" nailed me down for life. 

The Zorn compositions on the album are soundtracked based, but with distinct experimental or free jazz traces, but still held consistently by the insanely tight playing by the band.  So here you have music of great beauty, punk rock, experimental, and free-form jazz, with a touch of noise, courtesy of Eye the vocalist.   A great album with fantastic graphics (normal with Zorn's recordings) and for me, a wonderful introduction to not only to Zorn's compositions and playing but to the deep-end world of soundtrack music.