John Zorn On Leaves of Grass

Three pieces of magic and religious mysticism performed by a new generation of musical masters! Written as a companion piece to 'Walpurgisnacht' (2004), 'All Hallows Eve' is a tour de force in three movements for string trio satanic counterpoint for the Witches Sabbath. Written as a gift to the ICE ensemble, Zorn wrote 'The Tempest' as a musical reading of Shakespeare s mystical and enigmatic last play. Finally, the virtuosic Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble performs Zorn's mini piano concerto in the form of a philosophical dialogue between St. Anthony and his tormentors.

In Search of the Miraculous is an album by composer John Zorn released as a part of Tzadik's Archival series in 2010. Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars. Writing for All About Jazz, Warren Allen stated "Some may find it difficult to embrace the mystical/minimalist aesthetic captured here, but there is so much art present. For Zorn as a composer, the writing is an important step in the development of his file card music. For the musicians, the songs contain deeply passionate performances that sound effortless, even where they are certainly not. And for the listener, there are pleasures to be found either just in listening or in trying to unwind some of the layers within this suite of music. This is simply an album to lose oneself within".

Calculus is another radical step forward for Zorn'two major 20-minute long-form compositions scored for piano trio. Featuring the incredible young pianist Brian Marsella along with the dynamic rhythm section of Trevor Dunn and Kenny Wollesen, this is a complex and exhilarating display of instrumental virtuosity at its most extreme. Drawing upon all of Zorn's musical obsessions, from thorny atonal- ity to touching minimalism, burning jazz, funk, folk, exotica, ambient, noise and more, this is some of the most ambitious and expansive music ever created for jazz piano trio. Passionately performed by three core members of Zorn's inner circle Calculus is an outrageous and kaleidocopic journey into the unknown!

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is a place of prayer, peace, spiritual renewal, and a temple to all who love the organ—and Zorn responds in kind with a remarkably soothing and peaceful exploration of lyricism and sonic variation. Interrupted only occasionally by a few trademark Phantom of the Opera explosions, the music is meditative, devotional, and at times achingly beautiful. Inspired by the mystical worlds of William Blake and the French organ traditions of Charles Tournemire and Olivier Messiaen, the music is an extended exploration in search of spiritual healing.

Written in December of 2020, Multiplicities: A Repository of Non-Existent Objects is a collection of twenty musical aphorisms inspired by the writings and thought of Gilles Deleuze. Volume One, released in 2022, featured the first set of ten compositions performed by the powerful electric ensemble Chaos Magick.

Brian Marsella’s dynamic trio steps out for another exciting outing performing a new collection of Zorn compositions inspired by the mysterious and occult cards of the Tarot. This beautiful and varied followup to the popular and critically acclaimed 2019 CD The Hierophant features the remaining thirteen Tarot cards in tight arrangements, highlighting the incredible versatility and virtuosity of this powerhouse all-star jazz trio. A classic reading of occult jazz from our favorite Downtown alchemist!