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Masada: Live in Middelheim
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| Based on their numerous studio recordings, it was all too easy to earmark John Zorn's Masada as an Ornette Coleman-inspired recipe with a dash of Middle Eastern spice. But hearing this powerful live recording from the quartet's 1999 gig in the Netherlands, there's no denying the saxophonist is onto something. Here, Zorn, trumpeter Dave Douglas, drummer Joey Baron, and bassist Greg Cohen don't just use Masada's infectious melodies as launch pads for solos. Just the opposite--they fly from the start and somehow keep looking back to the original tunes along the way. Opening with "Nevuah," the quartet set a relentless pace; "Sippur" is Masada at it's most sly and soulful; and as "Ne'eman" slowly unfolds, the brass just gets wilder. On "Kedushah" and "Kochot," we finally get to hear Cohen, somehow keeping up with these gale force lungs. At times--thanks to Baron--they swing, but mostly this is a no-holds-barred assault of great, energized playing. Intense, solid, and one of the group's best efforts to date. --Jason Verlinde |
ARTISTS
John Zorn (sax); Dave Douglas (trumpet); Greg Cohen (bass); Joey Baron (drums) |
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