Jazz Archives

After almost decade of John Zorn's free-jazz and klezmer musical exploration in a form of Masada band, this great musician decided to try mixing lyrical qualities of the Masada songbook with raw power of Naked City and the improvisational madness of Cobra. A true downtown supergroup, this is Zorn at his very best. The group includes , beside Zorn himself, Baron from original Masada line up (on drums), Ribot and Wollesen from Bar Kokhba, Cyro Baptista from Bar Kokhba Sextet, and few regular Zorn?s collaborators: Trevor Dunn (bass), Jamie Saft (keyb.) and Ikue Mori (laptop/electronics).
Drawing on Zorn's wide ranging stylistic influences, the band takes the Masada songbook into a whole new direction, reminiscent of jazz fusion and noise rock. Zorn uses hand signals to conduct the band, allowing for him to make up different arrangements on the spot. During Zorn's 50th Birthday Celebration at Tonic in September 2003, Electric Masada was recorded live. Released in May 2004, 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 4 became the group's first official recording. This was followed by At the Mountains of Madness recorded in 2004 in Moscow and Ljubljana.

Here's a video capture for French Jazz & Classical television channel Mezzo of Electric Masada at Nancy Jazz Pulsation in 2003... Make sure not to miss this excellent concert!

:::Review by Slava (Snobb):::

John Zorn’s Electric Masada In Nancy Jazz Pulsation (October, 14 2003)
TV Broadcast

1. Intro
2. Hath-Arob
3. Karaim
4. Idalah-Abal
5. Kochot
6. Yatzar
7. Tekufah

Credits
John Zorn (alto sax)
Marc Ribot (electric guitar)
Jamie Saft (keyboards)
Trevor Dunn (electric bass)
Kenny Wollesen (drums)
Cyro Baptista (percussion)