Your assessment of Zorn's music (I call it that) is both correct but a little
off. Just by your first sentence, calling it "experimental music", to me
indicates that experimental is, at its roots, musical. After all, the general
concept of music (melody, rhythm, etc.) is the basis on which we judge genres
(ie jazz as opposed to rock as opposed to classical as opposed to hip-hop
etc.), similiar to how colors are judged only by each other (white is the
absence of color, black is all colors together).
Zorn is considered jazz because of many things: 1) he plays a brass instrument
(sadly that's how Kenny G also tends to fit in this category), 2) he tends to
work with other jazz (or jazz trained) musicians (Joey Baron, John Patton, Bill
Frisell, et al.), 3) he, himself, plays in a jazz idiom (his music swings at
times, y'know). His favorite album of mine is the Ornette Coleman tribute.
If you like his 'style' of music (meaning avant garde, I guess), check out:
later Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, Ronald Shannon Jackson and the Decoding Society,
Last Exit, Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and dozens more. There's also a lot
of great free music as well (especially from Japan) like Hijo Kaidan, Masonna,
etc. Also, Grand Royale (Beastie Boys' 'zine) had an interesting article by
Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth) regarding avant-jazz. Check it out.
--Jon
--Jon
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Hello everyone,
I am into experiemntal music. I really enjoy the work of John Zorn and John
Cage, however, some do not consider their work jazz or even music. First, what
is a basic vague definition of jazz, and second, how does experiemental
musicians fit into the realm of music? Also, for those who appreciate Zorn's
musical genius, what other musicians are doing the stuff that this cat is
doing?
max cota.