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Re: NAKED CITY in the UK (long)
by alastair＠pretentious.co.uk 17 Jan '03

17 Jan '03

Michael said: >Saying that, I've been a Zorn fan since I was 11. It >was basically from his appearance on The South Bank >Show in early '89 when it featured Put Blood In The >Music feat. Zorn, Sonic Youth, etc. I was watching it >for Sonic Youth who I was then a recent convert of >(all thanks to discovering the Master=Dik EP which >is basically one of my favourite records of all-time >now). I too watched that show. And the first Sonic Youth I bought was the "Master=Dik" EP. Spooky. The line "London fuck you're pissing me off" is never far from my mind... All this Naked City talk got me going back through my by-no-means complete collection of (The) Wire, and it appears that Naked City played in the UK on two separate occasions, as there was this review by Ben Watson in The Wire 58/59 Dec 88/Jan 89, which suggests they played here in the Autumn of 88. "Naked City/Kronos Quartet London Royalty Theatre [Review of Kronos omitted]...John Zorn needs Kronos, though, to make his low cultural references (the latest DC Batman book, Napalm Death, Henry Mancini) sufficiently outrageous. However, this is not really cultural sacrilege, more high spirits. Naked City are not quite as weird as Zorn thinks: the set (James Barry [sic. I think he means John], the Batman theme, Morricone, Ornette) resembled those of the late Xero Slingsby. Zorn should come off the fence and apply himself to this music: slumming is only a joke for the rich. The band is not really as good (or rehearsed) as it needs to be: when the clash of styles is as mannered and deliberate as this, technical deficiencies become blatant. Zorn's alto balladry does not melt; Wayne Horvitz's cocktail piano does not float; Joey Baron cannot play brush drums to save his life (his over-emphatic, jolly drumming was an obstacle throughout). Lumbered with an electric bass, Fred Frith smiled charmingly but could not deliver the dazzle he is capable of on guitar. Bill Frisell, though, saved the day. His outing on Big John Patton's The Way I Feel was astonishing: long, curving lines segmented with extraordinary originality and precision, atonal intervals judged like a Dolphy or Taylor, melodic arcs worthy of Duane Allman or Frank Zappa [surprise, surprise!]. Though Zorn's freak-outs fail to tap the chaos-in-three-dimensions that Last Exit and Phalanx manage to derive from Albert Ayler, his enthusiasm is infectious: as he directed the band into alternating jazz-pastiche and punk-noise things brightened. With Snagglepuss his conduction made a funny and exciting collage of disparate elements (whereas his piece for Kronos, Tex Avery Directs De Sade, sounded whimsical and gratuitous), Ornette Coleman's Lonely Woman sounded fine over free-rock thrash: Horvitz's electronics came into their own on Graveyard Shift. A fun band. But art? For that I'll go see the Raybeats. " Watson as opinionated as ever, and showing a far greater liking for colons than is usually considered stylish. In the same issue,The Wire's "Best of 88 include JZ's "Spillane", "Strange Meeting by Power Tools, Sanctified Dreams by Tim Berne, News For Lulu by Zorn/Frisell/Lewis and Lookout For Hope by the Bill Frisell Band. It was a good year! There's also a three page article on Tim Berne including him ranting over why CBS done him wrong, and a nice career history up to that moment. If anyone's interested I can transcribe it over the weekend. And here's the list of dates of their 1989 UK tour, for anyone who is interested. Has anyone tried to put together a Zorn gigography? I think that would make Patrice's discography look like a haiku... Naked City Tour of UK 1989 November 28. London Queen Elizabeth Hall 29. Coventry University of Warwick Arts Centre 30. Nottingham Albert Hall December 1. Durham Dunelm House 2. Cardiff Chapter Arts 4. Liverpool Bluecoat Arts Centre 5. Sheffield The Leadmill 6. Brighton Gardner Arts Centre 7. Birmingham Adrian Boult Hall 8. Manchester Royal Northern College of Music 9. Leeds Trades Club 10. Leicester Haymarket Centre I think I have a review of the Manchester gig in a fanzine somewhere - I'll see if I can find it. And finally,the review of "Torture Garden" that made me go out and buy it, without having a clue who this Zorn character was. It's by Mike Fish, which was the alias of The Wire's founder, Richard Cook, and comes from The Wire 85, March 1991. In those days they used to publish a list of musicians and all the track titles at the beginning of the review. Nice idea, but then that meant there was less space for reviews. "Naked City - Torture Garden Earache Mosh 28 LP It looks like a lot of music, but this 45rpm record is really an EP, containing less than 30 minutes and *click* Always there's this loud, violent, spasmodic *click* I haven't checked the timings but the shortest track appears to be Hammerhead and the longest *click* Pretty outrageous, I guess, if you can call a title like Gob Of Spit outrageous *click* Dark, obtuse rumblings *click* Is, after all, impeccably organised, you don't get any sense of spontaneous hardcore savagery because Zorn and cohorts have shaped and sculptured every neurotic shriek, every thirty-second blitzkrieg, every *click* No, it has to be, no I could say it might happen but no, just no *click* Who is Eye? This guest vocalist's Damo Suzuki-like howls add a certain *click* Rejected by major *click* Suck this, you hapless *click* Impression that Zorn is trying a tad too hard to be a blood brother with those disaffected rock zombies who created hardcore in the first place, while he was off doing that weird shit with Chadbourne and all those *click* Sumptuous *click* Nice sweet person like Frisell doing *click* Excerpts from a teenage operatic nightmare, maybe, with added *click* Favourite title: probably the winsomely detailed New Jersey Scum Swamp, unlocking *click* It's moving, it's alive it's *click* In an MTV world, there's *click* Refreshing pin-sharp recording, a clear improvement over Naked City's looser *click* Always the same old *click* Hardly seems worth baiting jazz fans or critics or whoever, since most who weren't bothered probably quit Zorn-watching back when *click* No, don't kill me, please, don't *click* Inside some noise-box of a *click* Just say nein *click* And then there's *click*. " Also reviewed in that issue: Sidsel Endresen's So I Write and John Lloyd Quartet's "Syzygy, which happen to be two records I like a lot. Anyway,hope this is of interest to someone, if only to see that critical opinion of Naked City at the time wasn't as high as people might think. Alastair . -- Personalised email by http://another.com

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Re: Fw: Naked City: So it's true.............
by fkapitzke 17 Jan '03

17 Jan '03

Hi Yuriy,I think there should be more Zornies in Berlin ? FK ----- Original Message ----- From: "Yuriy Gurzhy" <johnrust(a)blinx.de> To: "fkapitzke" <fkapitzke(a)cityweb.de> Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:17 PM Subject: AW: Fw: Naked City: So it's true............. > So, there's finally someone else on this list living in Berlin! > > Hard to believe :-) > > Well, hello, neighbor! > > > Yuriy > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > > Von: zorn-list-admin(a)mailman.xmission.com > > [mailto:zorn-list-admin@mailman.xmission.com]Im Auftrag von fkapitzke > > Gesendet: Donnerstag, 16. Januar 2003 20:25 > > An: zorn-list(a)lists.xmission.com; Artur Nowak > > Betreff: Re: Fw: Naked City: So it's true............. > > > > > > THx for that information,it's a bit discouraging indeed .If there's no > > way to book tickets via internet ? > > Although its not that far for me (from Berlin/Germany) it won't > > be nice to > > travel 650 km and stand in front > > of a sold out hall ?? > > > > > > Thx anyway > > FK > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Artur Nowak" <arno(a)emd.pl> > > To: "Efrén del Valle" <efrendv(a)yahoo.es>; <zorn-list(a)lists.xmission.com>; > > "Lord Steve" <SJLORD(a)qinetiq.com> > > Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 10:50 PM > > Subject: RE: Fw: Naked City: So it's true............. > > > > > > > Hi Philozorners, > > > > > > Naked City is scheduled for June 18th. It's strange to me, because it's > > > Wednesday and Warsaw Summer Jazz Days was always taking place > > Friday-Sunday. > > > There is nobody else scheduled for this day, so I guess this was a date > > > given by the band and the festival had to accept it and NC will start it > > two > > > days earlier. Also, there is no firm information about other artists > > during > > > the rest of the festival. I know it sounds strange, but, well... > > > > > > Tickets are available something like 3 weeks in advance. The > > hall is big, > > > but not huge, I won't tell you how many people fit there, but > > when Masada > > > was playing in Warsaw in 1999, the place was full, so I'm sure > > it will be > > > full this time. Usually, there are some tickets available just > > before the > > > concert, I won't count on it and buy well in advance. Unfortunately the > > only > > > way to get it is to buy it in Warsaw. I ask my friends to buy it for me. > > > > > > There are always tickets for the whole Festival and tickets for single > > days. > > > Last time I was there the price was (if my memory serves) > > $20-50. For $20 > > > you are on a balcony, where the acoustics is really bad. Plus, > > you want to > > > SEE Naked City live, right? ;-) > > > > > > Regarding accomodation etc. Warsaw is - believe it or not - one of the > > most > > > expensive cities in Europe. Decent hotel will cost you $100 per night. > > There > > > are cheaper places, recommended only if you have a dirty job for russian > > > mafia. There are cheap places at student's hotells, but it's not a place > > to > > > stay, but only to have some sleep in a room with more people. > > > > > > Other than that, Warsaw is not the end of the world, there is > > and airport > > > there, you can get there via train from anywhere in Europe. Taking a car > > may > > > be convenient, but cars with foreign registration (especially > > German) get > > > stolen in Poland (well, they don't have to smuggle it through > > the border, > > > right?). If you do it though, I wouldn't leave it on not protected > > parking. > > > There are no highways, we have very bad roads and people drive > > as fast as > > in > > > Germany. Drivers form the USofA took their lessons in Disneyworld > > comparing > > > to us. Be warned :-) > > > > > > Young people communicate in english, you can always ask somebody for > > > directions etc when you get here. > > > > > > I know it sound discouraging, I just want to make clear that it's not > > > something like a trip to Germany or UK. You have to be prepared. You can > > > have some good time in Poland though, Krakow (Cracow, 4 hours > > with train) > > is > > > the place to see, right after WSJD there will be tje Jewish Art Festival > > > http://www.jewishfestival.pl/ which is allways full of great concerts, > > > lectures, seminars, people from all over the world come to participate. > > > > > > When I'll have more informations I'll post it here, I'm sure > > there will be > > a > > > chance to arrange some tickets for visitors. > > > > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > > Artur Nowak [arno /er.../ emd /dot?/ pl] www.emd.pl/muzyka > > > NP: Steve Reich "Piano Phase" > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > zorn-list mailing list > > > zorn-list(a)mailman.xmission.com > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or Change Your Subscription Options, go to the webpage > > below > > > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/zorn-list > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > zorn-list mailing list > > zorn-list(a)mailman.xmission.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or Change Your Subscription Options, go to the > > webpage below > > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/zorn-list >

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FA: Zorn vinyl and lots more
by Herb Levy 17 Jan '03

17 Jan '03

Hi y'all, Just a quick note to let y'all know that I have a lot of new music vinyl on auction at ebay right now; including albums by John Adams, Derek Bailey, Eugene Chadbourne, Alvin Curran, Bill Dixon, Philip Glass, Milford Graves, Petr Kotik,Witold Lutoslawski, Meredith Monk, Evan Parker, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Cecil Taylor, Anton Webern, John Zorn and others. http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=hrebll If that URL doesn't work for any reason, please search for seller hrebll. Thanks a lot. -- Herb Levy P O Box 9369 Fort Worth, TX 76147 herb(a)eskimo.com

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Electric Miles: Agartha and Pangaea/golden quartet
by Matthew Garrington 16 Jan '03

16 Jan '03

I looooove "Live Evil." It's a fantastic album. Jack DeJohnette is incredible (he's only on the first disc I believe). Anyone who likes Pangaea or Dark Magus would most likely enjoy Live Evil. Speaking of DeJohnette, has anyone heard the the latest Golden Quartet cd? How does it compare to the first tzadik release? matt g --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now

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Re: Electric Miles: Agartha and Pangaea/Leng Tch'e
by Crowmeat Bob 16 Jan '03

16 Jan '03

I've seen a Melvins show that was pretty close.....but no Yamatsuka or Zorn. It was glorious. >From: skip Heller <velaires(a)earthlink.net> >To: Toby Dodds <toby(a)dodds.org>,<zorn-list(a)mailman.xmission.com> >Subject: Re: Electric Miles: Agartha and Pangaea >Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 13:49:44 -0800 > > > > > >on 1/16/03 12:59 PM, Toby Dodds at toby(a)dodds.org wrote: > > > Naked City's, Leng Tch'e - now that's some masochistic music if I've >heard > > it. Love to hear that played live? > > >Probably not. But that's just me, you know. > >sh > > >_______________________________________________ >zorn-list mailing list >zorn-list(a)mailman.xmission.com >To UNSUBSCRIBE or Change Your Subscription Options, go to the webpage below >http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/zorn-list _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

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Re: Electric Miles: Agartha and Pangaea
by Darti Bastamai 16 Jan '03

16 Jan '03

for me, my favorites are On The Corner and In a Silent Way(I think it contains al the greatest elements of Kind of Blue) But, I'm a writer, and recently I got a copy of the Complete Bitches Brew, which is like 4 1/2 hours long, and I sit and write to that all day long. Either it's the meditative effects, or something deeper, but it works great for my creativity. I think one of the best themes/melodies in all music is the hook in John Mcloughlin (sp) my 2 cents, thanks As Ever, B Wie licht der eins wegen Liebe /I denti non possano dire niente senza la lingua./ >From: "Steve Smith"<ssmith36(a)sprynet.com> >Reply-To: ssmith36(a)sprynet.com >To: zorn-list(a)mailman.xmission.com >Subject: Re: Electric Miles: Agartha and Pangaea >Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 14:28:32 -0500 > >On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 10:05:42 -0800 Joseph Zitt <jzitt(a)metatronpress.com> >wrote: > > > But my fave Miles album is "Decoy", so opinions > > may differ :-) > >Agreed that 'Decoy' is the best of that lot. 'Star People' runs it a >reasonably close second. Even 'You're Under Arrest' has moments. But 'We >Want >Miles' remains a sentimental favorite because it was my first. > >Steve Smith >ssmith36(a)sprynet.com >NP - Gen Ken Montgomery, "Father Demo Swears," 'Pondfloorsample' (XI) > >_______________________________________________ >zorn-list mailing list >zorn-list(a)mailman.xmission.com >To UNSUBSCRIBE or Change Your Subscription Options, go to the webpage below >http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/zorn-list _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM: Try the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

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Re: Electric Miles: Agartha and Pangaea
by Mark Saleski 16 Jan '03

16 Jan '03

i have fond memories of We Want Miles. i remember hearing Jean Piere on the radio, figuring out what recording it came from...and the spending _months_ trying to find the recording. i finally found a used lp copy in a used record store. man, it felt like i had struck gold. still don't have it on cd tho... >Me, I've just rediscovered 'We Want Miles'... > > > >Kind of a masochistic listen all the way through... > >I'm waiting for STAR PEOPLE to come back in vogue. > >sh > -- Mark Saleski - marks(a)foliage.com | http://www.foliage.com/~marks "Music is a beautiful opiate, if you don't take it too seriously." - Henry Miller

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Miles Davis
by Theo Klaase 16 Jan '03

16 Jan '03

Wow! What a musician, what a man... Check out the autobio book and the lastest DVD release documentary on his life and interviews w/ Dave Holland, Dejohnette, Keith Jarrett, John McLaughlin, etc... Wow! Miles net of influece was cast so wide, one can not see the ends... __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com

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naked city
by bryan aaker 16 Jan '03

16 Jan '03

Bill Frisell's tour page says he'll be playing in Germany just prior to this Naked City date. http://www.bryanaaker.net/tourdates.html

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Fw: Naked City: So it's true.............
by fkapitzke 16 Jan '03

16 Jan '03

----- Original Message ----- From: "fkapitzke" <fkapitzke(a)cityweb.de> To: "Arthur Gadney" <a_gadney(a)hotmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 9:53 PM Subject: Re: Naked City: So it's true............. > Who can give details on the warsaw festival at all,dates ,prg, and where to > stay in warsaw--- > helpful information would be nice > > FK > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Arthur Gadney" <a_gadney(a)hotmail.com> > To: <zorn-list(a)lists.xmission.com> > Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 9:31 PM > Subject: Naked City: So it's true............. > > > > Hi again, > > > > Okay, now I believe it. I asked Fred Frith: > > > > >Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 07:56:51 -0800 > > > > > >Naked City - yes, at the Holland Festival, Amsterdam and in Warsaw, in > > >June. Maybe more.... > > >same line-up as always > > >best > > >Fred > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Help STOP SPAM: Try the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* > > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > zorn-list mailing list > > zorn-list(a)mailman.xmission.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or Change Your Subscription Options, go to the webpage > below > > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/zorn-list > > >

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