John Zorn
John Zorn, the leading light of Avant-Garde Jazz, is a prolific and multifaceted artist: composer, arranger, producer, sax-player and multi-instrumentalist. He is listed as the performer, composer or producer on hundreds of albums, having cultivated countless genres: Jazz, rock, hardcore punk, classical music, klezmer, improvised music, soundtracks…
And if that wasn’t enough, Zorn is also the catalyst of an avant-garde scene, mainly based in New York, encompassing hundreds of musicians who boast enormous influence and repercussion. It is impossible to conceive Jazz made in New York without the intervention of musicians who move in Zorn’s sphere.
John Zorn’s fabulous performances at the Jazzaldia have left a strong impression: in 2013, with his Masada Marathon; in 2015, with the Bladerunner Trio, and in 2019, the year he received the Donostiako Jazzaldia Award, with Bagatelles Marathon. At this 59th edition of the Jazzaldia, the music brought to us by the great North American maestro will take the shape of 6 different formations giving performances over three days, on 26 and 27 July in the Kursaal Auditorioa and, on the 28th, in the Plaza de la Trinidad.
The six projects will feature ten musicians: Julian Lage, Gyan Riley, Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith, John Medeski, Matt Hollenberg, Kenny Grohowski, John Zorn eta Kenny Wollesen.
QUATRAIN
Julian Lage (guitar), Gyan Riley (guitar)
Julian and Gyan are two of the world’s top guitar wizards. They joined forces for the first time on Zorn’s “Bagatelles” project in 2015 and their duo performances offer a transcendental experience, with seemingly telepathic interaction, myriad fine details and mind-blowing solos.
The 2017 album, Midsummer Moons (inspired by Shakespeare’s moonscapes) is one of Zorn’s most delightful creations. This time round they will perform music taking its inspiration from the unsettling and mysterious novel penned by Richard Hughes, A High Wind in Jamaica. Mysterious and sinister compositions, shot through with dangerous innocence. Pure delight!
SUITE FOR PIANO
Brian Marsella (piano), Jorge Roeder (bass), Ches Smith (drums)
Partially inspired by the Goldberg Variations and Schoenberg’s Suite for Piano, this is Zorn’s personal take on classical and traditional music.
The performance is brought to us by one of the most dedicated, prodigious and passionate musicians in the Zorn universe: Brian Marsella, whose educational experience – too Jazz-oriented for the classical world and too classical for the Jazz world – makes him the perfect pianist for Zorn’s musical poetry.
Here the classical format of piano, bass and drums is joined by Jorge Roeder and Ches Smith. This is set to be a beautiful and moving concert.
