John Zorn & Masada - Dalet (1994) {DIW Records Japan DIW-923 rel 1997} (Volume 4of10)

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John Zorn & Masada - Dalet (1994) {DIW Records Japan DIW-923 rel 1997} (Volume 4of10)

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John Zorn & Masada - Dalet (1994) {DIW Records Japan DIW-923 rel 1997} (Volume 4of10)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 102 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 45 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 16 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1994, 1997 DIW Records Japan | DIW-923
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Klezmer / Post Bop / World Fusion / Ethnic Jazz

This is the fourth in the series of John Zorn's 10 Masada quartet albums (plus, as far as I know, one live recording released by Jazz DCOR and few more released on Zorn's own label, Tzadik). The four musicians of Masada quartet (John Zorn - alto sax, Dave Douglas - trumpet, Joey Baron - drums, Greg Cohen - bass) are all masters of their instruments. They have recorded the ten albums in only a few studio sessions, all of which feature very, very passionate and inspired playing. All of the albums are beautifully played, with exquisite sense for measure and taste, the musicians bringing their instruments to the edge of possible (and beyond, as it often seems, it's awesome!) but their virtuosity never being self-serving. Many compositions sound like folk themes, there are a lot of emotions, a lot of melancholy or sense of longing, but also some 'smoking', joyous faster tracks.

Ornette Coleman comes to mind in some slipped music references or in the general feeling of some tunes. "Dalet" is the title of this (fourth) album and originally, it was a "bonus" CD to people who purchased the previous three Masada records (named after the A-B-C of the Hebrew alphabet, namely "Alef", "Beit", and "Gimel"). And there lies the one and only reason for which I would hesitate to whole-heartedly recommend this record. Namely, the three compositions on it have only about 20 minutes of music combined (unlike an hour or so of the other nine Masada CDs). However, if you have heard any of the other Masada CDs, it is likely you will eventually get this one (because you will love it!). The entire series is so elaborately produced (with beautiful covers etc.) and just so breath-taking, that in preparation for a 1996 CD presentation of the first Masada quartet CD, at the local radio station (Radio Velika Gorica), I actually went to the Jewish Community Center in Zagreb and asked the Rabbi who was so kind to help me (thank you, Rabbi Moshe) try to decipher the concept behind it. I knew that Masada was a rock fortress on the shore of the Dead Sea, which served as the final outpost for the Jews against the invading Romans in the first century, but what about all these titles? It wasn't easy, but apparently they are derived from the Talmud and are a cross between Hebrew, Chaldeic and Aramaic words. The fact is that I do not know for sure, but fuelled with music I follow the most attractive of numerous historical references.
The entire series is dedicated to Asher Ginzberg (Ahad Ha'am), founding father of Cultural Zionism, and the beautiful quote from Gershom Scholem printed at the back of CDs makes perfect sense: "There is a life of tradition that does not merely consist of conservative preservation, the constant continuation of the spiritual and cultural possessions of a community. There is such a thing as a treasure hunt within tradition, which creates a living relationship to tradition and to which much of what is best in current Jewish consciousness is indebted, even where it was – and is - expressed outside the framework of orthodoxy."

And if you EVER feel tempted to think that the compositions on 10 Masada albums get a bit repetitive, then try Zorn's Masada Chamber Ensembles and you will hear these beautiful songs rearranged and reinvented in the most impressive way (check out the Bar Kokhba, Zevulun and Issachar CDs).

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John Zorn & Masada - Dalet (1994) {DIW Records Japan DIW-923 rel 1997} (Volume 4of10)

Close

×

John Zorn & Masada - Dalet (1994) {DIW Records Japan DIW-923 rel 1997} (Volume 4of10)

Close

×

John Zorn & Masada - Dalet (1994) {DIW Records Japan DIW-923 rel 1997} (Volume 4of10)

Close