13 Monroe St., New York, NY 10002-7351

Phone: (212) 473-0043 - Toll Free: (800) 622-1387 - Fax: (646) 781-9846
Email: dmg@downtownmusicgallery.com


IT'S THE JOHN ZORN 50th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION at TONIC
107 Norfolk Street, NYC from SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH 30TH!!!

Shows at 8 & 10 (some nights only have one long show at 8 PM)

THE ENTIRE SCHEDULE
WITH ALL PARTICIPATING MUSICIANS LISTED
FOR THE MONTH OF ZORN IS AS FOLLOWS:
  1. Sundays: Classical Series
  2. Mondays: Improvisation
  3. Tuesdays: Composer Series
  4. Wednesdays: Game Pieces
  5. Thursdays--Saturdays: Bands
ALSO MIDNIGHTS: The Tzadik Series (performances by various other musicians and groups on Zorn's Tzadik label!!!)
  1. Thursdays: Radical Jewish Culture
  2. Fridays: Composer Series
  3. Saturdays: Oracles


HERE GOES!!!...

--Mon, Sep 01--
* John Zorn, Mike Patton & Ikue Mori at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set Improvisational trio featured on the Ltd. HEMOPHILIAC recording


--Tue, Sep 02--
* John Zorn's Duras/Duchamp at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set - brilliant & disturbing modern classical weirdness!
With Mark Feldman, Jennifer Choi, Erik Friedlander, Anthony Coleman, Jamie Saft, Jim Pugliese, Christine Bard; JZ conducting


--Wed, Sep 03--
* John Zorn's Cobra at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set This is Zorn's most popular game piece and it just keeps getting better!
With Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Okkyung Lee, Mark Dresser, Trevor Dunn, Ikue Mori, Sylvie Courvoisier, Cyro Baptista Jamie Saft, Jim Pugliese, Susie Ibarra, Roberto Rodriguez; JZ prompter


--Thu, Sep 04--
* John Zorn's Masada String Trio at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set - a hit at the last Vision Fest! With Erik Friedlander (cello), Mark Feldman (violin) & Greg Cohen (bass).Zorn's adventurous and inspiring Masada compositions expand the Jewish and jazz traditions. The String Trio and Bar Kokhba chamber arrangements take these tunes into deeper and darker realms.

ALSO
* Anthony Coleman, Roberto Rodriguez & Doug Wieselman Trio at Midnight


--Fri, Sep 05--
* Painkiller: John Zorn, Bill Laswell & Hamid Drake - and special guest Mike Patton! at 8pm & 10pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set; an incredibly intense band, first time w/ Hamid - so this is a must see!!

ALSO * Ikue Mori Solo at Midnight,


--Sat, Sep 06--
* Painkiller: John Zorn, Bill Laswell & Hamid Drake, - and special guest Mike Patton! see fanatic blurb above! at 8pm/10pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance

ALSO
* Shelly Hirsch & David Weinstein at Midnight


--Sun, Sep 07--
* John Zorn's The Complete String Quartets at 8pm, $15
With Joyce Hamman, Jennifer Choi, Lois Martin, and Erik Friedlander.


--Mon, Sep 08--
* Milford Graves & John Zorn at 8pm, $15

* John Zorn Solo at 10pm, $15 - He hasn't done a solo sax set since 1993 - an extremely rare performance!


--Tue, Sep 09--
* John Zorn's Music to Underground Films by Kenneth Anger, Harry Smith & Maya Deren at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set
With Susie Ibarra, Ikue Mori, Roberto Rodriguez, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Shanir Blumenkranz, Cyro Baptista, and JZ sax and conducting


--Wed, Sep 10--
* John Zorn's Fencing at 8pm, $15
With Marc Ribot, John Madof, Jamie Saft, Anthony Coleman, Joey Baron, Kenny Wollesen, Min Xiao-Fen, Okkyung Lee, and JZ conductor
* John Zorn's Locus Solus at 10pm, $15
Trio of Arto Lindsay, Anton Fier, and JZ!


--Thu, Sep 11--
* John Zorn's The Gift at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set - great on cd, incredible live!!
With Dave Douglas, Marc Ribot, Trevor Dunn, Jamie Saft, Cyro Baptista, Roberto Rodriquez, Joey Baron, and JZ keyboards and theremin!

ALSO
* Steven Bernstein's Diaspora Soul at Midnight


--Fri, Sep 12--
* John Zorn's Bar Kokhba at 8pm & 10pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set
With Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen, Cyro Baptista, Joey Baron, and JZ conducting

ALSO
* Elliott Sharp's Carbon at Midnight - first reunion in many years!!


--Sat, Sep 13--
* John Zorn's Bar Kokhba at 8pm & 10pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set
With Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen, Cyro Baptista, Joey Baron, and JZ conducting

ALSO
* Yuka Honda at Midnight


--Sun, Sep 14--
* John Zorn's Madness, Love And Mysticism: Le Momo/Untitled/Amour Fou at 8pm, $15
With Jennifer Choi, Erik Friedlander, and Stephen Drury


--Mon, Sep 15--
* Fred Frith & John Zorn at 8pm, $15, $15 in advance
* Yamatsuka Eye & John Zorn at 10pm, $15


--Tue, Sep 16--
* John Zorn's The Book of Heads at 8pm. Marc Ribot, solo guitar

* John Zorn's Masada Guitars 10pm, $15 per set
With Marc Ribot and Jon Madoff


--Wed, Sep 17--
* John Zorn's Xu Feng at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set Composed largely between 1977 and 1989, these pieces harness improvisers in complex compositional formats, combining the unpredictable edge of improvisation with the structural integrity of written composition. Xu Feng was composed immediately after Zorn's most well-known game piece Cobra and is the most dynamic and fast-paced of them all. Xu Feng captures the exciting Kung-fu action of the Chinese Martial Arts actress for which the piece is named.
With Marc Ribot, Fred Frith, Anthony Coleman, Jamie Saft, Joey Baron, Susie Ibarra; JZ prompter


--Thu, Sep 18--
* John Zorn's Masada at 8pm & 10pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set With John Zorn (alto sax), Dave Douglas (trumpet), Joey Baron (drums) & Greg Cohen (bass).

ALSO
* Jon Madof's Rashanim with Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz and Mathias Kunzli at Midnight


--Fri, Sep 19--
* John Zorn's Masada at 8pm & 10pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set With John Zorn (alto sax), Dave Douglas (trumpet), Joey Baron (drums) & Greg Cohen (bass).

ALSO
* Raz Mesinai's Ressurections at Midnight


--Sat, Sep 20--
*Special Afternoon Concert..... In Honor Of The Late IRVING STONE - A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION - SATURDAY SEPT. 20TH from 1 PM to 6 PM. The Plethora of Players include Herb Robertson, Misha Mengelberg, Ellery Eskelin, Mark Helias, Ori Kaplan, Marc Ribot, Marcus Rojas, Robert Dick and many, many more!!!
* John Zorn's Masada at 8pm & 10pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set With John Zorn (alto sax), Dave Douglas (trumpet), Joey Baron (drums) & Greg Cohen (bass).

ALSO
* Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone at Midnight


--Sun, Sep 21--
* John Zorn's Chimeras at 8pm, $15
With Fred Sherry, Ilana Davidson, Elizabeth Farnum, Tara O'Connor, Mike Lowenstern, Jennifer Choi, Stephen Drury, William Winant; Brad Lubman conductor

* John Zorn's Music For Children/Angelus Novus/Shibboleth at 10pm, $15
The Callithumpian Consort With Stephen Drury, piano and conductor


--Mon, Sep 22--
* Susie Ibarra & John Zorn at 8pm, $15
* Wadada Leo Smith & John Zorn at 10pm, $15


--Tue, Sep 23--
* John Zorn's Kristallnacht at 8pm & 10pm, $15 per set This premiere work of Radical Jewish Culture features a virtuoso ensemble of creative Jewish musicians. Seven movements tell the story of the Jewish experience, the Holocaust, the building of Israel, diaspora Jewry, the rise of Jewish nationalism and the ultimate problems of fundamentalism. Seamlessly combining 12 tone classical composition, improvisation, noise and klezmer, this is a work not to be missed by anyone interested in new trends in modern music.
With David Krakauer, Frank London, Marc Ribot, Anthony Coleman, Mark Dresser, William Winnant, and JZ conductor


--Wed, Sep 24--
* John Zorn's Lacrosse/Hockey/Rugby at 8pm, $15
With John Zorn, Jim Staley, Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Sylvie Courvoisier, Anthony Coleman, Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Mark Dresser, Trevor Dunn, Jim Pugliese, Christine Bard, William Winant

* John Zorn's Bezique at 10pm, $15
With Jim Staley, Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Sylvie Courvoisier, Anthony Coleman, Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Mark Dresser, Trevor Dunn, Jim Pugliese, Christine Bard, Cyro Baptista, William Winant, and JZ prompter


--Thu, Sep 25--
* John Zorn's Electric Masada at 8pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set John Zorn (alto sax), Marc Ribot (guitar), John Medeski(organ), Cyro Baptista (percussion), Kenny Wollesen (drums), Jamie Saft (keyboards/lap-steel guitar) & Trevor Dunn (bass). The powerhouse fusion version of Zorn's beloved Masada!

ALSO
* Roberto Rodriguez featuring David Krakauer at Midnight, $12 With David Krakauer (clarinet), Ted Reichman (accordion / piano / pump organ), Roberto Rodriguez (drums), Mary Wooten (cello), Marcus Rojas (tuba), Meg Okura (violin) & Bernie Minoso (bass). Celebrating the Tzadik release El Danzon de Moises.


--Fri, Sep 26--
* John Zorn's Electric Masada at 8pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set John Zorn (alto sax), Marc Ribot (guitar), John Medeski(organ), Cyro Baptista (percussion), Kenny Wollesen (drums), Jamie Saft (keyboards/lap-steel guitar) & Trevor Dunn (bass). The powerhouse fusion version of Zorn's beloved Masada!

ALSO
* Jim O'Rourke at Midnight


--Sat, Sep 27--
* John Zorn's Electric Masada at 8pm, $25 per set, $20 in advance per set John Zorn (alto sax), Marc Ribot (guitar), John Medeski(organ), Cyro Baptista (percussion), Kenny Wollesen (drums), Jamie Saft (keyboards/lap-steel guitar) & Trevor Dunn (bass). The powerhouse fusion version of Zorn's beloved Masada!

ALSO
* Mephista: Sylvie Courvoisier, Ikue Mori & Susie Ibarra at Midnight, Three of downtown's most dynamic performers join forces to form Mephista (Tzadik/Oracles)-one of the first all women supergroups (Ibarra, Courvoisier and Mori). Separately these three have worked with some of the most important musicians in new music (Derek Bailey, Wadada Leo Smith, Pauline Oliveros, William Parker, John Zorn, Fred Frith, Mike Patton, Dave Douglas, etc.)- together they have created a whole new kind of music spanning the worlds of rock, classical, jazz and electronica.


--Sun, Sep 28--
* John Zorn's Goetia/ Necronomicon (world premiere) at 8pm, $15
With Jennifer Choi, Jesse Mills, Richard O'Neill, Fred Sherry


--Mon, Sep 29--
* Derek Bailey & John Zorn at 8pm, $15,
* Derek Bailey, Ikue Mori & John Zorn at 10pm, $15


--Tue, Sep 30--
* John Zorn's FilmWorks V.10 & V.14:
In The Mirror Of Maya Deren/Hiding And Seeking at 8pm, $15
With Marc Ribot, Erik Friedlander, Jamie Saft, Trevor Dunn, Cyro Baptista, Kenny Wollesen, Ganda Suthivarakom; JZ piano and conductor

* John Zorn's FilmWorks V.11 & V.13:
Secret Lives/Invitation To A Suicide at 10pm, $15
With Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Greg Cohen, Ganda Suthivarakom; (Secret Lives)
and Rob Burger, Marc Ribot, Cyro Baptista, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn; (Hiding And Seeking)
JZ conducting

   
This Monday September 1st, the long awaited MONTH OF ZORN 50th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION begins at Tonic! Once again, just like a decade ago at the old Knit, John Zorn's incredibly diverse music will be featured at Tonic for the entire month of September, two sets each. I attended the last MONTH OF ZORN and was overwhelmed with the endless diversity and depth of challenging music that each night provided.

Last time, Zorn's brilliant quintet NAKED CITY played their final four shows and Zorn's next multi-genre project MASADA played their first set. Over the past ten years, the MASADA songbook has exploded to some 210 songs with the original quartet (Zorn/Dave Douglas/Greg Cohen/Joey Baron) recording ten studio cds and six live cd sets.

Since only a bit more than half of the Masada catalogue has been recorded, Zorn began a series which featured other musicians playing this material, hence 'Bar Kokhba' and 'Circle Maker', two of his most popular releases.

Since the original quartet no longer exists as a studio band, other versions of MASADA have evolved, the Bar Kokhba Chamber Masada, the Masada String Trio and the Electric Masada, all of whom will play this month, including the original quartet who haven't played in quite a while as each member is busy with numerous projects and Joey Baron no longer lives in NY. Since 2003 is the tenth year of Masada, Zorn has released three superb tribute cds so far this year.

The MONTH OF ZORN is broken into a series, like Zorn's label Tzadik: Mondays are solo/duo/trio improv, Sundays & Tuesdays are composed works, Wednesdays are game pieces, Thursday-Saturdays are bands (Painkiller & various Masadas). Over the past decade Zorn has become a much-respected composer of contemporary classical music and has had premieres at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Miller Theatre.

There will a number of world premieres presented this month as well on September 14th, 21st and 28th. Games pieces (Cobra, Xu Feng, Lacrosse, RugbySÀá) are works based on sets of directions in which Zorn stands at a table with rows of cards laid out and conducts or prompts the selected musicians in front of him.
It is exciting to watch and challenging to play and live, it gives the audience a chance to watch how Zorn works his magic from what seems to be the freer (yet focused) terrain of his recordings.

Over the past decade, Zorn launched his own domestic label called Tzadik (a Hebrew letter meaning wise or pious) and has released over 300 recordings(!!!), giving an opportunity to an incredible amount of composers, both well and not so well known, from around the world.

A number of Tzadik recording artists will also be featured at midnite sets throughout this month. Everything on Tzadik falls within a series: Radical Jewish Culture, Composer, Japanese, Filmworks, Oracle, Archive, Key and Lunatic Fringe. Since Zorn loves to compose for films, his own Filmworks series is now up to Volume XIV and has become one of the most popular parts of the vast Tzadik catalogue. September 9th & 30th will feature some of this music.

Out of respect and due to our vast admiration for our favorite saxist/composer/visionary and label head, our store DMG will close early (about 7pm) for the entire month of September, so Manny and I can attend every single night. We are longtime friends of John (and fanatics!) and this is a once in a lifetime experience. There are folks travelling from the world over to witness this historic occasion; you, dear reader, may be one/some of them!

As far as some choice picks, all of those duo and trio nights look great, as this gives Zorn a chance to unleash his incredible alto sax playing with another equally improviser or two.

Zorn started out playing bebop licks, as well as mastering those multi-phonic squawks and squeaks inspired by Braxton & Roscoe Mitchell in the mid-seventies. He has become of the greatest and most distinctive of all sax players, check out any of the original Masada quartet recordings and hear/see them this month.

Zorn will also play a rare solo sax set on September 8th, another thing he hasn't done here in a decade! As Mick Harris no longer plays drums, Painkiller will feature the phenomenal drumming of the great Hamid Drake, another first - and the pairing of Laswell with Hamid has already proven to be - witness Charged Live or Sakata's "Fisherman's.com" - one of the most outrageous rhythm sections in recent memory!

The last time Zorn and Milford Graves played a duo set at the Vision Fest, a few years back, it blew everyone's mind completely, so you best not miss that night! There is just too much to recommend, so that is why we need to be at Tonic each and every night during the MONTH OF ZORN!!

Say hello to Manny at the Tzadik/Zorn cd stand when you come on down. The entire schedule is presented to the right (and if you stop by our store, we have printed copies as well!)

 

[Home]