About Me
John Zorn was born September 2, 1953
in the East Village and has been in touch with the creative environment of Downtown New York most of his life.
He learned alchemical synthesis from Harry Smith, structural ontology from Richard Foreman, how to make art of garbage from Jack Smith, cathartic expression at Sluggs and hermetic intuition from Joseph Cornell, who lived just a few blocks from his parents' home on Utopia Parkway in Queens.
He has been a central figure in the dowtown scene since 1975, incorporating a wide range of musicians in various compositional formats, his experimental work in rock and jazz with the bands Naked City and Masada earning him a large cult following.
His early inspirations include American innovators [Ives, Varèse, Cage, Carter and Partch] the European tradition [Berg, Stravinsky, Boulez and Kage], film composers [Morricone, Herrmann] cartoon composer [Carl Stalling] experimental rock and jazz as well as avant garde theater, film, art and literature.
He tours extensively with his various ensembles, playing a great variety of music and his works are performed worldwide by rock bands, improvisers, jazz musicians and classical ensembles. Has received numerous commissions from, among others, the Kronos Quartet, the New York Philharmonic, EOS Orchestra, Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Bayerischer Staatsoper, WDR Orchestra Koln and American pianist Stephen Drury.
Releasing almost entirely his catalog on his own label Tzadik and also presenting a worlwide community of comtemporary musician-composers in avant garde and experimental music.
Artistic director at The Stone in New York City, a not-for-profit performance space dedicated to the experimental and avant-garde .
(There are no refreshments or merchandise at The Stone.
Only music !!! All ages are welcome !!!)
"My musical world is like a little prism.
You look through it and it goes off in a million different directions.
Since every genre is the same, all musicians
should be equally respected.
It doesn't matter if it's jazz, blues, or classical.
They're all the same."
John Zorn is Not connected on any Myspace !!!
