| Queen of All Ears | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Studio | Power Station, New York City | |||
| Label | Strange & Beautiful Music [1] | |||
| Producer | John Lurie, Pat Dillett | |||
| The Lounge Lizards chronology | ||||
| ||||
Queen of All Ears is an album by the American band the Lounge Lizards, released in 1998. [2] [3] It was the band's final album. [4]
"The First and Royal Queen" was used at the end of episodes of Painting with John . [5] The band supported the album with an international tour. [6]
The album was produced by John Lurie and Pat Dillett. [7] The tracks were written by Lurie, with bass player Erik Sanko cowriting two. [8] Jane Scarpantoni played cello on Queen of All Ears; in total, nine musicians played on the album. [9] [10]
Released on Lurie's own label, it was originally intended for Luaka Bop; legal issues delayed the release for two years. [11] [12] Lurie considered writing a book about the ordeal, to be titled What Do You Know About Music? You're Not a Lawyer. [13] The account was told in Lurie's memoir The History of Bones (2021), in which he also apologized to David Tronzo, because a song intended as a showcase for Tronzo was cut from the album and thus the guitarist did not perform a solo on the recording. [14]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [15] |
| Robert Christgau |  [16] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [17] |
JazzTimes wrote that "the music relies heavily on group improvisation in the highly colored riffs and patterns that form the basis of most of the proceedings." [18] Esquire determined that Lurie's "alto and soprano saxophoning has become something rather nice: plaintive, searching, Colemanesque, quite at home (soaring) in the upper registers." [19] The Boston Globe opined that "New York's fringe-crawlers mature with impressionistic etchings of chamber jazz and world music." [20]
The Guardian stated that "the Lounge Lizards roll from moments of prayer-like intensity—Coltranesque flourishes over African pulsing—to Charles Mingus doing the music for scary Czech cartoons, to blasting Dragnet rumbles." [21] The Chicago Tribune opined that the album "embarks on an Amer-Euro-Afro fake jazz cruise brimming with trans-global eclecticism, defanged Mingus/Monk moves and sometimes striking instrumental explosions." [22]
AllMusic wrote that "John Lurie's so-called 'non-jazz' approach is in full flower on this fascinating record." [15]
All tracks composed by John Lurie; except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The First and Royal Queen" | 3:59 | |
| 2. | "The Birds Near Her House" | John Lurie, Erik Sanko | 11:40 |
| 3. | "Scary Children" | 4:07 | |
| 4. | "She Drove Me Mad" | 4:21 | |
| 5. | "Queen of All Ears" | 5:25 | |
| 6. | "Monsters Over Bangkok" | 10:13 | |
| 7. | "Three Crowns of Wood" | John Lurie, Erik Sanko | 4:01 |
| 8. | "John Zorn's S&M Circus" | 6:13 | |
| 9. | "Yak" | 5:41 | |
| 10. | "Queen Reprise" | 3:46 |
John Lurie is an American musician, painter, actor, director, and producer. He co-founded the Lounge Lizards jazz ensemble; has acted in 19 films, including Stranger than Paradise and Down by Law; has composed and performed music for 20 television and film works; and he produced, directed, and starred in the Fishing with John television series. In 1996 his soundtrack for Get Shorty was nominated for a Grammy Award, and his album The Legendary Marvin Pontiac: Greatest Hits has been praised by critics and fellow musicians.
The Lounge Lizards were an eclectic musical group founded by saxophonist John Lurie and his brother, pianist Evan Lurie, in 1978. Initially known for their ironic, tongue-in-cheek take on jazz, The Lounge Lizards eventually became a showcase for John Lurie's sophisticated compositions straddling jazz and many other genres. They were active until about 1998 with the Lurie brothers as the only constant members, though many leading New York City based musicians were members of the group.
Mingus is the tenth studio album by Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. It was released on June 13, 1979, and was her last studio album for Asylum Records. The album is a collaboration between Mitchell and Charles Mingus. It was recorded in the months before and after Mingus' death in January 1979 and is wholly dedicated to him. The album is one of Mitchell's most experimental and jazz-centric works. Mingus originally wrote six compositions for Mitchell to write lyrics for; three of these pieces were included on the album. Two other tracks written exclusively by Mitchell are included, alongside a new version of Mingus' standard "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", featuring lyrics written by Mitchell. In addition to these, five spoken word tracks are dispersed throughout the album.
Steven Bernstein is an American trumpeter, slide trumpeter, arranger/composer and bandleader based in New York City. He is best known for his work in The Lounge Lizards, Sex Mob, Spanish Fly and the Millennial Territory Orchestra. Sex Mob's 2006 CD Sexotica was nominated for a Grammy.
Fishing with John is a 1991 television series conceived, directed by and starring actor and musician John Lurie, which earned a cult following. On the surface, the series resembles a standard travel or fishing show: in each episode, Lurie takes a famous guest on a fishing expedition. Since Lurie has no expert knowledge of fishing, the interest is in the interaction between Lurie and his guests, all of whom are his friends. Nothing particularly unusual actually happens, but the show is edited and narrated in a way to suggest that Lurie and his guest are involved in dramatic and even supernatural adventures.
Pithecanthropus Erectus is a studio album by jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus. It was released in August 1956 through Atlantic Records. Mingus noted that this was the first album where he taught arrangements to his musicians by ear instead of putting the chords and arrangements in writing.
Evan Lurie is an American composer and musician. Playing piano and occasionally organ, Evan was a founding member of the band the Lounge Lizards, along with his saxophonist brother John Lurie.
Tiny Lights was a music group formed in New Brunswick, New Jersey by John Hamilton (guitar/vocals) and Donna Croughn in 1985. Original members include Dave Dreiwitz (bass/trumpet), Jane Scarpantoni (cello), John Mastro (drums). Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, the group frequently performed at Maxwell's and the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, New Jersey. They recorded a total of seven albums, two of which were later released on Psychic TV's Temple Records. From 1988 to 1994 Tiny Lights toured the United States extensively. A compilation album, The Young Person's Guide to Tiny Lights was released on Bar/None Records in 1995. Other members include Stuart Hake (cello), Andy Demos (drums), Catherine Bent (cello), Andy Burton, and Ron Howden.
Out There is an album by Eric Dolphy which was released by Prestige Records in September 1961. It features Dolphy in a quartet with bassists Ron Carter and George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. It was Dolphy's second album as a leader, released following his time with Charles Mingus.
Ben Perowsky is an American drummer, percussionist, composer, and music producer. He is the drummer on stage in the 8 TONY award winning Broadway musical Hadestown. Perowsky leads the Ben Perowsky Trio, Moodswing Orchestra and Upstream Trio with Chris Speed and John Medeski. He is a founding member of the electric jazz group Lost Tribe. A prolific sideman, Perowsky has performed with Roy Ayers, John Scofield, The Lounge Lizards, Joan As Police Woman, Elysian Fields, Darryl Jenifer, Uri Caine, Dave Douglas, Mike Stern, Bob Berg, Walter Becker, Steven Bernstein., and John Zorn.
Erik Sanko is an American bass player who has played in The Lounge Lizards and currently active in Skeleton Key.
David Tronzo is an American guitarist, best known for his innovation of pairing the techniques of electric slide guitar with the genres of bebop, modern jazz, rock, downtown music, and experimental music. He has recorded with former David Bowie guitarist Reeves Gabrels, Wayne Horvitz, David Sanborn, and The Lounge Lizards.
The Lounge Lizards is the first album by the Lounge Lizards. It features hectic instrumental jazz. The songs are mostly composed by band leader and saxophone player John Lurie. The album artwork was designed by the English graphic designer Peter Saville.
John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards Live in Berlin 1991 is a 1992 documentary concert film directed and shot by Garret Linn. It was the director's first feature, and was filmed in Super16. It was shown at The Water Reade Theater in New York City and was part of the Berlin Film Festival in 1992.
Voice of Chunk is a 1988 album by jazz band the Lounge Lizards.
Pre-Bird is an album by jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus consisting of music that was composed before Mingus first heard Charlie Parker, hence the title Pre-Bird. It was released on Mercury Records in September 1961.
No Pain for Cakes is an album by the American jazz band the Lounge Lizards, released in 1987. John Lurie sang on the album.
Live at the Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt/Paris, Vol. 1 is an album by Mingus Dynasty, billed as Big Band Charlie Mingus.
Michael Blake is a Canadian saxophonist, composer and arranger. Blake is based in New York City where he has led a robust career leading his own bands. As a sideman Michael has performed with Charlie Hunter, The Lounge Lizards, Steven Bernstein/Henry Butler and the Hot 9, Ben Allison and Ray LaMontagne. The New York Times jazz critic Ben Ratliff wrote,"Mr. Blake, on tenor especially, is an endlessly engaging improviser, and an inquisitive one".
Another Hand is an album by the American saxophonist David Sanborn, released in 1991.
