Spy vs Spy (album)

Last updated
Spy vs Spy
Spy vs Spy (album).jpg
Studio album by
John Zorn
Released1989
RecordedAugust 1988
Studio Power Station, New York City
Genre
Length40:32
Label Elektra/Musician
Producer John Zorn
John Zorn chronology
News for Lulu
(1988)		Spy vs Spy
(1989)		 Filmworks VII: Cynical Hysterie Hour
(1989)

Spy vs Spy: The Music of Ornette Coleman is the fifth studio album by American composer and alto saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn, featuring the compositions of Ornette Coleman performed in the brief, intense style of Zorn's hardcore miniatures. Alongside Zorn are fellow alto saxophonist Tim Berne, bassist Mark Dresser and drummers Joey Baron and Mike Vatcher.

Contents

The liner notes thank Ornette and Denardo Coleman, Mick Harris (of Napalm Death), Ted Epstein (of Blind Idiot God), Pil (of Lip Cream- a Japanese thrashcore group), The Accused, Craig Flanagan, DRI, CBGB, and "the New York-London-Tokyo Hardcore Triangle". [1] The cover artwork was created by indie comics artist Mark Beyer (of Amy and Jordan fame). The album itself approaches “free” jazz from the perspective of hardcore punk, particularly taking note of the contemporary innovations of thrashcore and grindcore. Zorn would later pursue these preoccupations in the thrash jazz group Naked City.

Like some classic free jazz albums ( Free Jazz , Ascension , Archie Shepp's Mama Too Tight ), different saxophonists improvise simultaneously in stereo. Tim Berne appears on the left stereo channel, while John Zorn is represented on the right channel. [1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow stated: "The performances are concise with all but four songs being under three minutes and seven under two, but the interpretations are unremittingly violent. The lack of variety in either mood or routine quickly wears one out". [2]

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [4]

Track listing

All compositions by Ornette Coleman.

No.TitleLength
1."W.R.U."2:38
2."Chronology"1:08
3."Word for Bird"1:14
4."Good Old Days"2:44
5."The Disguise"1:18
6."Enfant"2:37
7."Rejoicing"1:38
8."Blues Connotation"1:05
9."C. & D."3:05
10."Chippie"1:08
11."Peace Warriors"1:20
12."Ecars"2:28
13."Feet Music"4:45
14."Broad Way Blues"3:42
15."Space Church"2:28
16."Zig Zag"2:54
17."Mob Job"4:24

Personnel

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References

  1. 1 2 Liner notes, Spy vs Spy, 1998.
  2. 1 2 Yanow, S. AllMusic Review accessed July 22, 2011
  3. ↑ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1543. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.
  4. ↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN   978-0-7893-2074-2.
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