Jazz from Hell [Import]

jazz from hell [import]

Track Listings

1. Night School

2. The Beltway Bandits

3. While You Were Art II

4. Jazz From Hell

5. G-spot Tornado

6. Damp Ankles

7. St Etienne

8. Massaggio Galore

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese reissue of 1986 album, packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. Ryko.

Jazz from Hell,Frank Zappa,Video Arts,Rock,Rock/Pop

Jazz from Hell [Import]

Average customer rating:

Jazz...not for jazz snobs!
One of "THE" Frank Zappa records
It is supposed to be sterile
Oh Hell.
FZ Journal Entry #3.5

Jazz From Hell
Frank Zappa
Manufacturer: Zappa Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Yellow Shark
Make a Jazz Noise Here
The Grand Wazoo
Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
Burnt Weeny Sandwich

ASIN: B0000009TG
Release Date: 1995-05-02

Tracks:

Night School
The Beltway Bandits
While You Were Art ll
Jazz From Hell
G-Spot Tornado
Damp Ankles
St. Etienne
Massaggio Galore

Customer Reviews:

Jazz...not for jazz snobs!.......2006-07-20

This album is a total trip. It's perfect iPod fodder for those times when you want some background music, but not something that will distract you with lyrics or monotonous melodies. A title like G-Spot Tornado says it all. Sometimes frantic but definitely not boring.

And this is way off base from what you normally expect from Zappa, no Bobby Brown Goes Down, Jewish Princesses, Catholic Girls or Yellow Snow. Not sure what to think at first but with repeated listens I find myself liking it more. An acquired taste for the ultimate acquired taste artist!

One of "THE" Frank Zappa records .......2006-02-14

Possibly one of the best records made in the 80's (at least that I have heard). The Synclavier actually sounds quite good, and I cant imagine real musicians playing "While You Were Art II". This machine allows for a huge stereo imagine and extremly difficult composing to be done without the budget of an orchestra in order to take the time to learn/rehearse/perform these compositions. "G-Spot Tornado" (probly one of his most catchy instrumentals) was done with an full orchestra on "Yellow Shark", and suprisingly enough the "Jazz From Hell" version holds it own next to the full orchestra. "The Night School" and "Beltway Bandits" have also been recorded by the Ensemble Modern plays Frank Zappa. An essential part to any Frank Zappa or music collection.

It is supposed to be sterile.......2005-07-12

This record was composed specifically for the synclavier, and it's supposed to be exactlly how it is. No groove, no dynamics, sterile...

The machine has no feelings, never rests and has, well, no guts...

We have never heard pieces from Mozart the way he wanted them to sound... he just printed on paper what he interpreted as a guide to play his pieces... but we have Frank's work and it sounds exactlly how he wanted them to sound.

Don't argue with FZ. He was and still is above all of us...

FZ Lives!

Oh Hell. .......2005-06-20

I bought "Jazz From Hell" around the mid-80's when it first came out and it was extraordinarily hard to find *any* Zappa albums, much less his albums which one might specifically prefer, and I was not favorably impressed. In fact, I think I put the tape in a drawer and didn't listen to it again for quite some time. When I did pick it back up again (maybe because I was sick of everything else I had at the time), I wasn't encumbered with my prior and extremely biased expectations of what a Zappa album should sound like, and I loved it. That was an important lesson about being a Zappa afficianado: expectations will only lead to disappointment with Zappa, so empty your mind before you listen to any Zappa for the first time.

That said, the *specific* Zappa albums one likes says a lot about what kind of music consumer someone is. Most people like the Blues-based naughty troubadour Zappa of.... well... "Strictly Commercial", "Apostrophe", "Joe's Garage" and so forth. When they get an earful of "Jazz From Hell" or "Civilization Phaze III", you can hear their auditory canals gagging. So being a Jazz From Hell fan puts you in a sub-cult of a sub-cult and even further at odds with mainstream culture. For the most part, the "true" Zappa fans are not JFH fans.

Nevertheless, I think Jazz From Hell is not only highly enjoyable to listen to, but a piece of music culture equivalent to (but far less appreciated than) Andy Warhol: it captures something about early digital music in the late 70's / early 80's that is just spectacular and inimitable. Jazz From Hell isn't just a good listen, it's a piece of cultural history claimed by one of those vanguards who earned their way into the books by forceing themselves ahead of the curve.

If there is any album more maligned by Zappa fans than Jazz From Hell, it's JFH's runtly twin "Francesco Zappa" which probably should have been released in a double album with JFH ala Lather. Francesco Zappa is another album people seem to love to hate (and, again, one which I dearly love) for the same reasons they hate Jazz From Hell: no soul, plagarized compositions, just an experiment in making consumers spend money, etc.

To put it into some context -- if you like some of these, you will like Jazz From Hell / Francesco Zappa:

Wendy / Walter Carlos, epecially the "Clockwork Orange" soundtrack era and Brandenburg Concerto
"Switched-on Bach"
8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo soundtracks, esp. Mario world
The CD included in the back of 1 X 1 by Sebastian Mendez (which you would probably like as well)
Civilization Phase III

So, if you are a hardcore Zappa fan thinking about Jazz From Hell, keep in mind that it's very VERY different from previous Zappa albums -- it won't make you laugh. But if you are a child of the video game era, I think you will it will turn you on. Find yourself a copy of the original Legend of Zelda, cue up "The Beltway Bandits" and prepare for a incredible experience.

FZ Journal Entry #3.5.......2005-06-09

Awhile back I subconsciously discarded the original version of G-Spot Tornado. Being in the Music Education field, and having a strong emotional reaction to the Yellow Shark version, I decided that if I wanted to listen to that piece, I should listen to the Ensemble Modern's (seemingly definitive) version. However, listening to the original today in class stood the hairs on my arms on end, while the Yellow Shark version seemed too familiar. Although I had decided to listen to Freak Out (an album I have mixed feelings about) during my readings today, a combination of inspiration and circumstances led to me to listen to another of my favorites, Jazz From Hell.

My first experience with Jazz From Hell was from MTV (or maybe VH-1) Believe it or not, there is a video of G-Spot Tornado that was shown super-ultra-late night on one of those early networks. The video stuck in my mind until a college friend of mine who was into Steve Vai , who I got into because of David Lee Roth (another rebellious musical selection), suggested I check it out.

Of course, Vai barely plays on this album. With the exception of St. Etienne, Jazz From Hell is comprised of Frank's synclavier work. At its most accessible, it features Night School, which could have easily been the theme song for an `80's cop drama. Many of the other tracks could also sneak their way into the `80's soundscape by way of compositional strength, but may not be so accessible to the average listener, with G-Spot Tornado being the most obvious exception.

However, even with his least accessible (herein referred to as "out" or "outside") works have a strength that has long been a fascination of mine in regards to Frank's music, and that is one of melody. Doubtlessly, Frank's idea of melody is not easily digestible, but as one familiarizes oneself with his work, his melodic conception makes itself apparent.

Most importantly, I think that his treatment of melody represents an interesting syncretization between American/German the African/American traditions, and that Jazz From Hell stands as a testimony to the possible common ground between these two. Of course, by American/African, I mean the blues tradition. His stylistic predilection towards "really long" guitar solos is an expression of this appreciation towards this tradition. In the blues, "really long" solos are improvised, and take into account the sort of inner directed temporality that Ed Sarath mentions in his article "A New Look at Improvisation". However, his type of temporality does readily not make itself apparent on studio recordings, and the recording studio was as much an instrument of Zappa's as the guitar.

To compensate for the lack of immediate interaction, Zappa created a "stream-of-consciousness" melodic concept. By this I mean that pieces are easily identified by feel, key, timbre, and context, but that the obvious melody seems to be improvised. Although we know that Zappa had very specific melodic ideas, the melodies of the songs on Jazz From Hell are not easily accessible. For example, the guitar playing in St. Etienne displays the cohesiveness of the blues, but has very little melodic repetition. This concept is omnipresent on Jazz From Hell, even in the "composed" pieces.

The Lowdown: Jazz from Hell is a great representation of Frank's melodic concept , but is most certainly not a for a Zappa "beginner". After owning the album for probably ten years, I'm just beginning to make sense of it - but it DOES make sense.

Mahler: Urlicht - Primal Light / Caine, Bensoussan, et al.

Average customer rating:

jaw-dropping interpretation of Mahler
Mahler revered
Uri Caine's mutiny against Mahler
raw, gritty and fertile freshly tilled earth
The New quintessential performance of Mahler

Mahler: Urlicht - Primal Light / Caine, Bensoussan, et al.
Uri Caine
Manufacturer: Winter & Winter
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000007RYQ
Release Date: 1998-06-23

Tracks:

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Songs Of The Death Of Children: Now Will The Sun Rise As Brightly
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Amazon.com

This auspicious, surprising, release debuted the Winter & Winter imprimatur, which carries on German producer Stefan Winter's longstanding role in blurring musical boundaries, as he did for so many years with the jazz label JMT. Pianist Uri Caine, known mainly for playing in the polystylistic mode of New York's downtown jazz scene, steeped himself in Mahler's music in preparation for the 1995 series of concerts leading up to this CD. Caine's ensemble--14 members strong, at points--recasts portions of Mahler's symphonic cloudbursts into a setting that smacks of klezmer, jazz, and crazy combinations of the scores' lavish bombastics. It's clear that Mahler's works tested the boundaries of so many available sounds at the turn of the century, from cantors to martial brass to Wagnerian bulk. Caine attempts it all, succeeding most somberly in the sections based on the Resurrection Symphony and most clangorously in the First Symphony's third movement, transformed into a serious klezmer bash by Caine, clarinetist Don Byron, and drummer Joey Baron. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

jaw-dropping interpretation of Mahler.......2006-12-03

I am a Mahler fan - and I don't like jazz! So I was rather nervous at listening to this first time around. But I found it simply stunning. The resurrection symphony slow movement, complete with screeching solo violin emulating a searingly distorted electric guitar was, in fact, profoundly moving. And the sheer musicianship of the performers, in the more sensitive sections earned my utmost respect. This album is shocking, unbearable, gripping, lighthearted, exciting, mocking, reverential, tender - everything Mahler was. Fantastic buy!

Mahler revered.......2006-11-16

On his 1997 release Urlicht / Primal Light, Uri Caine took some of Gustav Mahler's most famous compositions, and, well, jazzed them up, with some of the most prominent musicians on the downtown New York scene, including Dave Douglas and Joey Baron.

What still surprises me about this beautiful album is just how faithful Caine is to Mahler. Unlike his later Goldberg Variations, this isn't Mahler deconstructed, it's Mahler revered, in a small group jazz (and at times, thanks to Don Byron , klezmer) setting. It makes perfect sense -- if some of the greatest jazz performances have come from mediocre show tunes, why not use symphonies and lieder as a starting point for improvisation?

Uri Caine's mutiny against Mahler.......2006-09-30

I've been a big Mahler fan since Bernstein's first recording (4th Symphony) as well as a knowledgeable follower of jazz. These pieces are grotesque caricatures of Mahler melodies and while I have not heard Caine's other depredations, after listening to this one I think I'll pass. If this is something released after a jam session that somehow was rescued from the cutting room floor, my apologies. But Mahler's melodies do not belong in a setting like this and who is Caine to try to improve on Mahler's orchestrations? Save your money.

raw, gritty and fertile freshly tilled earth.......2005-12-13

it's not pure as in so many anally treated works of Mahler. admittedly i am not interested in listening to see if the sonority of the instruments is perfect to some pompous standard, and it's not but there is another dedication here and an unmeasurable energy. i love the youthfulness of this work.

The New quintessential performance of Mahler.......2005-07-06

This is the story i was told when buying this record, it's been many years so this is as close as i could remember it:

"There is an annual competition where orchestras from all over the world come together to perform Mahler pieces. It's been going many many years... then along came Uri Caine. His orchestra included Cantors (jewish religious singers) and a cacophony of other messy instruments and ideas to perform with. They won to competition to the horror of stuffy stuck-up Mahler purists the world over.. How could this horrible mess win over all ther other very traditional (very similar and boring) performances!? Uri Caine's orchestra has continued to win every year since. Why? Because Uri's interpretation gives a fuller understanding of Gustav Mahlers background, his roots, he brings so much life to the music."

So then i actually listened to the music myself and it was breathtaking, funny, it told stories, it had personality, it was bursting at the seams with new ideas.

I listen to all kinds of music, but rarely jazz and rarely classical. I was not familiar with Uri Caine or Gustav Mahler, but after hearing that story, then listening for myself i had to have this cd. And while often my purchases are terrible mistakes, this one was a resounding success. This cd is my most treasured.

Jump Swing From Hell: Live At The Hi-Ball Lounge

Average customer rating:

Fast and furious!
Manic Swing from Hell
SWING OR DIE, BABY!!!
As entertaining as Hannibal Lecter at a dinner party!
what is this?

Jump Swing From Hell: Live At The Hi-Ball Lounge
Lee Press-on and the Nails
Manufacturer: Irasible Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000006FDA
Release Date: 1998-09-01

Tracks:

Pickin' Up The Cabbage
Caldonia
Big Pants Dance
Powerhouse
Deal Me In
I'm Beginning To See The Light
Pennies From Heaven
Mississsippi Darling
Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
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Customer Reviews:

Fast and furious!.......2004-06-24

Lee Press-On and the Nails do have a humor, much more than The New Morty Show. The album is recorded live! Tom Beyer (stand-up bass) played on Mortified album of New Morty Show. It contains mostly well known covers (like Sing, Sing, Sing, Caldonia, Pennies From Heaven, ...) but very fast versions that goes even faster,and three originals (Big Pants Dance, Deal Me In, Mississippi Darling). It includes not mentioned bonus track Jumpin'Jive.

Manic Swing from Hell.......2003-08-06

This album totally bowled me over. It is high-energy, blistering swing and it hits you right from the first note. Even folks who might not be predisposed to big-band or the swing revival of the 90s ought to give this a listen because it brings almost a punk rock mania to big-band classics, rock-and-roll songs you never thought would be covered in a big-band context, and some cool originals.

Highly recommend this CD. It always engenders a response when I throw it on the stereo.

SWING OR DIE, BABY!!!.......2001-06-03

This album seriously kicks!!! I think that Swing is Dead has some cooler songs, but I really like the whole live recording thing. Makes me feel like I'm there. LPN FOREVER BABY!

As entertaining as Hannibal Lecter at a dinner party!.......2001-03-31

'Swing is Dead' is definitely better. That said, this CD is a lot of fun. I got 'Swing is Dead' first, and had the benefit of several months playing it almost constantly to prepare me for this one. Unfortunately, I chose to play it for the first time at work. I'm fairly sure my boss now thinks I'm insane, due to the periodic hysterical giggling emanating from my cubicle as I listened. If you already like LPN, get this CD. They produce classic LPN style along with hilarious commentary, and all while (I suspect) half the band is completely hammered. If you're new to LPN, get 'Swing is Dead' first. You'll be better able to appreciate this one afterwards.

what is this?.......2000-04-04

Do not buy this C.D! I am a swing fanatic, I read about the group in a book. Lee seemed very knowledgable about swing, and also seemed like he would put out a good C.D. When I purchased it I had very high hopes. After about the fifth song I had to take it out. The vocals are terrible, his voice is nassaly and is modeled after bad punk bands. I went back and re-read the interview and found out that infact some of his influences were bad punk bands such as "Gwar." The band modelled thier music after punk so much that it sounded like a punk band with a couple of horns. I know that sounds like a ska band but its not. This band destroyed classic songs like"Powerhouse," and "Sing,Sing,Sing," and "I'm beginning to see the light." The only good thing about the band is that Lee is very,very,very fashionable. Better luck next time,

Tracks:

Il Barbiere di Siviglia: 'Largo Al Factotum'
Mazurka In G Major, 'Obertass,' Op.19, No.1
Contrasts For Violin, Clarinet And Piano: II. 'Piheno'
String Quartet In C Minor, Op.18, No.4: IV. Allegro - Prestissimo
Bachiana Brasileira No.5: Aria - Cantilena
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: Allegro Molto Vivace
Rigoletto: 'La Donna E Mobile'
String Quartet No.4: II. Prestissimo, Con Sordino
Carnival Of The Animals: 'Fossils'
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra: III. Rondo. Allegro Spirituoso
Le tombeau de Couperin: I. Prelude
Hermit Songs: 'The Desire For Hermitage'
Variation 30 A 1 Clav. Quodlibet
From 'Goldberg' Variations: Aria
The Threepenny Opera: 'Mack The Knife'
Symphony No. 36 In C Major, K. 425 'Linz': III. Menuetto - Trio
Piano Concerto No. 21 In C Major: III. Allegro Vivace Assai
Symphonie espagnole In D Minor, Op. 21: V. Rondo (Allegro)
'Battle Hymn Of The Republic'
Madama Butterfly: 'Un Bel Di'

Tracks:

Le Sacre du printemps: 'Danse Sacrale'
El Amor Brujo: 'Ritual Fire Dance'
Rodeo (Four Hour Dance): 'Hoe-Down'
Fugue In G Minor, BWV 578 'Little'
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846
Syphony No. 8 In F Major, Op. 93: II. Allegretto Scherzando
Slavonic Dance No. 8 In G Minor, Op. 46
Symphony No.2 In C Minor 'Resurrection': IV. 'Urlicht'
Chichester Psalms: I. Psalm 108
Octet In E-Flat Major, Op.20: III. Scherzo: Allegro Ieggierissimo
Etude In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 2, No.1
Etude In A-Flat Major, Op. 72, No.11
Concierto de Aranjuez: I. Allegro Con Spirito
Karelia Suite, Op.11: III. Alla Marcia. Moderato
Canzon Septimi Toni No.2
Fanfare For The Common Man
'Beau Soir'
Suite For Flute And Jazz Piano: 'Baroque And Blue'
Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, K. 466: III. Rondo. Allegro Assai
Daphnis et Chloe: 'Danse Generale'

Tracks:

Eubie's Classical Rag
Intermezzo In B Minor, Op. 119, No. 1
III. Alegro
Behind The Gardens - Behind The Wall - Under The Tree
Perhaps Love
Facades
O mio babbino caro
Passo pel prat
III. Finale. Allegro
I. Allegro
Promenade (Walking The Dog)
Sonata No.5 In D Major For Cello And Piano: III. Alegro fugato
Turangalila II
IV. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto
Mazurka In C Minor , Op. 56, No.3
String Quartet In D Minor, Op. 56 'Voces intimae': II. Vivace
Ch'ella mi creda libero e lontano

Tracks:

Main Theme From Star Wars
Andante
Salut d'amour, Op. 12
Minuet
Appalachia Waltz
Appalachia Waltz
Gershwin,
All The Delights Of The Season
Steam Engine
Summon The Heros
Prelude To Suite No. 1 In G Major
Brunnhilde's Battle Cry
Sonata In A Major
A Suite For Strings: The Murder
Flight Of The Bumblebee
Prelude To Suite No. 3 IN E
Libertango
Angel (Lust)
Theme From Schindler's List
I. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
La donna e mobile
Gymnopedie No. 3
Song Of Peace

Customer Reviews:

What I Bought From Sony Companies.......2005-08-20

Bach, Goldberg Variations, Gould, Haydn, L. Mozart, Hummel, Wynton Marsalis, Leppard, Joseph Haydn, Walter (Japanese), Mozart Piano Concertos & Rondos, Murray Perahia, Mozart Quartets by Ax, Stern, Laredo, and Ma, Mozart Concerto Violin, Zukerman, Chopin, Concertos Piano, Gilels, Ormandy, Watts, Schippers, Bruckner, L'Archibudelli, Johannes Brahms, Gould, Brahms, Stern, Trios and Quartets, Brahms, Ax, Ma, Bizet, Carmen and L'Arlesienne suites, Bernstein, Dvorak, Herbert, Ma, Masur, Faure, Quartets, Ax, Stern, Laredo, Ma, Janacek, String Quartets, Alban Berg, Lyric Suite, Juilliard String Quartet, Copland Collection, Debussy, nocturnes, Upshaw, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Canteloube, John Williams Plays Barrios, Ligeti Edition, Claude Bolling, suites and such Jazz, 4 CDs, Joshua Bell, Bernstein, West Side Story. Albert, Bartok, Bloch, Ma, Zinman, John McLaughlin, Concerto for Guitar, and with Katia Labeque, Kathleen Battle.Wynton Marsalis, Baroque Duet,Kathleen Battle Jean-Pierre Rampal in Concert, Bobby McFerrin paper music, with Yo-Yo Ma in Hush, Katia & Marielle Labeque, Love of Colours, Wynton Marsalis, Baroque Music for Trumpets, and Elliot Goldenthal, Fire Water Paper, A Vietnam Oratorio.
I list these because I am trying to figure out what of value is in the Columbia, CBS, and Sony sound legacy in case they come back to the U.S. and revive classical music recording in this country.
Duane Crawford

Strange interpretation of "classical".......2005-01-17

I bought this CD because it contained some songs I was having a hard time finding elsewhere, such as Passo pel prat, Chants d'Auvergne sung by Fredrica Von Stade. However, some of the songs on this CD do not seem to belong e.g. all three songs by John Williams, Mack the Knife, Barbra Streisand, and the Psycho Murder Theme for starters, and many more.

I gave the CD 4 stars only because I was happy that I was able to find a few somewhat rare tracks.

An interesting mix..........2002-05-18

This is a sampler in the truest meaning of the word. I bought this 4 CD work primarly for two tracks, but also because I was interested to see what else was out there without investing a fortune in CD's I wouldn't like! I was surprised by the wide diversity of music ranging from true classical and jazz to contemporary compositions and interpretations.

While I find some tracks divine (Williams's _Schindler's List_), I find other tracks unsettling (_Beau Soir_ performed by Barbra Streisand). But when you are trying to span 100 years of music, you will (and should) encounter all tastes and styles. Overall, I really enjoy listening to this set. My only regret is that I don't have a CD changer...

A touch of history...........2002-01-28

An exceptional set. The history of music making of the 20th century in 4 CDs. Even from the first track with Giuseppe Campanari and Charles Adams Prince you can see that people put much time in collecting the best interpretations and putting together an amazing collection. Other highlights include the "Mack The Knife" with Lotte Lenya, the Bachiana Brasileiras, The Fanfare For The Common Man with LSO conducted by the composer and so many more. An undespiuted *****

A touch of history...........2002-01-28

Average customer rating:

... recalls the primordial sounds of Shrek
Brilliantly mixes Nu Jazz, Downtown, Noir, & White Noise
buy it now
Poor effort - Not my cup of tea...

Scelsi Morning

Manufacturer: Tzadik
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2003-08-26

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Bataille
Scelsi Morning
And Then She Fell...
Earth
Pennies From Hell
Geese
Our Daily Bread
Identity I-Shmentity
The Youth Brigade Triumphs Again (And Again)
Kabukitsch

Customer Reviews:

... recalls the primordial sounds of Shrek.......2004-05-16

Scelsi Morning finds guitarist Marc Ribot exploring the possibilities of "classical" forms in adherence to the rhythms of modern dance. The tracks on this album are taken from scores Ribot wrote to accompany both Wim Vanderheybus dance piece Inasmuch as Life is Borrowed and Yoshiko Chuma's Reverse Psychology. Tribal percussion, brittle electric guitar, ominous pump organs and droning clarinets all combine to make a sound not unlike Marc's old band - Shrek.

In the mid-80's, Ribot found himself in demand as THE avant garde guitarist for personalities like Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and the Lounge Lizards. Currently, just about any John Zorn gig needing a guitar features Ribot. In between, Ribot founded Shrek, a powerful unit that transposed the energy of Albert Ayler's 1960's free-jazz maelstrom into a rock guitar context. After signing with Atlantic Records for a few albums to explore his more accessible Los Cubano's Postizos band, it seemed as though Ribot had abandoned Shrek's primal sound. Apparently not; if anything, this album is a throwback of sorts.

Opening with blistering guitar work and settling into a familiar tribal pattern of ritualistic percussion, Scelsi Morning takes the listener back to Ribot's Shrek days with a vengeance. Further tracks reveal a compositional maturity un-hinted at in those halcyon days. Clarinets play interweaving harmonies, organs bubble and drone while Ribot coaxes out ethereal as well as discordant shards from his guitar. Although having been conceived as music to accompany dance, these pieces more than stand on their own.

Brilliantly mixes Nu Jazz, Downtown, Noir, & White Noise.......2003-10-15

Most definitely not for everyone, Scelsi Morning presents some of the most interesting and challenging music being performed and recorded today.

Originally composed for two different dance pieces, the music resonates with other performance-oriented music, such as soundtrack recordings, having suite-like sensibilities and a vingnette-like feel. Dedicated to Giancento Scelsi, a modern Italian composer, who also creates uniquely atmospheric soundscapes, this discs stands out by virtue of its drama, menace, and beauty.

What I especially like about Scelsi Morning is its gloriously varied and unusual sound palette. Ribot not only employs a wide variety of instruments, he places them in unique settings. Thus you get Ned Rothenberg making his bass clarinet sound like a didjeridu and honking goose on "Geese," backed by intriguing string and pump organ voicings interspersed with mesmerizing fugue-like passages. Much of it is very atmospheric, like a soundtrack to a noirish sci-fi movie (check out esp. "Our Daily Bread," with its blasts of fuzz guitar, Chinese-water-torture percussion, and very in-your-face violin playing). I especially like the faux-anthemic, Chinese-tinged "The Youth Brigade Triumphs Again (and Again)." All in all, garage-soundtrack-Nu Jazz might best describe what's going on here.

As I say, not for everyone, but highly recommended for those with big ears and not afraid to encounter a truly different music experience.

buy it now.......2003-10-14

i must say that this album is one of my favorite ribot works...his guitar playing is top notch and the compositions display yet another side of the musical chameleon that he is...no more words, buy the record.

Poor effort - Not my cup of tea..........2003-08-28

I've been a big fan of Ribot's (even met him once) especially in the Zorn realm. Filmworks 8, his Cubanos project - both ablums are very good, even some of his other Tzadik releases are intersting but this album just seems to fail on many levels. I don't understand this type of stuff. First of all, it's been done already and secondly, here it's not done all that well.
For a real Ribot album try Filmworks 8 or Circle Maker by John Zorn. Ribot tears up the fret board on those - or look for Los Cubanos projects he did for Atlantic. All are great. He even did some great things with James Carter on "Layin' in the cut" - and his "Saints" album isn't bad either... Pass this one up though. It's not likely I will listen to this album again in the near future. I couldn't even get all the way thru it the first time...

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Jazz From Hell
Frank Zappa
Manufacturer: Video Arts
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
Broadway the Hard Way
Sleep Dirt
Them Or Us
Tinsel Town Rebellion

ASIN: B00006JL9B
Release Date: 2002-12-09

Tracks:

Night School
Beltway Bandits
While You Were Art II
Jazz from Hell
G-Spot Tornado
Damp Ankles
St. Etienne
Massaggio Galore

Album Description

Japanese reissue of 1986 album, packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. Ryko.

Album Details

Japanese version featuring a limited LP style slipcase cover.

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Asia meets Masada and sensual percussion.
One of, if not the, best Filmworks CD's out there...
Lovely...
Lovely...
Zorn adds another Filmworks!

Film Works VIII: 1997

Manufacturer: Tzadik
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Filmworks XI - 2002 Volume One Secret Lives (Featuring the Masada String Trio)

ASIN: B000003YUP
Release Date: 1998-02-17

Tracks:

Teqiah
Shanghai
Emunim
Ruan - guitar version
Ebionim
Ahavah
Ruan - pipa version
Livant
Or Ne'erav
Shanim
Ruan - solo piano
Deseo
Mentiras
Ansiedad
Locura
Sangre
Olvido
Enga
Traici
Ilusion
Lagrimas

Amazon.com

The first half of Film Works VIII is devoted to the soundtrack for The Port of Last Resort, a documentary about Jewish refugees escaping Germany in the '30s and emigrating to Shanghai. Much of the music in this section reflects the work on Zorn's Masada discs, except that pipa virtuoso Min Xiao-Fen injects a Chinese undercurrent into the klezmer-tinged jazz. The second half reverberates with an introspective, noncarnivalesque, all-percussion score for the movie Latin Boys Go to Hell. While this might seem like an odd cinematic combination, the cross-pollination on Film Works VIII ultimately produces a successful hybrid collection of world and film music. --Michael Woodring

Customer Reviews:

Asia meets Masada and sensual percussion........2005-09-08

"Filmworks VIII" is the soundtrack for two films-- "Port of Last Resort", a documentary about Jews fleeing Nazi Germany for Shanghai and "Latin Boys Go To Hell", which I confess I have no idea what it is.

For "Port of Last Resort", Zorn hit on the brilliant idea of exploring his Masada songbook with the inclusion of the pipa-- a traditional Asian stringed instrument ably performed by Min Xiao-Fen set against the chamber ensemble setting he'd worked with previously-- in opposition to the pipa is the Masada String Trio (Mark Feldman- violin, Erik Friedlander- cello, and Greg Cohen- bass), guitarist Marc Ribot, and pianist Anthony Coleman in various formations. The music itself borders on absolutely breathtaking at times, although I found the pieces performed exclusively by the trio were a bit lacking in something ("Emunim"), the lovely "Shanghai" (with the Masada String Trio offsetting the pipa) and the pained guitar version of "Ruan" (where its really Feldman who shines) are certainly intriguing.

Zorn sounds a bit bitter in his liner notes concerning "Latin Boys Go To Hell"-- evidentally, the music was largely rejected in favor of rock and disco pieces, which prompted Zorn to ask for his name in the credits to be altered. The music itself ranges from delicate vibes ("Locura") to driving kit drum workouts ("Sangre") and tribal beats ("Mentiras"). All in all, its a fairly interesting and engaging listen.

Together, "Filmworks VIII" is a decent piece-- Zorn has much better soundtrack work, but this is a respectable entry into his catalog.

One of, if not the, best Filmworks CD's out there..........2003-10-08

Marc Ribot's playing on this album is some of his best playing layed down on the Compact Disc medium. Highly recommended... The 2nd half of the CD featuring Wollesen is great too! Mostly percussion yet interesting and articulate. This is a great album that gets better with each listen!

Lovely..........2000-10-29

THE PORT OF LAST RESORT material on this disc is really quite moving; in addition to players from the Masada String Quartet / Bar Kochba project, a Chinese musician playing the traditional pipa is added. The film, I gather, was about Jewish refugees in Shanghai, and the music blends together Jewish and Asian traditions. It's among the most listenable and beautiful material Zorn has released; while I enjoy his quirky and perverse aspects as much as the next Zorn fan, it's nice to have music by him around that is this mature and reflective. The percussive stuff is less interesting, though there are a couple of nice cuts. One of my favorite filmworks discs (along with 1 and 5). Worthwhile.

Lovely..........2000-10-29

Zorn adds another Filmworks!.......1998-10-16

On the Filmworks discs, you can never be sure what you'll find: surf guitar, covers of Ennio Morricone, freejazz, waltzes of death, punk rock, pipe organ stuff... This one is no surprise. There are two halves to this cd. The first accompanies a Jewish documentary and is based on the feel of Masada/Bar Kokhba, with such players as Erik Friedlander on cello, Anthony Coleman on piano and Marc Ribot on guitar. The second half is the soundtrack to Latin Boys Go To Hell, about discovering sexuality. It is all percussion, with Kenny Wollesen and Cyro Baptista. This made more sense after seeing the film, and is evidently a great soundtrack. Check it out!

Average customer rating:

Tubas?
Wonderful surprise
Tuba or Not Tuba, that is the question

Tubas from Hell
Dave Gannett
Manufacturer: D'note Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000003YNB
Release Date: 1996-05-14

Tracks:

Deed I Do
Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Tubas In The Moonlight
Tangerine
Sugar
Samba Beach
Slow Boat To China
Old Rockin' Chair's Got Me
Pennies From Heaven
Tom Traubert's Blues
Solace
Yakkety Tuba

Customer Reviews:

Tubas?.......2006-11-06

This is the most surprising cd I have ever purchased, I thought it a joke by the title, but it is the most incredible album I have ever purchased! You will not be disappointed with the quality of musicianship, just phenominal artistry.

Wonderful surprise.......2003-01-12

My 11 year old son is a "tubist" for 3 years now. Not recalling a hearing tuba virtuoso, I thought I'd try to get him a CD for Christmas to see what such a thing sounds like. Obviously I'm an amateur, and can't compare the performances against other tubas. But these tubas sounds great through my Magnapan speakers. The CD is not just tubas; it's a collection of music featuring tubas, with great accompanyment, some lyrically. We particularly like "Waltzing Matilda" and a rag from The Sting.

If these tubas are from Hell, I can't wait to hear the ones from Heaven. You won't be disappointed with this music.

Tuba or Not Tuba, that is the question.......2001-11-06

You'll enjoy this CD. Seems like the only time we hear tubas are on cartoons from the 1940s, but that's okay because most of the material here is from the first half of the 20th century. So you thought tubas were only sound effects for Dumbo? Guess again. There's some really enjoyable jazz here, and yes, unlike a lot of jazz, "Tubas From Hell" has a great sense of humor. "Yakkety Tuba"...how could anyone resist? But this CD isn't a joke, it makes for good listening, good enough to reinvent how you see the tuba.

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Live from Soundscape: Hell's Kitchen
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Diw Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000G4ST
Release Date: 1999-01-19

Tracks:

Improvisation 1 - Odean Pope Trio
Improvisation 2 - Peter Brotzmann Trio
Improvisation 3 - Ed Blackwell & Charles Brackeen
Improvisation 4 - Ed Blackwell & Charles Brackeen
Improvisation 5 - Don Cherry
Improvisation 6 - Don Cherry

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Santa Mono Hell
Jon' Brooks Monorail
Manufacturer: So.cent Joe
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAABZC
Release Date: 2002-11-19

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Rock Music

rock music