John Zorn
Sound
John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist, and multi-instrumentalist with hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, and producer across a variety of genres including jazz, rock, hardcore, classical, surf, metal, soundtrack, ambient, and improvised music. He incorporates diverse styles in his compositions, which he identifies as avant-garde or experimental. Zorn was described by Down Beat as "one of our most important composers". Zorn established himself within the New York City downtown music movement in the mid-1970s, performing with musicians across the sonic spectrum and developing experimental methods of composing new music. After releasing albums on several independent US and European labels, Zorn signed with Elektra Nonesuch and received wide acclaim with the release of The Big Gundown, an album reworking the compositions of Ennio Morricone. He attracted further attention worldwide with the release of Spillane in 1987 and Naked City in 1990. After spending almost a decade travelling between Japan and the US, he made New York his permanent base and established his own record label, Tzadik, in the mid-1990s. Tzadik enabled Zorn to maintain independence from the mainstream music industry and ensured the continued availability of his growing catalog of recordings, allowing him to prolifically record and release new material, issuing several new albums each year, as well as promoting the work of many other musicians. Zorn has led the hardcore bands Naked City and Painkiller, the Jewish music-inspired jazz quartet Masada, composed 613 pieces as part of the three Masada songbooks that have been performed by an array of groups, composed concert music for classical ensembles and orchestras, and produced music for opera, sound installations, film and documentary. Zorn has undertaken many tours of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, often performing at festivals with many other musicians and ensembles that perform his diverse output.
Known for
Sound48
movieLa ronde
2014
Music
movieKiyaKiya
2011
Music
movieArcana
2010
Music
movieBoy
2008
Music
movieThe Treatment
2007
Original Music Composer
movieWorkingman's Death
2005
Original Music Composer
movieInvitation to a Suicide
2005
Original Music Composer
movieA Bookshelf on Top of the Sky: 12 Stories About John Zorn
2002
Original Music Composer
movieThe eye
1999
Music
movieLatin Boys Go to Hell
1997
Original Music Composer
movieZigrail
1995
Original Music Composer
movieLittle Lieutenant
1994
Musician, Conductor, Music Arranger
movieMaohgai
1993
Original Music Composer
movieJohn Zorn's Naked City
1992
Musician
movieThe Golden Boat
1991
Original Music Composer
movieGotham
1990
Music
Acting19
movieFriday May 4, 2007: John Zorn – Cobra Part Two
2007
Self (prompter)
movieMonday April 16, 2007
2007
Self (prompter)
movieMasada: Live at Tonic 1999
2004
Himself - Alto Saxophone
movieSabbath in Paradise
2000
Himself
movieRising Tones Cross
1985
Himself
Money
1985
Himself
Writing4
Production3
movieBhima Swarga: The Journey of the Soul from Hell to Heaven
2007
Executive Producer
movieMasada: Live at Tonic 1999
2004
Executive Producer
movieBetween Science and Garbage
2004
Executive Producer