Personnel: David Douglas (trumpet); Chris Speed, David Krakauer (clarinet); Mark Feldman (violin); Erik Friedlander (cello); John Medeski (piano, organ); Anthony Coleman (piano); Marc Ribot (guitar); Greg Cohen, Mark Dresser (bass); Kenny Wolleson (drums).

Personnel: Marc Ribot (guitar); Mark Feldman (violin); Erik Friedlander (cello); David Krakauer, Chris Speed (clarinet); Dave Douglas (trumpet); John Medeski (piano, organ); Anthony Coleman (piano); Kenny Wollesen (drums).

Recording information: Baby Monster Studios, New York, NY (08/1994-03/1996).

Bar Kokhba encompasses the wealth of material John Zorn has composed with his eminent quartet Masada. The album is a collection of Masada songs that have been rearranged for chamber ensembles. For this effort, Zorn enlists some of New York's finest musicians: John Medeski, Marc Ribot, Anthony Coleman, and Erik Freedlander, among others. The compositions range from groups of four to solo performances by Ribot, Medeski, and Coleman. While some compositions retain their original structure and sound, some are expanded and probed by Zorn's arrangements, and resemble avant-garde classical music more than jazz. But this is the beauty of the album; the ensembles provide a forum for Zorn to expand his compositions. The album consistently impresses, and the highlights include "Gevurah," "Paran," and "Mochin." Zorn's genius as both songwriter and arranger are evidenced, and the recording sits well among the traditional Masada material. ~ Marc Gilman

This stunning, double-disc set selects some of John Zorn's best compositions for Masada (his acoustic jazz group that blends Klezmer melodies with avant-garde improvisation) and adapts them for chamber ensemble. In addition to his duties as composer, arranger and producer (he does not play on the album), Zorn assembled some of the finest progressive musicians around--clarinetist David Krakauer, keyboard player John Medeski, violinist Mark Feldman, cellist Erik Friedlander, guitarist Mark Ribot, and trumpeter Dave Douglas, among others--into different group configurations.

The arrangements of these compositions are markedly different than their original versions. Whereas the Masada quartet performances are rhythmic, jazz-based, and often frenetic, the music on BAR KOKHBA is dark, spare, and evocative, bordering more on modern classical than jazz. In fact, except for Ribot's surf guitar on "Mahlah," and Medeski's swirling Hammond on "Paran," many of these performances would not sound out of place in a concert of 1920s modernist music. But Zorn is the ultimate postmodernist--and mining tradition (as he does here with avant-classical and Klezmer) is key to his aesthetic. BAR KOKHBA is a testament to his brilliance as an arranger and composer, and stands as one of his greatest achievements.

Spin (1/97, p.61) - "...reshapes Masada...into mournful violin, cello, and piano-led arrangements. The result is serene, sublime beauty from the avant-garde's squawkiest enfant terrible."