This reissue contains 6 newly recorded bonus tracks.

Personnel includes: John Zorn (spoken vocals, alto saxophone, piano, harpsichord, saw); Arto Lindsay (vocals, guitar); Bobby Previte (vocals, tympani, percussion); Luli Shioi, Diamanda Galas (vocals); Mike Patton (spoken vocals); Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Jim Stanley (trombone, bass trombone); Vicki Bodner (oboe, English horn); Toots Thielmans (harmonica, whistling); Orvin Aquart (harmonica); Mark Feldman (violin); Erik Friedlander (cello); Wayne Horvitz (piano, organ, celeste); John Patton (organ); Fred Frith (acoustic & electric guitars); Bill Frisell, Jody Harris, Vernon Reid, Richard Quine, Melvin Gibbs, Marc Ribot (guitar); Melvin Gibbs (bass); Mark Miller (drums, tympani); Anton Fier, Joey Baron (drums).

Principally recorded at Radio City Music Hall, New York, New York between September 1984 and September 1985. Includes liner notes by Robert Polito and David Bither.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Composer: Ennio Morricone.

Personnel: John Zorn (vocals, alto saxophone, piano, harpsichord, musical saw); John Zorn (saxophone); Arto Lindsay (vocals, guitar, electric guitar); Laura Biscotto, Luli Shioi, Shelley Hirsch (vocals); Fred Frith (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Jody Harris (guitar, electric guitar); Marc Ribot, Derek Bailey (guitar); Robert Quine (electric guitar); Carol Emanuel (harp); Polly Bradfield, Mark Feldman (violin); Erik Friedlander (cello); Ned Rothenberg (shakuhachi, ocarina, Jew's harp); Orvin Aquart (harmonica); Guy Klucevsek (accordion); Vicki Bodner (oboe, English horn); Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Jim Staley (trombone, bass trombone); Wayne Horvitz (piano, celesta, organ, keyboards); Carol Emmanuel (harpsichord); Big John Patton (organ); Jamie Saft (keyboards); David Weinstein (synthesizer, computer); Mark E. Miller (drums, timpani); Joey Baron (drums); Duduka Da Fonseca (caixa, percussion); Cyro Baptista (cuica, percussion); Ciro Batista (cuica); Claudio Silva (pandeiro); Jorge Silva (surdo); Bob James, Bob James (tapes); Christian Marclay (turntables); Anthony Coleman (vocals, piano, harpsichord, organ, keyboards); Bobby Previte (vocals, drums, timpani, percussion); Diamanda Gal s (vocals); Toots Thielemans (whistling, harmonica); Bill Frisell (guitar, electric guitar); Vernon Reid (electric guitar); Melvin Gibbs (electric bass, bass guitar); Anton Fier (drums).

Audio Mixers: Tom Gartland; Robert Musso.

Liner Note Author: David Bither.

Recording information: Avatar Studio (09/1984-09/1985); BC studios (09/1984-09/1985); Evergreen Studios (09/1984-09/1985); Frank Booth (09/1984-09/1985); Radio City Music Hall (09/1984-09/1985).

Photographers: George Chinsee; Caroline Forbes.

Unknown Contributor Roles: John Zorn; Arto Lindsay; Satoh Michihiro; Michihiro Sato; David Weinstein; Bob James.

Arranger: John Zorn.

On this intriguing concept album, altoist John Zorn (who also "sings" and plays harpsichord, game calls, piano, and musical saw) utilizes an odd assortment of open-minded avant-garde players (with a couple of ringers) on nine themes originally written for Italian films by Ennio Morricone, plus his own "Tre Nel 5000." These often-radical interpretations (which Morricone endorsed) keep the melodies in mind while getting very adventurous. Among the musicians heard on the colorful and very eccentric set (which utilizes different personnel and instrumentation on each track) are guitarists Bill Frisell and Vernon Reid, percussionist Bobby Previte, keyboardist Anthony Coleman, altoist Tim Berne, pianist Wayne Horvitz, organist Big John Patton, and even Toots Thielemans on harmonica and whistling among many others. There are certainly no dull moments on this often-riotous program. ~ Scott Yanow

THE BIG GUNDOWN documents the meeting of two brilliant compositional minds. Here, in something that resembles a multi-dimensional, kaleidoscopic dream, saxophonist and musical deconstructionist John Zorn interprets selections from Ennio Morricone's legendary film scores. Long enjoyed and admired by artists and the general public alike, Morricone's music for films like A Fistful of Dollars and Once Upon A Time In The West is fertile ground for Zorn's wildly inventive arrangements.

Joined by talented friends like Fred Frith, Arto Lindsay, Bill Frisell, Diamanda Galas and Vernon Reid, Zorn translates these familiar pieces into completely new idioms: employing batucadas, trombones, shakuhachi, tapes and turntables, saws, screaming electric guitars, surdos and duck calls. Treatments of "Tre Nel 5000," and "Milano Odea," for example, become explorations of a fragmented, vital, startling, whimsical and always compelling nature. Recommended for fans of either artist and lovers of unique, intelligent music.