No secret at all. If you can see the sleeve note to the original cd on HatHut or the latest cobra version on Tzadik you'll find out how simple are the Cobra's rules. As Zorn is writing on the Tzadik version cobra at its best can be magic, at its worst it can be a psychotherapy. Each cobra 'character' is influenced by the musicians who are part of that gane. In the HatHat/Hatology, as well as the Knitting Factory, versions it has a more free jazz nature. In the Avant version, with traditional Japanese instruments, it is even more eccentric. In the Tzadik version it has a nature of 'new music'. But basically it is a game between very tallented musicians who challenge themselves and their fellow musicians. Zorn is supposed to conduct a new version of cobra this coming June in the Israel Festival in Jerusalem, with Israeli musicians. These days the Festival, with a little help of mine and another musicians, JeanClaude Jones (he's mentioned ob the sleeve notes of Masada in Jerusalem), are looking for musicians for this version of cobra. I'll keep you informed about this project. Eyal Hareuveni

From: Herb Levy <herb@eskimo.com> To: zorn-list@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: Game Piece Theory Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 07:06:23 -0600

AJDinz1@aol.com wrote:

...

I just recently got hold of the new hatology release of 'Cobra'. This is only the second ever game piece I have purchased, but my original conclusion was the same. This music is just not interesting unless you have any idea of the theory behind the construction of the piece. It does give me the impression of eavsdropping on bunch of improv musos during a private joke. Does anyone know why this is kept a secret? Professional secret? or even better, what is the theory at work here?

AJ

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