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From Downtown Music Gallery Newsletter 7/19/02:

JOHN ZORN - Cobra [2 CD Set] (Hatology 580; Switzerland) This classic double CD is available once again, after being out-of-print for over a decade. These are the first recordings of Mr. Zorn's most popular game piece, first released in 1987 on Hat Art as a double LP [5/9/86 studio LP; 2nd LP live at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on 10/21/85] and then in an augmented [30 additional minutes] version on double CD in 1991 [5 extra unreleased movements from the studio sessions and 1 extra movement from the live performance]. Performers - hold onto your hats! - at the studio session [1st disc] included Bill Frisell, Elliott Sharp, Wayne Horvitz, Arto Lindsay, Jim Staley, Anthony Coleman, Carol Emanuel, Zeena Parkins, Christian Marclay, Guy Klucevsek, Bobby Previte, David Weinstein, and Bob James. Performers at the live gig [2nd disc] included J A Deane, Frisell, Sharp, Coleman, Weinstein, Klucevsek, Horvitz, James, and Previte. John Zorn was the Prompter for both recordings. The years since these mid-80s recordings have seen 3 other sets of recordings of Cobra: the Tokyo Operations version on Avant, the no-longer issued [by John's decree] Knitting Factory live performance, and the phenomenal new studio version recorded at the beginning of 2002 by the current crop of improvisers working with Zorn, now available on the Tzadik label. But none of these were meant to replace the others - Zorn's "game pieces" yield completely different musics, even when played by the same improvisers, as startlingly demonstrated by this 1st set of recordings from 85-86. These studio and live versions provide an intense and challenging listening experience which is quite distinctive as the personnel at this time were Zorn's close friends and allies, who understood the complexities of this often riveting game piece. There is that same attention to detail that Zorn demands of all of his collaborators, hence Zorn freaks will hear that same underlying current/focus that is at the center of all the versions, notably the recent Tzadik 'Cobra' release Anyways, don't miss out! Hat editions come and go very quickly, and now that the label has lost its funding from the Swiss government, it's uncertain that they will be around to again re-issue this in the future. Limited Edition (3000 copies) 2 CD Set for $26 + shipping _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com