This third CD from the dynamic piano trio of Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, and Ches Smith is a delightful surprise—and one of Zorn’s greatest achievements. Exploring a wide variety of tempi, moods, and feelings the compositions dive deeply into the parameters of melody, harmony, rhythm, and texture, stretching the ballade format to its limits and beyond. The trio, three essential members of Zorn’s inner circle, performs with passion, imagination, virtuosity, and a telepathic improvisational interplay at the very highest level. A stunning collection of modern Ballades performed by three of the greatest young musicians in the Downtown scene. Essential!
(July 2024)

A remarkable meeting of two musical forces of nature finally available on recording! Barbara Hannigan is one of the most fearless and passionate performers in the classical world, and here she sings a challenging program of Zorn compositions with the virtuoso pianist Stephen Gosling. Featured here is the long-awaited recording of Jumalattaret, a song cycle in praise of nine Finnish Goddesses out of Sami Shamanism, and Split the Lark, Zorn’s tribute to the magical American poet Emily Dickinson. Using a variety of musical techniques and genres, the music moves from lyrical folk-like simplicity to more complex atonal and textural pyrotechnics. Included as a bonus is a rare piece of juvenilia: the charming surrealistic song Nazdar, Poupon, Nazdar. Composed circa 1971, when Zorn was about 17 years old, it is a very early example of Zorn’s multi layered genre smashing. In its brief twominute duration it contains traditional, proportional and graphic notation, and touches upon tonality, atonality, Messiaen birdsong, jazz, cartoon music, lyricism, French recitativo, whispering, vocalise, and vocal noises.
(July 2024)