''Bar Kokhba'' is a

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...

, recorded between 1994 and 1996. It features music from Zorn's ''

Masada Masada ( he, מְצָדָה ', "fortress") is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau, akin to a mesa. It is located on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dea ...

'' project, rearranged for small ensembles.Bar Kokhba album on Masada World
/ref> It also features the original soundtrack from

', a film b
Hannah Heer
and Werner Schmiedel (1994–95).

Reception

The

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

review by Marc Gilman noted: "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."Gilman, M
Allmusic Review
accessed July 26, 2011.

Track listing

''All compositions by John Zorn'' ;Disc One # "Gevurah" – 6:55 # "Nezikin" – 1:51 # "Mahshav" – 4:33 # "Rokhev" – 3:10 # "Abidan" – 5:19 # "Sheloshim" – 5:03 # "Hath-Arob" – 2:25 # "Paran" – 4:48 # "Mahlah" – 7:48 # "Socoh" – 4:07 # "Yechida" – 8:24 # "Bikkurim" – 3:25 # "Idalah-Abal" – 5:04 ;Disc Two # "Tannaim" – 4:38 # "Nefesh" – 3:33 # "Abidan" – 3:13 # "Mo'ed" – 4:59 # "Maskil" – 4:41 # "Mishpatim" – 6:46 # "Sansanah" – 6:56 # "Shear-Jashub" – 2:06 # "Mahshav" – 4:50 # "Sheloshim" – 6:45 # "Mochin" – 13:11 # "Karaim" – 3:39 *Recorded at Baby Monster Studios, New York City in August 1994, December 1995 and March 1996

Personnel

– Producer * Mark Feldman (2,4,6,10,12,14,16,20,21,25) – violin *

Erik Friedlander Erik Friedlander is an American cellist and composer based in New York City. A veteran of New York City's experimental downtown scene, Friedlander has worked in many contexts, but is perhaps best known for his frequent collaborations with sax ...

(2,4,6,10,12,14,16,21,25) – cello *

Greg Cohen Greg Cohen (born July 13, 1953) is an American jazz bassist who has been a member of John Zorn's Masada quartet and worked with numerous other noted musicians for over four decades. Career Cohen plays traditional jazz and other styles, includi ...

(2,4,6,9,10,12,14,16,18,21,25) – bass *

Marc Ribot Marc Ribot (; born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer. His work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, rock, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Wait ...

(9,18,24) – guitar *

Anthony Coleman Anthony Coleman (born August 30, 1955) is an avant-garde jazz pianist. During the 1980s and 1990s he worked with John Zorn on '' Cobra'', ''Kristallnacht'', '' The Big Gundown'', '' Archery'', and '' Spillane'' and helped push modern Jewish music ...

(1,3,11,17,19) – piano * David Krakauer (3,8) –

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

s *

John Medeski Anthony John Medeski (born June 28, 1965) is an American jazz keyboard player and composer. Medeski is a veteran of New York's 1990s avant-garde jazz scene and is known popularly as a member of Medeski Martin & Wood. He plays the acoustic piano ...

(5,7,8,13,15,17,20,22,23) – organ, piano *

Mark Dresser Mark Dresser (born September 26, 1952) is an American double bass player and composer. Career Dresser was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. In the 1970s, he was a member of Black Music Infinity led by Stanley Crouch and performed w ...

(1,15,19) – bass *

Kenny Wollesen Kenny Wollesen (born 1966) is an American drummer and percussionist. Wollesen has recorded and toured with Tom Waits, Sean Lennon, Ron Sexsmith, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, John Lurie, Myra Melford, Steven Bernstein, and John Zorn. He is a foun ...

(1,2,15,19,23) – drums *

Chris Speed Chris Speed (born February 12, 1967) is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. Early life and career Speed grew up outside of Seattle and studied classical piano and clarinet from an early age. He later began studying jazz, took up ...

(5,13,20,23) – clarinet * Dave Douglas (23) – trumpet

References

1996 albums Tzadik Records albums Albums produced by John Zorn Bar Kokhba albums Jewish music albums {{1990s-album-stub