''Psychomagia'' is the second album by Abraxas, led by

Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz (born 1975 in Brooklyn, NY) is an American bassist and oud player who has recorded and performed extensively with Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits, Daniel Zamir's Satlah, Rashanim, and Pharaoh's Daughter, and John Zo ...

, performing compositions written by

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 ...

, which was recorded in December 2013 and released on the

Tzadik Tzadik ( he, צַדִּיק , "righteous ne, also ''zadik'', ''ṣaddîq'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadiqim'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The ...

label.

Reception

Martin Schray stated "these tracks are true Zorn compositions interwoven with Near Eastern melodies, western soundscapes and jazzy wackiness and Abraxas play these pieces with the abrasive, breathtaking energy of a monstrous jam session. The musicians never consider technical skills as ends in themselves, they always serve the compositions. ''Psychomagia'' is a High Mass for guitar freaks, fans of the music of

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...

and for those who like the harsher sides of

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

and

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 ...

".Schray, M
The Free Jazz Collective Review
March 21, 2014 New York Music Daily stated "On one hand, this album is so tuneful that fans of traditional surf music are going to love it; at the same time, it’s so deliciously evil in places that the most cynical

Yo La Tengo Yo La Tengo (YLT; Spanish for "I have her") is an American indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan (guitars, piano, vocals), Georgia Hubley (drums, piano, vocals), and James McNew ...

diehards might be caught drooling".delaruse
John Zorn’s Abraxas Plunges into the Killer Surf
''New York Music Daily'', March 29, 2014

Track listing

''All compositions by John Zorn'' # "Metapsychomagia" - 7:31 # "Sacred Emblems" - 3:02 # "Circe" - 6:03 # "Squaring the Circle" - 5:51 # "Celestial Mechanism" - 2:32 # "Evocation of the Triumphant Beast" - 6:25 # "Four Rivers" - 3:54 # "The Nameless God" - 4:35 # "Anima Mundi" - 4:14

Personnel

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

Aram Bajakian Aram Bajakian (born 1977) is an American guitarist of Armenian descent who has recorded and toured with John Zorn, Lou Reed, Diana Krall, and with Madeleine Peyroux in 2018.Perlmutter, AAram Bajakian: Navigating New Territory ''Premier Guitar ...

, Eyal Maoz -

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

*Kenny Grohowski -

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

References

{{Authority control 2014 albums Albums produced by John Zorn Tzadik Records albums