Locus Solus
Studio album by
John Zorn
Released1983 re-released 1990 and 1997
Recorded1983
GenreAvant-garde, jazz, classical
Length68:37
LabelRift, Eva/Wave, Tzadik
ProducerJohn Zorn
John Zorn chronology
Archery
(1982) 		Locus Solus
(1983) 		Yankees
(1983)
Original Rift Records Cover

Locus Solus is an album of improvisations by John Zorn and other musicians. Originally released as a double vinyl album on Rift records in 1983 it was re-released as a CD with additional tracks on Eva/Wave in 1990 and on Zorn's Tzadik Records label in 1997.[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz[3]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[4]

The AllMusic review by Joslyn Layne stated: "This captures over an hour's worth of John Zorn's search for the improvised song form.... Overall, an album of short, angular, experimental energy tracks."[2]

The Penguin Guide to Jazz observed: "This is one of the sacred texts of '80s New York improv, a fierce scrabbly set of associations that draw heavily on the power trio aesthetic of bands like Husker Dü... It's impressively compact but sometime rather abrupt".[3]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Bass and the Treble"2:57
2."Acquisition and Control of Fire"1:33
3."Honey-Cab"2:33
4."Switch"2:15
5."Juan Talks It Out of His System"2:11
6."The Wish"2:02
7."A Case Arose"2:00
8."The Elf"1:41
9."Getting Curly"1:51
10."Don't Switch"1:50
11."Smooth Cheeks of a Big Ego"1:51
12."Add Water"2:15
13."Cold"1:31
14."Friar T."0:58
15."Too Me"2:16
16."You Rang?"1:17
17."Self-Satisfied"1:22
18."Agora"1:10
19."Dot, Dot, Dot"1:14
20."Moi Non Plus"1:43
21."Liver"1:49
22."The Footman's Eyes Get Crossed"1:04
23."Heike Cipher Mystery"1:47
24."Jedi Mind Trick"1:06
25."Mysterious Island"2:11
26."You Only Live Twice, Mr. Bond"1:59
27."When Arrows Meet"1:38
28."Never Say Never Again"1:45
29."Sign of the Four"2:13
30."Locus Solus, Pt. 1–2"2:11
31."Where Are My Victims?"2:06
32."Disco Volante"2:06
33."Kaiser in Borneo"1:48
34."The Saint"1:40
35."The Violent Death of Dutch Schultz"1:23
36."Thunderball"1:43
37."White Zombie"1:30
38."The Slaves of Vesuvius"2:05

Note: (16,18,20,22) are extra tracks not available on the LP pressing.

Personnel

References

  1. ^ Tzadik catalogue
  2. ^ a b Layne, J. AllMusic Review accessed July 22, 2011
  3. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2000). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (5th ed.). Penguin. p. 1612. ISBN 0-14-051452-X.
  4. ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 450.
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