The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone (15th Anniversary Edition
List Price:
Our Price: $10.74
You Save: $6.24 (37%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Composer: Ennio MorriconeComposer: Ennio / Pontecorvo, Gillo Morricone
Composer: John Zorn
Conductor: John Zorn
Performer: John Zorn
Performer: Anthony Coleman
Performer: Wayne Horvitz
Performer: Bobby Previte
Performer: Arto Lindsay
Performer: Shelley Hirsch
Performer: Diamanda Galás
Performer: Mike Patton
Edition: Music CD
Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2000-08-22
Music Label: Tzadik
Soundtracks:
- The Big Gundown
- Peur Sur La Ville
- Poverty (Once Upon A Time In America)
- Milano Odea
- Erotico (The Burglars)
- Battle Of Algiers
- Giu La Testa (Duck You Sucker!)
- Metamorfosi (La Classe Operaia Va In Paradiso)
- Tre Nel 5000
- Once Upon A Time In The West
- The Sicilian Clan
- Macchie Solari
- The Ballad Of Hank McCain (Vocal)
- Svegliatti & Uccidi
- Chi Mai
- The Ballad Of Hank McCain (Instrumental)
Music reviews of The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone (15th Anniversary Edition
Music Review: Lots of variety
Rating: 3 Stars
John Zorn stepped away from his game piece albums and began to get into more conventional songs with "The Big Gundown". A set of 15 Ennio Morricone songs, and one Zorn-penned homage to a Morricone song, it's a difficult album to classify. Zorn is usually characterized as jazz, but this is a long long way from Louis Armstrong, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of improvisation. Zorn himself performs only on a minority of the songs. He's more of a producer-arranger. But, even if he isn't playing the alto sax, these songs bear Zorn's unmistakeable imprint. There's an original 1985 section, and Zorn added some bonus songs in 2000.
Let's describe all the songs since the music sample is often deceptive for this CD. "The Big Gundown" aims for creepy. There are ominous piano chords, dissonant noises, and screams. The music resolves somewhat when a Brazilian percussion section begins, and ends with some Rawhide-esque "ha"'s. "Peur Sur La Ville" is built around an unsettling piano figure and noises. It has a unconventional free-jazz aura to it. "Poverty" is a quiet song based on Toots Thielman's whistling. "Milano Odeo" is a catchy, almost rock-n-roll song taken at a brisk pace. As the song goes on, the keyboards get more unsettling and the guitar gets noisier. "Erotico" has bluesy organ, and Bill Frisell's most romantic electric guitar (in an '80's way) paired with female vocalizations. "Battle Of Algiers" might be my favorite (maybe just because of the represented movies I've seen it's my favorite). Wayne Horvitz pounds out the tense piano line while sounds effects explode in the background. "Giu La Testa" has a slow build for about four minutes, then there's a plucking, walking part to take the song out. "Metamorfosi" is a good song to play when you want guests to leave, Diamanda Galas screams on top of tribal drums. "Tre Nel 5000" is credited to Zorn as a composer. To me, it sounds like a 4 1/2 minute dose of ambient noise. "Once Upon A Time In The West" starts quietly and deliberately, with feedback swelling and decaying. Robert Quine and Jody Harris play their guitars otherwise very minimalistically (not minimally, the feedback is constant). That ends the 1985 section of the CD.
The 2000 section uses an updated cast of players. "The Sicilian Clan" is familiar from the "Naked City" CD, though the instrumentation is more acoustic, and Cyro Baptista adds "western movie" percussion. "Macchie Solari" is another unsettling song. It ends in a fit of crashing piano chords and screams. "The Ballad Of Hank McCain" teams Mike Patton's heroic baritone with Jamie Saft's organ and Baptista's background congas. It's one of the more accessible songs, I wonder what it would sound like with a fuller band. The later instrumental version sounds about the same except, of course, without singing. "Svegliatti And Uccidi", with Marc Ribot and Derek Bailey on guitar-mangling duties, is a skronky blow-out. "Chi Mai", with the same musicians as "The Sicilian Clan", has a pretty melody and gentle music.
Some of these songs are very cool and original, others I can go without. Since it's a mixed bag I give it three stars. Zorn is certainly an original, and fans will want to make sure they have this one.
More The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone (15th Anniversary Edition free music reviews:
1 2 3
1 2 3
Description of The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone (15th Anniversary Edition
All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.As if John Zorn's super-creative take on film composer Ennio Morricone weren't essential in its first iteration on Nonesuch Records, Zorn is celebrating the album's 15th anniversary with an updated, remastered version. The darker lows and brighter highs make this Gundown clearly superior--with its original cast of characters (Bill Frisell, Arto Lindsay, Diamanda Galas, and many more) sounding alternately darker, sultrier, and more cinematic than ever. Zorn's reticence to record the original album's 10 pieces looks altogether unreasonable, as his genius for adding color and dimension to Morricone's tunes shows profusely. To make this an even better deal, there are six new bonus tracks that feature Marc Ribot as part of an ad hoc string quartet on "The Sicilian Clan" and "Chi Mai," and as sparring partner with British avant guitar god Derek Bailey on the roaring "Svegliatti and Uccidi." This one's magnificently important. --Andrew Bartlett
Jazz CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Jazz CDs
Curtis Brothers Quartet - Blood, Spirit, Land, Water, FreedomRelease date: 2009-10-01; Music CD
![Jazz Casual - 3-Pack Vol. 1 (Count Basie, Carmen McRae, John Coltrane) [VHS] Image](/images/Jazz-Casual-3-Pack-Vol-1-Count-Basie-Carmen-McRae-John-Coltrane-VHS-6305320578-X.jpg)
Jazz Casuals: Coltrane Basie & Mcrae - Jazz Casual - 3-Pack Vol. 1 (Count Basie, Carmen McRae, John Coltrane) [VHS]Rhino / Wea; Release date: 1999-05-04; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $43.27
![Jazz Legend: Part 2 1970-1987 [VHS] Image](/images/Jazz-Legend-Part-2-1970-1987-VHS-6303400787-X.jpg){kind=small}
Buddy Rich - Jazz Legend: Part 2 1970-1987 [VHS]Warner Brothers Pub.; Release date: 2000-10-20; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $10.75
Price in other shops:
![Living Legend of the Electric Guitar [VHS] Image](/images/Living-Legend-of-the-Electric-Guitar-VHS-6302658225-X.jpg){kind=small}
Les Paul - Living Legend of the Electric Guitar [VHS]Bmg Video Label; Release date: 1993-02-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $19.95
Price in other shops:
![Hurricane [VHS] Image](/images/Hurricane-VHS-6302251281-X.jpg){kind=small}
Herbie Hancock - Hurricane [VHS]View Video; Release date: 1992-04-07; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $2.50
Cocktails for Twoby band leader Spike Jones
Music CD
Best price: $19.95
![Dave Grusin and the NY/LA Dream Band [VHS] Image](/images/Dave-Grusin-and-the-NY-LA-Dream-Band-VHS-6301724496-X.jpg)
Dave Grusin - Dave Grusin and the NY/ LA Dream Band [VHS]Umgd; Release date: 1990-06-26; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.93
Price in other shops:
![Diane Schuur & Count Basie Orchestra [VHS] Image](/images/Diane-Schuur-Count-Basie-Orchestra-VHS-630164770X-X.jpg){kind=small}
Count Basie, Diane Schuur - Diane Schuur & Count Basie Orchestra [VHS]Grp Records; Release date: 1996-01-30; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops:
Damals in HamburgRelease date: 1999-08-11; Music CD
Best price: $23.54
Ben Webster - Ben WebsterRelease date: 2006-12-20; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Similar CDs
Marc Ribot - Silent Movies (Dig)Release date: 2010-09-28; Music CD
Best price: $10.48
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - O'oRelease date: 2009-07-28; Music CD
Best price: $12.28
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - GiftRelease date: 2001-03-27; Music CD
Best price: $10.44
Price in other shops:
Fantomas - Director's Cut Live: A New Years RevolutionUni; Release date: 2011-09-06; DVD
Best price: $8.18
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - Taboo & Exile 2Release date: 1999-11-16; Music CD
Best price: $10.32
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - DreamersRelease date: 2008-03-18; Music CD
Best price: $10.36
Price in other shops:
![The Circle Maker [2-CD Set] Image](/images/The-Circle-Maker-2-CD-Set-B0000067WM-X.jpg)
The Circle Maker [2-CD Set]Release date: 1998-03-17; Music CD
Best price: $12.45
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - Bar KokhbaRelease date: 1996-08-20; Music CD
Best price: $16.99
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - Dreamers ChristmasRelease date: 2011-10-11; Music CD
Best price: $11.77
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - Naked CityRelease date: 1990-02-08; Music CD
Best price: $16.89