John Zorn plays Cobra

[oldlampsfornew]

I wish I knew people who wanted to play this

[alexookpik]

werd.

[anandvyasorg]

If I go insane will you still let me join in with the Game ? Well? Sounds like Fun

[mudito777]

incredible,vicente fernandes background,voices on the tapes,,,its a mexican country music...jajajjaja yeaaaaaaaaa,,,,,zorn,,it,s a realy prog avant...music

[CodyRicheson]

These people are having more fun playing this music than just about anyone else on the planet.

[Parvenu333]

@CodyRicheson Music isn't for musicians. Music is made to be heard.

[mjmatthewjohnstone]

@Parvenu333

that's silly. Some music is entertainment for mass consumption, some isn't. it's incredibly important that musicians enjoy what they 're doing as these musicians are.

[Parvenu333]

@mjmatthewjohnstone It is so sad that you think that music has nothing to do with sound. Good luck with that.

[bobvanluijt]

@mjmatthewjohnstone you said it man!

[BlacknWhitesAlright]

@Parvenu333 Music is not only a social phenomenon, and anyway, some people hear this music and love it to bits. I am one of those people. Don't hate!

[planetcaravan93]

dude me a bass player 2 trombone players a sax player a drummer a piano player and a djembe player played cobra the other day. it was a life changing event. if you think all this is random sloppiness then you should learn the game it is a complex yet fun as hell game. it is like controlled chaos

[tzeqin]

@planetcaravan93 - agreed; yet I think some kind of musical harmony is warranted too. We played with instruments that give prettier tunes i.e xylophone/theremin/mesosopvoic­e so the chaos is masked, somewhat. Anyone wnats to do a Conferenced Cobra? You think possible w/out being familiar with other players? [Last played with friends]

[planetcaravan93]

yeah. in my opinion cobra is the best way to learn other peoples style before you go straight to playing songs with them.

[TheThunderboy]

If JZ didn't sanction it, it wasn't Cobra.

[planetcaravan93]

that is like saying if BB King Didn't play it then it isn't blues. So yeah. I played cobra. so yeah......Have a Nice Day.

[1smileymn]

I play cobra all the time, but I would have to agree with you...it's not the real thing unless it's Zorn related. I still do it though and it's a lot of fun...but it's definitely "unofficial cobra."

[1smileymn]

my comment @ Thethunderboy

[demonoman77]

too much noise

[Rhys666Metaller]

@demonoman77, what would you define as music then? everyone has an opinion of what is noise, and what is music, so your comment is pretty much obselete

[MrJazznerd]

cool

[bastaxpasta]

KISS

[Euroflounder]

Yes, he would be good at selling used cars.

[mysitupon]

i find this to be brilliantly hot dog thrombosis

even while pupilating the tapioca he spells it quite clearly.

no need for expletive deleted please have your mother get back to me i'll pile another nostril in the fullness of time

[OddBank]

ive watched his a 100 times. iam planning a renegade version of this @ ((((Noise Shock II))) abstract Art and Music fest in Illinois this July and would love any input on this..contact X+X on myspace

[musicalmeatball]

looks like a madhouse in there :D

[shohreh24]

:)))))) yes it does!amazing.

[MrMerlown]

Is the guitarist with the red Ibanez Wayne Krantz?!?! If not, he really looks like him.

[br34]

yes he is

[OddBank]

i think that is KRAMER, but not 100% on that 1, my freind does agree w/t me though

[lolhaha99]

i love this stuff..and i love the facial expressions too lol

[saxsaez]

se paso, idolo, puta la wea loka!!!

[nadiesabemiuser]

Hail John Zorn (L)

[rorshakks]

I saw Cobra in '93 in Seattle. It was simultaneously amazing, confusing and inspiring.

[kinigit]

I'm doing this with my high school jazz band. They absolutely love it. I am finding that it develops their confidence in expressing themselves. It also gives them the ability to experiment with new sounds, communicate with each other through music, and contribute to the composition of new music!

[spinozareagan]

I honestly listen to Zorn's Cobra performances all the time. Visual representation of the musical process itself may be interesting, but is not necessary. I would like to see Zorn incorporate sampling, and even narrative, into the actual musical process of Cobra. The game strategy itself could become more nuanced, more intelligent. Anyone that disagrees must be sent to a reeducation camp.

[spinozareagan]

Excuse me-- I meant, "incorporate more sampling"--

[boogster123321]

either way i get what youre saying and it could sound great on a album and not just a live performance. it could sound really interesting.

[spinozareagan]

Bullshit. It is typical avant-garde decadence. Anyone that finds this interesting should be sent to a reeducation camp.

[boogster123321]

huh, i find this interesting and i agreed with what you said, but on a album its really hard to listen too. im listen to alot of zorn but without the image this sounds like structured noise which i think Zorn is trying to get at. you said it should involve sampling and a narritive to make it a actual music process.

[spinozareagan]

I think one could move it into the narrative realm, even in a tongue in cheek fashion, like Spillane. I think the use of sampling could be accelerated. Imagine if the musicians were themselves battling for control of a text-- Each imposing her/his own narrative thread. But I know nothing about music and was just speculating.

Outside of Cobra, the only other Zorn game piece I've ever really enjoyed was Xu Feng. Ever hear that?

[boogster123321]

for not knowing music thats a interesting idea. the part about battling for control is already there. and i have heard of xu feng and that was awesome!

[brandonshred]

Is that Wayne Krantz on the red Ibanez?

[largemoose]

I want to say this is utter crap, but I honestly find it kind of interesting.

[frankiepop]

i think the outcome is often crappy in zorn's cobra...but i enjoyed it in concert (at times) becuz the musicians really enjoyed it. some of zorn's other strategy pieces worked a little better such as hockey or even archery which is more similar to cobra.

[kazinscky]

It simply is what you heard in it. Or want to hear in it.

[VomitSelf7]

What's that on his trombone?

[stephvisualarts]

Hey David Shea I spotted you! On turntables. But what was that gadget at 27secs? That was wicked! Ive totally forgotten how that game works...

[litmus0001]

There is something to be said about a piece of music in which you see someone playing a guitar case.

This looks like so much fun.

[answerplz3000]

Zorn leaves pieces of the puzzle around the place...

there is an interview where he describes some of the "guerilla tactics" and ways that the different teams intermingle and try throw each other off.

If you look under the cover of 1984 Cobra there are pictures of the game cards and what tactic they represent

I am more of a dilletante than authority on the matter..... but i'm sure you can find informaiton..

I guess John would rather you write/"compose" game series of your own.

[johnbidochka]

Better than anything in the top 50 - ESPECIALLY now.

[iamdeprogram]

Cobra is a musical game performed according to certain rules. We don't know what the rules are, and John doesn't usually explain.

[TGArtist]

Pathetic.

[theseat]

Pathetic, huh? So how many grants from the MacArthur Fellowship have you won?

[Panamango]

where can i get this whole movie? Oo

[CocoaShunter]

what a brilliant way to make fucked up music

[sandro14]

bullshit !!

[WHOKILLEDTHESMURFS]

F-ing great!!!!!!!!!!

[Incongruent]

Wow, looks like a fun game.

[fjanton83]

HAHA

[kotachan]

Zorn's the ring master. The cards are used as triggers. All the musiacians are free to call on a person or persons to freely improvise on a particular section. Once a new card is raised, the music gets passed around to whoever is volunteering.

[intlwarcriminal]

i've read about this and i still don't know what the hell they're doing.

[arjunmusic]

genius

[JordanClifford]

what is video and is there more and how do you get it?

[eriktheviking2006]

Does anyone know the other musicians? I know Arto Lindsay was in the recording - is he on this? And also, what the hell are some of those instruments???? This is crazy stuff.... and this is coming from a massive Sun Ra fan...

[johnwaynesfoot]

Somewhat reliable guide: Nicolas Collins (sample-triggering trombone), David Shea (turntables,) Matthew Ostrowski (synthesizer), (maybe Bob James on tapes), Chris Cochrane (cream-colored Strat), David Henderson (double-neck guitar), Wayne Krantz (Ibanez), Guy Yarden (violin), Zeena Parkins (harp), Tim Spelios (drums), Evan Gallagher (keyboards, including Ace-Tone organ, as used in early Pere Ubu, Contortions, and Red Dark Sweet).

No Arto.

See more flum music at bugmelter.blogspot...

[pillowtheory]

The "trombonist" is Nicolas Collins. He uses the trombone to trigger samples. God knows how.

[eriktheviking2006]

Oh man it's great to see this - I haven't seen this since I was shown the On The Edge documentary in college, fucking amazing stuff... Freaked the hell out of me when I first saw it.

[katorivers]

i thik he's jim staley

[carmenodgie]

Also, who is the trombonist and what does he have hooked up to his horn? Fascinating! I want one.

[carmenodgie]

This is great - it's cool to see the musicians trying to get his attention!

Some neat insight into Zorn's gamepieces...

Thanks!

[gempf]

Where can i buy this kind of video of zorn?