Virtue (Tzadik)
John Zorn
Released February 21, 2020
DownBeat Four-and-a-Half-Star Review
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https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kaFX7iep1FBZWrwrS40RrS_1o2znfGS8c
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About:
A moody and evocative book of spiritual music passionately performed by the remarkable acoustic guitar trio of Bill Frisell, Julian Lage and Gyan Riley, whose previous CD for Tzadik Nove Cantici per Francesco d’Assisi was universally acclaimed as one of Zorn’s most beautiful recent projects. Inspired by anchoress Julian of Norwich, a 14th century abbess and one of the founders of Christian mysticism, Virtue is marked by a stunning, seductive lyricism. Softly mystic music that is perfect for meditative late night listening on a cold rainy night, alone or with a loved one.
Track Listing:
1. Juliana. 3:26
2. Apart From The World. 4:50
3. Visiones. 1:54
4. Conveniens. 3:54
5. Divine Revelations. 6:30
6. Per Amica Silencia Lunae. 5:03
7. The Hazelnut. 3:15
8. An Orb-Like Canopy Of Gentle Darkness. 3:29
9. All Shall Be Well. 4:29
10. The Ground Of Our Beseeching. 2:30
11. Ancrene Wisse. 3:33
12. Infernal Night (Sin Is Behovely). 3:33
Personnel:
Bill Frisell: guitar
Julian Lage: guitar
Gyan Riley: guitar
All music composed and arranged by John Zorn
Recorded and mixed November 25 – 26, 2019, at EastSide Sound, NYC, by Marc Urselli
Produced by John Zorn
Associate Producer: Kazunori Sugiyama
Sculpture: David Holgate
Design: Chippy (Heung-Heung Chin)
Review:
On Virtue, derived solely from John Zorn compositions, guitarists Bill Frisell, Julian Lage and Gyan Riley place a premium on delicacy, melody and lyricism, while summoning a work reminiscent of The Guitar Trio by John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Paco De Lucía.
The comparison is immediately apparent on the evocative opener, “Juliana,” inspired by Julian of Norwich, a 14th-century abbess and one of the founders of Christian mysticism. The three guitarists come out of the gate with dazzling virtuosity on this intricate labyrinth of arpeggiations over shifting chords and stop-time terrain. By contrast, the dissonance, dramatic use of space and extended techniques on “Visiones” and “Infernal Night (Sin Is Behovely)” recall Bola Sete’s 1975 solo LP Ocean. The rubato “Divine Revelations” is a more open-ended exploration of tone and texture by the sympathetic trio, and the gently meditative “Per Amica Silencia Lunae” shows uncommon sensitivity and an uncanny group-think. For sheer accessibility, though, it doesn’t get any more buoyant and infectious than “Conveniens.” Tight ensemble work, expertly executed with elegance and impeccable taste by three team players.
Bill Milkowski (DownBeat)
