Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman

I don't understand jazz.

Well, that’s done And now I know what being on cocaine sounds like.

You don't realize how bad this is until you are relieved to just hear the noise of tinnitis in your head when it ends. 1 star or F.

This is the Napalm Death of jazz. No wonder this isn’t streaming anywhere.

If I wanted to experience a bunch of guys just absolutely whacking their instruments for 40 minutes, I would go to PornHub.

What if someone took a handful of talented brass and percussion musicians and told them to play "noisy whatever" and then jammed all the recordings on top of each other. That's this. It wasn't all bad, but it was mostly bad.

Voldsom middagsmusikk hos Guffa

Dette er en sjanger jeg ikke hadde gjetta at eksisterte... Lungekapasiteten imponerer en astmatiker. Skjønner godt at dette albumet ikke er på spotify.

I would rather have listened to this after I was dead! Would like to have put no stars

Not available on Spotify but fro lm what I heard on YouTube this is god awful experimental shite

Of all the genres, jazz has the greatest propensity to dip into the self indulgent. This is exactly that.

Couldn't listen past the fifth song. Very hard listen. Can't recommend unless you're really into avant garde jazz. This type of jazz often sounds like slightly organized noise.

Did I get through the whole thing? Dear lord no; this is an assault on the ears. But I did learn that "thrash jazz" is a thing, so there's that. Who knew you could make punk/noise-rock with saxophones? Neat! But also terrible.

John Zorn... I was dreading this day. My dad has made me listen to John Zorn before. He's a Jazz collector and buying John Zorn was the biggest regret of his collection because the store didn't allow people to listen beforehand. The majority of this album sounds like they were trying to speedrun recording an album, but not in a fun way. Everyone sounds like they need a chill pill. Well, maybe not the bassist. I can barely hear him over the absolute squealing saxophones. Admittedly, there are some listenable parts, but it's not enough to lift this above a 1. I almost hate the saxophone now.

1. If they cannot provide links,I am not going to try and search it

The first half of Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman is absolutely disastrous, it's like a drum and a saxophone are having a fight but really only in the style of Peter Griffin vs Ernie the Giant Chicken, and it's just the most awful impossible to listen to shit on this list, legitimately painful. The back half is a little more tolerable as it gets away from the assault on the senses just enough to offer some melody and tunefulness, but it's still not very good. A 1 and one of the lowest 1s I could possibly give.

Sounds like a box of instruments falling down an escalator.

No. Just no. (Did not finish.)

Dear lord that was awful. I'm a little shocked I made it through the album. There were only brief moments that were in any way listenable. The rest was an attack on my ears and my soul.

I have respect for Ornette Coleman for innovating in jazz, even if Free Jazz as a style isn't really for me. But an album of covers, done in a "hardcore" or "trash core" or whatever style, is absolutely revolting. John Zorn and his accomplices certainly prove that they can play fast, and play all of the notes (FUCKING ALL OF THE NOTES DON'T TEST ME, could be an alternate title). But for an album that blazes through so many notes, it is shocking one-note in effect. You are left with the impression that you just got aurally gang banged, and not in a fun way. 27 minutes in—please, dear God, make it stop. What have I done to deserve such a punishment? In a sick way, this has made me appreciate Youtube ads. What used to be minor annoyances are now sweet relief from a seemingly unending assault. I hate music now.

Not sure why this album is on this list. Not a great reputation as far as I know, pretty luke warm to bad reviews (allmusic.com). So what's up? Anyway mostly hated it, but I'm not a fan of free jazz. Is this the first free jazz album I should get to explore the genre? I highly doubt it. I'm puzzled and not entertained. 1.5 stars

I was curious to listen to this album, as I had heard that John Zorn was a talented and innovative saxophonist and composer. However, I was very disappointed by what I heard. The album is a tribute to Ornette Coleman, a pioneer of free jazz, but it does not do justice to his legacy. Instead, it is a chaotic and noisy mess that tries to combine free jazz with hardcore punk, thrashcore and grindcore. The album consists of 17 tracks, all composed by Coleman, but performed in a very brief and intense style by Zorn and his band. The tracks range from 1 to 4 minutes in length, but they feel much longer due to the lack of structure, melody and harmony. The saxophones are constantly screeching, squealing and clashing in stereo, while the bass and drums provide a frenetic and erratic rhythm. The music is so loud and abrasive that it gave me a headache after listening to it. I understand that Zorn wanted to experiment with different genres and challenge the conventions of jazz, but I think he went too far with this album. It is not enjoyable or accessible to listen to, and it does not capture the spirit or the beauty of Coleman's music. Even more frustrating that Coleman himself doesn’t have an album on the list! It is an insult to both jazz and punk fans, and a waste of time and money. I would not recommend this album to anyone, unless they want to torture themselves or their enemies. I give it 1 star out of 5. (Lost an extra star due to this being picked over an actual Coleman album)

Absolutely hectic bullshit that made me feel even more anxious than I normally do on a daily basis… hope I never have to listen again

The sound of an anxiety attack

In the words of Michael Scott. "No God, Please No! NOOOOOOOOOOO"

Fuckin' what?! Just dreadful. 0/5.

What happens when you give a bunch of spazzes, that have only played with their instruments for an hour or so, a gigantic bag of cocaine. This chaotic dumpsterfire of "jazz" apparently.... 1/5.

Unlistenable Zero stars if I could

Wow, I didn't know that music can make you so uncomfortable. I didn't like it at all, Korn was at least listenable and sometimes fun.

Amazing.

A thrilling listen, joyful, challenging, and a wonderful reset for ears tired of homogenised music. This is its own thing. FIVE stars, of course.

I remember when someone "recommended" John Zorn to me - I think it was less a recommendation than just saying words out loud and hoping someone picked up on it, but I listened to Naked City and was like, "What the fuck is this shit?" It took me several years to come around, but the reason I even took the time is because it stuck in my head, because really, what the fuck is this shit? I still ask that question, but in a different cadence and from a different place. This is a lot more, uh, classic jazz, compared to Naked City. After developing something like a vocabulary, I came to the understanding that there's so much less cacophony than at first listen. There's something really exciting and lively here and it injects, at least for the modern (excusing almost 40 years since this album came out) ear, vitality that was supposedly present in jazz in the 50s that I've never really heard too much. Complaints that this is just noise have never heard noise. This shit goes. I would never recommend this to someone, at least not in a direct way, but maybe if I say it out loud, someone'll hear it and come around to the idea in several years.

X-TREME Jazz And I'm here for it. Wow.

One thing is for sure: this album is not boring. It's got everything in it I love about music.

I loved this album. It was funky, fun and unique. There were some great interesting sounds. So different. I really enjoyed listening to it.

I love this record! It’s loud and fast and sounds chaotic but isn’t. It feels like what you might get if Bob Mould was a jazz composer.

barely contained chaos. absolutely incredible work, bouncing between the more-or-less organized head sections and the wholly unrestrained soloing.

Hardcore chaotic madness. I love it, but you gotta be ready for a real one. Cathartic and cacophonous and thrilling and impenetrable

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What a bizarre fucking album. It starts out crazy and just stays that way the entire album through. It's very much out there Free Jazz and I love it for that. As it goes it seems to get more sane and normal, perhaps because eardrums have already been mangled by the start of the album. It takes some familiarity with Free and Avant Garde Jazz to enjoy this, but once you do it's quite enjoyable and novel.

Quel prolifique musicien que John Zorn. On adore Ornette Coleman.

This record is pure genius. It's basically grindcore played by a jazz band, and it works perfectly. As a big fan of both avant-garde jazz and extreme metal music, I feel like I'm in a candy store. The double drums are insane, and I even get to hear the underlying Ornette Coleman tunes I love - an artist whose absence from this list is just shameful, considering his huge impact on free jazz. It may not be the most accessible of albums, but it's far from being as crazy as people make it sound. I've had a John Zorn phase in the past, and this is certainly not the weirdest thing he committed. It's even rather harmonious compared to the sonic madness of some experimental jazzmen like Albert Ayler. Just open your mind, feel the waves of unrelenting energy, and the patterns will reveal themselves... Super happy to see this on the list ! Already listened twice today. 9/10

It is really difficult to understand why this album is here on this list. I, personally, am very happy about it because it is one of the very different albums from the mainstream of easy listening and mediocre UK/US pop/rock albums on this list. But the thing is, that you get the feeling that this is some kind of alibi action, just to be sure that this list is not only composed of that kind of music. The same thing is with other albums like the ones from Jacques Brel, Songhoy Blues etc. If this was really a list of important albums in the history of music, then it would have included a lot more of these kind of albums (also international). But - doesn't matter - this album is difficult. It is loud. It is not really background music. But it is also highest level musicians, unbelievable high level of feeling for rhythm and musical collaboration. And listening to it is work. Without active listening you will never be able to like this music. Never ever!

After a glass of good Argentinian Malbec, this chaotic assault on the ears actually sounds very cathartic. I will give it a respectful 5 stars.

I think I can give this five stars from the start. This is incredible. Tracked it down on YouTube. This album is insane. Like Primus and Zappa all picked up horns. The drummer is an absolute beast. All the players on this have to be top of their game. I love this record.

Bottom 10?! A crime. This album is full force from the absolute jump and it’s fantastic.

✨🎄✨

Fucking unlistenable Exactly how I like it!

Raaaaad

HardcOrnette: A deliciously cataclysmic musical conflagration

I feel like I've said it a few times, but THIS is what I signed up for when I started this list. Throbbing Gristle, The Flaming Lips, Roxy Music and all of the other totally insane stuff thrown in among the 60s Beatles clones and nine Bowie albums. There are three things I love more than anything in music: niche music theory that I can spend an hour and a half looking into, albums that sound like absolutely nothing on this earth, and saxophones. Especially saxophones. There isn't a single album on this earth that's made worse by a saxophone player. Now imagine my surprise when I find out that there's an album dedicated to my favorite jazz saxophonist, Ornette Coleman, sitting in the bottom 10 albums on the list. Now imagine my double surprise when I find out that it's heavily inspired by Grindcore and other hardcore punk scenes from the end of that decade. This is all to say, this album makes Captain Beefheart sound like Herb Alpert. I don't think you can get more chaotic in jazz without foregoing rhythm entirely and just saying "fuck it, make sound until you pass out." And under that is some serious thought. The sax in isolation sounds like he's playing a normal song, he's just getting buried under the two drummers simultaneously playing their hearts out. I could gush about this album for an hour and a half, but I have sleep to get. In short, this is the best jazz album I've ever heard, and I hope Ornette Coleman heard this before he died.

I can't believe this is the album I'm saying this about, but this is (so far 388 albums in) my favorite Jazz album by a long shot. Its fucking nuts, like I've never felt that an album has made me feel like I just got jumped by a violent gang for 40 straight minutes. It's jazz in the most intense and confrontational way possible. This is the type of thing you play on full volume to terrorize a shitty neighbor, or used in inhumane torture practices in Guantanamo Bay. This shit is truly powerful, like music can be annoying sometimes if you don't like it, but if you don't like THIS? Then this album could drive you insane in the membrane, possibly insane in the brain! Seriosuly I might need a wellness check cause this album is giving me stockholm syndrome, the more I listen to it the more I start to like it. Wouldn't recomend this album to my worst enemy but I'll start looking for a copy for myself today.

It's proto-Naked City playing Ornette Coleman compositions, I'm in heaven.

Holy fuck! This blew my mind. Absolute assault on the senses. So who’s forming the wall of death during the John Zorn concert with me? Perfectly controlled chaos.

ein Meilenstein der Musikgeschichte! Großartig!

Wait - there's hardcore punk jazz?? This album gets a 5 just for existing, but also because I think it may have changed my life. Never listened to Zorn or Ornette Coleman before, it's going to be frustrating unavailable on Spotify or Qobuz, just Youtube, but just gave me a whole new genre to investigate.. Best reviews on Reddit: "Sounds like an orchestra falling down the stairs and I absolutely love it." "Honestly having listened to it, i wish it wasn't available on any platform"

Something cool

genijalno! još ovakvih albuma molim

Frenetic madness with structure; I need to check out more Ornette Coleman apparently!

This was all very 'Tom and Jerry', and I'm blown away by the talent that the individuals who put this together have. Sad that it's not on Spotify but hopefully one day it will be. The album as a whole was incredible and so very well done, although I can see how it's not for everyone

Erikoisuudestac+3

pretty sick actually i like that chaotic jazz shit

Amazing, makes me think of jazz differently

this album is absolutely wild - it's a bummer it's not on Spotify (went to Youtube). Free form jazz meets thrashcore/hardcore punk, and utilizes a high energy output from jazz drumming that utilizes hardcore punk drumming with the short, concise length of most DIY punk. This album is literally blowing my mind.

Immense talent here. One of the best albums I've ever listened to. My life is enriched and improved now.

This album really won me over. At first, I thought someone had recorded some eighth graders who had been left unsupervised in band class. But, 10 minutes in, I realized these eighth graders were good.... really good. The YouTube summary (the only place I could find the album) said that Zorn "approaches free jazz with the perspective of hardcore punk" and I think that's a great way to sum up this album. It's loud, it's brash, it's challenging, but they WANT it to be that way. It's an incredible experience.

Aggressive experimental jazz. Great stuff

can see why most people would hate this; it’s like the final boss of berkeley circlejerking, but goddamn did I fucking enjoy this exactly what you’d expect from Punk Jazz, chaotic cacophony paired with genuine, intelligent improvisation, it all works together so well but obviously if you’re not a fan of avant-garde jazz, calling this “jarring” is a bit of an understatement - 10/10

Ok, so this isn't available on spotify where I live... I found it somewhere else, and then I wondered whether it was being played on 1.5x or 2x because it was what anxiety feels like..... sped up, a lot going on, seemingly unstoppable, and with moments of melody that you try to cling to. Found it somewhere else and it was actually the correct speed. So, yeah, this is what my anxiety would sound like. MoreMoreMoreMore.

I can understand why some people might not like it but I loved it!

You know why……

This album rips

This is pretty incredible avant-garde jazz with vague elements of grindcore. If you want something similar that leans hard into death metal, check out the incomparable Imperial Triumphant (I recommend the album Goldstar as it is more accessible). 4.5/5.0: Excellent

An incredible group of musicians interpreting the work of a musical genius. This might be the only album on this whole list that people truly must hear before they die. Incredible.

This is absolute chaos ... and I love it!

My god, thrash jazz is something I didn't expect to hear on this list. Such exciting chaos, it's like a jazz fever dream. A constant barrage of noise that was pretty ahead of it's time. 5/5

Chaotic and extravagant. Love the pure energy and skill it has behind it.

I think Naked City would have been a better choice for this list.

That is some serious cacophony, organized chaos, and epically talented musicians. It's a bit of a difficult listen because there is so much happening and it's impossible to digest the entire thing in one sitting.

I finally got this album on the 1001 Album Generator, and it’s definitely one of the most disliked albums on there. Honestly, I don’t see why, compared to a lot of other John Zorn albums, or even avant-garde and experimental music in general, this one is pretty straightforward. This album is essentially Zorn’s reimagining of Ornette Coleman’s free jazz compositions, but filtered through his own chaotic, high-speed avant-garde style. Rather than a traditional tribute, Zorn’s take is aggressive, noisy, and packed with punk energy. Zorn plays alto saxophone alongside Tim Berne, while Joey Baron handles drums. Baron, a longtime Zorn collaborator, is highly respected in avant garde circles. As for Ornette Coleman, I know his name well, but I haven’t really explored his music yet. Hopefully, I’ll finally get around to it one day.

Love Ornette Coleman and John Zorn is born on my birthday. Best matching album of my lifetime.

Lmao

Not on Spotify or apple music

++*: Enfant ++: W.R.U., Chronology, Word for Bird, Good Old Days, Blues Connotation, C. & D., Chippie, Peace Warriors, Ecars, Feet Music, Broad Way Blues, Mob Job +: The Disguise, Rejoicing, Space Church, Zig Zag 9,7/10

Algoritmo blessami di nuovo, ti sprono

Once more I consulted with my Jazz Guy father in law, to see if he had any thoughts of John Zorn. He said: “The man is disturbed.” Loved this. The first time they break from noise into a few bars of kind of normal jazz, and then back into noise, had me jumping up and down like an animal. Almost every star here is for the record itself. But maybe like 1/4 of a star is because it made me think about Spy vs Spy, which also rocks.

Truly horrible. Like if grindcore and jazz had a baby, born headfirst into a mountain of cocaine, then proceeded to light itself on fire. Five stars.

Not gonna lie… this busted my brain wide open!! Everything that I love!!

So fun and loud and fast. Very cool approach to some good jazz

omg sekamelska eiiiiiiiii eiiiiiiiii...... en voi taputtaa käsiä.. missä käsientaputusmahdollisuus... tämä on niin vitun kiinnostavaa musiikkia mutta en voi kieli ulkona taputtaa rytmiin käsiä... ranteet lörpäkät ei pidä minkäänlaista jäykkyyttä läpsii läpsii kädet läpsii. haukkoo henkeä haukkoo haaaa haaaa haaaa läpsii läpsii läpsii haaaaa haaaaaa haaaaa suu ammenauki avonainen haaaa haaaaa haaa läpsii läpsii haaaa henkeä sisään haaaa haaaa.... noniin ja annetaas oikeeta arvostelua: ymmärsin kaiken täydellisesti ongelmitta, helppoa kuunneltavaa minulle. The only bad thing about this record is I wish the double bass was a little higher in the mix but this can easily be adjusted. HOLY FUCK YES HOLY FUCK YES HOLY FUCK YES HOLY FUCK YES HOLY FUCK YES HOLY FUCK YES HOLY FUCK YES I LOVE ZORN good old days

Ornette, as deciphered by Zorn??? Greatest trainwreck ever!!! 5 million stars

I started reading the reviews before listening so I knew what I was in for but they had no way to prepare me for this. It is every bit as insane as I was led to believe and more. I listened to the entire thing in 1 sitting without interruption. It’s got really great moments of jazz in this, 5% of the time. The rest is like a firetruck siren and the musicians were in a giant blender. This has altered my ears and my brain permanently. Now I can taste music. Now I can see through time.

I can't compete with the humor of other reviews. If you know Ornette Coleman's music and if you know John Zorn's music, you'll have a pretty good idea what you're getting into with this album. The only real difference between what you'd expect and the actuality is that Zorn's usual Carl Stalling-like jump cutting isn't present. Otherwise, it's exactly as you'd expect. It is aggressively chaotic. As one other reviewer said, this is either a 1 or 5. I'd say it depends on my mood. Today, it's a 5.

This was odd, but I enjoyed it.

Finally a jazz record I really love.

I'm so glad when I get an album like this on the list. Those drums are insane, blowing my ears off. Like hardcore-punk-inspired free jazz. Crazy stuff. Calms itself down a little towards the end but I was engrossed the whole time.

I always enjoyed Spy Vs. Spy in Mad magazine. People inflicting chaos on each other wordlessly. This album is a lot like that. I generally like jazz so I enjoyed this, but this is some pretty esoteric stuff.

Nope no no no. Stress. Seriously, though - I’m so glad this exists and the influence John Zorn and crew (his drummer is SO good!) is remarkable.

Langsam kommen die guten Sachen…

Really love John Zorn's chaotic music.

This is a great album; the fact that this list doesn't contain much if any Ornette Coleman isn't Zorn's fault, and doesn't make this a worse album. It's a solid, great album.

For the spicy avant garde squonkers.

Well that was not what I was expecting at all. I didn't know of John Zorn before, and I didn't even know that thrash/punk jazz was a thing. Wild, chaotic, and unrelenting, and I really enjoyed it. Time to do some more exploring of John Zorn and Ornette Coleman. It's taken over 500 albums, but I've finally given a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating for an album (and indeed artist) that I didn't already know before this list. Sure to be a very polarising album. I expect a lot of people will hate the chaos but it worked for me, even though I hated Coltrane's chaotic albums.

A wild record. It’s an amazing work if you sit down and pay attention and soak in the sounds. But if you’re not 100 percent into it, you’ve got a bad time on the horizon. What a sonic wonder.

Think of how much blow these guys were doing recording this bad boy.

Speed jazz. I'm pretty sure that at least one of these is just someone tripping over the drums and falling into the saxaphones. Squigley. Definitely squigley. I really like this quite a lot. It seems sort of like concrete poetry to me where there is a slab of language all working at the same time to do multiple things. It is amazing how the brain takes a pile of noise like this and follows different parts looking for patterns and recognizable things.

Fucking phenomenal. Sounds like a manic episode. I'm absolutely obsessed, new favorite study music

Rating: 10/10

Anything that TRULY broadens my horizons earns a perfect score in my eyes. That was batshit insane.

This is the perfect blend of the New York-London-Tokyo punk jazz. The album itself approaches free jazz from the perspective of hardcore punk, particularly taking note of the contemporary innovations of thrashcore and grindcore. I loved this album and listened to it multiple times today - a new classic for sure! Was it aggressive throughout? Yes. Did it need to let up on the gas a bit and breathe in the second half? Most definitely. Did I love it anyways? Absolutely!

I can't say if Ornette Coleman ever heard this album, but I like to think he would approve. John Zorn and his band spin Coleman's free jazz in a new direction, taking influence from the 80s hardcore scene, with two (!!) sets of blistering drums, a heavy bass guitar, and short, quick compositions. With a different saxophone improvising in each ear you're blasted with a beautiful wall of sound. A pleasant and unexpected discovery for me.

Jazzin elementit: Blues, Ragtime ja Marssi Uuden ajan tekojen tuska ei näy blues puolella. Ragtimen synkooppinen rytmi on taas pelkkä naurunalaisuus, sillä maple leaf rag on näiden poikien mielestä klassista. Punkin sentään pojat luontavat yksinkertaiseksi, niinkuin se on. Klassinen ei siis 80 luvun lopulle käy ja punkkiin eivät pojat alistu. Puhallinsoittimien Tim bernen vasen ja John Stornen oikea ovat marssista kaukana. Halkaistu sotilas ei pitkälle kävele.. Ja kun looginen puoli ja artistinen ovat täysin irrallisena, saadaan mielettöman hauska trash jazz albumi.

Chaotic greatness.

wait, why does this fuck? I would NEVER listen to this in my car or anything like that, but it's a cool piece of shit.

I loved listening to this. It was surprising and sharp. Chaotic, yet organized. It kinda felt like my life, haha. I have a feeling that if I owned a coffee shop, this might be on rotation there. But, softly!

Undeniably an assault, but also a bit like eating spicy food. At first you think you can’t take much more, but then once you keep going, the pain starts to be enjoyable.

absolute insanity. for prep i listened to an ornette coleman record, and while "the future of jazz to come" is certainly a challenging listen in itself, the marriage of free jazz with agressive grindcore spirit here is next level. it does slightly overstay its welcome on first listen, but i can see myself considering this record perfect in the future. either way i want to delve into the crazy world of john zorn now

That was pleasant.

Insane. Side B is more accessible. I enjoyed this thoroughly. Elements of metal and hardcore punk throughout. Awesome.

WTF is happening!!! almost half of the songs felt they were just same but some of them OMG!! Enfant?- Goated track Word for bird?- goated track peace warriors? - fucking great Feet Music? groovy AF

There are two types of album that are ranked in the bottom 10 of this list: the truly awful ones and the ones that are so challenging that they polarise the audience. This is definitely one of the latter. Did I enjoy it? At times, yes. Will I ever listen to it again? Maybe. Do I appreciate the fact it was on the list? Yes. I also like the fact that I listened to it with my 14-year old son and he felt it deserved a 4. Special kid.

Wasn’t able to find this on Spotify so had to look on YouTube instead. Greeted with the top comment of: “let’s be real, we’re all here from 1001 albums”. True. Interesting to hear that the influences on this album includes napalm death and surprisingly, some of that does come though. I can’t say I necessarily enjoyed it, it was so discordant throughout most of it, by the end it felt like my ears had been on some kind of out of body experience. That said, we need more of this kind of avant garde music around just to provide some grounding. Just by virtue of it not being more shit blues rock and that many other reviewers haven’t appreciated the importance of shade to make light shine that much brighter, it deserves much more than people have tended to give it to this point.

this is super cool and crazy. it reminds me of john coltrane in that it's totally all over the place and kind of hard for your brain to grasp what's going on but still sounds great.

Det her e nok et sånt tilfelle kor æ beundre konseptet, men ikke egentlig kan se for mæ en eneste situasjon i livet kor æ faktisk kunne tenke mæ å høre på det her? Det e hektisk og bråkate og egentlig ganske gøy, men det slit i øran og muligens også på pulsen, æ e drøyt halvveis og får lyst til å skru av mest for å gi øran en pause, ikke fordi æ synes det e dårlig, men fordi det konstante presset av trommer og saksofon(?) e utmattanes reint fysisk. Det finnes garantert dem som like det, åpenbart, og dem e nok av et anna humør enn mæ, eller har mer solide ører (eller treng nokka å bekjempe allerede eksisterende tinnitus med?), men æ e utmatta. Men æ likte kanskje "Feet Music" best, den hadde islett av nokka som va musikk æ kunne tenke mæ å høre på ellers også, sjøl om det trakk litt ut og blei slitsomt det også (og ikke slitsomt som i kjedelig, men slitsomt som i utmattanes).

PUNK JAZZ!

Man... this is such a hard cacophony of sound. So much talent and such great playing, just put together in a crazy chaotic hard core way. Not sure I could listen to it again, but glad I did. Truly exploring the possible.

Wow this really is free jazz meets hard core. Interesting to see one of Napalm Death, one of my one star albums, listed on the wiki page as thanked in the credit. It's a tough listen no doubt and not necessarily one I'm adding to my playlist. Dischordant, chaotic, noisy, uncomfortable. 2 drums!! But this is what I'm here for. 4 stars.

Dette er faktisk jævlig kult om man er i riktig mindset. Trøtt på en mandags formiddag er tydeligvis Zorn-hour. Nå skal det sies at kunnskapen min om John Zorn ikke går så mye lenger enn til første avsnitt av Wikipediaen hans, men skulle vel tro at om man skulle høre ett Zorn album før man døde så var det Naked City eller...?

I came to have this record by pulling on a thread: Mr. Bungle to Naked City to Spy vs Spy. That said, it takes a lot of work to appreciate Spy Vs. Spy these days; the album is grayed out on Spotify and completely unlisted in Zorn's extensive catalogue on Apple Music. But I just so happen to be one of those losers who owns this CD. Yeah, that's right, John can't escape this review just like maybe you couldn't escape the shrill trilling of dueling saxophones over proto-blast beats by Joey Baron and Michael Vatcher. But why is SvS so hard to stream? While the CD is out of print, the fact that it was up song-by-song but unplayable on Spotify suggests a rights issue. Dear reader, you should go looking, get on the hunt! I found the whole record on YouTube, and you could too. Even if you last just a track or two, it's worth seeking out, even if ultimately it's not for you (although if it isn't, don't stop here with Zorn, he's both adventurous and prolific...you might prefer some of his quieter compositions?). Do give SvS at least 10 minutes or about a quarter of the record: it's a breakneck shot in the arm. Some say true jazz violence, some say a sonic crime. The playing is maximally chaotic but also so precisely timed — I think it's a madcap romp through Coleman's catalogue. For every section of complete improv spasms there's a synchronous movement to follow that is supremely satisfying; it's the coming together and the collapse into chaos and the coming together again, over and over, that's hypnotically rewarding even as the record challenges you. I think it's reverential towards Coleman in a way he'd have appreciated even if he didn't comment in print. To all the one-star ratings out there, I get it, the album is perhaps more important than it is pleasurable but I'll take this record any day of the week over another dull indie album or some sixties jingle-jangle on a list like the 1001.

fuck y'all

Low expectations but holy fuck, this was impressive! I'd much rather listen to this than the real Ornette Coleman.

On va se le dire... c'est tough le free. Je le mets dans le même panier que le hardcore punk ou que le gangsta rap. C'est du monde qui ont un statement à faire, mais le statement ne s'adresse pas nécessairement à moi. C'est quelque chose de plus conceptuel, qu'est-ce que l'art, comment devenir libre, etc. Je comprends la game, mais ça vient pas me chercher dans les tripes. Petite note intéressante ici, des passes sonnent vraiment metal avec ce qui semble être une double pédale sur le bass-drum (exemple première piste au début), est-ce qu'on se serait inspiré du thrash environnant?

great album, p much exactly what u want from a john zorn joint. zorn's taste for the hardcore punk scene plus these being iterations on coleman pieces help give everything an appreciable shape and direction even if its difficult to parse...an emphasis that once again nothing that makes this list is going to be the Most fundamentally out there thing youve ever heard, but while ive heard some great aimless free improv cacophony in my time , i do think there is a lot of worth to framing it as this subversive Twisting of musical language that already exists, a piece of ground for you to stand on so when u float up into space it means a little more. rly enjoyed the music, and i will try not to disproportionately punish it for the fact that it is the only representation of any kind given on the list to ornette coleman, one of the most important and brilliant jazz musicians of all time. i rly wanna emphasize Once Again i wouldnt be doing this project if i thought this list was totally worthless, but sometimes it really crosses the line from "haha funny british music rag taste" to "wait is this shit just blindingly fucking racist"

This is the kind of wacky shit that I do this challenge for. What if John Coltrane did a grindcore record. Absolutely bonkers but somehow works amazingly.

Blending two things folks generally take issue with musically: Grindcore and Free Jazz. What an audacious cacophony. I almost hate how this is recorded. Well, why not.

This album is exactly the kind of thing I would hope to find from competing this list. Completely chaotic free jazz that can be quite listenable once you embrace the chaos. Totally get why this one gets loads of One Star reviews, but I had a great time listening to this! Favorite Track - Feet Music Least Favorite Track - Good Old Days ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

now, you must acquire a taste for FREE FORM JAZZ *this entire album plays* this album become a lot better once you read about how it was made and the history of it, its really interesting. Although I can't blame anyone for not caring about especially considering how challenging of listen this is. i liked it though, cool stuff. will admit it did give me a little headache though, but i can forgive. god forbid music makes you feel something amirite

This is the most violent jazz I have ever heard in my life. I don't know if it's cheating that I took a break in middle of listening. I get the feeling that John Zorn intended me to be battered for 40 minutes straight. Maybe that's why I consider this to be kinda brilliant. And insane. Much better than the 68th mediocre, 3/5 pop-rock album. I guess I just like jazz way more than I previously thought? Some of you have basically no sense of adventure, no desire to venture out.

Fire

4 out of 5. Jazz expressed through the energy of punk is something I don't hear too often but appreciate when I do. Side note: Japanese jazz punk band Midori is a great place to stop off next if this album was your jam.

I'm kind of speechless after having heard this. It's the sonic equivalent of being chased by a stampede of hundreds of baby elephants - absolutely relentlessly chaotic, and I really did like it. Slightly gutted to find that it isn't on streaming, but it was worth ploughing through several adverts for.

Fuck everyone this album rules. If you can't understand the intention behind it, your brain probably can't compute music more complicated than ZZ Top. John Zorn is a fucking beast, Ornette Coleman was an insanely gifted composer, and this album is one of the greatest tributes of all time. Favorite track: Zig Zag

That was hilarious. I deeply dislike jazz music and this ensemble demolished it and, in my opinion, showed it up for the pretentious crap it is. Each track is nasty, brutish and short - a bit like life, maaaan. In the words of the Fast Show: Niiiice.

I have not heard this before. I’ve listened to both John Zorn and Ornette Coleman so I’m expecting this to be chaotic. So, this is more chaotic than I was expecting. I was thinking it sounded like grindcore free jazz and reading up on it they say it’s free jazz from a hardcore perspective and also thrash jazz so I wasn’t too far off. This is really wild and I dig it, as someone who enjoys both free jazz and hardcore, though like with most free jazz I’ll need to be in the right mood to listen to it again.

This was a cool and unique album! Not something I'll throw on every day, but it created a really interesting sound. I also thought it was cool that you would occasionally recognize a familiar song amid the chaos.

15# Unpleasant Stop tuning your instruments and start playing. Jokes aside, this was really interesting and challenging. Frentic playing from all instruments, the intro starts with everything. The most punk or metal, jazz has ever sounded. Great. If they built the chaos up and didn't start bantering everything they got from the beginning of each song, it would be a pleasant experience, but i guess we have it somewhere else and it has a place.

Crazy set lol. I liked the chaos!

4 for all the haters

I still do not exactly understand how to approach jazz, but this is a very interesting album. Clearly a boundary-pushing jazz record, its hardcore punk influences are clearly visible and deeply striking. This record revels in rebeliousness, and I deeply appreciate it.

This is so chaotic and at the same time ingenious music, made by complete masters of their instruments. I can't believe, but this can either go to 1 or 5 out of 5. I find the music incredible, but at the same time, I feel like I was violated. It becomes a little too much at one point, but the incredible musicianship kept me going through it all. 3.5/5

Zorn aggressively approaches Ornette Coleman with hyper-fast, two minute thrash/jazz interpretations. It's wild, chaotic, sticking up two fingers to jazz purists, I'm enjoying it 🤣

Key word: intensity. This album just keeps hitting you with those walls of crazy instrumentation, manic playing that sounds like half-improvisation and just a million sounds. I can imagine hearing this and being completely thrown off and overwhelmed. Then there is the other side of the spectrum, the people with musical adhd who are able to enjoy this and find it constantly exciting. You can guess in which category I land.

Abrasive, overwhelming, but not incoherent. I appreciate everyone who characterized this as the Jazz take on Thrash and Hardcore Punk, which provided better context. Not an album you just throw on, but that's not the intention, nor is it a quality all music should be filtered through.

Listened to ryo Fukui scenery

Fav tracks: good old days, Ecars, broadway blues, zig zag Explosive, fun, and experimental!! Super chaotic but sometimes you need chaos to calm yourself a bit

Something I can listen to in bursts. A really cool sound. 1/2 hardcore punk, 1/2 freejazz.

I'm going to give it a 4, so it shows up in my "likes more than others" and I don't forgot to listen a second time.

Skönt att få ett lugnt avslappnat album att ha på i bakgrunden. Borde vara ett självklart val alla spaanläggningar med någon som helst sinne för stil och smak. Nåväl. Här var det gasen i botten från början till slut. Det här är frijazz av högsta klass. Lyssnar man med ett halvt öra verkar det råda ett totalt kaos. Men för den som tar sig är uppmärksam finns det en logik och symmetri. Varje tut har ett syfte. Den måste det ursinniga trumspelet lyftas fram. Har inte skaffat prenium på YouTube, så tyvärr kommer sura avbrott för reklam med jämna mellanrum. Det enda stopp man vill ha är ju vid vändande av sida på grammofonen. Tyvärr har inte albumet gått att inbringa i någon av Halmstads alla välsorterade skivbutiker.

My kind of jazz. Sounds like my life most days.

John Zorn – *Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman* (1989) **In-depth review** (lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, pros & cons) --- ### 1. Lyrics There are **none**. Every track is instrumental, so the “text” is the story the horns and drums scream at you. If you insist on a libretto, it’s the **titles** themselves—snippets like “Rejoicing,” “Feet Music,” “Mob Job”—which act as ironic or affectionate stage-directions for the mayhem that follows. --- ### 2. Music – what actually happens? Zorn re-sequences **twelve Ornette Coleman themes** (1958-87) into **28-minute hardcore-suite + 12-minute slow-suite**. - **Front half** (“Chronology” 1-12) – grindcore tempos (180-220 BPM), heads stated in 10-15 seconds, then **instant free-blast**. - **Back half** (4 later Coleman tunes) – half-time swing, almost lyrical; the record’s “after-glow”. **Instrumentation** - 2 alto saxes (Zorn left channel, Tim Berne right) – constant **contrapuntal screaming**. - 2 drummers (Joey Baron, Michael Vatcher) – **stereo artillery**; no ride-cymbal jazz time, just **fills-as-beats**. - Bass (Mark Dresser) – **distorted, slightly funk-flat** tone; walks only when the tune allows. **Harmelodic strategy** Coleman’s **harmolodic** melodies are kept **intact** but **accelerated** until they feel like **punk riffs**. Zorn calls it “*be-bop at the speed of hardcore*”; reviewers hear **“thrash-jazz”**. --- ### 3. Production - **Engineer**: **David Breskin** (also producer). - **Venue**: **Sear Sound, NYC** – **tube gear, live-room bleed**, almost no overdubs. - **Mix trick**: saxes **hard-panned** so you can **follow either voice** like choosing a protagonist in a comic strip. - **Drum sound**: **close-miked + long hallway reverb**; the kit appears **50 ft wide**. - **Mastering**: **hot**; LP is **40 min** but **denser than most 80-min CDs**—“*at least two LPs of material compressed to forty minutes*”. --- ### 4. Themes & Concept - **Meta-punk homage**: Zorn grew up in **80s Lower-East-Side** squats; he wanted **Ornette’s joy** filtered through **Napalm Death’s 90-second songs**. - **Cartoon violence**: title borrowed from **MAD magazine’s “Spy vs. Spy”**; music behaves like **black-and-white anarchists** setting bombs under jazz tradition. - **Speed as politics**: by pushing **Afro-free melodies** into **white-hardcore velocity**, Zorn **de-colonises** the idea that “swing” must be relaxed. - **Improvisation = demolition**: every solo is **collective**, not individual; the **ensemble** is the protagonist. --- ### 5. Influence & Legacy - **Blueprint for 90s “punk-jazz”**: *Naked City*, *The Lounge Lizards*, *Painkiller*, *Zu*, *Mats Gustafsson*, early **Mars Volta**. - **Pedagogical text**: conservatory teachers use the transcriptions to prove **“you can play free in 7/8 at 200 BPM”**. - **Cultural flash-point**: routinely appears on **“most hated”** listener polls, yet **Top-10 essential avant-jazz lists**—a **shibboleth record**: you either **exit screaming** or **join the cult**. --- ### 6. Pros ✅ **Unprecedented collision** of **free-bop** and **grindcore**; still sounds **futuristic** 35 years later. ✅ **Micro-arrangements**: every 90-second piece contains **head-improv-head** in perfect proportions—**no fat**. ✅ **Stereo theatre**: the **dual-sax / dual-drum** mix is **playful**; headphones become **comic-book panels**. ✅ **Gateway drug** for **metal kids** into **Ornette**, and **jazz purists** into **extreme music**. ✅ **Final four tracks** give **emotional payoff**—proof the band can **swing** when they **slow the hell down**. --- ### 7. Cons ❌ **Unrelenting** – **zero dynamic range** for 25 min; **ear-fatigue** is intentional, but **exhausting**. ❌ **Bass tone** occasionally **flat / “muzak-y”**, under-cutting the **apocalypse** above it. ❌ **Requires prior knowledge** – if you **don’t know** the original Coleman heads, the **“song”** can disappear into **pure noise**. ❌ **Repetitive on macro level** – every fast piece uses **same strategy**: **state theme → explode → stop**; **predictable** after the sixth slice. ❌ **No room for breath** – even **free-jazz veterans** admit they **queue it in 5-minute doses**, not **end-to-end**. --- ### 8. Verdict *Spy Vs. Spy* is **not a tribute album**—it’s a **hostile takeover** where **Ornette’s children** are **force-fed amphetamines** and **locked in a stereo cage-match**. It **fails** as background music, **succeeds** as **concept-art**, and **endures** as the **first** (and still **definitive**) **hardcore-free-jazz** document. Put it on when you need to **vacuum the room**—or **vacuum your brain**. **Key cuts**: “Chronology,” “Feet Music,” “Good Old Days,” “Mob Job”. **Spin it once**: you’ll **love it**, **hate it**, or **both**—but you won’t **forget it**.

Whooooa! This was a total blast. I can’t tell you what it is that made this album so fun and made me stick through the whole thing; I expected to turn it off a couple songs in especially since it was on YouTube. But man this ruled. What a fun time. Like free jazz attacked with the energy of hardcore punk. Awesome. Must-listen #278.

Я не часто залітаю на фрі джаз. Точніше я його скоріше уникаю, бо це дуже інтенсивний музичний жанр і я буквально після нього хочу посидіти в тиші якийсь час щоб перепочіти. Тут в принципі ситуація +- схожа. Водночас тут вистачає прикольних композиції. Все набагато коротше та щільніше ніж в оригінальних 5+ хвилиних версія Коулмена. В цілому сподобалось.

Насправді це далеко не найбільш безумний альбом у дискографії Зорна і я не розумію чому люди на ютюбі (чогось видалили зі спотіка на жаль) так хейтять. Так, тут в принципі типовий фрі джаз, а-ля Ascensions Колтрейна, коли саксофони паралельно грають щось своє, але оскільки це музика Коулмана, то місцями воно звучить навіть "нормально". Коротше хз, я таке люблю та і загалом Зорн це легенда.

Dude, what the hell. I like jazz. I like Napalm Death. But dude, what the hell. I was begging for a steady swinging ride pattern the whole time so getting to Ecars felt like they through me on life support after repeatedly slamming my balls against saxophones and drums. My ears were ringing by the time the whole thing was done.

That was a bit of an exhilarating ride! Mind you, I'm completely unfamiliar with Ornette Coleman's music, maybe that explains my rating.

To nobody's surprise, I enjoyed this album. I like Ornette Coleman, whose 1959 album "The Shape of Jazz to Come" is generally regarded as the first free jazz album. I think I can hear the melody of "Lonely Woman" from Coleman's album on "Spy vs Spy", specifically in the 7th track, "C&D". These shorter, absolutely hectic vignettes are really fun — I like how thrashy they are and how evocative each track is. This isn't the kind of album I would listen to every day, but there are times where listening to some saxes, bass and drums just going all out is exactly what I need.

This is obviously a very challenging album, and is right on the very edge of what music can be. But isn't that kind of the point of jazz? World class musicians testing the boundaries of what can be done. For the most part I'm just impressed, and when the melodies come through in the second half I'm tapping my foot. Give me some experimentation over the generic slop that the majority of this list is any day.

This is #day468 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here we are, back to square one: album blocked on Spotify, not available on YouTube Music, so I found a random YouTube upload with the full thing. It's been a hell of a day, literally. Russia's missile strike killed 34 civilians in the neighboring city of Ternopil; a direct hit on an apartment block, a couple of the top floors gone in a flash. With all that in my head, I finally put this record on. Frantic, relentless, an absolute jazzcore... Even though it's hard to follow what's going on here most of the time, I'm oddly inclined to embrace it. Now I need to check out some Ornette Coleman. Wow. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day469.

Absolutely unhinged. There's so much going on it's even hard to describe, this is pure emotion translated to music.

No idea how to review this. It was challenging, which is no bad thing in itself. I can hear some things in there, but don't have enough technical knowledge to really understand what I'm listening to. I read up a bit. It was a good learning experience, and I thought there would be more on the list that challenged, rather than just disappointed. I genuinely liked the exercise of listening, but I'm left with zero idea how to give it a mark out of five. It's beyond my ken.

Not sure why, but I really gravitate towards these worst of the worst, super low rated albums on the 1001 albums list. As of 09 December 2025, ‘Spy vs. Spy’ sits as the 10th lowest-rated album on the 1001 Albums Generator, and as usual, this ranking wildly undersells it. In fact, it’s quite an exhilarating ride. It’s like Free-Jazz meets Metal, meets Trout Mask Replica meets Grindcore. When your brain and ears finally acclimatise to the sheer, frenetic assault and the whole thing clicks, you begin to hear and understand the interplay between the instruments and appreciate the controlled chaos underneath. It’s like a light-bulb moment. From that point on the album becomes a breeze. ‘Spy vs. Spy’ is a genuinely thrilling experience.

This was pretty nuts, I like it, a mixture of frantic freeform and more constructed jazz, maybe not for everyone but I would seek a physical copy ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This album is pure, high-octane chaos - and I mean that as praise. I wouldn’t call myself a jazz aficionado, but I know when I’m hearing mastery. Zorn takes Ornette Coleman’s compositions and detonates them: every note feels like a collision between precision and mania. The split-channel recording, where each horn attacks from its own stereo side, is a brilliant touch, as you can literally hear the duel. It’s an all-out assault of improvisation and control, technical brilliance and raw nerve. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but absolutely worth the ride.

the amount of stuff going on genuinely makes it less free than other free jazz, awesome crazy dance music!

Thrilling jazz-punk (or punk-jazz?). I’m not 100% sure I’d want to listen over and over again, or every day, but the album is sure fresh and distinctive. Finding albums like this is what I wanted from this project. I’d give the album 4.5 stars if I could.

A bit eccentrically driven and at times, awesome and others, challenging.

Pretty noisy but quite different and amazing

hard to find (found the full thing on youtube) this was great i wont even lie, its like a battle between the drums and saxophones, the sheer pace and energy and performance just should exist and is a great example of things that should be on this list, theres nothing like this anywhere else, shows the other side of jazz that people need to hear, amazing

Woahhhhh

Could you mosh to this? Enjoyment is the wrong criteria for evaluating this. Of course it isn't enjoyable - it's free jazz played with the pummelling abrassiveness and agression of hardcore punk. Each song is surprisingly tightly structured, you can hear them racing through the head before erupting into the cacophony of free improvisation and then, somehow, wrapping it all back together with a synchronized refrain. It kind of chills out half way with peices that have a bit of a groove and more approachable lead lines - even sounding like a deranged version of an early 90s sitcom theme song for a minute.

Brilliant! I lived in NYC in the late 90’s and early aughts and spent a lot of time at the Downtown Music Gallery, and John Zorn’s name was everywhere and it was exhausting. This dude literally puts out a dozen records a year and plays shows every night. I disregarded his music and after hearing this I want to kick myself. This album is wonderful. The interpretation of Ornette Coleman’s music into hardcore punk/thrash is like nothing I heard before and I love it. Note you may have to go to YouTube to hear this album and it is incomplete. On Spotify there’s a note from Zorn to buy his CD’s, except this album is long out of print and he has dozens of other records on Spotify, just not this one. It’s a shame, this album is fantastic.

I'm not into this kind of music and this might be the first one. At first i didn't like it at all because it just sounded like noise but I gave it another go. The second time while listening I closed my eyes and focused on the rhythm and notes and I started to find it interesting. Behind all that noise was a masterpiece that can not be caught by everyone. So I liked it!

I am not trying to be a contrarian and rate all of the lowest rated albums highly, but I just tend to find those albums so much more interesting than another UK Electronica album. Like, I never even though to put thrash drums over free jazz, it is such a cool idea and an interesting sound. My only complaint is that it can get a little repetitive and I think this album would be great at 30 minutes. It is kinda weird we got this album but only 1 Coltrane album, and not even one of his free jazz ones. High 4.

interesting take on jazz. its a bit much at the start but songs on the later half are a lot more coherent. it kind of turns your brain off in a way, i listened twice and almost fell asleep the second time. after listening to some of the coleman originals he did a good job of of capturing their essence in whatever avant-garde jazz fusion genre you could call this.

Hyvää settiä jazzin HC-päästä! Oon kuullut paljon vaikeammin läpäistävää free jazzia, tässähän oli jopa ihan seurattavat melodiat. 4/5

I love that an album like this made this list. It is extraordinary. Some of it is wonderful, some of it is overwhelming, all of it is very high quality improv jazz. It's complex and layered and I really enjoyed it.

I'll admit the first few tracks sounded a bit too similar, so I started thinking as much as I liked them, this was going to turn into a bit of a slog. Thankfully, things did change up and by the end it was fantastic. Loved it. Energetic insanity.

kind of Zorn's big band, not bad

Jazzy. Great.

Organized Chaos

My out-loud reaction to the first 20 seconds of the first track was literally: "What the fuck is this, mate? Holy shit!!" Bugger me dead, this is some seriously unique music. I love it as much as I hate it. It's fantastic yet it shits me. It's entrancing yet cartoonishly chaotic. I'm up to track 4 now, Good Old Days. My reactions continue: "Shit's crazy. This is nuts... completely nuts." Altogether a fabulously crazy discovery here along the road to 1001, well worthy of a high accolade. This is, indeed, an album I am happy to have listened to prior to my impending death.

TMR but again, what is going on

What a crazy album. Amazing work done by the musicians that were part of this project. Really interesting album.

‘Oops! All Saxophone Always Forever All The Time’ isn’t as good a title, but it’s what i’m pitching. i grew up playing sax, practicing safe sax, and eventually graduating to unprotected group sax — album plays like sensory overload gangbusters for me! absolutely belongs on this list.

The track sequencing lets this down a bit, and some variation would have been nice rather than all the fast songs then the slightly less fast ones, but this is so propulsive, frenetic, and original that it doesn't entirely matter. Slightly reduction in score because of the drum mix.

Chaos incarnate. Jazz on jazz on jazz and some of it sounded okay

This album was so much fun. I loved the chaotic and free spirit nature of it. Sometimes it sounds like nonsense and just a bunch of noise at once, and that's a part of the charm for me. Music doesn't have to have verses easy melodies or harmony, its just sound that evokes emotion. This whole album was like some of my favorite parts in the improvisational music I listen to. Similar to the song Dark Star by the Grateful Dead. The start of the song was just a springboard for free form improv. I found myself not being able to work while listening because I was trying to parse out what was going on. If you listen closely, you can hear the instruments communicate, and respond to each other, even in the midst of all the chaos. I will definitely give this album another listen when i need that kind of energy

Super interesting album. Energetic and chaotic. I really liked it, and I know I would have loved it if I had known any of the Ornette Coleman charts they were riffing on. I just love saxophones and these guys are virtuosos. Had to listen on YouTube and got some jump scares from the commercials.

Absolutely wild, I feel completely exhausted after, & plan on never listening to it ever again.

Wow...that was a lot. Objectively too much. From the first notes I thought I was going to give this a one star review, but then it started to grow on me a bit. I can't say I will ever listen to it again. Although I suppose it could be good background music for doing some house cleaning while hopped up on speed. In the end it was unique and interesting and crazy enough that I was thoroughly glad I listened to it.

I haven't listened to this record in decades; It was nice to come back to it. It is definitely lacking in tonal variation, but if one is in the mood for a blend of free jazz mixed with hardcore- this is the album to go to. Zorn's mid 80s to late 90s output is mostly stellar, and this is not exception. An exhilarating and enjoyable ride. i'd give it 94/100, but 4 stars is our closest approximation.

Whoa, this is dope. Love the dual altos and general sense of barely-controlled chaos.

Pretty cool. Surprisingly so.

I was familiar with the music of Ornette and had heard John Zorn, so I was (somewhat) prepared for the onslaught. Still, it took a few songs to tune into their wavelength. Once I did, though, I was rewarded with killer chops and a punk approach to old-school avante garde jazz. My only gripe is with the sequencing. So many of the tunes sounded the same, with many of them even being in the same key. Things didn't really differ until the last quarter of the album. If they could have varied it up a bit I would have enjoyed this more. Still, it was a nice change of pace and it made me want to revisit Zorn's and Coleman's music.

fun

Love me some Zorn

I dug this. I love Ornette Coleman and a strange noise filled album featuring riffs on his sound was just a fun listen.

Całkiem przyjemne. Takie 4/5. Zupełnie się nie znam, ale mi się podobało.

Best Song: Good Old Days. Started out with a killer groove, had a great bass solo, descended into a satisfying cacophony, and then came back to land on that groove again. Worst Song: Space Church. This one definitely felt like one of those songs that was all wailing intro and outro, but with no actual song in the middle. Overall: This is pretty fucking rad. Sure it sometimes sounds like noise, but it's always a very musical noise. I can imagine that your perception of this album really depends on your mood at the time of listening, because it sometimes feels like it's equally optimized to both induce and relieve anxiety, but when you're in the right mood it feels like someone pressure-washing the inside of your skull, finding all sorts of nooks and crannies that you didn't even know existed, let alone needed to be scratched. Factory reset music.

It is a lot of noise, but within the noise there is a tight rhytmn that activated my almond.

I have never listened to John Zorn before and, looking at his extensive discography, there is a lot to catch up on. Unfortunately, I couldn't find this album on my streaming services, so listened on an 'ok' YouTube stream but I'm intrigued. It is definitely not easy-listening, but worth the work. I found it difficult to get into Ornette Coleman and am still not hugely familiar with his work, even those albums I own, and I am not sure this 'tribute' makes it any more accessible, but it does make me want to explore both artist and composer further. The music is Avantgarde jazz with a hardcore punk/metal aesthetic and the band - two saxophones, bass and two drummers - make a glorious noise, powerful. It reminds me of what Imperial Triumphant have been doing in the metal scene. Best to sit in front of the speakers and let the force of this album hit you in the chest. I'd like to find a decent copy on vinyl.

Stramba ma geniale al tempo stesso.

Så er der fandme smadre-jazz! Er Punk-Jazz en genre? Er Jazzcore? Jeg er ikke i tvivl om hvor bands som Black Country, New Road, Squid og Black Midi har fået noget af deres inspiration fra. Det er total smadret jazz, til tider fuldstændig umelodisk på en måde der minder mig om Einstürzende Neubauten, men modsat de tyske pioneres debutalbum fandt jeg det her mega sjovt.

What a bonkers album. So many times when these guys get rolling it sounds like a jazz quartet falling down the echo-y stairwell of a tall building, but in a really good way! Considering free jazz can so often just be an unlistenable mess, this album manages to be extremely entertaining, so I kind of loved it. 4.4/5

This album is nuts. Totally diabolical. I was really confused at first, so I had to read about it. And then I realized this is totally a hardcore album. I thought I was getting cool jazz, and yes, this is definitely cool jazz. But really... this is feels like Minor Threats first album if it were jazz. This is like Millions of Dead Cops if it were jazz. The drums are the dead give away. This was rad! For sure this deserves at least 4 Stars, because this is one of the most creative albums I've ever heard but I am certain I won't be returning any time soon.

Ahh I wondered when I would get this. I was nearing the end and with only 18 albums left, I still hadn't seen it. It was the last (I am pretty sure) really low rated album that I hadn't gotten. Honestly... I loved it. Maybe I am just so cynical after 1000+ albums it was different. Not every song worked, but it was trying something and I dug it. Especially the later half of the album. It was just strange enough in a way that worked for me. I get why this wouldn't be for everyone, but for me it worked.

that was legitness

Always loved Ornette but this album isn't available anywhere

This album is so cool! I never heard it before but it's WILD! I'm specially fond of music with such characreistics, unorganised, without formal structures. I don't know what's goning on but it's such a fun ride! Straight to 4/5.

W.R.U. // Good Old Days // Enfant // C. & D. // Mob Job

The saxophone is often referred to as 'the devil's third horn.' Let's all pray for the soul of John Zorn as he has crossed over into Satan-land. *Bonus stars for using brass to thrash.

maybe even a 5 star album, really compelling to me

Looking at all the 1 star reviews from people that think music must be fluffy, friendly and non-challenging like: principal_skinner_pathetic.jpg This is pretty badass, and nowhere near as extreme as some of these reviews make out. I probably couldn't listen to stuff like this every day, and definitely wouldn't want it inflicted on me without choice, but every now and again it's good to listen to something that stretches your boundaries! Fave track - "Feet Music" is probably the most accessible? I enjoyed what "Peace Warriors" did too!

Nice to have something with a bit of free jazz about it. I hope there are some of the 60s touchstone stuff for that genre.

Another album that I thought I was going to hate in the first 30 seconds of listening to it, but that I started to enjoy as it went on. It's a challenging listen for sure, but after giving it a couple of goes, I think it's actually pretty good. It's certainly different and fits more in the theme of a list like this than one of the more mediocre Beatles or Bowie albums.

I have to say it's a real tragady that this is the only foray into Ornette Coleman on this list, The Shape of Jazz to Come definitely feels more deserving of a place on this list than some of the dad rock I've had to slog through. Never heard of John Zorn before but I love that he deliberately resists category and that can definitely be heard in this album. According to Wikipedia the album approaches “free” jazz from the perspective of hardcore punk, particularly taking note of the contemporary innovations of thrashcore and grindcore. I don't fully know what that means but it makes something super interesting to listen to. It's loud, it's chaotic and I love it. Also, two drummers? That's insane in the best way.

I’m a big fan of Expressive and Loud Jazz so this definitely hit the spot. Link to YouTube Video I used: https://youtu.be/zCHB5LLPQ3s?si=aSMsJH4sHzX5bNwd

3.9 1x catchup 11/15/24 on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCHB5LLPQ3s

October 12, 2024 HL: "Good Old Days", "Enfant", "Broad Way Blues", "Chippie" Imagine being the double bass player having to compete with two drummers Well, apart from a single listen of "The Shape of Jazz To Come" last year, I can't speak much for the source material. And the other main influences at play, thrash & hardcore punk, are ones I generally avoid if I can help it. Yet all these elements smashed together provides a surprisingly compelling listen. I threw some highlights up there but trying to separate the little pieces from the chaotic whole doesn't really do the experience justice. I may be reading into this, at times, literal noise, but for all that talk about free jazz being intimidating and inaccessible, you don’t need a music education to *get it*. Maybe all one has to do is just Get! in! THE PIT!

Cool guys doing cool guy shit I would definitely blow young John Zorn

As a Mars Volta fanatic, I approve of this message.

This was pretty cool. I liked it, anyway.

Sounds like the drums are beating the shit out of the saxophones.

If jazz musicians created hardcore punk. Edit: Commented before reading the Wikipedia entry. Well, Zorn nailed it. Gave it an extra star.

Energetic and thought provoking. Coleman’s music enjoys the grit and pace.

10 years ago, I would have hated this; however since dipping my toes in the free jazz universe find it fascinating and looking forward to listening to some actual Ornrtte Coleman records

3.5 rounded up really interesting and definitely something i see myself revisiting! a lot to take in tho highlights: enfant, c&d, ecars (feb 13 2026)

I went through a hard bop phase so digging this.

Spy vs Spy: The Music of Ornette Coleman is a 1989 album by John Zorn. Interesting this came to me during the free jazz kick I've been on recently. John Zorn is an artist I've overlooked from this scene. Particularly because he came to prominence much later than the heyday of free jazz... like over a decade later. This record was apparently very inspired by the hardcore punk movement that was happening at the time. Pretty evident by the blistering fast and also short-length tracks on side one. Side 2 is more tame with a bit more digestible rhythms. Something that is particularly interesting about this record is the production. Zorn recorded this with a quintet - 2 altos, 2 drummers, and a bass player. Zorn is mixed in the right channel while Berne is in the left. Although I have a hard time getting that stereo separation with headphones. Maybe because I listened to an ultra-compressed Youtube upload. The drums are also mixed weird. The toms and floor drums are mixed HEAVY. So much so that you can't really hear the bass. There's a lot of reverb on them too. Gives off the vibe that they're playing in a huge empty warehouse. This project was obviously done with a lot of intent and passion. The dated production was probably by design. Still an interesting listen with no dull moments. But why is there no actual Ornette Coleman records on this list?!?!?

At the end of “Chippie” someone exclaims: “Oh my god”. Oh my god, indeed. This is a jazz album thanking Napalm Death in the liner notes! An absolutely horrendous introduction to both jazz, hardcore punk and grindcore. It really makes me appreciate the hours and hours of jazz I’ve already heard - if not I would have no idea what was going on here. Most of the time I still don’t, but after a while I start to grasp what Zorn is doing with Spy Vs. Spy. Especially towards the end the band start churning out exceptional renditions of compositions like “Feet Music” and “Mob Job”. I might be in dire need of a Xanax and another week of vacation - but as challenging as this might be, it is a record you should at least try listening to.

¿Poco amigable con quien lo escucha? Sí ¿Una propuesta interesante? También. Este es uno de los álbumes más interesantes de Jazz que escuchado, acercándose peligrosamente al no-wave y al noise con las interpretaciones de diferentes bateristas provenientes de la escena del metal. Cautivante, pero no sé si recomendable.

Was in the mood. Wild stuff. Not at all for everyone

Definitely free jazz

True freak music. Sounds like the inside of a schizophrenic's head. Grindcore for beatniks. A bartenders best friend for getting 4am stragglers to leave the building. Jazz as a weapon of mass destruction.

These cats are cookin! It’s like the last few seconds of a song ending at a concert but expanded over a whole album. Probably both the weirdest and most technical/talented musicianship we’ve had so far

Not sure where to start understanding this. Seems worth an effort.

tolles jazz album der 90er, zorn tought und schnell

Inject this straight in to my veins

All I’m left thinking after this record took my eardrums on a ride pugnaciously piloted by two saxophonists, two drummers, and a bassist is, “Let’s go again!”

While this wasn't easy listening, I really appreciated the talent and their endurance.

Good tribute to Coleman

Noisy noise. Sounds like squealing tires and highway congestion. Sounds like sweaty bodegas and the heat pouring off the concrete. Sounds like the clash between rioters and police. Sounds like the cry of a million desperate souls yearning desperately to be free of these monetary chains. Sounds like America.

Pure fxcking anarchy!! Beyond the maniacal skronking, however, there’s thought to be found in the organization. Even some tracks that sound almost like normal jazz, such as “Ecars”. This one of Zorn’s earliest breakthroughs, and some would see it’s one of his best! Very happy to see it included, sad that it didn’t arrive on streaming along with the rest of his discography

I have been struggling with the jazz on this list lately, but this is SO cool. First song is almost purposely offputting, but it all works by the end. So cool.

WOAH!

Listened Before? No I usually won't go out of my way to find an album if it isn't on Spotify, but given the group hate this has sown, I'll make an exception. Opens on an absolute torrent with all instruments involved conspiring in an all out melee. In some senses it is damned impressive that despite them all running 1000 mph in different directions they sound coherent; particularly towards the end when it all comes back together for a punctuated finale. Track 2: oh... we're gonna do a whole album like this? Honestly this is pretty damned punk. Track 3: early standout for me. Actually starts out coherent and immediately deconstructs. I enjoy searching for the bassline as it noodles around behind the scenes tying things together. Track 4 (Good Old Days): is pretty sick to start with. Has a straight up metal breakdown out of the gate. Whoever is on drums is absolutely slaying. So far this reminds me of a much more demented Cuong Vu (if you like aspects of this, but want more structure, I recommend you check his work out). Paused for a minute during Ecars, because I realized this album is a representation of another Jazz saxophonist's compositions. I encourage anyone listening to this to pause and reflect on those songs and then hop back into this rendering. It is damned impressive that this hardcore rendering actually captures a vital essence of the original work while completely turning them on their head. I had not heard Ornette Coleman before, but will take a sidebar into his work later. Fleet Music is another standout. Love the punchy drum and bass that propel this in a very punk-influenced spirit. One of few songs here that feel like they are practicing measured restraint. Alright, so I understand the hate that this album got from other reviewers. This is a dense and unrelenting listen that serves as a sort of audio assault and does nothing to accommodate casual listeners. I think ultimately, that is the point. From what I can gather this is basically Hardcore punk stylization applied to traditional Jazz compositions using the original instrumentation. It is a wild ride that is punk through and through. That said, I rather enjoy hardcore punk and think that this is highly effective and a unique application of the style that I have never encountered previously. While I can't say there were any isolated tracks I would go back to and "enjoy," there were a lot of points in the record that I stopped what I was doing to appreciate the absolute chaotic energy on display. Underpinning the whole thing, the instrumentalists are incredibly talented making this enjoyable for me, and fantastic background music for my current task. I will absolutely come back to this and listen again. Not a perfect album, but something new that I am glad to have been exposed to. 4 / 5.

Wild. An uncompromising listen but always interesting and when the noise coalesces at times, it's fantastic. Gets far more listenable in the second half if you're struggling (and you can tell from the reviews who only listened to a few seconds then dropped a 1 on it)

What a cool and super deep rabbit hole!

I don't know how to describe it properly, but this feels like screaming into a pillow without having to open my mouth. This genre of music is more effective than any kind of ADHD medicine and always seems to calm my brain. I want to grind this album up and snort it. Hopefully I'm not alone on that one. I can't believe someone listened to Ornette Coleman and went "hmm.. this jazz isn't quite avantgarde enough for me" and then recorded this. Absolute madman. I grant this a 4/5, but also fuck you John Zorn.

Mostly a lot of fun, but not really for me massively, would be great live.

So, finally got round to it. This is fun, it seems more structured than the other John Zorn album I’ve ever heard, Naked City. It’s a shame the only way I can listen to it is on YouTube, cos I’d like to revisit it more often. C’est la vie

Dude took Ornette's music and made it even crazier. That's saying something.

Kick ass jazz album that won't let you breath for a second. Love it. Glad that John Zorn is in the 1001, even if it's a tribute album.

Damn even if it's bot easy to listen that i love it

No nyt oli kyllä kunnon jazz mäiskettä :D Aika helvetin kaoottista mutta silti kyllä oudon hyvä

Two alto sax, two drums, one bass: John Zorn + Ornette Coleman = awesome!

Absolutely joyous.

I've never had an album give me literal anxiety before. Like what the hell did I just listen to. That being said, this album is either a 1 or a 5, and there is no in-between. Screw this, I'm giving it a 4. Does it sound like children messing around with random sounds and bashing on drums? Yes, yes, it does. Jazz is awesome.

Didn't know this kind of hardcore jazz existed but I'm a big fan. Love the drums and overall chaos. Enjoyed the whole album but the first ten songs were my favorite. 4.5/5 FS: Good Ole Days, Enfant

This shit is off the hook. Amazing guitars. I actually like this better than Ornate Coleman.

10am - too much 10pm - loved it This is not background music

This was pretty remarkable - I don't know that I'll listen to it regularly, but it was quite a feat to take one of the most experimental jazz performers and somehow make it even more out there.

I kind of knew what I was getting into here, I've dabbled in some of Coleman's more well known albums (The Shape of Jazz To Come, Free Jazz, This Is Our Music etc) and once owned a cassette of Zorn's Naked City from back when I used to just read the reviews in Rolling Stone and Spin and buy music sight unseen (sound unheard?) Some of those albums turned into discoveries of some all time favorite bands and artists. They Might Be Giants self titled debut and Camper Van Beethoven's Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart are couple of examples, Naked City really isn't. I liked some of it to an extent but it really wasn't my thing. The Coleman stuff though I can honestly say I've enjoyed over the years, I'm no expert but free jazz doesn't just sound like a bunch of noise to me as it apparently does judging from many of the reviews here. Maybe the negative reviews lowered my expectations a little but I did enjoy this. Am I gonna put it on during a party? It would have to be the hippest party I've ever been to so probably not but if a couple of like-minded friends came over to toke I might see what they thought.

Bonkers, but joyously so. I'm so glad I found this!

Me ha parecido un flipe. Difícil, pero flipante. Nunca he escuchado el Jazz como se escucha aquí. Brutal.

Couldn't find this exact album but listened to some other stuff. It was alright.

One of the most despised albums on this list. I understand the fact that it's strange that an interpretation of an artist (Ornette Coleman) is on it, but the original is missing. Maybe we could swap out an Costello album for him. And personally I would have entered an original album of John Zorn or one of his projects like Naked City (with songs like "Igneous Ejaculation" 0:20). Apart from these considerations this is still a great avantgarde jazz album. Not for the faint of hearted, I guess.

Jazz, met lekkere muzikale ritmische nummers. Qua mastering lekker strakke mix.

nicht in Amazon Music

Unavailable on Apple Music

I respect it for what it is. Great musicians. But not something I would choose to listen to again. It's a very low 3.

He has over 200 albums available on Apple Music but not this one! The second half is a lot more listenable and I quite enjoyed it

6.5/10

I've heard some John Zorn stuff and also some Ornette Coleman stuff too. So I suppose I know enough to expect the unexpected. I don't believe I've ever heard of this album though. This was more musical than I expected and thus more enjoyable.

3.5 I mean, this isn't something you could listen to regularly. I actually got a headache after listening (coincidence or not). But one thing that it accomplished was to engage my listening and to seek out a bit more information and seek to understand, which I guess is the point of decent art, is to engage thought. The stereo effect between the musicians was pretty cool. Also, reading some reviews, there was a recommendation to check out Coleman's Shape of Jazz to come. I think I do just that.

Ecars

This is a tough one. Firstly, I couldn't find this recording easily, so I gave up, and listened to Zorn's recent project--early music featuring my son's favorite guitarist, Julian Lage, and somebody else. (update: listening to it now) Personally, I love this incredible din. I loved Ornette Coleman's recordings back when, and I owned and repeatedly played a recording by John Zorn + Yamantaka Eye ca. 2000, which was another insane din, this time with more screaming. I find it enjoyable to get into Mr. Zorn's race car with no idea where we're going, and then try to follow where's he's leading. A musical rollercoaster with no brakes and no seatbelts--fun! I would gladly go to any and all John Zorn performances I could access, here in the desert Southwest... but I can't recall when he last came through. Mostly because I've not been looking for this kind of sonic deluge for a long while. But hell, I just went to a sludge-metal show played by super-high white dudes in silly shaman costumes wailing on hand-built oboes, so... heck, I'm game!

Interesting

I recently saw a band open up for Jon Spencer - just a drums and sax. This is better than that

Chaos jazz. An auditory attack. For some reason, the name made me think this might be a movie soundtrack, but it's definitely not! Although it's not the easiest thing to listen to - seriously chaotic, and also somehow violent - it's actually pretty cool, and by no means completely unlistenable. It sounds like the musicians are fighting each other (like, physically, with their instruments), and then there will be a moment where it all comes together and everyone's on the same page for a few seconds. The short length of each track makes it easier to digest, but since they're all similarly harsh, the album as a whole is fatiguing. It's hard to imagine a scenario where one would listen to the whole thing in one sitting outside of a project like this. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find this album has very low rating here, and I can't fault anyone for hating it. When people say they hate jazz, is this the kind of thing they're thinking of? I have a soft spot for alto sax, so I appreciate the creative use of the instrument here. I also appreciate that it feels true to the heart of what jazz is - improvisational, free-form, yet somehow controlled beneath the apparent disorder. Honestly, I prefer something like this to smooth jazz. Still, I'd be much more onboard if it were a 20-minute album (and it's not long to start with). I came away from it feeling like I have a hangover. I'm looking forward to inflicting this upon friends/enemies in the car 2.5-3

Mad jazz but without an annoying jazz drummer. I don't know what it is, but I don't hate it. It's not an easy listen.

John Zorn is that crazy ass white boy

Like a nonstop horn band whacking the crap out of their instruments. If the feeling of turning in an essay at the last minute had a sound, it’d be this album.

The 10th worst rated album on the website. Actualy, im kinda exicted to hear it instead of the 100th fucking british new wave album. Oh its not on apple music wtf. Nor spotify. Atleast its on YouTube. Ok just listened to the first song... Holy I dont think im ready for the rest of this album... This is the kind of shit that only pretensious music snob (force themself to) like. I saw a review saying it was "a beautifull chaos" but honestly, I would cut the second word. "Ecars" is the song that sounded the most like a song. I have no clue how to rate this. All the songs sounds the same. Its like they putted a toddler on the drum and bass, asked them to play whatever the fuck they want, while 2 saxophone are having sex. Its a mess! And if it was the goal, he succeded. Doesnt deserve such a low rating, I dont think its good but I cant say that I wasnt entertained by the weirdness. Wich makes it atleast a 2.5/5. Why am I not surprised that a collab between this guy and Lou Reed exist.

I have a very begrudging respect for this, for some reason. It's like being raped by someone who is actually very good at sex. or sax, in this case.

The opposite of easy listening in both a good way and bad way.

You know that scene from Tarzan where the apes bang on the pots and pans they find in the humans‘ camp?

I usually like experimental music and I have enjoyed both ornette Coleman and John Zorn but this album just feels kind of like stuff thrown together 5/10 Favourite: Ecars Least Favourite: Chippie

Bit mad, but mad is good! First time listening to thrash jazz

чо МеЛоМаНы выкусили? это или всё-таки электрический стул? бл задумка ведь реально классная. это ж такой стёб. кто это блять всерьёз оценивает камон.