@@grief_hammer this news of your disposition being categorised as "fine" both warms and elates me. i will see you soon in a room and you will likely reciprocate
Spooky synchronicity with an almost identically termed conversation I've been having with myself inwardly, similarly centred around Zorn, regarding the aesthetic properties of being a composer who does gigs and records. My biggest revelation from the whole thing was that I could compose and curate gigs for jazz or rock groups I didn't play in and not have to take my name off it. Soothing to hear this thought process echoed in someone else.
The feeling you had when you first experienced 'Cobra', was quite a similiar experience I had when I saw Zs play "Hard", back in 2006 at the Avant Gentlemen's Lodge in Philadelphia; that ending was the greatest!
I personally much much prefer the melodic Tzadik stuff. Ive listened to tons of the strange stuff, but the stuff i go back to is his Filmworks, Gnostic Trio, Masada, Barchoba Sextet and such. He's amazing, but I just can't enjoy most experimental stuff unless it really develops a good atmosphere. Stuff like Hemophiliac, Execution Ground, Cobra are not pleasant to me..id probably enjoy it alot to see it live. But recordings, not my thing
Zorn used to be my hero, but then I realized his "radical" Jewish culture concept doesn't include recognition of mere existence of Palestinian question, not to mention occupation and apartheid. He has been called out for it over the years by respectful people like Elliott Sharp and Fred Ho.
I mean, i don't like Zionism either, but this is so meaningless to me. Sorry, Wagner is still a great composer, and so is Zorn. Music is way deeper than politics. But even if not deeper, it's unrelated