Harras [Import, Live]

William Parker, John Zorn, Derek Bailey, Derek Bailey,john Zorn,william Parker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 8, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Live
• Label: Avant
• ASIN: B000006MBU
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,164 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Morning Harras - John Zorn

2. Noon Harras - John Zorn

3. Evening Harras - John Zorn

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Stuff, May 5, 2001

By 

Frank Dean Lehouillier "fdl1" (Buffalo, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harras (Audio CD)

I'm not really a fan of John Zorn. His hairpin mood shifts that characterize the Naked City stuff and the screeching torture music of Painkiller both put me off. On the other hand I adore Derek Bailey and William Parker is a spectacular bassist. You should here some of his work in the Die Like a Dog trio with Peter Brotzmann and Hamid Drake. Thus, I thought it was worth the risk of enduring Zorn's horn. I was pleasantly surprised to find that when stripped of his compositional interests in pain and cartoons Zorn is a very astute and lyrical improvisor. Don't make any mistake here. This is free improvization and hence bound to sound like noise to anyone not familiar with its conventions, but Zorn manages to sound not only palatable to me but pleasant and I intend to look into more of his albums to see if there is more work like this. Bailey's playing fits in between perfectly and this group works together. He does have a solo section at the end of the first track, which is the best part of the album. This is probably the best work of a group this size I have heard him in, much better than "Arcana: The Last Wave" for example, not to mention "Sign of 4". I heartily recommend this.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great session., December 1, 2005

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harras (Audio CD)

"Harras" is a collaborative effort between alto saxophonist John Zorn, guitarist Derek Bailey and bassist William Parker. The album consists of three tracks and a bonus piece appended to the end.

All three tracks follow roughly the same formula-- titled "Morning Harras", "Noon Harras", and "Evening Harras", all three start slowly, with long tones from the alto, delicate bass work (arco in the case of "Evening Harras", although Parker is pizzicato for most the record), and fractured, deliberate guitar lines. Eventually, Zorn picks up the pace and his playing becomes more frantic and inventive, Bailey responds to this by pushing the music further, and Parker becomes busier and more detailed, bridging the gap between the two. After a pause, there's a blast of solo guitar (evidentally this was Bailey's idea and is not a problem with your CD).

The performances are fairly engaging, exciting, and powerful. Unlike Zorn and Bailey's previous collaboration ("Yankees"), this one feels more natural, with all three musicians expressing their voices pretty much equally. The only complaint I have is that Parker is a bit too quiet, but really, it's a great listen. Recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Is There a 4 Minute Space Between Tune #3 and Solo, March 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Harras (Audio CD)

I like the straight on attack of the trio on Harras. Baliey is is fine form and not repetitive. Parker and Zorn fill in the spaces but to me are under miked. On my copy tune #3 ends suddenly with a four minute gap before a Bailey solo comes in. Anyone out there know why this is? This is the Japanese import version. Nonetheless Parker and Zorn are spectacular on this free form recording and Bailey doesn't let down. All three numbers kick.