New Masada Quartet

Album Notes & Community Reviews

This debut recording from John Zorn's quartet featuring guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Jorge Roeder, and drummer Kenny Wollesen reimagines classic compositions from the Masada songbooks. The album's sound is defined by the substitution of the original quartet's trumpet with Lage's electric guitar, introducing a fresh tonal dimension to Zorn's established blend of klezmer melodies and free-jazz improvisation. The ensemble demonstrates tight, telepathic interplay, with Zorn's alto saxophone and stop-and-start conducting guiding the group through burning solos, heartfelt lyricism, and hypnotic grooves, all captured with a crackling, live-in-studio energy.