John Zorn, the great reference of avant-garde jazz, is a prolific and multifaceted artist: composer, arranger, producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. His name appears as a performer, composer or producer on hundreds of albums. He has worked in numerous genres: jazz, rock, hardcore punk, classical music, klezmer, improvised music, soundtracks…

In addition to all of the above, Zorn is the catalyst of an avant-garde scene, mainly in New York, which includes hundreds of musicians of enormous value and impact. Jazz in New York is inconceivable without the involvement of some of the musicians who move in Zorn’s orbit.

John Zorn’s successful performances at the Jazzaldia have left a deep mark: in 2013 with his Masada Marathon, in 2015 with the Bladerunner Trio and in 2019, the year in which he received the Donostiako Jazzaldia Award, with Bagatelles Marathon. In this 59th edition of the Jazzaldia, the music of the great American master will be present with 6 different groups that will perform on three consecutive days, on 26 and 27 July at the Kursaal Auditorium and on 28 July at the Plaza de la Trinidad.

Ten musicians participating in the six projects: Julian Lage, Gyan Riley, Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith, John Medeski, Matt Hollenberg, Kenny Grohowski, John Zorn and Kenny Wollesen.

INCERTO
Julian Lage (guitar), Brian Marsella (piano), Jorge Roeder (bass), Ches Smith (drums)

Incerto is the birth of an exciting new modern jazz ensemble featuring four of the most outstanding musicians of the new generation of the vibrant New York scene: Julian Lage, Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder and Ches Smith. A quartet capable of anything, perfect for interpreting Zorn’s extravagant compositional twists and turns.

Wildly varied, maddeningly complex, tangled and strangely structured, powerfully motivating and heartbreakingly beautiful music in which we will hear complicated time signatures, atonal melodies and unusual harmonies.

Modern jazz at its best!

SIMULACRUM
John Medeski (organ), Matt Hollenberg (guitar),Kenny Grohowski (drums)

Simulacrum is arguably the most extreme organ-led trio of all time, a new direction into the wild from New York alchemist John Zorn, who, at almost 70, continues to explore new worlds.

Compositions that unfold with a cinematic logic, music that defies classification, a mix of metal, jazz, minimalism, atonality, noise… Performed with passion by an all-star trio of John Medeski, Matt Hollenberg and Kenny Grohowski.