Live in Sevilla 2000
From the beginning, John Zorn made no secret about his intention to have Masada be very well-documented, indeed. After all, the quartet is something of a supergroup: trumpet starDave Douglasand--star himself--Zorn are on the frontline;Joey Baronon drums andGreg Cohenon bass are vaunted rhythmists themselves. Who knew, however, that a few years into their existence, Masada would have a studio album for every letter in the Hebrew alphabet and live albums from four countries? Among the live albums,Live in Sevillacatches Masada at their most recent, and the quartet is on fire. Zorn plays with even more hunger for swerving, squalling segues between klezmer,Ornette Coleman, and sheer-energy-school, free-jazz extremities--this while Baron and Cohen firmly stitch things together in even, if quick, time signatures rather than free-time meanderings. Douglas sounds, well, as he often does, less likely to careen off into chaos and smitten as always with the solo logic ofBooker Littleand tone colors that recallLester Bowie. Is this necessary listening for the average Joe? Likely not, but it catches one of jazz's most prolific bands in stunning form.--Andrew Bartlett