Acrpost: A Project of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres

Event Description

COBRA: VANCOUVER OPERATIONS Zula Productions presents New York composer John Zorn's work, performed by 16 of Vancouver's top musicians. Oct. 2, 8 pm, Richard's on Richards (1036 Richards). Tix $22 (plus service charges) at Black Swan, Highlife, Scratch, and Zulu Records, info www.vtix.com/.

John Zorn's infamous game piece prompted by Dylan van der Schyff & performed by:

Masa Anzai – alto sax, electric bass
Skye Brooks - drums
J.P. Carter - trumpet
Coat Cooke - saxes, flute
Sal Ferreras – percussion
Wayne Horvitz – keys
Viviane Houle – voice
Giorgio Magnanensi – electronics
Massimo Mariani – guitar, laptop
Torsten Müller – bass
Paul Plimley – keys, guitar, vibes
Ron Samworth –guitar
Stefan Smulovitz – viola, laptop
Tony Wilson - guitar
Jesse Zubot - violin

“But above all, COBRA is a musical experience. Words cannot convey…blah, blah, blah. Listen, just listen, and you’re liable to find yourself lost in the magic of the game, and the music”

Art Lange from Cobra album liner notes

Cobra, John Zorn's best known game piece, exemplifies the perfect vehicle for allowing a composer / prompter / arranger to organize a group of players utilizing just about every aspect of free improvisation, dabbling in just about every genre of music. Through a complex set of rules detailed and ordered by the use of cue cards, headbands and hats, hand signals, and other indicators, the prompter acts as a conduit creating situations for players to interact ingeniously. The intensity and level of fun increases depending on the musicians’ ability, enthusiasm, understanding of the rules and sense of adventure.

It’s like watching tennis between 12-16 people with nets of varying heights between players …actually more like racquetball in an octagonal room, where one can (and actually feels one must) follow the ball! It’s a trapeze act of massively courageous proportions, where instant composers build masterpieces of great beauty and grace together!

We must not take the amazing talent in our backyard for granted. Vancouver is world-renowned for having one of the healthiest improvised music scenes in the world. The list of performers scheduled to take part in this version of Cobra ‘Vancouver Operations’ are the cream of the cream of Vancouver’s creative music community.

Support creative music in your community! Music this fresh has to be served and experienced live!