Circle Maker

Influenced by both Ornette Coleman's classic quartet and klezmer, John Zorn has produced some of his best (and most consistent) work with his project Masada (Dave Douglas, Joey Baron, Greg Cohen). The compositions--all 10 CDs worth--have all been lush, gorgeous, and swinging. On The Circle Maker, Zorn successfully puts these tunes in the hand of chamber music ensembles over the course of two CDs (he did the same thing with 1996's Bar Kokbha, but that set never strayed far from the jazz idiom). Circle Maker's first disc, Issachar, features the solid trio of Mark Feldman (violin), Erik Friedlander (cello), and Greg Cohen (bass). But the real gem is the second CD, Zevulum, where those three are joined by Marc Ribot (guitar), Cyro Baptista (percussion), and Joey Baron (drums). It's an intense, moody, magic carpet ride that flies above and beyond the boundaries of world, classical, and jazz. --Jason Verlinde