Where to start with John Zorn

Zorn has several hats: the Naked City stuff turns on a sixpence and is loud and fun; the eponymous first one is great stuff.

Masada is an incredibly tight quartet, based on a songbook of a hundred-odd tunes based on Jewish scales: try one of the (rare) studio albums or the Electric Masada iteration, with some laptops and noise, or the String Trio, which is chamber music versions of the heat. Live, they're superb: if you can get the DVD where they play together, do. Otherwise, a great entry point is the 50th Anniversary collection. Over the course of a month or so, twelve different versions of Zorn played live and were recorded. Start with the Masada live, then Electric Masada, then spend some money on the three-disc Bar Kohkba ensemble (acoustic, but with a larger number of participants).

If you get further in, the Hemophiliac disc of the 50th celebration is epic, with Mike Patton and Eye going crazy along with the man. Not for everyone, though.

If you like Masada but also crave a bit of noise, that's where At The Mountains of Madness and the Live In... series of Masada albums come in. Live in Middlhelm and Seville are moderate compared to Live in Jerusalem and Tonic, which go a bit mental. It's all expertly played, but can get a bit skronky (not necessarily a bad thing).

If you prefer the mellower stuff, then go for the Bar Kohkba double. It's a little rarer (I think) but is adorable and sweet. It's nice sometimes to play one of the Masada songs by three of the collectives: try the Masada Guitars album for Marc Ribot's interpretation of something Zorn and his mates have annihilated on an Electric Masada live disc.

Much more tuneful is the soundtrack stuff--Zorn's take on Morricone is lovely, or his Ornette Coleman tribute, if you like something a little wilder. But if there's a lullaby required, look no further than The Gift. It's a safe but pretty collection. Same goes for Taboo and Exile. Finally on this, Alhambra Love Songs is pretty fine stuff.

Not for the newbie: Anything named after a sport--the so-called Game pieces--are difficult conceptual pieces, and Cobra and Locus Solus are rather indulgent. There are a couple of discs modelled on opera, beginning with Moonchild, which I found difficult, and Painkiller can get too hectic for the music to peep through (IMHO).

So the first ten:

Masada: Masada Guitars

Masada: Live in Middlehelm

Masada: 50th Birthday vol 7.

Electric Masada: 50th Birthday vol. 4

Electric Masada: In the Mountains of Madness

Naked City: s/t

Zorn: The Gift

Zorn: Bar Kohkba/Masada String Ensembles (double)

Hemophiliac (if you can get it; if not get the Birthday vol. 6.)

Something by Painkiller (be careful).

Don't fear apparent repitition of titles, as Zorn brings something new to the fire every time. It's hugely rewarding stuff.