The Art of Memory II
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Art of Memory II
| type = live
| artist = Fred Frith and John Zorn
| cover = Frith&Zorn AlbumCover ArtMemoryII.jpg
| released = {{Start date|2008|5}}
| recorded = January 1983 and July 1985
| venue = P.A.S.S. and Roulette, New York City
| genre = {{Flatlist|
}}
| length = {{Duration|m=57|s=11}}
| label = Fred FRA 06
| producer =
| prev_title = 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 5
| prev_year = 2004
| next_title = Late Works
| next_year = 2010
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Fred Frith
| type = live
| prev_title = Back to Life
| prev_year = 2008
| title = The Art of Memory II
| year = 2008
| next_title = To Sail, to Sail
| next_year = 2008
}}
{{Extra chronology
| artist = John Zorn
| type = live
| prev_title = Zaebos: Book of Angels Volume 11
| prev_year = 2007
| title = The Art of Memory II
| year = 2008
| next_title = Filmworks XX: Sholem Aleichem
| next_year = 2008
}}
}}
The Art of Memory II is a live album of improvised experimental rock music by Fred Frith and John Zorn. It was recorded in New York City in January 1983 and July 1985, and was released on Frith's Fred Records label in May 2008. It is the second in a series of two Art of Memory albums recorded by the duo, the first being The Art of Memory, recorded in New York City in late 1993, and released on Derek Bailey's Incus Records label in 1994.
The Art of Memory II, recorded before The Art of Memory and described by Frith as "early 80s weirdness with John Zorn" marked the beginning of a long and fruitful musical partnership between Frith and Zorn. The concerts, recorded using a cassette recorder, were "on the borderline between music and chaos" and featured Frith and Zorn playing a number of unconventional instruments.
Reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
}}
AllMusic said "Sometimes they seem to be responding to each other's ideas, other times they're engaged in parallel but unrelated play like two toddlers side by side in a sandbox. Amazingly, there's hardly an uninteresting sound anywhere on this album. Highly recommended to all skronk fans."
Track listing
All tracks by Fred Frith and John Zorn.
- "The Heaven" – 17:37
- "The Wood" – 4:43
- "The Standard" – 8:46
- "The Wheel" – 5:44
- "The Painter" – 20:21
Personnel
- Fred Frith – home-made instruments, voice, Casio monophonic keyboard
- John Zorn – alto saxophone, mouthpieces, duck-calls
Sound
- Tracks 1 and 5 were recorded live at P.A.S.S., New York City on 25 January 1983.
- Tracks 2, 3 and 4 were recorded live at Roulette, New York City on 27–28 July 1985.
- The album was assembled by Fred Frith and Bob Boster from the original cassette recordings at the Center for Contemporary Music, Mills College in April 1997.
References
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110715174638/http://www.rerusa.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=7583&Category_Code=FRITH The Art of Memory II]. RēR USA.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110613153128/http://www.squidco.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=S&Product_Code=9842 The Art of Memory II]. SquidCo.
{{Fred Frith}}
{{John Zorn}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Art of Memory II, The}}
Category:2008 collaborative albums
Category:Fred Frith live albums
Category:John Zorn live albums