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{{Short description|American jazz group}}
{{About|US jazz group Masada|the Dutch Latin-rock group Massada|Massada (band)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Masada
|image = [[File:John zorn masada.jpg|260px]]
|caption = Masada performing, c2005; L.-R. Joey Baron (dr), Greg Cohen (b), Dave Douglas (tr), John Zorn (sax)
|background = group_or_band
|genre = [[Klezmer]]<br>[[Experimental music|experimental]]<br>[[jazz]]  
|label = [[Tzadik Records]]
|associated_acts = [[John Zorn]]<br/>[[Electric Masada]]<br />[[Naked City (band)|Naked City]]
|website = 
|current_members = 
|past_members = [[John Zorn]]<br />[[Joey Baron]]<br />[[Greg Cohen]]<br />[[Dave Douglas (trumpeter)|Dave Douglas]]
}}

'''Masada''' is a musical group with rotating personnel led by American saxophonist and composer [[John Zorn]] since the early 1990s.

Masada was the first ensemble to perform Zorn's compositions inspired by Radical Jewish Culture and written to be performed by small groups of musicians.<ref>[https://pitchfork.com/features/article/6276-john-zorn-masada/ Pitchfork ''John Zorn / Masada'']</ref> Initially envisioned as a set of 100 "songs" notated within a limited number of [[musical staff|staves]] and confined to specific [[musical mode|modes]] or [[musical scale|scales]], Zorn's Masada project would eventually total 613 compositions divided into three specific "books".<ref name="JT">[http://jazztimes.com/articles/129323-john-zorn-introduces-his-third-book-of-masada-compositions Jazztimes.com, John Zorn Introduces His Third Book of Masada Compositions]</ref>

Zorn used [[Hebrew]] titles for these compositions along with melodic themes and musical structures reminiscent of [[klezmer]] music, and [[Jewish]] imagery on album covers to explore Jewish identity within the Masada songbook and groups. He stated: "The idea with Masada is to produce a sort of radical Jewish music, a new Jewish music which is not the traditional one in a different [[orchestration|arrangement]], but music for the Jews of today. The idea is to put [[Ornette Coleman]] and the Jewish scales together."<ref>[http://www.omnology.com/zorn02.html] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041209221012/http://www.omnology.com/zorn02.html |date=December 9, 2004 }}</ref>

== History ==
In 1993 Zorn first worked with [[Dave Douglas (trumpeter)|Dave Douglas]] (trumpet), [[Greg Cohen]] (double bass), and [[Joey Baron]] (drums) to provide musical cues for [[Joe Chappelle]]'s first film ''[[Thieves Quartet]]'' (later collected on ''[[Filmworks III: 1990–1995]]'') and established them as Masada to perform his recent compositions using the instrumental lineup and improvisational approach of [[Ornette Coleman]]'s pioneering free jazz quartet.<ref>Ratliff, B. [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E3DA1638F932A25755C0A96F958260 True to '60s Rhythms and Jewish Culture], ''NY Times'', June 11, 1999.</ref><ref>[https://www.cyclicdefrost.com/2014/03/greg-cohen-interview-by-bob-baker-fish/ Cyclic Defrost, ''Greg Cohen: “Telepathic transmissions, humour and joy.” Interview by Bob Baker Fish'']</ref>

From 1994 the group released ten studio albums on the Japanese DIW label, each titled after a letter of the [[Hebrew alphabet]].<ref name=MTVHive>Wolk, D. [http://www.mtvhive.com/2013/05/29/masada-metheny-zor "Pat Metheny Mingles in the Weird World of John Zorn"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913092457/http://www.mtvhive.com/2013/05/29/masada-metheny-zor/ |date=2015-09-13 }}, MTVHive.com, May 29, 2013.</ref>  Further releases by Masada on [[Tzadik (record label)|Tzadik]] highlighted live performances recorded in [[Live in Jerusalem 1994|Jerusalem (1994)]], [[Live in Taipei 1995|Taipei (1995)]], [[Live in Middelheim 1999|Middelheim (1999)]], [[Live in Sevilla 2000|Seville (2000)]] and in New York at the [[First Live 1993|Knitting Factory (1993)]] and at [[Live at Tonic 2001|Tonic (2001)]].<ref>Phares, H. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/masada-live-in-jerusalem-mw0000237680 Allmusic Review: "Masada: Live in Jerusalem"]; accessed November 6, 2013</ref><ref>Layne, J. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/masada-live-in-taipei-mw0000666745 Allmusic Review: Masada: Live in Taipai]; accessed November 6, 2013</ref><ref>Loewy, S. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/masada-live-in-middelheim-mw0000258646 Allmusic Review: Masada: Live in Middleheim]; accessed November 6, 2013</ref><ref>Westergaard, S. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/masada-live-in-sevilla-2000-mw0000067950 Allmusic Review: "Masada: Live in Sevilla"]; accessed November 6, 2013</ref><ref>Jurek, T. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/masada-live-at-tonic-2001-mw0000013546 Allmusic Review: Masada: Live at Tonic 2001]; accessed November 6, 2013.</ref><ref>Jurek, T. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/masada-first-live-1993-mw0000215952 Allmusic Review: Masada: First Live 1993]; accessed November 6, 2013.</ref> The quartet released a live DVD  in 1999, another recording from Zorn's 50th Birthday Celebration Series and a double CD of unreleased studio recordings, ''[[Sanhedrin 1994–1997]]''  in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/50th-birthday-celebration-vol-7-mw0000149292|title=50th Birthday Celebration, Vol. 7 – Masada &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref><ref>Westergaard, S. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/sanhedrin-1994-1997-unreleased-studio-recordings-mw0000260755 Allmusic Review: Masada: Sanhadrin 1994–1997]; accessed November 6, 2013</ref>

By the end of 2004, Zorn had composed over 300 new tunes for the "second" Masada songbook.  Some of the new tunes were debuted at [[Tonic (music venue)|Tonic]] in December 2004, as a mini festival.  Tzadik has released a series of CDs of these songs played by various ensembles, including the [[Masada String Trio]], [[Marc Ribot]], [[Koby Israelite]], [[Erik Friedlander]] and others as the "Masada Book 2: The Book of Angels" collection.

As of early 2007, according to the [[Tzadik (record label)|Tzadik]] website, "Together for close to fifteen years, John Zorn's Masada Quartet is officially breaking up and will be performing two of  their last live concerts ever at [[Lincoln Center]] March 9th and 10th on a double bill with [[Cecil Taylor]]'s New AHA 3." Nevertheless, they were scheduled to perform as the original quartet on a concert in [[Antwerp]] in Cultural Center Luchtbal on  June 22, 2008 - the bill later changed with the addition of pianist [[Uri Caine]], who performed with them the entire set, except for one song. Baron, Cohen and Douglas also joined the duo of Mike Patton and John Zorn the evening before, at the same venue, and the quartet also performed one song as an encore.

The quartet performed together at Yoshi's San Francisco jazz club on March 12, 2008.  The 8pm show featured music from the original Masada songbook and the 10pm performance featured songs from ''Masada Book 2: The Book of Angels''.

== Related projects ==
Since the mid-1990s a number of new projects have arisen under the Masada banner.

===Masada String Trio===
The Masada String Trio performs selections from the Masada songbook in a [[European classical music|classical]]-[[chamber jazz]] form. Personnel include [[Mark Feldman]] (violin), [[Erik Friedlander]] (cello), and Cohen (bass). With the addition of [[Marc Ribot]] (guitar), [[Cyro Baptista]] (percussion) and [[Joey Baron]] (drums), this same group has performed as the "Bar Kokhba Sextet".

The performing style of both groups is characterised by the use of improvisation (sometimes conducted by Zorn himself) and its use of the inflections of Jewish music that are part of the compositional language of Zorn's "Masada" themes.

===Bar Kokhba===

Two different projects in the Masada family share this name. Prior to the creation of the [[Bar Kokhba Sextet]], the ''[[Bar Kokhba (album)|Bar Kokhba]]'' album was released, featuring a cast of regular Zorn collaborators performing Masada material in a variety of different small ensemble configurations.

===Electric Masada===
One of Zorn's most active Masada projects of recent years is Electric Masada. Drawing on Zorn's wide-ranging stylistic influences, the band takes the Masada songbook into a whole new direction, reminiscent of [[jazz fusion]] and [[noise rock]]. The group, which includes Baron, Ribot, Wollesen, and Cyro Baptista, from previous Masada groups, as well as [[Trevor Dunn]] on bass, [[Jamie Saft]] on keyboards and [[Ikue Mori]] on laptop/electronics, continue to take the Masada themes and transform them into something entirely new.

Zorn uses hand signals to conduct the band, allowing for him to make up different arrangements on the spot.  During Zorn's 50th Birthday Celebration at [[Tonic (music venue)|Tonic]] in September 2003, Electric Masada was recorded live.  Released in May 2004, ''[[50th Birthday Celebration Volume 4]]'' became the group's first official recording. This was followed by ''[[Electric Masada: At the Mountains of Madness|At the Mountains of Madness]]''  recorded in 2004 in Moscow and [[Ljubljana]].

=== New Masada Quartet ===
In 2019, Zorn formed the New Masada Quartet with [[Julian Lage]] (guitar), [[Jorge Roeder]] (bass), and [[Kenny Wollesen]] (drums).<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Zorn (New Masada Quartet), Julian Lage, Jorge Roeder, Kenny Wollesen @ Village Vanguard in New York on 11/03/2019 |url=https://www.ohmyrockness.com/shows/356002-john-zorn-new-masada-quartet-julian-lage-jorge-roeder-kenny-wollesen-village-vanguard |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=Oh My Rockness |language=en}}</ref>

== 10th Anniversary ==
2003 saw the 10th Anniversary of Masada and Tzadik released five new CD sets in commemoration. The first release, ''[[Masada Guitars]]'', has three guitarists, [[Bill Frisell]], [[Marc Ribot]] and [[Tim Sparks]], playing the tunes, mainly acoustically. Volume 2, ''[[Voices in the Wilderness]]'', has a huge range of groups and individuals playing and Volume 3, ''[[The Unknown Masada]]'', has yet more new groups, together with some familiar faces playing Masada tunes never before performed in public. A fourth volume, ''[[Masada Recital]]'', performed by [[Sylvie Courvoisier]] on piano and [[Mark Feldman]] on violin, followed in 2004. The fifth and final volume ''[[Masada Rock]]'' features the band Rashanim and was released in August 2005.

== Masada Book 2: The Book of Angels ==
From 2003 Zorn has written a range of new Masada compositions which have been released on a series of albums under the banner of ''Masada Book 2: The Book of Angels''. Musicians contributing to the series include [[Jamie Saft]], Masada String Trio, [[Mark Feldman]] and [[Sylvie Courvoisier]], [[Koby Israelite]], [[The Cracow Klezmer Band]], [[Uri Caine]], [[Marc Ribot]], [[Erik Friedlander]], the [[Secret Chiefs 3]] the Bar Kokhba Sextet, [[Medeski Martin & Wood]], [[Pat Metheny]], 'The Spike Orchestra' (a big band) arranged by Sam Eastmond & Nikki Franklin, and most recently in 2016, Flaga (a piano trio)

== Masada Book 3: The Book Beriah ==
On March 19, 2014, the first 20 compositions of a third Masada book were performed live at ''[[The Town Hall (New York City)|The Town Hall]]'' in [[New York City|New York]]. The total number of compositions in the third book is 92, which brings the total number of Masada compositions at 613, the same as the number of [[mitsvah]] or commandments in the [[Torah]]. Musical group compositions range from loud avant-garde rock to string quartet.<ref name="JT" />

==Discography==
===Masada===
'''''Studio Recordings'''''
*''[[Masada: Alef]]'' (DIW, 1994)
*''[[Masada: Beit]]'' (DIW, 1994)
*''[[Masada: Gimel]]'' (DIW, 1994)
*''[[Masada: Dalet]]'' (DIW, 1994)
*''[[Masada: Hei]]'' (DIW, 1995)
*''[[Masada: Vav]]'' (DIW, 1995)
*''[[Masada: Zayin]]'' (DIW, 1996)
*''[[Masada: Het]]'' (DIW, 1996)
*''[[Masada: Tet]]'' (DIW, 1997)
*''[[Masada: Yod]]'' (DIW, 1997)
*''[[Sanhedrin 1994-1997]] (Unreleased Studio Recordings)'' (Tzadik, 2005)

'''''Live Recordings'''''
*''[[First Live 1993]]'' (Tzadik, 2002)
*''[[Live in Jerusalem 1994]]'' (Tzadik, 1997)
*''[[Live in Taipei 1995]]'' (Tzadik, 1997)
*''[[Live in Middelheim 1999]]'' (Tzadik, 1999)
*''[[Live in Sevilla 2000]]'' (Tzadik, 2000)
*''[[Live at Tonic 2001]]'' (Tzadik, 2001)
*''[[50th Birthday Celebration Volume 7]]'' (Tzadik, 2004)

===Masada String Trio===
* John Zorn, ''[[Bar Kokhba (album)|Bar Kokhba]]'' (Tzadik, 1996)
* John Zorn, ''[[The Circle Maker]]'' - Disc 1: "Issachar" (Tzadik, 1998)
* John Zorn, ''[[Filmworks XI: Secret Lives]]'' (Tzadik, 2002)
* Masada String Trio, ''[[50th Birthday Celebration Volume 1]]'' (Tzadik, 2004)
* Masada String Trio, ''[[Azazel: Book of Angels Volume 2]]'' (Tzadik, 2005)
* John Zorn, ''[[Filmworks XX: Sholem Aleichem]]'' - with Rob Burger and Carol Emmanuel (Tzadik, 2008)
* Masada String Trio, ''[[Haborym: Book of Angels Volume 16]]'' (Tzadik, 2010)

===Bar Kokbha===
* John Zorn, ''[[Bar Kokhba (album)|Bar Kokhba]]'' (Tzadik, 1996)
* John Zorn, ''[[The Circle Maker]]'' - Disc 2: "Zevulun" (Tzadik, 1998)
* Bar Kokhba Sextet, ''[[50th Birthday Celebration Volume 11]]: '' (Tzadik, 2005)
* Bar Kokhba Sextet, ''[[Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10]]'' (Tzadik, 2008)

===Electric Masada===
*''[[50th Birthday Celebration Volume 4]]'' (Tzadik, 2004)
*''[[Electric Masada: At the Mountains of Madness]]'' (Tzadik, 2005)

=== New Masada Quartet ===

* ''[[New Masada Quartet]]'' (Tzadik, 2021)

===Anniversary Series===
*''Masada Anniversary Edition Vol. 1: [[Masada Guitars]]'' (Tzadik, 2003)
*''Masada Anniversary Edition Vol. 2: [[Voices in the Wilderness]]'' (Tzadik, 2003)
*''Masada Anniversary Edition Vol. 3: [[The Unknown Masada]]'' (Tzadik, 2003)
*''Masada Anniversary Edition Vol. 4: [[Masada Recital]]'' (Tzadik, 2004)
*''Masada Anniversary Edition Vol. 5: [[Masada Rock]]'' (Tzadik, 2005)

===Book 2: The Book of Angels===
*''[[Astaroth: Book of Angels Volume 1]]'' by  The [[Jamie Saft]] Trio  (Tzadik, 2005)
*''[[Azazel: Book of Angels Volume 2]]'' by  Masada String Trio  (Tzadik, 2005)
*''[[Malphas: Book of Angels Volume 3]]'' by  [[Mark Feldman]] and [[Sylvie Courvoisier]]  (Tzadik, 2006)
*''[[Orobas: Book of Angels Volume 4]]'' by  [[Koby Israelite]]  (Tzadik, 2006)
*''[[Balan: Book of Angels Volume 5]]'' by  [[The Cracow Klezmer Band]]  (Tzadik, 2006)
*''[[Moloch: Book of Angels Volume 6]]'' by  [[Uri Caine]]  (Tzadik, 2006)
*''[[Asmodeus: Book of Angels Volume 7]]'' by  [[Marc Ribot]]  (Tzadik, 2007)
*''[[Volac: Book of Angels Volume 8]]'' by  [[Erik Friedlander]]  (Tzadik, 2007)
*''[[Xaphan: Book of Angels Volume 9]]'' by  [[Secret Chiefs 3]]  (Tzadik, 2008)
*''[[Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10]]'' by  [[Bar Kokhba Sextet|Bar Kokhba]]  (Tzadik, 2008)
*''[[Zaebos: Book of Angels Volume 11]]'' by  [[Medeski Martin & Wood]]  (Tzadik, 2008)
*''[[Stolas: Book of Angels Volume 12]]'' by  [[Masada Quintet|Masada Quintet featuring Joe Lovano]]  (Tzadik, 2009)
*''[[Mycale: Book of Angels Volume 13]]'' by  [[Mycale (vocal ensemble)|Mycale]]  (Tzadik, 2010)
*''[[Ipos: Book of Angels Volume 14]]'' by  [[The Dreamers (band)|The Dreamers]]  (Tzadik, 2010)
*''[[Baal: Book of Angels Volume 15]]'' by  The [[Ben Goldberg]] Quartet  (Tzadik, 2010)
*''[[Haborym: Book of Angels Volume 16]]'' by  Masada String Trio  (Tzadik, 2010)
*''[[Caym: Book of Angels Volume 17]]'' by  [[Cyro Baptista|Banquet of the Spirits]]  (Tzadik, 2011)
*''[[Pruflas: Book of Angels Volume 18]]'' by  [[David Krakauer (musician)|David Krakauer]]  (Tzadik, 2011)
*''[[Abraxas: Book of Angels Volume 19]]'' by  [[Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz]]  (Tzadik, 2012)
*''[[Tap: Book of Angels Volume 20]]'' by  [[Pat Metheny]]  (Tzadik/Nonesuch, 2013)
*''[[Alastor: Book of Angels Volume 21]]'' by  [[Eyvind Kang]]  (Tzadik, 2014)
*''[[Adramelech: Book of Angels Volume 22]]'' by  Zion80  (Tzadik, 2014)
*''[[Aguares: Book Of Angels Volume 23]]'' by  Roberto Rodriguez  (Tzadik, 2014)
*''[[Amon: Book Of Angels Volume 24]]'' by  [[Klezmerson]]  (Tzadik, 2015)
*''[[Gomory: Book Of Angels Volume 25]]'' by  [[Mycale (vocal ensemble)|Mycale]]  (Tzadik, 2015)
*''[[Cerberus: Book of Angels Volume 26]]'' by [[The Spike Orchestra]]  (Tzadik, 2015)
*''[[Flaga: Book of Angels Volume 27]]'' by Flaga (Tzadik, 2016)
*''[[Andras: Book of Angels Volume 28]]'' by Nova Express Quintet (Tzadik, 2016)
*''[[Flauros: Book of Angels Volume 29]]'' by [[AutorYno]] (Tzadik, 2016)
*''[[Leonard: Book of Angels Volume 30]]'' by [[Garth Knox]] & the Saltarello Trio (Tzadik, 2016)
*''[[Buer: Book of Angels Volume 31]]'' by [[Brian Marsella]] Trio (Tzadik, 2017)
*''[[Paimon: Book of Angels Volume 32]]'' by [[Mary Halvorson]]  (Tzadik, 2017)

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Masada (band)}}
*[http://masada.world Masada World],  a guide to John Zorn's Masada project

{{Masada}}
{{John Zorn}}
{{Joey Baron}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masada}}
[[Category:American jazz ensembles]]
[[Category:Jewish musical groups]]
[[Category:Chamber jazz ensembles]]
[[Category:Klezmer groups]]
[[Category:John Zorn]]
[[Category:Jewish jazz musicians]]