| The Art of Memory II | |
| Type: | live |
| Artist: | Fred Frith and John Zorn |
| Cover: | Frith&Zorn AlbumCover ArtMemoryII.jpg |
| Recorded: | January 1983 and July 1985 |
| Venue: | P.A.S.S. and Roulette, New York City |
| Label: | Fred FRA 06 |
| Prev Title: | 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 5 |
| Prev Year: | 2004 |
| Next Title: | Late Works |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Misc: | |
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.
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."
All tracks by Fred Frith and John Zorn.