The Circle Maker Explained

The Circle Maker: Issachar
Type:	Album
Artist:	John Zorn
Cover:	The Circle Maker - Issachar.jpg
Released:	1998
Recorded:	1997
Genre:	Avant-garde jazz Downtown music Chamber music
Length:	122:13
Label:	Tzadik TZ 7122
Producer:	John Zorn
Prev Title:	Weird Little Boy
Prev Year:	1998
Next Title:	Downtown Lullaby
Next Year:	1998

The Circle Maker is a double album by John Zorn featuring Zorn's Masada compositions performed by the Masada String Trio (on Disc One: Issachar) and the Bar Kokhba Sextet (on Disc Two: Zevulun) which was released in 1998 on the Tzadik label.^[1]

Reception

The Allmusic review by Joslyn Layne awarded the album 5 stars stating "Zorn skeptics will find the superb and elegant music on The Circle Maker surprisingly stable and accessible... All of these musicians are accomplished in jazz and improvised music, and have performed extensively in world and/or classical settings as well. The Circle Maker is a very necessary recording for all appreciators of chamber jazz, new Jewish music, or any of these stellar musicians."^[2]

Track listing

All compositions by John Zorn

• Disc One: Issachar

1. "Tahah" – 2:30
2. "Sippur" – 3:21
3. "Karet" – 1:21
4. "Hadasha" – 5:36
5. "Taharah" – 3:51
6. "Mispar" – 2:47
7. "Ratzah" – 4:36
8. "Zebdi" – 1:51
9. "Yatzar" – 8:14 - misspelled as "Yatzah" on album sleeve ^[3]
10. "Malkhut" – 1:57
11. "Hodaah" – 3:49
12. "Elilah" – 3:21
13. "Meholalot" – 4:54
14. "Kochot" – 4:58
15. "Lachish" – 1:30
16. "Shidim" – 4:32
17. "Aravot" – 2:58
18. "Moshav" – 5:06

• Disc Two: Zevulun

1. "Lilin" – 6:58
2. "Hazor" – 4:45
3. "Kisofim" – 7:23
4. "Khebar" – 4:54
5. "Laylah" – 2:57
6. "Teli" – 4:14
7. "Tevel" – 4:27
8. "Eitan" – 2:02
9. "Ner Tamid" – 2:38
10. "Idalah-Abal" – 7:41
11. "Gevurah" – 6:51

• Disc One: Issachar – Recorded December 6, 1997, at Avatar Studio, New York City
• Disc Two: Zevulun – Recorded December 7, 1997, at Avatar Studio, New York City

Personnel

• Disc One: Issachar – All tracks performed by the Masada String Trio
• Mark Feldman – violin
• Erik Friedlander – cello
• Greg Cohen – bass
• Disc Two: Zevulun – All tracks performed by the Bar Kokhba Sextet
• Marc Ribot – guitar
• Cyro Baptista – percussion
• Joey Baron – drums
• Mark Feldman – violin
• Erik Friedlander – cello
• Greg Cohen – bass

Production

• Produced by John Zorn
• Kazunori Sugiyama: Associate Producer
• Jim Anderson: Sound Engineer

Notes and References

1. http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7122-2 Tzadik catalogue
2. Layne, J. Allmusic Review accessed November 7, 2013
3. https://masada.world/book-one/bar-kokhba/issachar Masada World: Issachar