Wayne Horvitz & Zony Mash

Wayne Horvitz & Zony Mash - Cold Spell - 1997 - Knitting Factory Works

"...There have been a bunch of organ discs released over the last couple years, but COLD SPELL is one of the most unique. Horvitz's B-3 musings bypass some of the genre's stylistic stereotypes, offering an anxious funk rather than torrid swing..." - Down Beat (5/97, p. 61) - 3. 5 Stars (out of 5)

"...Combine more or less traditional jazz instrumentation, a decidedly funky rock vibe, a healthy portion of musically unorthodox twists and turns, and you have what Horvitz's Zony Mash (named after a Meters tune) is all about..." - JazzTimes (6/97, p. 120)

Cold Spell was released in 1997 as the debut of composer/keyboardist Wayne Horvitz's newly-formed instrumental band Zony Mash. This solid record set the tone for future releases with it's remarkable Hammond B3 organ work, controlled jams, sneaky muted guitar riffs, and jazz-funk beats. The album demonstrated the group's abilities with improvisation and technique, as well as their knack for keeping themes concise and accessible. Numerous musical ingredients can be found throughout this work. Timothy Young (guitar) who generally keeps things light, at times lets loose with a blues-rock outburst, as on "Let's Get Mashed." And Andy Roth (drums) delivers jazz, straight-up funk beats, and odd time signatures. The song "Withdrawal Symptoms" could be the background music for a 100 mph car chase scene, while "Cold Spell" soothes the listener with it's relaxed pace. Horvitz's B3 touches on jazzy, funky, and psychedelic. The recording has a mellow quality, perhaps even slightly muted, but overall it works by giving the album a smooth tonality. With remarkable musicianship and themes you just can't forget, this debut album established Zony Mash as a modern jazz force to be reckoned with. © Solar Marquardt © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/cold-spell-mw0000019855 Listen to Zony Mash's "Brand Spankin' New" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 104 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 With The Space On Top - Wayne Horvitz 2:53
2 Happens Like That - Wayne Horvitz 5:19
3 Sex Fiend - John Zorn 3:38
4 Prudence RSVP - Wayne Horvitz 7:07
5 Cold Spell - Wayne Horvitz 4:37
6 Mel - Fred Chalenor 3:12
7 Let's Get Mashed - Wayne Horvitz 4:06
8 Smiles - Wayne Horvitz 5:06
9 The Gift - Wayne Horvitz 3:14
10 Withdrawal Symptoms - Timothy Young 2:33
11 Daylight - Wayne Horvitz 3:18

MUSICIANS

Timothy Young - Electric Guitar
Fred Chalenor - Bass
Wayne Horvitz - Hammond B-3 Organ
Andy Roth - Drums

BIO

With their precisely executed, angular, twisting keyboard/guitar riffs and their locked-up groove-oriented bass/drums beats, the instrumental quartet that is Zony Mash has created a signature sound which is both technical and fun. Established in 1997 by veteran composer, pianist, and keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, their debut album, Cold Spell, put this Seattle-based group on the map alongside other jazz-funk groups such as Medeski, Martin & Wood. Horvitz, a man who had worked with the likes of John Zorn, would now focus his energies on a more accessible sound. Guitarist Timothy Young would bring a bluesy/rock tone to the band, while Fred Chalenor (bass) and Andy Roth (drums) would anchor the rhythm section. In 1998, the group released their sophomore album, Brand Spankin' New, which featured even tighter performances, as well as a slicker production by their longtime engineer Tucker Martine. In 2000, the group put out two very different full-length albums. Upper Egypt consisted of the traditional Zony Mash sound with Keith Lowe replacing Fred Chalenor on bass guitar, while American Bandstand featured a stripped-down acoustic version of Zony Mash drawing attention to Horvitz's unique compositions. © Solar Marquardt © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/zony-mash-mn0000854611

ABOUT WAYNE HORVITZ (WIKI)

Horvitz, a "defiant cross-breeder of genres", has led the groups The President, Pigpen, Zony Mash, and the Four Plus One Ensemble. He has recorded or performed with John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Elliott Sharp, Danny Barnes, Tucker Martine, Butch Morris, Fred Frith, Julian Priester, Philip Wilson, Michael Shrieve, Carla Bley, Timothy Young, Bobby Previte, Skerik, Douglas September and others. He is perhaps most famous for being the keyboardist of the band Naked City. He has produced records for the World Saxophone Quartet, Human Feel, Marty Ehrlich, Fontella Bass, The Living Daylights, Bill Frisell or Eddie Palmieri. As a composer, Horvitz has been commissioned by The Kitchen, The Kronos Quartet, Brooklyn Academy of Music, New World Records, The Seattle Chamber Players and Earshot Jazz. He has received commissioning grants from Meet the Composer, The National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Arts Council, The Mary Flagler Carey Trust, The Seattle Arts Commission, The Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund and The Fund for U.S. Artists. In 2002 he was awarded a Rockefeller MAP grant for the creation of a new piece, Joe Hill, for chamber orchestra and voice, which premiered in October 2004 in Seattle. His 2003 composition, Whispers, Hymns and a Murmur for String Quartet and soloist, funded in part by a Seattle City Artist grant, premiered in March 2004. This composition and his earlier string quartet, Mountain Language are released on the Tzadik label. His newest string quartet composition, These Hills of Glory, was commissioned with support from 4Culture and the Mayors Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs. His recent collaboration with Tucker Martine, Mylab, was on the top 10 CD list for 2004 in jazz in both the New Yorker and Amazon.com. In February 2005 he received the Golden Ear award from Earshot Jazz for "Concert of the Year." Works for theater and dance include music for the 1998 production of Death of a Salesman for Seattle's ACT theater (directed by Gordon Edelstein); productions of Ezra Pound's Elektra and the American premiere of Harold Pinter's Mountain Language, both directed by Carey Perloff. In 1992 choreographer Paul Taylor created a new work, OZ, to eleven compositions by Wayne Horvitz in collaboration with the White Oak Dance Company. Other theater and dance works include music for Bill Irwin's Broadway show, Strictly NY, and productions by the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Ammi Legendre, Nikki Apino and House of Dames and the Crispin Spaeth Dance Company. Horvitz has also composed and produced music for a variety of video, film, television and other multimedia projects, including two projects with director Gus Van Sant, a full length score for PBS's Chihuly Over Venice, and two films about the creation of Seattle’s EMP museum. His 85-minute score to Charlie Chaplin's film The Circus, for two pianos, two clarinets, and violin premiered in January 2000 in Oporto, Portugal. As of April 2007 Horvitz performs with Gravitas Quartet, Sweeter Than The Day and Varmint. Horvitz was born in New York City and currently lives in Seattle with his wife, composer Robin Holcomb, and their two children.