Photo: digboston / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
John Zorn fascinates me because he treats genre as something to be smashed rather than served. Jazz, hardcore, classical, surf, metal, Jewish music, he fuses them all and insists on unrepeatable results from ever-changing lineups. His 2006 MacArthur Fellowship felt overdue recognition for someone who simply refuses to repeat himself. His music is rarely comfortable, but that uncompromising restlessness is exactly what I respect. Through his Tzadik label he built a whole community of fellow travelers, which to me is as impressive as the compositions. He is the real avant-garde, not a pose.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- John Zorn
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョン・ゾーン
- Reading
- じょん・ぞーん
- Born
- September 2, 1953 (age 72)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Snake
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / jazz clarinetist / jazz saxophonist / jazz pianist / record producer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Webster University
Awards & achievements
- 2006 MacArthur Fellows Program
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.tzadik.com
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%82%BE%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3
Frequently asked questions
When was John Zorn born?
Born September 2, 1953 (age 72).
Where is John Zorn from?
John Zorn is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does John Zorn do?
John Zorn works as composer, jazz clarinetist, jazz saxophonist, jazz pianist, record producer.
Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.