2000 : 29 "Beeroth" by Masada

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Masada turned me on to jazz. This was the first time I realized "Hey, it's not all 'Kinda Blue' and 'My Funny Valentine' — jazz can be aggressive and unpredictable!" And Masada is definitely further in that direction than most bands around. The group plays a warped klezmer free jazz, songs ranging from 2 to 15 minutes, each song sounding markedly different. Some are introspective and dead serious while others are blasts of playful, unbridled energy. The heads are memorable, the energy is high and the playing is phenomenal. Years later I would end up flying to New York on New Year's Eve just to catch a show of Electric Masada (an expanded group playing the same songs) and it was the best show I have ever seen in my life. This song is a drum feature as I ended up copping as much of his style as possible. Joey Baron is a delight to watch and truly one of the most musical drummers around. —Chris Pollina Listen: Masada >> "Beeroth"