John Zorn's Cobra: Tokyo Operations '94 is a live performance of John Zorn's improvisational game piece, Cobra recorded in Tokyo in 1994 featuring Japanese musicians and instruments. The piece had been released in two previous versions on Hathut (Cobra (1985)) and the Knitting Factory (Live at the Knitting Factory (1992)) and was subsequently released on Zorn's own label Tzadik Records in 2002.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4 stars stating "it's the traditional Japanese instruments that make this a version of Cobra to remember."^[1]

Track listing

All compositions by John Zorn

1. "Sensyo" – 6:07
2. "Tomobiki" – 9:27
3. "Senbu" – 8:08
4. "Butsumetsu" – 8:54
5. "Taian" – 8:05
6. "Shakko" – 9:54
   • Recorded at Shibuya La Mama in Tokyo Japan on November 25, 1994

Personnel

• Isso Yukihiro – nokan, dengakubue
• Uemura Masahiro – percussion
• Uchihashi Kazuhisa – guitar
• Kinoshita Shinichi – shamisen
• Senba Kiyohiko – percussion
• Takei Makoto – shakuhachi
• Tanaka Yumiko – gidayu
• Nakamura Hitomi – hichiriki
• Maruta Miki – koto
• Mekken – bass
• Yamamoto Kyoko – vocal
• Ito Taeko – ortin doo
• Makigami Koichi – prompter

References