JOHN ZORN – Naked Lunch (Sae Hashimoto, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith) | Live @ Walker Arts Center (9/9/23)

On September 9, 2023, the Walker Art Center presented an all-day festival with renowned, genre-defying composer and instrumentalist John Zorn. Titled Zorn @ 70, the festival celebrates the artist’s 70th birthday (Sept. 2) and his multi-decade relationship with the Walker through an array of musical events, performed by Zorn as well as an international cadre of more than 20 acclaimed musicians, including guitarists Bill Frisell and Julian Lage, the JACK Quartet, keyboardist John Medeski, and percussionist Sae Hashimoto.

The day features nine compositions carefully chosen by Zorn as reflections on works by visual artists in the Walker’s collection that he also hand-selected, including Bruce Conner, Helen Frankenthaler, Jasper Johns, Agnes Martin, Joan Mitchell, Georgia O’Keefe, Yoko Ono, Robert Rauschenberg, and James Turrell. The 30-minute compositions will be performed successively in the Walker’s galleries and Turrell Skyspace, creating a dynamic interplay between visual and aural experiences. These in-gallery concerts are offered to the public for free with general admission, bringing music and art lovers together for a series of one-of-a-kind moments across the Walker and highlighting the institution’s commitment to exploring interdisciplinary practice… [+]