Hallelujah, Anyway (Tom Cora)

"Hallelujah, Anyway - Remembering Tom Cora" is an important retrospective of underrecognized and versatile cellist Tom Cora. A worthy eulogy, released one year after his death, this double-disc set includes songs written in his memory, songs that he composed for others, and a great cross-section of the myriad projects and musical contexts that Cora embraced. And that means a cross-section of all the creative experimenters and improvisers in avant garde rock, jazz, etc. spanning the late '70s through the late '90s. This collection includes some of Cora's solo recordings, as well as projects with John Zorn, Carlos Zingaro, Richard Teitelbaum, the Ex, Barre Philips, and the bands Curlew, Roof, Third Person (with Samm Bennett), the Chadbournes and Skeleton Crew (with Fred Frith). Upbeat, eclectic, eccentric, beautiful - it's all here. This release is not only emotional, for the intense, loving commitment it shows to Cora's music, but also important, in that it illuminates the undervalued brilliance of a significant improviser and extraordinary cellist. Highly recommended for all with open ears.
Joslyn Layne

CD1:
01. Cuimhnean Phíobair - Lesli Dalaba
02. The Gospel of Gone - Umezu Kazutoki & Band
03. Halts - Roof
04. Talking to the Tree - Fred Frith / Catherine Jauniaux
05. Saint Dog - Curlew
06. Seafaring - Jeroen Visser / Amy Denio
07. Two-Day 'Til Tomorrow - Tom Cora
08. In Memory Of - Gonogonogo
09. Jim - Ululating Mummies
10. Just a Dream - Shock Exchange
11. Today - Chris Cochrane
12. Marseille Shout - Oriental Fusion *
13. Love, Love, Love - Wayne Horvitz
14. Casey R. - John Zorn / Tom Cora / Fred Frith
15. Weaklings - Marc Ribot / Third Person (live)
16. Der Glater Bulgar - A Musik
17. The President of the United States - T. Cora / L. Smith / R. Teitelbaum / C. Zingaro
18. Light Sentence - Curlew
19. The Week Tom Died - Thierry Azam
20. There Will Be a Happy Meeting - Tom Cora

CD 2:
01. The Flute's Tale - The Ex
02. Burning Hoop - Tom Cora
03. Pitter Panther Patter - The Chadbournes
04. Tomcat - Miya Masaoka / Larry Ochs / Bob Ostertag / Ochs Ostertag
05. Tom Wood - Gerry Hemingway
06. Mr. T.C. - Elliott Sharp / Frances-Marie Uitti
07. Jelly Roll Stomp - Skeleton Crew
08. Fence - Zeena Parkins
09. Vepiranka - Iva Bittová / Tom Cora
10. Intenda - Nimal
11. Tromba Marina a Cora - Nicolas Collins
12. Hoppas Att Det Går / Total Preparation - Lars Hollmer / Tom Cora / Combo
13. Yellow Smile - Hahn Rowe
14. Two Days 'Til Tomorrow - Wolfgang Mitterer / Tom Cora
15. Jesus Speak to Me - Tyson Rogers
16. Radiotraces - Thomas Dimuzio
17. One More Time - Chris Cutler / Tom Cora / Fred Frith (live)
18. Tom's Lament - Kramer & Tess
19. Zach's Flag - Skeleton Crew

Musicians:
Fred Frith, John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Kazutoki Umezu, Samm Bennett, Haruna Ito, Chris Cochrane, Zeena Parkins, Leo Smith, Eugene Chadbourne, Masaoka Miya, Bob Ostertag, Chris Cutler, Richard Teitelbaum, Nakao Kanji, Amy Denio, Phil Minton, Catherine Jauniaux, Barre Phillips, Larry Ochs, Carlos Zingaro, Elliott Sharp, Ahmad Compaoré *, Hakim Hamadouche, Edmond Hosdikian, Thierry Azam...

Double CD, compilation / TZ 7602
© 1999 - Tzadik Records (US)