By Don Phipps

Composed by, organized by, and produced by John Zorn, the music on Nothing
Is As Actual As Nothing continues Zorn’s exploration of music for guitar.
Zorn brings collectively three guitarists, Invoice Frisell, Gyan Riley, and Julian
Lage, all excellent musicians on their very own proper, to carry out compositions
that mix their contributions collectively in light undulating traces – traces
that convey to thoughts sea journeys and distant shorelines.

However that isn’t all. There’s the summary “Eleuthéria” and it’s phrases
that wind like a street alongside some rocky shoreline. And “The Dream Paradox,”
which via its abstractions and contemplative dissonance, gives a
Penrose triangle of notes, a musical illustration of M.C. Escher’s
lithograph print “Relativity.” In climbing the thematic stairs instructed by
the music, one by no means reaches the following stage. Is that this the paradox?

In “The Unameable,” Zorn gives music that caresses and mildly rocks –
giving the impression of sea spray and the nice odor of salt air.
“Endgame,” the ultimate piece, has a relaxed nature, a purple crimson sundown, that
abruptly modifications right into a brisk stroll and a shock.

Via their simpatico efforts, the Frisell, Riley and Lage convey the
music to life. Their pizzicato fingerings pluck every notice with care and
their rhythmic tempo flows with uniform grace and a spotlight.

One can nonetheless ask if nothing is as actual as nothing. However on this album, the
nothing is gorgeous.