***1/2 John Zorn

THE CIRCLE MAKER

(Tzadik)

Composer John Zorn's investigations of Jewish spirituality have led to some of his most sober, powerful work, often with his "harmolodic klezmer" quartet Masada, who play Ornette Coleman-style improvisations on themes drawn from the minor-key modalities of traditional Jewish music. Last year's stunning Bar Kokhba had pieces from the Masada catalogue arranged more formally for small chamber groups -- strings, horns, keyboards; and the Masada String Trio of violinist Mark Feldman, cellist Erik Friedlander, and bassist Greg Cohen is now a going concern as well.

The Circle Maker is really two discs of chamber Masada pieces bound together: Issachar features the String Trio, and Zevulun augments that group with electric-guitarist Marc Ribot (playing with an elegant, understated tone that recalls Santo & Johnny) and percussionists Cyro Baptista and Joey Baron. Zorn's love for noise comes through in subdued, startling ways, like the hair-raising violin harmonics and cymbal swells of Zevulun's "Laylah"; occasionally, it's offset by his love of kitsch, including corny quotes from "Für Elise" and the James Bond theme. Mostly, though, Zorn's arrangements are tart, spare, and refreshing. His musicians are versatile, the supple strings temper the barbed oddity of some of the writing, and Zorn's short pieces for the String Trio, in particular, are among the most likable and controlled things he's done to date.

-- Douglas Wolk