The Cleansing (John Zorn and Bill Laswell album)

The Cleansing is a studio album by John Zorn and Bill Laswell. It is the first collaborative album by the duo and was recorded in shortly after the COVID-19 lockdowns ended in 2021 and released by Tzadik Records in January 2022.^[1] The album consists of improvised music by Zorn and Laswell that was recorded in the studio in real time with no edits or overdubs.^[2]

The Cleansing
Studio album by John Zorn and Bill Laswell
Released	January 21, 2022 (2022-01-21)
Recorded	April 9, 2021
Genre	Avant-garde, free improvisation
Length	46:39
Label	Tzadik
Producer	John Zorn
John Zorn chronology
John Zorn's Bagatelles (Vol. 5-8) (2021) The Cleansing (2022) Perchance to Dream (2022)
Bill Laswell chronology
Sacred Ceremonies (2021) The Cleansing (2022) Nammu (2022)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
All About Jazz	[3]

All About Jazz said:

The resulting music is raw, gestural. Despite the all improv setting, there is a sense of narrative and of forward motion. From the very start, it is evident that the duo has developed a deep musical understanding of each other. The way they interact indicates that they are listening to one another and responding.

— Georgievski, N.^[3]

Track listing

All pieces are real time improvisations

1. "Brion Gysin" – 10:04
2. "Aleister Crowley" – 6:52
3. "Austin Osman Spare" – 6:47
4. "William Burroughs" – 10:19
5. "Alejandro Jodorowsky" — 8:56
6. "The Cleansing" — 3:41

Personnel

• John Zorn – alto saxophone
• Bill Laswell – bass

Sound

• Scott Hull – mastering
• James Dellatacoma – recording and mix
• John Zorn and Kazunori Sugiyama – producers