John Zorn's Flatlands

Ars Nova Workshop is thrilled to present Flatlands, the new power trio assembled by prolific experimentalist John Zorn, at Solar Myth on Saturday, September 5, 2026.

One of the most exalted names in modern experimental music across a spectrum of styles and genres, John Zorn is an avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist whose output extends to hundreds of albums. His work has touched on a wide range of musical genres, often within a single composition, but he is best-known for his avant-garde, jazz, improvised and contemporary classical music. Zorn has led the punk jazz band Naked City and the klezmer-influenced quartet Masada, and composed the associated 'Masada Songbooks', written concert music for classical ensembles, and produced music for film and documentary.

Zorn’s latest project, Flatlands, is an explosive power trio in the mold of his ferocious bands Simulacrum and Insurrection. The new supergroup brings together guitarist Matt Hollenberg, bassist Simon Hanes, and drummer Ches Smith. Zorn’s music for the band is intense, quirky, and wildly ecstatic — kaleidoscopic compositions filled with virtuosic solos, infectious riffs, atonal melodies, advanced harmonies, complex rhythms, and plenty of the ever surprising structural innovations that have made him one of the most continually fascinating composers of the past fifty years.