Locus Solus is a 1983 album by American avant-garde musician and composer John Zorn. It is considered one of his early "game pieces" or "file card pieces," a compositional approach where Zorn devises systems, rules, or prompts for musicians to improvise within. The album's title is derived from the 1914 novel Locus Solus by Raymond Roussel, an author known for his highly idiosyncratic and rule-based writing.
The album features a diverse array of musicians performing in various improvisational settings guided by Zorn's conceptual framework. It showcases Zorn's early exploration of structured improvisation, often characterized by sudden shifts in texture, dynamics, and musical direction. The instrumentation varies across tracks, featuring elements of jazz, classical, and experimental music, with a strong emphasis on improvisation and interaction.
Locus Solus is significant in Zorn's discography as an early example of his innovative compositional methods, which would later evolve into more complex and diverse projects. It represents a foundational work in the downtown New York experimental music scene of the 1980s.