Zorn sounds off; Damon shares a hairy publicity tale

CHORD AND DISCORD It's likely the last time so many four-letter words were uttered in the hushed Tapestry Room at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was when the Vermeer was pilfered. On Saturday night, it was irascible composer John Zorn talking a blue streak during a lively preconcert chat with George Steel, whose popular Composer Portraits series is on loan here from New York's Miller Theatre. If the Gardner was hoping to attract a different crowd, it did, with a roomful of folks young and shaggy, none more so than Zorn, who was dressed in burgundy and gray camouflage pants, a leather jacket, and fringes from what appeared to be a prayer shawl showing under his clothing. Before the music even started, the composer unleashed one zinger after another, taking shots at the academic music establishment, the New York Philharmonic, composers who use computers, and his own highly unsupportive parents. His last word was in praise of musicians. ''For me, writing music is about the people who play it," Zorn barked. ''With all due respect, I don't give a [expletive] about the audience."

ROCK THE VOTE ''Long live the volunteers!" shouted Patti Smith, backed, not coincidentally, by an all-volunteer band during an abbreviated acoustic set Saturday afternoon at the Middle East in Cambridge. In town for an antiwar rally with presidential also-ran Ralph Nader, the poetess punk rocker played for about an hour, delivering a stirring spoken-word rendition of her song ''Radio Baghdad" and an unplugged take of her signature tune, ''People Have the Power." Ever considerate, Smith warned the fans up front that she'd eaten the garlic whip next door at ZuZu! so they may want to back up. Of her band, which included former DMZ guitarist J.J. Rassler, Smith said they were winging it. ''Usually, we practice for about seven or eight minutes," she said, smiling. ''All I can say is, we have not had seven or eight minutes." Nor, it seemed, did they need them.

CROWD PLEASING What do Boston police commissioner Kathleen O'Toole, hockey Hall-of-Famer Ray Bourque, Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, and best-selling author Susan Orlean have in common? Absolutely nothing, as far as we know, but we did spy all four sampling the goodies at this weekend's gala food and wine festival at the World Trade Center. Celebrating its 20th year, the black-tie event benefiting the Anthony Spinazzola Foundation featured dozens of restaurants and wineries, and, as an added treat this year, conductor Keith Lockhart led the Pops wearing chef's whites.

HAIR'S JOHNNY! Looks like our favorite leadoff hitter will start the season shaggy. Johnny Damon tells Boston magazine his contract actually requires him to keep the long locks -- no, not his baseball contract, his book contract. In signing the center fielder to write a book about the Sox magical 2004 season, Crown Publishing stipulated that he not cut his hair until after the publicity tour is over. (The book, ''Idiot . . . Or How I Stopped Thinking and Beat 'The Curse,' " is due out April 4.) Asked about those goofy comparisons to God and Jesus Christ, Damon replied, ''It's incredible. . . . What more can you ask for? Even being mentioned in the same sentence as Jesus or God. . . . I mean, those guys are awesome. I'm just a knucklehead."

COMMISSIONING WHEATLEY Composer Nkeiru Okoye has been commissioned by the Boston Landmarks Orchestra and conductor Charles Ansbacher to create a new work for children based on the life of poet Phillis Wheatley. Author Carolivia Herron will write the text for the piece, and ''Phillis Wheatley: America's First Black Poet" will premiere at a free concert on Boston Common in June. Born in Senegal, Wheatley was sold into slavery at the age of 7 and purchased by a tailor from Boston. She learned to read and write and published her first poem in 1767. Three years later, Wheatley wrote ''On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield, 1770," which was applauded here and abroad, cementing her international reputation as a talented poet.

Scott Heller of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.