Nels Cline featured on the cover of this month's JazzTimes

[Norm]

I come to Nels Cline through my appreciation of his guitar work in the band Wilco, never having heard his jazz stuff. But on Wilco's Live CD (Kicking Television) the very last song contains some really nice riffs from Cline which revealed another side to his playing. Otherwise, seeing this going on stage for Wilco you would never guess he was a jazz-oriented. He's full of all kinds of antics, looking for feedback and distortion, and tossing himself about in such a manner that he's given himself whiplash (see Ashes of American Flags DVD). But a thoroughly enjoyable performer nonetheless. I'm guess he must exude a different stage presence when playing more jazz-oriented stuff.

http://jazztimes.com/articles/25093-nels-c...uitar-anti-hero

Edited October 7, 2009 by Norm

[Adam]

I come to Nels Cline through my appreciation of his guitar work in the band Wilco, never having heard his jazz stuff. But on Wilco's Live CD (Kicking Television) the very last song contains some really nice riffs from Cline which revealed another side to his playing. Otherwise, seeing this going on stage for Wilco you would never guess he was a jazz-oriented. He's full of all kinds of antics, looking for feedback and distortion, and tossing himself about in such a manner that he's given himself whiplash (see Ashes of American Flags DVD). But a thoroughly enjoyable performer nonetheless. I'm guess he must exude a different stage presence when playing more jazz-oriented stuff.

http://jazztimes.com/articles/25093-nels-c...uitar-anti-hero

I've seen him multiple times in a jazz context but have not yet been able to get tickets to see him in his Wilco context. Just saw him at the Angel City Jazz Festival with the Nels Cline Singers (no vocalists in that group though). He's fabulous and has an excellent stage presence in these contexts.

I've seen him at All tomorrow's Parties with Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth, and at Angel City he was with Jeff Parker from Tortoise. It was painfully evident in both cases (particularly with Parker) how superior Cline is as a guitarist, in his ability to listen to the others and respond in a superb improvisation.

[clifford_thornton]

Never cared for Wilco myself, but I do like me some Nels Cline. The Acoustic Guitar Trio material is fabulous.

[six string]

I've seen him several times with the Nels Cline Singers and w/ Scott Amendola's band. My favorite show was a sort of dress rehearsal he did for recording the Andrew Hill Tribute he released a few years ago. I really love his shows but I only own the Andrew Hill album (New Monastery). He's one of those guys I prefer live to listening at home. I have tried to "get" Wilco but I still don't. I've enjoyed Nel's little noise fests on their albums and it's cool to see him get some recognition from the fans. He's truly a remarkable guitarist who goes his own way. Talk about a perfect life (imo). He gets to play in a big rock band and probably make some decent $ but then has the ability to go off and play his jazz in smaller venues where he's free to do what he likes.

[RDK]

Nels is cool; I see him fairly often (and often at other people's gigs as well). Back in June, I saw him perform twice with Wilco, playing before thousands, while only a few weeks before that he was in a room with about 20 people doing his jazz/improv thing. Really nice guy too.

[WorldB3]

I've seen him several times with the Nels Cline Singers and w/ Scott Amendola's band. My favorite show was a sort of dress rehearsal he did for recording the Andrew Hill Tribute he released a few years ago. I really love his shows but I only own the Andrew Hill album (New Monastery). He's one of those guys I prefer live to listening at home.

I saw him open for Andrew Hill with selections from that tribute album at SF Jazz a few years back. I thought they were great. The record is one of those you have to be in the mood for so I don't spin it a lot but its worth checking out. I love Nels in Wilco as well, in fact I like Wilco a lot more now because of him. The article was a good read.

Scott Amendola has been a long time local favorite.

Edited October 8, 2009 by WorldB3

[Norm]

I have tried to "get" Wilco but I still don't.

I think you phrased it perfectly. I picked up my first Wilco CD in fall 2002. I thought they were pretty decent and picked up (mostly burned copies) of their subsequent CDs until something hit this past spring, and it was as if someone flipped a switch and their stuff just started to sound fantastic to me -- even songs on albums that I thought were mediocre in the past came alive. I've never had such a long courtship period -- 6.5 years -- with a band with which I've fallen in love. Jeff Tweedy is certainly a unique singer/songwriter and there's a share of dissonance and caucophony in their tunes (as he says, they usually destroy their songs and then build them up again). So for me at least it took a long while to really "get it" And then, as RDK can attest, Wilco just takes it to the next level live. When they jumped out on stage to play the first tune, Wilco (The Song), it was like this huge ball of energy and you couldn't help but feel blown away. After that I had difficulty listening to anybody else (current rock) this summer. I'm hooked in an unbelievably good way.

Anyway, here's a little clip of one of my favorites from the Wiltern shows this past June. Nels has a neat little guitar bit in it too.

Wilco - You Are My Face at the Wiltern 6/22/09

Edited October 9, 2009 by Norm