May

20

The Nels Cline Four feat. Julian Lage, Scott Colley & Tom Rainey The Nels Cline Four feat. Julian Lage, Scott Colley & Tom Rainey

with Julian Lage, Scott Colley, Tom Rainey & Ava Mendoza

Sat May 20th, 2017

7:30PM

Main Space

Minimum Age: 18+

Doors Open: 6:30PM

Show Time: 7:30PM

Event Ticket: $25

Day of Show: $30

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event description event description

The Nels Cline Four is Cline’s latest project with Julian Lage (electric guitar), Scott Colley (double bass) and Tom Rainey (drums). Performing compositions by Cline and others, the quartet dives into streams of freewheeling modern jazz. The Nels Cline Four expands on the on-going Cline/Lage duo featuring similarly unfettered guitar sounds.

Ticketing Policy

TABLE SEATING POLICY Table seating for all seated shows is reserved exclusively for ticket holders who purchase “Table Seating” tickets. By purchasing a “Table Seating” ticket you agree to also purchase a minimum of two food and/or beverage items per person. Table seating is first come, first seated. Please arrive early for the best choice of available seats. Seating begins when doors open. Tables are communal so you may be seated with other patrons. We do not take table reservations.

A standing room area is available by the bar for all guests who purchase “Standing Room” tickets. Food and beverage can be purchased at the bar but there is no minimum purchase required in this area.    All tickets sales are final. No refund or credits.

the artists the artists

Nels Cline

Up until the mid-2000s, guitarist Nels Cline was probably best-known for his work in the group Quartet Music and other projects in the jazz, rock, and avant-garde idioms, as well as for his general involvement in the West Coast’s avant and improv scenes. During the ’90s, Cline recorded a pair of duo outings with Thurston Moore and Devin Sarno before embarking on Interstellar Space Revisited: The Music of John Coltrane with drummer Gregg Bendian ; he joined the latter’s Interzone group while leading his own trio, the Nels Cline Singers. In 2004, Cline opened up a much larger audience for a jazz guitarist than is typical, joining the alt-country and experimental pop act Wilco . Whether playing the music of other jazzmen such as Andrew Hill (2006’s New Monastery: A View Into the Music of Andrew Hill), recording a score to accompany the massive touring retrospective of iconic Los Angeles painter Ed Ruscha (Dirty Baby), collaborating with guitarist Julian Lage , jamming and recording with Medeski, Martin & Wood , or rocking with White Out , Cline is a figure with global influence. In 2016, he issued Lovers, his Blue Note debut, featuring the guitarist leading his own group and a chamber orchestra in a collection of standards and originals. He followed with 2018’s Currents, Constellations and a trio of 2020 albums that included Share the Wealth.

Born in Los Angeles in 1956, Cline began playing guitar around the age of 12, when his twin brother Alex began learning the drums. By the time Cline reached his twenties, he was heavily involved in L.A.’s improvisational community and, in 1978, appeared on his first recording, Openhearted, by multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia . He went on to appear on over 70 releases, lead several of his own groups — including the Nels Cline Trio and the sextet that followed, Destroy All Nels Cline — and tour internationally with a variety of bands. As a composer, Cline has scored films in addition to writing much of his own material. He has also produced albums for himself, G.E. Stinson , and Jeff Gauthier , among others.

Bassist Eric Von Essen and Cline met up in the late ’70s and began working together, recording an album of duets called Elegies that was released in 1980 on the Nine Winds label. Von Essen got involved in an orchestra with violinist Gauthier , and it wasn’t long before the three formed a group of their own. Alex Cline sat in on their first concert and eventually joined the three permanently, resulting in the group Quartet Music , which remained together throughout the ’80s. In addition to his work in Quartet Music during this decade, Cline worked with Liberation Music Orchestra West Coast, was a member of a rock band called Bloc, worked with Julius Hemphill as well as Charlie Haden , and released his first album as leader, Angelica, which included members of Quartet Music , saxophonist Tim Berne , and more.

The first half of the ’90s found his new Nels Cline Trio hosting a weekly improv series for four years and recording as many albums. During the ’90s, Cline also worked with Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth ), Stephen Perkins ( Jane’s Addiction ), Mike Watt ( Minutemen ), and the Geraldine Fibbers . A duo recording by Cline and percussionist Gregg Bendian covering John Coltrane ‘s Interstellar Space was released by the Atavistic label in 1999. That same year, the California Music Awards named Cline Outstanding Jazz Artist. The next year, he released Inkling on Cryptogramophone , beginning a collaborative relationship with Andrea Parkins that would continue for the next several years. Destroy All Nels Cline was next, followed by the formation of the Nels Cline Singers, who released their first album, Instrumentals, in 2002.

In 2004, Cline was asked to join Wilco and has toured and appeared on all subsequent albums by them. He still had time for other projects, however: there have been several one-off collaborations during the ensuing years and two albums by the trio of Cline, Andrea Parkins , and Tom Rainey . In 2004, the Nels Cline Singers released Giant Pin, which Cline followed with an album of Andrew Hill compositions in 2006, the sublime New Monastery. Cryptogramophone subsequently issued two more releases by the Nels Cline Singers, Draw Breath in the summer of 2007 and the two-CD package Initiate in 2010. Later in the year, Cline released Dirty Baby, a double-disc collaborative project with poet and producer David Breskin. Breskin selected 66 period images by the artist Ed Ruscha and evenly split them into two groups, wherein he commissioned the guitarist to compose one long work and one short work to accompany the images, without further instruction. Cline recorded these with a large group of musicians including Jon Brion , Scott Amendola , brother Alex Cline , and Devin Hoff . There is also a lushly illustrated book version with larger reproductions of these works with 66 written pieces by Breskin. Add this project to all the work Cline has done as a sideman since the turn of the century, and you’ve got one extremely busy, prolific, and versatile guitarist. In April of 2014, he appeared as a guest on Joan Osborne ‘s Love and Hate album, and as a full collaborator with Medeski, Martin & Wood on Woodstock Sessions 2. In 2014, Macroscope, with the Nels Cline Singers, and Room, a duet offering with classical guitarist Julian Lage , appeared on Detroit’s Mack Avenue Records .

After recording Star Wars with Wilco and a tour, Cline signed to Blue Note . His debut for the label was the double-length Lovers. Realizing a long-held dream, the set was inspired by Bill Evans , Jim Hall , Gil Evans , and Henry Mancini . Cline created an ambitious, self-proclaimed “mood music” project with a 23-member ensemble conducted and arranged by Michael Leonhart . It was produced by David Breskin and recorded and mixed by Ron Saint Germain. Lovers contained jazz and Great American Songbook standards alongside originals and covers of songs by Annette Peacock , Gabor Szabo , Sonic Youth , Jimmy Giuffre , and Arto Lindsay . The single/video “Beautiful Love” was issued in early June of 2016, premiered live at the Newport Jazz Festival in July, and released in August.

Cline’s recording experience with Lage on Room proved indelible. The pair often speculated on what an album would sound like if they chose a rhythm section. To that end, Cline asked bassist Scott Colley and drummer Tom Rainey (who had played hundreds of shows together as a running rhythm section in the ’90s) to accompany them at a residency at New York venue The Stone in 2016. At that time, Colley and Lage were playing in Gary Burton ‘s group and the bassist eventually joined the guitarist’s trio. Cline had played with everybody before. The live gig went so well it laid the foundation for the recording sessions that resulted in Currents, Constellations, Cline’s second Blue Note album, with the intrepid quartet calling itself the Nels Cline 4. He wrote seven of the record’s eight compositions; the lone cover was Carla Bley ‘s “Temporarily,” a rarity closely associated with the Jimmy Giuffre Three. According to Cline, the point wasn’t to feature “sovereign” fewer guitar solos, but to facilitate an ensemble sound, whether marked by heated collective improvisation or a more delicate and precise approach on the contemplative pieces. The funky preview single, “Imperfect 10,” was released in March along with a promotional “in-studio” video. Currents, Constellations was released in mid-April a few days before the band — with bassist Jorge Roeder sitting in for a previously committed Colley — undertook a European tour.

In January of 2020, Cline, bassist William Parker , and keyboardist Thollem McDonas , issued Gowanus Sessions II for ESP-Disk . During the spring, Cline and pianist/organist/synthesist Jamie Saft aided drummer/composer Bobby Previte in the RareNoise trio outing Music from the Early 21st Century. In October, Blue Note Records issued the single “Beam/Spiral” preceding the release of Share the Wealth, Cline’s third label offering, this time by an expanded Nels Cline Singers. Curiously, the lineup he assembled — saxophonist Skerik , percussionist Cyro Baptista , keyboardist Brian Marsella, bassist Trevor Dunn , and drummer Amendola , had yet to play a gig together when they entered Brooklyn studio The Bunker. Cline and co-producer Eli Crews recorded the band over two days, playing long, spontaneous jams. Cline originally wanted to edit the sprawling proceedings heavily, in order to create a cut-and-paste, collaged, psychedelic record. Upon listening closely to the uninterrupted jams, however, he changed his mind and decided to release them unedited. The double-length Share the Wealth was released in November. ~ Sean Westergaard & Thom Jurek, Rovi

Julian Lage

Julian Lage official site | Julian Fage on Facebook

Hailed as one of the most prodigious guitarists of his generation and “highest category of improvising musicians” (New Yorker), Julian Lage has spent more than a decade searching through the myriad strains of American musical history via impeccable technique, free association and a spirit of infinite possibility. The California-born New York-based musician boasts a prolific resume on his own accord in addition to collaborating with Gary Burton and John Zorn, as well as duo projects with Nels Cline, Chris Eldridge and Fred Hersch, among others.

As Lage set out to record his debut for Blue Note Records, the virtuoso guitarist reflected on the label’s storied history and the way his own music connected with it. The result is Squint, a striking new album that weds incisive, expressive songwriting with the profound interplay Lage has honed over the past few years with his deft trio featuring bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King.

Scott Colley

Scott Colley official site | Scott Colley on Twitter

Scott Colley, the bassist of choice for such jazz legends as Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, and Michael Brecker. His remarkably empathetic skills, strong melodic sense and improvisational abilities have served him well in groups led by colleagues Chris Potter, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade, David Binney, and Kenny Werner. But it is as a composer and bandleader in his own right that Colley has flourished in recent years, as evidenced by a string of recordings, beginning with his 1996 debut Portable Universe, (Freelance) and continuing with 1997’s This Place (SteepleChase), 1998’s Subliminal (Criss Cross), 2000’s The Magic Line (Arabesque) 2002’s Initial Wisdom (Palmetto), 2007’s Architect of the Silent Moment (CAM jazz), and the 2010-release, Empire (CAM jazz).

Appearing on more than 200 albums to date. He has worked with a variety of musicians from guitarists Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny and Adam Rogers; saxophonists Michael Brecker, Chris Potter and Clifford Jordan; pianists Herbie Hancock, Kenny Werner, Edward Simon; and drummers Brian Blade, Antonio Sanchez, Bill Stewart and Roy Haynes.

Born on November 24, 1963. Scott is currently living in New York. He began studying bass at age 11. At 13, he began studying with bassist Monty Budwig. He attended Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles, where he studied under John Rinaldo, renowned director of music at the school. After graduating high school he was granted a full scholarship to the California Institute for the Arts, where he focused on composition and jazz studies while also studying privately with Charlie Haden and classical bassist Fred Tinsley (of the Los Angeles Philharmonic). In 1986, he began touring and recording with jazz vocal legend Carmen McRae. In 1988 he graduated Cal Arts with a Bachelor of Music degree.

-1988: Moved to New York City. -1988 to 1989: He performed in U.S. and European tours with Carmen McRae; Dizzy Gillespie; and Clifford Jordan.

-1990 to 1995: Bands included Jim Hall, John Scofield, Joe Henderson and Art Farmer.

-1996 to 1998: His work included touring with a group led by Joe Lovano and Jim Hall, Tours with Toots Thielemans; Bobby Hutcherson; and Bob Berg; extensive touring with Andrew Hill’s “Another Point of Departure” sextet.

-2000-2004: For five years Colley toured extensively as a member of Herbie Hancock’s working trio and two separate quartets (one featuring saxophonist Gary Thomas, the other featuring vibist Bobby Hutcherson) at concerts around the world. Hancock’s trio has also performed in concert engagements with symphonic orchestras throughout the United States. During that time he also tour extensively with the Andrew Hill trio and sextet, and the Chris Potter Quartet.

-2005-2007: Extensive touring with “Directions in Music”, a collaboration with Micheal Brecker, Herbie Hancock, and Terri Lyne Carrington; Trio concerts with Pat Metheny; Tours with Jim Hall; Teaching residencies at The Banff Center, Virginia Commonweath University, and Vallekilde Denmark, European and U.S. tours with Chris Potter’s Quartet; concerts with Chris Potter and Antonio Sanchez; U.S and European tours with his own trio and quartet.

-2006-07: Extensive touring with his own quartet and trio. Recordings include projects with Chris Potter; Luciana Souza; Abbey Lincoln; Adam Rogers; Donny McCaslin; 2 recordings with Kenny Werner; and his own release Archetect of the Silent Moment (featuring: Ralph Alessi, David Binney, Craig Taborn, Jason Moran, Adam Rogers, Gregoire Maret, and Antonio Sanchez.) -2008-to Present: During the last few years he is touring with his quartet and trio in the US, Europe and South America. Also touring with Edward Simon and Brian Blade; Chris Potter’s Underground; The Antonio Sanchez Quartet; Dave Douglas’ “Magic Circle”; a quartet with David Binney, Craig Taborn and Brian Blade; The Kenny Werner Quintet. Teaching residencies in the U.S. and Europe.

In the last few months, Scott has recorded CD’s with The New Gary Burton Quartet; also a recording with The John Scofield Quartet; Scott will be touring with both groups extensively; as well as with his own trio: which includes Chris Potter and Antonio Sanchez); “KCB Collective”: with Danish Saxophonist Benjamin Koppel and drummer Brian Blade; and the new group “Steel House”: with pianist Edward Simon and Brian Blade. All three groups are scheduled to release recordings in 2015-2016.

Scott’s newest recording Empire available now on the CAM label, the recording features all original compositions with Bill Fresell, Ralph Alessi, Brian Blade and Craig Taborn.

Tom Rainey

Tom Rainey was born in Pasadena, California in 1957. Since moving to New York in 1979 he has performed and or recorded with the following artists:

John Abercrombie, Mose Allison, Julian Arguelles, Ray Anderson, Tim Berne, Jane Ira Bloom, Anthony Braxton, Nels Cline, Ted Curson, Kris Davis, Mark Ducret, Mark Feldman, Michael Formanek, Drew Gress, Mark Helias, Fred Hersch, Andy Laster, Ingrid Laubrock, David Liebman, Joe Lovano, Tony Malaby, Albert Mangelsdorff, Carmen McRae, Mike Nock, Simon Nabatov, New and Used, Anita O’Day, Andrea Parkins, Herb Robertson, Angelica Sanchez, Louis Sclavis, Brad Shepik, Ken Werner, Denny Zeitlin.

Current activities include performing and recording music with the Tom Rainey Trio as well as his quintet, Obbligato. Tom also continues performing with many of the aforementioned artists.

Ava Mendoza

Ava Mendoza official site | Ava Mendoza on Twitter | Ava Mendoza on Soundcloud

My name is AVA MENDOZA. I play guitars and stompboxes and write music. Currently I’m based out of Brooklyn, NY. I have played guitar for most of my life and been active for the last fifteen years playing my own music and in many different groups. In any context I try to bring expressivity, energy and a wide sonic range to the music I play. I’ve toured throughout the U.S. and Europe and recorded or performed with a broad spectrum of musicians including singer Carla Bozulich (The Geraldine Fibbers, Evangelista), Fred Frith (Massacre, Henry Cow, Art Bears), Nels Cline, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Weasel Walter and more. I’ve played on recordings released by labels Weird Forest, Tzadik, Clean Feed, NotTwo, Unrock, ugEXPLODE, Resipiscent, New Atlantis, and others.

Friendly critics have called me “Oakland’s avant-jazz virtuoso” (Brad Cohan, Village Voice), “a versatile and virtuosic guitarist” (The San Francisco Film Society), “a wizard on a semi-circle of effects pedals, but… equally adept with FX-less technique,” (Lars Gotrich, A Blog Supreme/NPR Jazz). I was recently named one of Guitar World‘s “10 Female Guitarists You Should Know”.
My main project these days is UNNATURAL WAYS

PERFORMED/RECORDED WITH:
Scott Amendola (Nels Cline Singers, Charlie Hunter Quartet), Liz Allbee, Vijay Anderson, Bran(…)pos, Carla Bozulich (The Geraldine Fibbers, Evangelista), Sheldon Brown, Tony Buck (The Necks), members of Caroliner, Nels Cline (Wilco), George Cremaschi, Tim Dahl (Child Abuse, Lydia Lunch), J.A. Deane, Marco Di Gasbarro (Squartet), John Dikeman (Cactus Truck), Thomas Dimuzio, Shayna Dunkleman, Marco Eneidi, Luc Ex, Ben Goldberg, Fred Frith (Henry Cow, Art Bears, Massacre), Vinny Golia, Phillip Greenlief, Franz Hautzinger, Jacob Felix Heule, Devin Hoff (Good for Cows), Gerri Jager (Knaalpot), Darren Johnston, Henry Kaiser (Crazy Backwards Alphabet), Annette Krebs, Thollem McDonas, Lisa Mezzacappa, Butch Morris, Matt Nelson, Hexlove aka Zac Nelson, Kanoko Nishi, Nick Podgurski (Extra Life), Porest aka Mark Gergis, Gino Robair, Aram Shelton, John Shiurba, SF Sound, Damon Smith, Moe! Staiano, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Raphael Vanoli (Knaalpot), Weasel Walter (The Flying Luttenbachers), Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE), Wobbly (Negativland), Tune-yards, William Winant (Mr. Bungle), Kenny Wollesen (Sex Mob), Theater of Yugen, dancers Leyya Mona Tawil, Yuko Kaseki, and Manuela Tessi.

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