Vintage Guitar - February 2017 - Open - 108
N els Cline has quite the musical resumé, and yet has always been hard to pin down. Whether doing some form of fusion, manning the lead-guitar chair in Wilco, or serving up dissonance and sound in various solo projects, he never can be pigeonholed. Now, there's this latest - a very ambitious project that, according to his liner notes, was 25 years in the making. It was well worth the wait. The two discs that make up this record are full of music that can be described in a lot of ways - jazz, chamber jazz, orchestral jazz, and mood music are just some starting points. But taken as a whole, it's really just a feast that allows Cline to showcase his virtuosity and inventiveness. Take "Glad To Be Unhappy," a chestnut written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenzo Hart that features a glorious string arrangement and Cline showing he has more than a passing familiarity with traditional jazz-guitar playing. He uses octaves, Nels Cline Lovers darting notes, and runs that are never clichéd. The arrangements are done by Michael Leonhart, revealing new treasures with every listen. For instance, the dramatic take on "It Only Has To Happen Once" features a gorgeous string intro before Cline takes over. The song ends up sounding like a long-lost Tom Waits track with stunning lead guitar. VINTAGE GUITAR 108 February 2017 Nancy Wright Playdate! The ubiquitous s a xophon i s t of the San Francisco blues scene for 30 years, Nancy Wright finally stepped to the fore and released her solo debut in 2009 - a fine instrumental outing in a Blue Note jazz vein. On her third offering, the type of seasoning that comes from decades of "sideman" and bandmate work (recording with the likes of Little Charlie and the Nightcats and B.B. King) shows in her authoritative playing, singing, writing, and choice of covers. She is joined by a formidable cast of past and present associates. In just the guitar department, we have Elvin Bishop, Joe Louis Walker, Mighty Mike Schermer, Chris Cain, Tommy Castro, and producer Kid Andersen. The latter soaks his licks in swirling vibrato in tribute to Wright's friend, the late Lonnie Mack, on the gospel tune "Satisfied," complete with the Plymouth Church of Jazz and Justice Choir. Bishop trades slide licks with Wright's big-toned tenor on an instrumental treatment of Big Jay McNeely's classic "There Is Something On Your Mind," while Schermer shines on the jump blues "Back Room Rock." Nels Cline: Nathan West. BLUE NOTES AND SO MUCH MORE As you'd expect, there's plenty of fine single-line playing by Cline, but he also proves adept at some jazz-based chord work. His intro to "The Bed We Made" is perfect and leads into a light swing feel and some monster soloing. Blues roots are featured on "Cry Want" where his single-line blues opens things before the rhythm section kicks in. The song also lets him vent at the end, and the listener is treated to sweeps, flourishes, harmonics, whammy bar trickery, volume swells, and much more. The song then goes out with more blues notes that form a bookend with the intro. Cline's first effort for Blue Note Records is a unique, wonderful record, especially for a guy from a major rock band. In his liner notes, Cline says he felt that the record was an homage to Jim Hall. He wanted to play it for him, but the legendary guitarist passed away the day they finished recording. Don't worry, Nels, Jim would have loved it. - John Heidt So what does a uke jam session sound like? Sort of like Hendrix a la Band of Gypsys. Shimabukuro is endlessly creative. Tunes such as "6/8" ride atop a jazzy rhythm line with Verner's very electric bass setting the momentum, which is then augmented by Hutchings' syncopations. Initially, Shimabukuro plays wonderfully acoustic fingerpicking before going electric with a spacey tone. And you'll quickly realize this isn't your typical uke record. That's reinforced on "Man Of Mud" with its lowdown - and very electric - power-chord backing. His lead lines are run through an array of effects that would make Jimi jealous. If you had any doubt about the uke as a serious instrument, Shimabukuro will change your mind. Throughout this album, he excels on tenor, baritone, soprano, and electric ukes - all the while pushing the boundaries further than he's ever pushed them before. - Michael Dregni
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