July/August 1999

Alex Cline Ensemble
Sparks Fly Upward
Cryptogramophone

By Patricia Myers

Los Angeles percussionist Alex Cline has performed and recorded solo, also working with West Coast musicians such as Julius Hemphill, John Carter, and Bobby Bradford. His sextet explores six complex original compositions that are sometimes ethereal in mood, more often startling in dynamics. Each of the six tracks is dedicated to someone whose life or work influenced Cline, including the ever-unfolding 31-minute title track dedicated to Russian film director Andrei Tarkovsky. An intriguing concept.