Before guitarist Nels Cline (pictured) joined the rock-minded, country-rooted band Wilco in 2004, he worked with a variety of other musicians, including violinist Jeff Gauthier, bassist Steuart Liebig and even his own twin brother, percussionist Alex Cline-all artists signed to Cryptogramophone Records. It comes as no surprise, then, that Cline’s upcoming project, New Monastery, will also be released on the Los Angeles-based creative jazz label this fall.
Cline, once called “The World’s Most Dangerous Guitarist” by JazzTimes, will interpret the music of musician Andrew Hill on New Monastery. Hill-no stranger to acclaim, either-was named Jazz Composer of the Year in 2003 by the Jazz Journalists Association for his innovative original material and mastery of jazz piano.
Strangely, there is no sign of black and white keys anywhere on Cline’s upcoming release. Instead, Cline employs bassist Devon Hoff, drummer Scott Amendola, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, electric accordionist Andrea Parkins and cornetist Bobby Bradford to “create a fresh take on the harmonies and textures” of Hill’s music, the guitarist said in a press release.
New Monastery, slated for release Sept.12, will include several pieces from Hill’s Blue Note recording sessions as well as more recent compositions. For more information on the guitarist, visit nelscline.com.
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