One Week, Three Guitars (part three)

Tuesday May 23rd
Nels Cline/Andrea Parkins/Tom Rainey @ Tonic

I know it's crazy to attempt writing in September about a show that took place in May, but it's par for the course around here when you think about it really. The deal is though that I'm about to see Mr. Jeff Beck on Tuesday and I thought it best to finish this past series of reviews whilst I still had my wits about me. This trio is one of guitarist Nels Cline's improvising projects, featuring Andrea Parkins on keyboards & accordian and Tom Rainey on the drums. Improv gigs are always hit or miss affairs for me but put Nels' name on the bill and I'm there. This last part of Spider Wisdom often puts me exactly where I need to be.

I'll keep this review to the point and say that this gig was a good one, probably even the best improv gig I've seen Nels take part in. The set was made up of five or so pieces which resembled composed numbers rather than revealing their true improvised nature. The overall sound was quite cohesive, even as each musician placed their firm stamp on the material. Nels seemed to be the clear leader of the trio, and this could be a clear case of projection but Nels seemed to revel in the freedom of the material. That boy was on fire. Nels has brought quite an interesting edge to Wilco over the past two years, but I do miss instances like these where Nels has free reign to indulge in his fretboard destruction. Hmmm, Nels and his fretboard destruction... Good stuff.

Nels, Andrea and Tom have a cd out of their collective improv magic music called Ash And Tabula which is well worth checking out. Apparently the trio attempts to gig once a year at Tonic here in NYC, though this is the first time I've caught them. Have I been slacking? It seems odd that a Nels Cline gig would slip by the ol' Spider. Hmmm...

All photos on this page were taken by Stefano Giovannini at Tonic in 2003 and stolen from Nel's Gallery. Stop by and see lots and lots of Nels.



Now I'm off to have the ol' brain blown out by Mr. Jeff Beck...