More Medeski, Martin and Wood With Nels Cline Hinted At

[ditty]

More Medeski, Martin and Wood With Nels Cline Hinted At

 

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/119507/More-Medeski-Martin-and-Wood-With-Nels-Cline-Hinted-At

[jff]

More?  I didn't know this happened to begin with.  Thanks for the heads up.

[Tweedling]

No shit?! Thanks

[Analogman]

 

Nels Cline: Guitar Mash, Dylan, MMW and More (from Jambands.com)

 

Nels Cline has spent the last nine years playing with one of the most respected rock bands out there, but simply calling him Wilco’s guitarist wouldn’t do him justice. Cline is one of the most versatile guitarists around, flourishing in a variety of musical spaces from jazz and punk to straight up rock ‘n’ roll. Wilco might be taking a break at the moment, but Cline sure isn’t. We caught up with him earlier this week to discuss this Sunday’s Guitar Mash event, as well as Wilco’s time on the AmericanaramA tour, his recent project with Medeski, Martin and Wood, the Complete Last Waltz show, Nels Cline Singers and more.

 

You’ll be at Guitar Mash in New York City this weekend? What is Guitar Mash, exactly? What can we look forward to?

It’s funny. In a way it’s hard to explain. I got asked to guest perform last year at Guitar Mash. I didn’t really know anything about it. On the surface it’s a little dorky, which it is, in a cool way. It was so much cooler than I expected. It’s basically a benefit event for New York City education, particularly music in the schools. Music programs for kids, rock for kids, kind of thing. In which, the great guitarists, multi-instrumentalists and music director Mark Stewart leads a group backing band. He gets people, kids, their parents and whoever else wants to come down.They are mostly guitar hobbyists or youngsters who are aspiring to be guitarists. They come down to share an afternoon of listening to people play, playing along with them, playing songs and singing songs.

Last year, they showed lyrics and chord changes on a big screen, so people can look up there and play along. The whole idea of it is innocent fun. It’s to get people into playing guitar and get them to participate in an event that will raise money. They have an auction with a bunch of guitars that people will buy, hopefully making money that way.

 

It’s pretty heartwarming. I participated last year and I performed a free jazz piece by Jimmy Giuffre. I tried to get people to freely improvise and sort of lose their fear of hitting wrong notes. It was kind of an anything goes lesson. I also played a simple three chord Sonic Youth song called “Mildred Pierce.” It just got everybody to think of overtones and rock out without having to worry about being “virtuosy.”Other participants were Larry Campbell, Stefan Grossman, Kaki King, Vernon Reid and Lenny Kaye. It was really fun. Just hearing a bunch of people singing and playing Patti Smith’s “Ghost Dance” was incredibly heartwarming for me.

 

This year they are going to have Julian Lage and Jorma Kaukonen, which kind of blows my mind. That’s somebody I idolized when I was 15, 14 years old. I can’t remember who else. There will be a bunch of people. It’s going to be fun.

 

Wilco have been touring heavily lately, even though the last album was released in 2011. Is there anything—a new studio release—on the horizon?

Eventually. We are still thinking about at this point. We are taking a little bit of a break because we toured for almost three years on that last record. I think we are going to take a little break before we jump back into it. I wouldn’t say you’ll see anything tomorrow.

 

You guys were out on the AmericanaramA tour with My Morning Jacket and Bob Dylan. Can you talk a bit about that? How was that experience?

I could talk a lot about that. It was really a trip. It was really, really fun. Especially because as Wilco, we weren’t headlining. We didn’t have to play our big show and we didn’t have to play as long. We basically could play a lot of deep cuts and play a lot of cover songs we learned spur of the moment. Most importantly I think we got to collaborate with some amazing guests, which also kept us on our toes. I think that ultimately it was really good for the band to fly by the seat of our pants and take some risks with new material, having it pay off in a really big way.

 

At least for me personally, it was very rewarding. To play a bunch of songs with Bob Weir was amazing. Richard Thompson and I got into playing “Sloth” by Fairport Convention six or seven times. If I had done that once on the tour that would have made the whole tour exciting. I’m a Richard Thompson fanatic. I’d say Wilco felt the same way about Richard. We also had guests who weren’t on the tour, besides having the My Morning Jacket guys and Bob and Richard and members of his electric trio, we also had Leslie Feist. That was amazing in Toronto with Richard Thompson and Leslie Feist doing “Suzanne” by Leonard Cohen, the Fairport Convention arrangement. We had John Doe, Nancy Sinatra, Sean Lennon, Duma and Timo from Cibo Matto, Warren Haynes and Ian Hunter. It was amazing. Jeff Tweedy decided early on that we wanted to make the spirit of the tour clear, that we were going to have loose fun and try to make some special things happen. I think the My Morning Jacket guys did the same thing.

I never met Bob Dylan, nor did anyone in the band other than Jeff, who had met him before. Other than socially, there was no interaction with members of Bob’s band. They didn’t sit in with us. I don’t know if they were allowed to, I don’t know how that works. But they’re an amazing band, magnificent players and great, great guys. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if they played with us, but I’m not complaining. It was pretty phenomenal and a great way to spend a summer.

 

Some photos surfaced of you with Medeski, Martin and Wood in the studio. What are you guys up to?

That was amazing. We recorded two sets of improvised music at big barn studio called Applehead, near Woodstock and Saugerties. I’m not sure what town it is in. I had jammed with those guys on a couple of occasions. For me it’s kind of like being on a planet that I can understand and feel at home on. I’m not sure who decided, but they wanted to do some recording with me. They invited 40-50 friends and friends of their friends in that area to come down. We just improvised two sets and recorded everything.

Ultimately, they will edit and mix it and release it by spring time. I basically told them that whatever they like, I like. However they wanted to engineer it was fine with me. And then we’re going to tour Europe in March.

 

I was talking to Marco Benevento recently and he said he went out to that and it was great.

It was really enjoyable. I was glad my hand was working because I was having some trouble with my left shoulder and arm due to a gnarly nerve tension. That was one of the first things I did where my hand had started to move normally. It was really nice that I could do it.

 

I heard you have another release coming out next year with the Nels Cline Singers?

That is true. I’m going to have a bunch of records out next year. The first one will be called Macroscope. It will be the first Singers record in a little while and with Trevor Dunn on bass replacing Devin Hoff, who departed a couple years ago. There’s some guests on it. The record is typical is of my records in that it is all over the place aesthetically. It’s got some rocking, power trioish stuff. It’s got some sort of sound painting type writing, more impressionistic. A lot of guests particularly in the percussion area. We have Cyro Baptista, Josh Jones from the Bay Area playing cumbas and bongos, Yuka Honda does some electric piano and Zeena Parkins is on one track playing her electric harp. I hope it will be out by February. It’s getting a little bit delayed in the album art department. Just trying to get it all finished. I’m really excited about it. It was recorded in Berkeley, CA at Fantasy Studios again. Mixed by Jesse Nichols, who is there’s in-house engineer. He’s a young guy. It’s the first time I had heard him do some mixes. He did some mixes on the last Stooges record. He engineered some other stuff I had done there. He did a fantastic job. I’m very happy with it.

 

It will be out on Cryptogramophone through the Mack Avenue label. Mack Avenue being a jazz/jazz fusion label and Cryptogramophone being the label I’ve done pretty much all my records on for the past 10-15 years.

 

Before you go, I wanted to ask you about The Complete Last Waltz show at the Capitol Theatre in next couple of weeks. What can we expect from that and how have The Band influenced you?

We did this last year at around the same time in San Francisco. As I understand, most of the same people are going to play that played last year. I don’t think Rob Burger will play keyboards this time. I was amazed, I just didn’t know what the deal was going to be with this. I didn’t know a lot of the players and the ones I did know I knew were really good. The idea of me going up and doing the Eric Clapton stuff, I didn’t know if I was going to be really good at that. I just did my best which meant I had to sing also. What really impressed me about the whole thing was how good everyone sounded playing this music. It sounded so in the spirit of how The Band was playing at that time. Without it being this kind of “slavish” reproduction. I thought it had its own integrity in terms of the performances. Obviously the singers are all different singers and they have different ways of doing their thing. I was really surprised how good it sounded and how effective it was.

 

This fellow Sam Cohen behind the whole thing, he’s obsessed with The Last Waltz. This is his idea of a good time. It ended up being a good time for everybody. I think things like this are a bit iffy on paper, and then when people can come together, many of whom don’t know each other, and pull off something like this and make it sound as good as it sounds, there’s just something magical about that.

 

As far as The Band goes, I wasn’t a Band fanatic growing up. I have songs and records by The Band I really like and certain ones I really cherish. For me, The Last Waltz isn’t my idea of pinnacle The Band experience. I really do prefer the Rock of Ages live stuff myself. That said, “Chest Fever” is one of my all-time favorite songs. And Levon Helm is probably one of my favorite drummers and singers inside and outside The Band. As I say, it’s kind of a weird thing to try to and for it to come off as well as it does, it’s kind of magical. I’m flattered to be even asked to participate frankly.

 

Anything else you want to talk about before you go?

I can say two things. There is one other record that will be out next year, hopefully, with Julian Lage, the great young guitar player. If people like guitar, this will be a great record to hear. I’m looking forward to recording it early next month. Other than that, Sunday afternoon Guitar Mash, come down, have snacks, innocent family fun, meet Mark Stewart, one of the most beautiful, energetic and talent people. I believe Todd Sickafoose is playing in the bass in the backing band this year too. There will be some amazing players. Hopefully Rob Schwimmer will be on piano again.

[ditty]

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/120901/Medeski-Martin-and-Wood-and-Nels-Cline-Album-Coming

Take a listen to audio of MMW+C from NYC's Blue Note on December 12, 2012:

 

"Back in September we hipped you to info hinting that Medeski Martin & Wood would continue to collaborate with Wilco guitarist Nels Cline. Today, a note on the MMW Facebook page reveals that an album featuring the trio and Cline will soon be released.

 

According to the note, the MMW+C album is due on March 24 in Europe and April 15 in North America. The update also advises to "stay tuned for details." A previous update shared that the album was recorded late last summer as part of the studio concert series, “Woodstock Sessions,” and states that, "It’s a live record created in the studio, so it’s more of a studio record made live!" Medeski, Martin and Wood with Nels Cline embark on a three-week tour of Europe that starts on March 27 in France."

[jff]

Cool.  Hopefully they'll do a US tour with a date in Atlanta.  Nels hasn't come to Atlanta in any capacity outside of Wilco since he joined the band.  His last non-Wilco show here was with Carla Bozulich for the Red Headed Stranger tour in 2003.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/03/17/medeski-martin-wood-improvise-with-nels-cline-on-jade-song-premiere/

 

The Wall Street Journal (oddly enough) is streaming a song called "Jade" from MMW+C's album. Very cool stuff. I'm also geeking out about the fact that I'll get to hear two new Nels albums in seven days, since this comes out April 22 and the new NC Singers album comes out April 29.

 

I would be surprised if they didn't do some US shows. I'm also guessing that if Nels' residency at the Stone in New York does happen in August (he wasn't 100% sure last time I talked to him) this could be one of the groups he performs with. 

[jff]

Thanks for the link.  That sounds great!

[Atticus]

 

I never met Bob Dylan, nor did anyone in the band other than Jeff, who had met him before. Other than socially, there was no interaction with members of Bob’s band. They didn’t sit in with us. I don’t know if they were allowed to, I don’t know how that works.

 

I don't want to start a thing, but this just seems kinda retarded.

[jff]

I don't want to start a thing, but this just seems kinda retarded.

 

How so?

[Atticus]

for musical acts to go on a 26 date tour and never meet each other?

[jff]

for musical acts to go on a 26 date tour and never meet each other?

 

I agree completely.   I was asking because I wasn't sure if your "retarded" comment was directed at Dylan and his band, or at Nels commenting on Dylan and his band.

[Atticus]

I will forever be a Dylan fan because of the bonding my dad and I did over his music when I was a kid, but the way all his eccentricities get lauded as part of some magical Dylan mystique seems kinda silly to me.  

[worldrecordplayer]

I will forever be a Dylan fan because of the bonding my dad and I did over his music when I was a kid, but the way all his eccentricities get lauded as part of some magical Dylan mystique seems kinda silly to me.  

I think all that lauding and mystique has substantially dissipated over the years.  He's mostly seen as an oddball now, at least in the circles I travel in and things I read.

[Ghost of Electricity]

So i was walking my son to preschool this morning and there's a poster:  Medeski Martin and Wood and Nels Cline.  In my town, in two weeks. Holy $#!t.  This doesn't happen here.  What a great day.

[remphish1]

So i was walking my son to preschool this morning and there's a poster:  Medeski Martin and Wood and Nels Cline.  In my town, in two weeks. Holy $#!t.  This doesn't happen here.  What a great day.

Awesome! Where do you live?

[worldrecordplayer]

New song

 

http://www.jambands.com/news/2014/03/27/medeski-martin-wood-nels-cline-premiere-a-new-tune

[worldrecordplayer]

New song

 

http://www.jambands.com/news/2014/03/27/medeski-martin-wood-nels-cline-premiere-a-new-tune

hmmm, did I use the word "song" too loosely?

[remphish1]

hmmm, did I use the word "song" too loosely?

MMW is very free form.

[Ghost of Electricity]

Awesome! Where do you live?

Krakow, Poland

[calvino]

Krakow, Poland

That's a place I hope to make it to one day, have you ever seen a show at Alchemia?

[Ghost of Electricity]

Yeah, I try to avoid the place though.  It's run by depressed snobs.  How do you know about it?  Give me a shout when you make it this way, I'll show you around.

 

MMW and Nels are playing at the Museum of Japanese Culture.  Go figure. 

[remphish1]

Krakow, Poland

Awesome! Let us know how the show is if you go!

[calvino]

Yeah, I try to avoid the place though.  It's run by depressed snobs.  How do you know about it?  Give me a shout when you make it this way, I'll show you around.

 

MMW and Nels are playing at the Museum of Japanese Culture.  Go figure. 

 

Because I am a (sometimes depressed) Chicago jazz lover music snob

 

Many of the musicians have played and recorded shows at the club over the years and they all have great thing to say about the owners/club.

[ditty]

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/121325/Premiere-Medeski-Martin-and-Wood-and-Nels-Cline-Cinders

 

 

One of the spring releases we're most excited for is Medeski Martin & Wood's The Woodstock Sessions (Vol. 2) collaborative album with guitarist Nels Cline. As a refresher, the foursome came together to record the LP on August 27, 2013 at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, NY in front of an intimate gathering of 75 lucky ticket holders. MMW+C's session was part of a new series that aims to bring established and emerging recording artists together with their fans in the recording studio to capture inspired, one-off performances.

 

At Applehead Studios the quartet treated fans to nearly two hours of improvised music spanning two sets. The Applehead production/engineering team of Michael Birnbaum, Chris Bittner and Kevin Salem edited and mixed the music MMW+C laid down into nine separate tracks. "Michael Birnbaum from Applehead Studios and I had been talking about this for over two years. We’re all trying to figure out what to do in this crazy music business, how to keep things going & above water, how to keep the music real and keep the connection with the audience real," explained John Medeski in a statement. "Applehead Studios is a great space. Beyond just being a recording facility it sounds so good live that we thought we could find a way to play for people here and get something special out of it."

 

"There are a lot of different ways to make records. Too often, the process gets elongated, and I've made many records on recent years where no two musicians played in the same room at the same time. Michael and I sat down as producers and decided that we wanted to create a situation that would foster productivity and a modern organic approach to recording," said Salem. "These are recording sessions, pure, simple and real. For the attendees, they get to see musicians in their creative habitat. The artists get the benefit of simplicity and urgency that comes with live recording. And as producers, we get to craft something really one-of-a-kind. Putting

people in a room changes the dynamic, and that yields a tangible result that makes the sessions different from even standard live studio recording and certainly different from concert recordings."

The album comes out on Tuesday, but today we're pleased to premiere the dreamy, ethereal track "Cinders":