NEM#146: Nels Cline Writes Jazz Fusion (And Plays Guitar for Wilco)

Though best known as lead guitarist for Wilco since 2004, Nels has recorded 30+ instrumental albums, often as band leader. We discuss "Headdress" by The Nels Cline Singers from Share the Wealth (2020), "The Nomad’s Home" from Coward (2009), and "Fives & Sixes" from his first solo release, Angelica (1987). We conclude by listening to "Imperfect Ten" by The Nels Cline 4 from  Continue Reading …

NEM#85: John Etheridge (Soft Machine) Is For Everything!

John is an amazing guitarist who started in the late-'60s British blues boom, had his first compositions set to tape with Darryl Way's Wolf in the early '70s, then joined the latter line-ups of jazz-prog legends Soft Machine (replacing Alan Holdsworth) in the late '70s. He's collaborated with luminaries like violinist Stéphane Grappelli, guitar great John Williams, and Andy  Continue Reading …

NEM #29: Jason Seed’s “Stringtet”

Jason fattens out his eclectic guitar pieces by writing string and horn parts, and The Jason Seed Stringtet includes members of the Chicago Symphony sawing away furiously. We'll discuss "Ishtar," a Bulgarian/Latin-inflected piece from In the Gallery (2013), "Any Night Now" a more traditional chamber jazz number from 2015, and the Zappa-esque "Mammoth" from the Jason Seed  Continue Reading …