For this week's New York Night Train show list go here. For information about the venues go here. Click the names in bold to learn more about the artists.

Tuesday May 23, 2006

Nels Cline, Andrea Parkins & Tom Rainey – Tonic 8PM $10
Nels Cline, the ultimate guitarist’s guitarist has done everything from the experimental music he’ll be performing tonight, to more traditional jazz, to solo acoustic pieces, to more abrasive rock, and, his recent claim to fame, subtle pop. Since he began recording in 1979, including membership in the bands Quartet Music, The Geraldine Fibbers, Scarnella, and, most recently, Wilco, he’s worked with a diversity of artists like Thurston Moore, Rickie Lee Jones, Charlie Hayden, Mary Lou Lord, Henry Kaiser, Mike Watt, and Sky Saxon and the Seeds. He’s also put out regular albums solo and as a bandleader under the monikers Nels Cline Trio, Nels Cline Singers, Destroy All Nels Cline, and simply Nels Cline. I can think of no other guitarist, not even Marc Ribot, who seems to have equal respect in the indie rock, jazz, pop, and improv scenes. If you’re not so well versed in his work I recommend you go to his web site and check out his voluminous discography and generous MP3 page.

He cuts quite a trio with Parkins and Rainey. Andrea Parkins’ forte is electronics – sampling and manipulating the sounds of pianos, keyboard, and, most notably, her trademark electric accordion. While she’s performed solo and in bigger bands like John Zorn’s Cobra, her forte is the trio, her’ most longstanding projects in the last decade have been with Ellery Eskelin and Jim Black, and Briggan Krauss and Kenny Wollesen. Tom Rainey, a virtuosic drummer and secret star of many a project, is known for his work with Kenny Warner, Mark Helias, Fred Hersch Group, and, like Nels Cline, Tim Berne.

This isn’t the first paring of these three important figures in contemporary music. Cline, Parkins, and Rainey got together a couple of years ago to record an LP for Atavistics “Out Trios Series,” Ash and Tabla. Their collaboration is a loose and dissonant affair that’s all about tones and textures. As the trio’s dynamic collaboration moves from spacious soundscapes to cluttered corners, the chops, style, and imagination of each individual isn’t lost as they hold back, feel out the situations, and slowly boil the lid off the pot. In doing so they locate some surprising and unlikely vistas. Ain’t that what freedom is all about anyway?

MEDIA

"Raptors" MP3 from Out Trios Volume 3: Ash and Tabla

ALSO:
Allen Toussaint, Henry Butler – Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall $29
Daniel Higgs; WZT Hearts, Lance Romance with Colin USAISAMONSTER, Nate Mouthus and Matt Talibam – Cake Shop $7 (toddpnyc.com)
Duck Baker and friends – The Stone $10
Gerry Hemingway, Ellery Eskelin, Herb Robertson & Mark Helias – Tonic 10PM $10
Ghostigital - Maxwell's $10
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Dub Trio, Beans, Dark Room- Pianos $8
Murder By Death, Langhorne Slim, Metal Hearts - Knitting Factory Main Space $10
Susquehanna Industrial Tool and Die Co. - Rodeo Bar FREE
Taj Mahal Trio - Blue Note $35/$45