Nels Cline Singers

Biography

The Nels Cline Singers is an avant-garde jazz ensemble led by American guitarist and composer Nels Cline, founded in 2001 as a singerless trio blending free jazz, experimental jazz, and indie influences. Cline, born January 4, 1956, in Los Angeles, began playing guitar at age 12 alongside his twin brother Alex Cline on drums, forming the teenage rock band Homogenized Goo inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and The Beatles. Their early development drew from electric Miles Davis albums like Bitches Brew and free jazz pioneers, leading to tutelage under Vinny Golia and Eric Von Essen, with Cline's debut recording Elegies in 1980.[1][2]

The Singers debuted with the 2002 album Instrumentals on Cryptogramophone, followed by The Giant Pin in 2004, establishing Cline's avant-garde presence through dynamic, nondoctrinaire compositions echoing 1970s fusion like Miles Davis and Tony Williams Lifetime. The group expanded over time, releasing Share the Wealth in 2020 on Blue Note with members Skerik, Brian Marsella, Trevor Dunn, Scott Amendola, and Cyro Baptista, and later grew to a sextet for Macroscope on Mack Avenue. Cline's parallel career with Wilco since 2004 and over 200 recordings across genres underscores the Singers' role in his experimental legacy.[2][3][4]

Known for free improvisation and genre-blurring energy, the Nels Cline Singers gained acclaim in free-jazz and indie-rock circles, with expansions driven by commissions like the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville. Their evolving lineup and releases, including recent projects, highlight Cline's enduring innovation in pushing jazz boundaries while maintaining a core space between fusion and avant-garde.[3]

Fun Facts

• The Nels Cline Singers was conceived as a 'singerless trio' in 2001, deliberately avoiding vocals to focus on instrumental free jazz and indie energy.[3]
• Cline's defining guitar moment was hearing Jimi Hendrix's 'Manic Depression,' sparking his career alongside brother Alex in Homogenized Goo.[1][2]
• The group expanded to a sextet for Macroscope after a one-off larger performance at the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville.[3]
• Cline's first recording Elegies (1980) featured duets with mentor Eric Von Essen, marking his entry into free jazz.[2]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Vinny Golia - West Coast free jazz icon and multi-instrumentalist tutor (early collaborations) [late 1970s-1980s]
• Eric Von Essen - bassist-pianist-composer who tutored and played duets (Elegies (1980)) [late 1970s-1980]
• Miles Davis - major stylistic influence via electric period (In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, Live/Evil, On the Corner, Get Up With It) [late 1960s-1970s]

Key Collaborators

• Alex Cline - twin brother and frequent percussionist (Homogenized Goo, early jazz recordings) [1970s onward]
• Skerik - saxophonist in expanded Singers lineup (Share the Wealth (2020)) [2020s]
• Trevor Dunn - bassist in Singers (Share the Wealth (2020)) [2020s]
• Scott Amendola - drummer in Singers (Share the Wealth (2020)) [2020s]
• Cyro Baptista - percussionist, guest and member (Share the Wealth (2020), Macroscope) [2010s-2020s]
• Tim Berne - avant-garde alto saxophonist (The Five Year Plan, 7X, Spectres) [1980s]
• Julius Hemphill - mentor to Berne, collaborator (Georgia Blue (1984)) [1980s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia