Alex Cline Ensemble

Drummer and bandleader Alex Cline's latest effort is an odyssey through sound, seamlessly dipping into diverse musical worlds while never failing to surprise, bewilder and delight the listener. The dynamic contrast and labyrinthine polyrhythms of his drum improvisations recall Tony Williams, to whom he's written a stunning, multidimensional tribute piece. Mournful, impressionistic electric violin melodies channel the spirit of Ravel through the medium of Wayne Shorter, accompanied by eerie, high-pitched organ drones that would make Larry Young proud. Thoughtful, lyrical compositions literally explode from the inside, as rhythms move from abstract avant-swirl through blistering minefields of bone-rattling Post Bop swing. G.E. Stinson's passionate, urgent guitar solos distill rock, jazz, and noise into a focused, blues-soaked wail, Wayne Peet recounts the entire history of the Hammond organ, and Aina Kemanis's interplanetary vocalizations bring the melodies to new dimensions.