Alex Cline - The Lamp and the Star (ECM, 1987)

This post is by Dan

Alex Cline (d, perc); Aina Kemanis (vo); Nels Cline (vo); Jeff Gauthier (vn, vla, vo); Hank Roberts (vc, vo); Wayne Peet, p, org); Eric Von Essen (b); Susan Rawcliffe (didjeridu)

Recorded September 1987

Alex Cline is the twin brother of Nels Cline. Born in 1956, the brothers pursued different musical paths while still collaborating on particular projects. Nels co-produced The Lamp and the Star with his brother. 

According to guitarist Nels, Alex “is a very serious guy, and his music is very measured and slow to unfold. It has a certain kind of ethereal or even monastic quality to it sometimes, and that’s Alex." 

The Lamp and the Star displays the ethereal/monastic quality of Alex's work. I find this type of music to be very absorbing and should not be confused with "new age" music. As is true of Steve Tibbetts' albums, Alex Cline's works explore composition and improvisation differently than typical jazz albums. One could find peace, spiritual enlightenment, and balance by allowing this music in. It also sounds terrific, in large part because of the virtuosity of the band.

Much of the mood is shaped by the voice of Aina Kemanis, who offers wordless vocals over the instrumental ensemble. Not all is peaceful, as climaxes appear now and then. There is little soloing, per se, although specific instruments at times move to the forefront, especially Eric Von Essen's bass, Wayne Peet's piano, and Jeff Gauthier's violin. Alex Cline's huge percussion kit provides a wide range of bells, gongs, woodblocks, and cymbals in addition to traditional drums.

The Lamp and the Star is the first of a sequence of similar works on the Nine Winds and Cryptogramophone labels. Those albums are listed below. The Lamp and the Star is the only one in the series on ECM. The Clines oversaw the recording in Los Angeles, and ECM took over the digital mixing and mastering in Oslo. Both LP and CD versions were released, both with the same program of music. 

Montsalvat, Nine Winds, 1992

Sparks Fly Upward, Cryptogramophone, 1998

The Constant Flame, Cryptogramophone, 2000

Cloud Plate, Cryptogramophone, 2001

Continuation, Cryptogramophone, 2008

For People in Sorrow, Cryptogramophone, 2011 - This album contains a DVD of the live performance, which is stunning. Alex Cline's reimagination of the classic album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago should not be missed by anyone with an interest in Cline's work or the AEC.