Articles by Ted Harms
Nels Cline: Finding Others
by Ted Harms
Ask 10 people when they first heard of guitarist Nels Cline and you'll get 10 different answers. Maybe it was when he joined award-winning, arena-packing, ever-touring rock band Wilco. Or maybe it was stumbling upon a guitar internet forum where nerd boys and girls go over the minutiae of his expansive and varied effect pedals, amps, and guitars. Or it could have been hearing his critically acclaimed The Giant Pin (Cryptogramophone, 2004) with his group, the Nels Cline Singers (even ...
read moreThe Ratchet Orchestra: Hemlock
by Ted Harms
Wikipedia defines a ratchet as a mechanical device that allows for motion in only one direction; it also could be a piss-take or deliberate mispronunciation of “rat shit." Certainly the former is more appropriate for The Ratchet Orchestra's Hemlock, from a very large ensemble led by bassist/composer Nicolas Caloia. This group of 30 players is primarily drawn from the huge pool of improvisers based in Montreal, Canada, and the sound, thankfully, isn't just everybody playing all at once-- though there ...
read moreThe Peggy Lee Band: Invitation
by Ted Harms
This is the fifth album, and second on Drip Audio, of Vancouver-based cellist Peggy Lee's ensemble. The Peggy Lee Band members are all solid players, and each has their turn taking the lead through this 11-song recording. The strong tunes occasionally evoke the feel and vibe of guitarist Bill Frisell's early '90s sextet classics This Land (Nonesuch, 1994) and Have a Little Faith (Nonesuch, 1993).The songs range from the vaudeville-esque “Why Are You Yelling," with its spiky yet ...
read moreGuelph Jazz Festival: Guelph, Canada, September 5-9, 2012
by Ted Harms
Guelph Jazz FestivalGuelph, OntarioSeptember 5-9, 2012The Guelph Jazz Festival is in its 19th year. Under the direction of Ajay Heble, the festival has few equals in Canada, attracting the upper echelon of improvising musicians.It is a rare festival that can resist the allure of “tent-pole" shows--the mass-appeal artists that have vague, jazz-ish tinges--but the absence is counteracted by consistently making community involvement and presence a priority. The festival has broadened its appeal with a downtown ...
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