(Avant-Garde / Modern Creative / Cryptogramophone) Alex Cline Ensemble - The Constant Flame - 2001, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The Constant Flame is the sequel to drummer/percussionist Alex Cline's highly acclaimed 1999 Crypto release Sparks Fly Upward (CG102), and continues in the tradition of his recordings on ECM and Nine Winds Records. Produced by famed jazz drummer Peter Erskine, The Constant Flame features the members of the ensemble (click on the CD), plus soloists Nels Cline, Kaoru, Vinny Golia and a cast of thousands in tributes to John Carter, Don Cherry, David Sylvian, Toru Takemitsu and others.

The latest Alex Cline Ensemble endeavor is the first since 1999's Sparks Fly Upward, and is a poetic masterpiece. Back is the haunted, hunted stoned angel voice of Aina Kemanis, with violins provided by Jeff Gauthier, Michael Elizondo's bass, G.E. Stinson's guitar and Wayne Peet's keyboards to accompany the massive percussion, synthesizer and string skills of Cline (on kantele and autoharp). Also lending a hand are Cline's guitar monster brother, Nels; soprano saxophonist Vinny Golia; a percussion ensemble headed by producer Peter Erskine and a host of relatives and friends of band members reading six poems by the late Akiko Yosano. The opener, "Paramita," is dedicated to the memory of Don Cherry. After a brief poem spoken by Kemanis, the piece opens with a deep, thunderous drumming. Eventually, in her ghostly yet serene voice keyboards, bass and the kantele (a kind of zither) enter the tune and become its body. Kemanis hovers above, ever so slightly, bringing her musicians with her into the heavens, ever so slowly until the entire tune is transformed from a piece of musical poetry into a prayer. On "Evening Bell," dedicated to the late composer Toru Takemitsu, singing bowls usher in bells and scrape yet resonant strings-Gauthier overdubbed-and very eventually, Kemanis' vocal. The work holds together with a spiritual thread, nothing more binds its disparate parts. Improvisation is everywhere, yet reined in with an aesthetic control of space. One of the standout tracks is the title cut, dedicated to the memory of John Carter whom Cline cut his musical teeth with. Not remotely resembling anything Carter would compose, the piece nonetheless employs his compositional methodology and uses space for improvisation in much the same way. While there isn't a weak moment on this outrageously ambitious recording, worthy of an essay instead of a review, there are some moments that need to be mentioned if for no other reason than to point listeners in a general direction. "Bridge," for (the living) David Sylvian, begins with a gorgeous vocal from Kemanis, singing the simplest of lyrics, accompanied only by a keyboard for half of the piece's 13 minutes. As her vocal opens the musical field, percussion, other keyboards, strings and reeds join together with her shimmering in the dark heat. By disc's end, it's obvious that Cline and his band can accomplish anything they want to, there be no chasm they cannot breach. In the spare, night-drenched sparseness that is "Benediction," (written for and sung by Kemanis) the keyboards and whispering cymbals offer a closing to a set of music that is both sacred and yet entrenched in the ravaged beauty of the earth. Cline's music is boundless and cannot be more or less than any of the sounds that he and his band evoke in their search for musical wholeness. As brave and uncompromising as it is inherently beautiful, this is Cline's finest moment as a leader thus far. ~ Thom Jurek, AMG

A long-standing fixture on the Los Angeles music scene, Alex Cline has always been more than just a drummer. Playing a drum kit that is augmented by numerous cymbals, bells and gongs, he is an orchestrator of sounds. His latest release, THE CONSTANT FLAME, is the second in a pair of recordings along with 1999's SPARKS FLY UPWARDS. The songs here again are inspired by/dedicated to various people who have inspired Cline over the years. The opening track, "Paramita," is in the memory of trumpeter Don Cherry. Starting off with the sound of bells, Aina Kemanis recites from the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" before Cline starts up a tribal rhythm on his kit with mallets. Kemanis' voice floats above with a wondrous delicacy. For those not familiar with her, she possesses a voice that is both fragile and strong, with a clarity of sound few others can match. She is the perfect compliment for Jeff Gauthier's violin as they weave around each other over the rhythm. "Evening Bell" is more abstract. Gongs, bells, and swelling chords give way to piano. The music moves by slowly, as instruments move in and out. The excellent recording (once again produced by drummer Peter Erskine) allows for minute details across the sound field. "The Constant Flame," with guest guitarist Nels Cline, builds up into a B3 organ/drums/guitar rave-up that recalls Tony Williams' original "Lifetime" group. Add Vinny Golia's soprano sax and the intensity builds. Alex and bassist Michael Elizondo drive things along, pushing the music forward and challenging the soloists. "Bridge" (for David Sylvian) opens with brooding chords from Wayne Peet and Kemanis' wonderful voice. Elizondo then solos on double bass over the same chords. His sound is full and vibrant. Kemanis returns with the bass weaving around her. Gauthier's lyrical violin enters and then percussion from guests Dan Morris, Christopher Garcia, and producer Erskine. "Summoning Spirits" is a short solo piece where Cline features the varied tonalities of his kit. The closing "Benediction" is a Gaelic prayer dedicated to vocalist Kamanis. The music ebbs and flows like the evening tide. Cline plays cymbals and bells, adding to the mood. Not what you would expect from a drummer's recording, but Cline is so much more. He is a composer and musician at heart who happens to play drums. This is not wallpaper music, but music of immense depth that, like a great film, will reveal more nuances each time it is returned to. ~ Michael Bettine, Jazzreview.com

Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008
EAC extraction logfile from 17. July 2009, 23:42
Alex Cline Ensemble / The Constant Flame
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