Wednesday Nights will never be the same as the JazzCat LeRoy Downs, Mr Musichead Art Gallery and All Music Television present the Just Jazz Live After Work Concert Series with Alex Cline on Wednesday, December 11th at the Mr Musichead Art Gallery on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. Come early for a Wine Reception and Art Gallery tour and stay for the music. Visit check out upcoming shows, artists bios and performance schedules and to buy posters and tickets. The Just Jazz Live Music After Work Concert Series. Where Music & Art Meet. Every Wednesday beginning May 23, 2018. Doors open at 6pm. VIP Reserved guests receive guaranted seating and free beer and wine. Limited seating. Alex Cline (drums), Band TBA «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.»