Fresh from sessions for Trio of Bloom, the Wilco guitarist reflects on working with Craig Taborn and Marcus Gilmore for the first time, reconciling insecurity with ambition, and why comfort might be creativity's biggest enemy.

------------------

Most people know Nels Cline as Wilco's guitarist for the past two decades. But his range goes far beyond indie rock. He's spent forty-plus years moving between jazz clubs, punk venues, and studios where the rules get bent or thrown out entirely. Rolling Stone put him on their list of the top 100 guitarists of all time, but that tells you nothing about how he actually plays.

His current project, Trio of Bloom, pairs him with keyboardist Craig Taborn and drummer Marcus Gilmore on Pyroclastic Records. The three had never played together before producer David Breskin brought them into the studio in November 2024. What came out sounds like a band that's been working together for years, full of ambient drift and barbed funk that explores the outer edges of dub.

We're putting The Tonearm's needle on Nels Cline to talk about how this project came together and so much more.

------------------

[00:01:24] Feeling Daunted but Showing Up
[00:02:29] What Do Collaborators See in Nels?
[00:04:01] Preparing for First-Time Sessions
[00:04:38] Three Days to Make a Record
[00:08:06] Building "Forge" as a Drum Concerto
[00:11:01] The Assignment-Based Approach
[00:11:51] Why the Parameters Worked
[00:12:54] The Moment It Clicked
[00:14:47] Recording "Why Canada"
[00:15:04] Playing Okay vs. Playing Perfectly
[00:16:08] Insecurity Meets Ambition
[00:18:18] Finding Your Voice Among Heroes
[00:19:04] Cover Song Choices and Chemistry
[00:19:13] Tackling Wayne Shorter's "Diana"
[00:21:33] Honoring Originals While Making Something New
[00:22:27] Respect, Chemistry, and Confidence
[00:24:02] Being Comfortable in Different Contexts
[00:24:48] Not Needing to Dominate
[00:26:07] The Collaborative Environment
[00:27:01] Navigating Multiple Musical Worlds
[00:28:36] Listening as the Key Skill
[00:29:57] Structure Within Freedom
[00:30:38] The Heart of the Record: "Bloomers"
[00:31:36] Free Improvisation and Being Present
[00:32:23] What Worked Best About the Sessions
[00:33:47] Risk-Taking and Growth
[00:35:16] Comfort as the Enemy of Creativity
[00:36:00] The Visual Aspect: Sharon Core's Artwork
[00:37:41] The Title "Trio of Bloom"
[00:38:33] What Listeners Should Hear
[00:39:30] Will This Band Play Live?
[00:40:45] Looking Ahead: Other Projects
[00:41:38] Twenty Years with Wilco
[00:42:02] How Wilco Shaped His Playing
[00:43:40] The Freedom to Take Risks
[00:45:04] Living in New York
[00:46:11] Staying Connected to the NYC Scene
[00:47:02] First Encountering John Zorn
[00:50:36] The Murderer's Row of Cobra
[00:51:09] John Zorn's Generosity and Kindness

------------------

Visit Nels Cline at → https://www.nelscline.com
and follow him on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nelscline
and Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/nelscline

Purchase Trio of Bloom from Bandcamp → https://trioofbloom.bandcamp.com/album/trio-of-bloom
or Qobuz → https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/trio-of-bloom-trio-of-bloom/v6gl5g1yj7z3b
and listen on your[ streaming platform of choice → https://album.link/t/440202268

For extensive show notes, links, and podcast information, go to https://podcast.thetonearm.com

Be sure to check out The Tonearm, an online music + culture magazine featuring fascinating perspectives and conversations with creative people → https://www.thetonearm.com

The Tonearm on Mastodon → https://social.lol/@thetonearm
The Tonearm on Bluesky → https://bsky.app/profile/thetonearm.com
The Tonearm on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tonearm

------------------

• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate The Tonearm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of The Tonearm in your podcast app of choice.
• Looking for more? Visit podcast.thetonearm.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Talk Of The Tonearm email newsletter.

#Podcast #NelsCline #TrioOfBloom #CraigTaborn #MarcusGilmore #JazzGuitar #ExperimentalMusic #FreeImprovisation #Wilco #PyroclasticRecords #DavidBreskin #TerjeRypdal #WayneShorter #MiltonNascimento #RonaldShannonJackson #JohnZorn #ContemporaryJazz #GuitarPodcast #JazzPodcast #TheTonearm