NELS CLINE : Fusing Ravel, Strayhorn--and Grunge

“I was ready creatively and technically to deal with being the main voice in a trio,” says local guitarist Nels Cline of his decision three years ago to form the unit featured on his new Enja album, “Silencer.”

Cline appears with his band today at Bogart’s in Long Beach.

The eclectic array of influences Cline and trio mates Mark London Sims (bass guitar) and Michael Preussner (drums) draw on for their electric forays don’t add up to another grab bag of tired fusion formulas. The pieces on the release stress shifting moods and textures more than virtuoso licks.

“I’m definitely a product of the generation that heard everything,” says Cline, 36, who resides in Santa Monica. “It would be absurd for me to be a purist.”

There’s little chance of Cline earning that label, given his varied background. Though he was initially inspired by the visceral punch of surf music, hearing John Coltrane and Ravi Shankar turned his focus to improvised, instrumental music. Cline has worked with Charlie Haden and Julius Hemphill and such local units as acoustic improvisers Quartet Music and quirky popsters Bloc.

Cline’s compositional influences range from Ravel and Billy Strayhorn to rock guitar noise gurus Sonic Youth and the late Argentine tango legend Astor Piazzolla. The lanky guitarist says the primary influences for his trio were the original Tony Williams Lifetime and an early ‘80s trio led by John Scofield, but his personal models are mainstreamers such as guitarist Jim Hall and pianist Jimmy Rowles.

The guitar’s lyrical side should draw jazz listeners to “Silencer” but the trio’s raucous, electric element could win a following among the alternative rock audience.

“The writing seems to be breaking down into an attempt at elegance or simplicity and then a certain grunge factor, massive pumping noise,” said Cline of his band’s sound. “My personal taste is right there--I enjoy hearing Ben Webster play ballads or Jimmy Rowles play tunes as much as hearing feedback for 10 minutes.

“Composition is important to me but so is manifesting whatever we do naturally as a trio. The essential aesthetic is Ornette (Coleman)-inspired--I want to be able to play any melody I want at any given time in any piece and have the other musicians thinking along the same lines.”