What makes The Celestial Septet by The Nels Cline Singers notable?

This album is significant for its critical acclaim within the jazz community, with publications like DownBeat praising its daring compositions and intricate interplay among musicians. It also highlights Nels Cline's influence on contemporary jazz, further solidifying his role in pushing genre boundaries during the late 2000s. By the time 'The Celestial Septet' was released in 2010, The Nels Cline Singers had established themselves as a formidable force in avant-garde jazz, following their previous album 'Draw Breath' from 2009. This project marked a continuation of Cline's innovative approach to composition and improvisation, showcasing his growing reputation as both a guitarist and bandleader.

How many songs are on The Celestial Septet?

The Celestial Septet has 5 tracks, running approximately 68 minutes.

The Celestial Septet

The Nels Cline Singers · 2010

68 min · 5 tracks · jazz

An expansive exploration of improvisation where intricate guitar work meets unyielding rhythmic foundations across a tapestry of sound.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Cesar Chávez — Spanning over twelve minutes, this track exemplifies the band's ability to blend structured composition with freeform improvisation, creating a rich auditory narrative.
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Whose to Know (for Albert Ayler) — This nearly half-hour tribute showcases Cline's expansive vision and deep reverence for jazz history, manifesting as a sonic journey through varied moods and textures.
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The Buried Quilt — With its intricate arrangements and dynamic shifts, this track encapsulates the album's thematic depth while highlighting each musician's unique contributions.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

71 /100

Alpine

Higher than 95% of albums we've rated

The album showcases intricate compositions and strong improvisation, making it a notable entry in avant-garde jazz.

What we noticed

The album features extended improvisational sections where the guitar often leads, creating a dynamic interplay with the rhythm section.
Each track varies in length, with 'Cesar Chávez' being the shortest at just over six minutes and 'The Buried Quilt' extending beyond ten minutes, allowing for deep exploration of themes.

Composition 25% of the score: 8/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 8/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Cesar Chávez 12:46
2 Trouble Ticket 12:28
3 Whose to Know (for Albert Ayler) 25:23
4 Head Count 2:21
5 The Buried Quilt 15:58

What to play next

Listen next

Macroscope

2014

Go back to

Draw Breath

2007

Full The Nels Cline Singers discography Artists like The Nels Cline Singers

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Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata