GUITAR HERO

No musician straddles the crevasse between rock and free jazz with as much aplomb and credibility as guitarist Nels Cline. A linchpin of the Southern California improv milieu, Cline’s jaw-dropping solos and extraterrestrial textures have been a hallmark of Wilco’s brainy dad rock since 2004. The peripatetic pedal pusher kicks off a six-night Stone residency tonight alongside longtime collaborators Tim Berne (alto sax) and Jim Black (drums) with an early set of his own tunes and later set of improvisations. Other highlights of the week include tomorrow’s return of the Nels Cline Singers, a terrific instrumental trio; a Thursday celebration of SoCal roots featuring saxophonist Vinny Golia, with whom Nels made his 1978 recording debut; and a concluding Sunday duo set with Cline’s equally expansive guitar acolyte Mary Halvorson.

Tue., Aug. 5, 8 p.m., 2014