RON CAINES / MARTIN ARCHER: AXIS
Practical Dreamers
(Discus Music - 2024 - UK)

https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/practical-dreamers-178cd-2024

  Be prepared to be instantly drawn into a world of magnificent minds from musicians who create something beyond magic in the music world. It is another stunning album by AXIS (Ron Caines & Martin Archer , plus various members added). being their fifth, and in my view, their most cerebral  yet. There is the fact of the wisdom and experience of the members involved here, and then far past that, is the unusually high academy of creative output these artists possess. A musical Hyperion that casts aside typical definition.

We often discover only the most superior concepts or formations occur in some obscure space, far from human reality, or just out of touch for the seekers who spend their lives searching for it. In this case, 'Practical Dreamers' is a treasure that all such journey goers  will find golden and worth each second of their lives. The varied compositions go inside you and vibrate a special resonance. Ron Caines decided to go about this recording just a bit different from the previous AXIS projects in the layout.  I will not labor on the details simply due to the result that makes the word amazing take on a new glow. His decision was to allow Martin and the others, to compose the music first, in a possible embryonic stage (or was it), then for him to come in a lay his spell on top of it. Simple yet such a chance to discover, and this became the formula that gave the audience the special aural experience of a lifetime. Knowing the musicians involved has a history and incredible backlog in itself, but still, Ron took a chance in his liberal approach. No worries!

It would be a sin not to list the creators of this disc. The names alone bring a large ear perking. Ron Caines – alto and soprano saxophones/ Martin Archer – bass and B flat clarinets, flute, tuned percussion, electronics, whistles, harmonica/ Hervé Perez – laptop, sound processing/ Laura Cole – piano/ Anton Hunter – electric guitar, electronics/ Michael Bardon – cello/ Gus Garside – double bass/ and Ron Caines – alto and soprano saxophones/ & Johnny Hunter – drums.  The authentic interreaction from each atom to the others, defines causation and effect in such a way that rarely if ever comes up from the spirits from humans. What a collection of first rate wit, energy, upfront give, freedom from forced dictatorship, formed in raw arena of no censorship, this is new ideas placed on a work bench in a lab of critical minds who got lost in the sand storm of corrective world order. Yet, if anything reveals possible opposing views, thus this became a perfect Dadaism of all things happen from sparks busting against the walls of the enclosure of the pit. Here be the ghost of all the rebels. Pieces 'Practical Dreamers' Part 1 thru 7 are inclusive and exclusive compositions that skate along shallow ice, hang on brittle limbs, and wear the exploration badge of courage, moment after moment. What would any educated music lover expect, but the outlay of these artists pulled together by destiny and sweet fate.

Ron lays down latitudes, platforms, and raw energy. This gives not just pause, but second sights to all, as such improvised hind-sights give way to anticipated fragments, with faith in the players, all out insane conception, never becoming congested, always fluid, full of mudprints to other places, explorations to places yet found from imaginations. The golden ears of each player places this exact radiance from the alpha and omega of this endeavor. No scattering of ideas, except the most firework display of the best improv musicians on this planet. There is no equal, although reference points could be suggested from a deluge thru the library of open range British jazz. A formula of electroacoustic structures composed by Martin Archer, with real time laptop responses created and performed by Hervé Perez – which together provide a live improvising environment for the other instrumentalists, who all responded in real time to what they heard", becomes a web of incredible design. Imagination on a map to anywhere, makes the listener the lucky one, and damn well  fortunate beyond all time and space limitations. Caines did come in the end, took a deep breath, gave blessings to the entire mountain of beauty, and both allowed already existing God-like genius to bloom, but give orgasm to the heap so ready to burst to the blue sky. How each artist lays on top of each other, paints the canvas so beautifully, and creates a masterpiece such as this is rare indeed. But the players are ultimately special, and chosen to make this near impossible beauty from strands of moments thrust forth from regions of their minds

"Practical Dreamers" is a big beautiful balloon of intricate floating  brilliance, complex collusion, and golden rule performance between the artists included in this release. Investigative jazz swirls the bright lights of some alien star ship that has just shown up at your doorsteps, so I suggest you use your ears to take in the unique encounter performed by this ensemble of great thinkers. Spellbinding formations. Absolute twilight music. Pieces apart and brought together into a summation of perfection.

©Reviewed by Lee Henderson  8 - 10 - 2024

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