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Many Axes: 2 Many Axes

By Mark Corroto
November 12, 2004
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Many Axes creates spontaneous music and performs on primitive instruments. Artist and master flute player Susan Rawcliffe designed and created most of the instruments this trio plays. Her clay pieces, modeled after world music traditions, seamlessly fit the improvisational manner of Rawcliffe, wind player Scott Wilkinson, and percussionist Brad Dutz.

That is, they agree on the organic nature of this recording. These people are making music that seemingly comes straight from the earth. I'm not pouring a huge bowl of granola here. The wind and beats resonate deep inside your chest. Most tracks build upon progressive layers and tones that stir mood with low light ambiance.

Rawcliffe, Wilkinson, and Dutz aren't playing jazz so much as creating instant world music. Not the musical tourist sounds of prepackaged gift shops, but the found object sounds of explorers. When we hear the three taking breaths, they each join the collective creation of music, primitive beats, soundings, harmonies, and whistles.

Like early musicians, they mimic animal sounds, the wind, thunder, and mother earth. Dig it.

Track Listing

March Of The Whales, Circuspace, Pillbug's Nightmare, Drama Dairy, Entropy, Roll Over Johann, Mastodon Stew, Unheard Melodies, Buried There, Dali Comma, Puddle, Popping Beetles, Anto Carlos.

Personnel

Susan Rawcliffe - Ceramic Flutes, Ocarinas, Whistles, Polyglobular Trumpets, Dideridus, Shells, Jawharps; Scott Wilkinson - Ceramic Winds, Tibetian Horn, Ethic Flutes, Bells & Bowls, Shells, Recorders; Brad Dutz - Udu, Bodhran, Berimbau, Tablas, Bendir Sabar, Doumbeck, Shakers, Balaphone, Bones, Gongs, Clay Bowls.

Album information

Title: 2 Many Axes | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Not On Label (Many Axes Self-released)

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