Dreamweavers: Woven In Time

The group Dreamweavers is the vision of two guitarists, one who acts as the lead player and the other who predominantly acts as producer, also adding lap steel guitar and mandocello (the baritone member of the mandolin family) to the musical mix. Woven In Time is their first release and the result of their ongoing collaboration.

Chris Allard, the lead guitarist, studied jazz and classical guitar at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, receiving an honours degree in guitar performance. In addition to recording six albums of his own, Allard is highly in demand, having played with artists such as Jacqui Dankworth, Ken Peplowski and Gwilym Simcock.

His fellow guitarist, Mike Trim, has a long history of composing and producing music for TV and films, including Prime Suspect and Missing Link. He is no stranger to collaborating with other guitarists, having worked with John Parricelli and John Renbourn. To complete the Dreamweavers, the duo are joined by pianist Jim Watson, bassist Dudley Phillips and drummer Nick Smalley, who between them have notched up performances with artists as diverse as Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Orphy Robinson and Gareth Lockrane.

With such a wide array of musical experience and influences in the group, it is no surprise that the album weaves rock, Latin, folk and blues into its jazz soundscape. That soundscape is heavily manicured using creative studio techniques that strike a balance between leading edge and a warm organic feel. Allard composed seven of the tracks on the album, with Trim contributing two, the final one being co-written.

The opening track, "11th Planet," opens with the effects one might expect from the title, but soon settles into a laid-back groove with melodic and inventive electric guitar work. This is not an album for powerful, scorching solos; instead, Allard uses melody, phrasing, dynamics and tone to shape his often hypnotic improvisations. Even so, there are still moments when his guitar takes flight, as heard on the impressive "Aziza Etude," the blues-rock of "Skyline Drive" and the intentive interplay with Trim's lap steel guitar on "Driving Home."

There is a good balance of accessibility and improvisation in the folk-influenced title track and Trim's "Dancing in the Flame" benefits from his mandocello, a strong melody and a little more space in the arrangement. Watson adds a fine piano solo to the bright and uplifting Latin rhythms of "Bossa para Rosa."

The multiple layers of instrumentation frequently give the album a cinematic or theme-tune soundscape. Complemented by the production techniques, the group improvisation and interplay are high quality and create a distinctive and inviting soundscape. Allard takes the compositional and musical lead with his mature balance of melody and improvisation, which, together with his frequently outstanding guitar work, gives the album a broad appeal. There is more to come too, with a second album mooted for a late 2025 release.

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