Hold Fast To Dreams

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CD back cover

Label: Nassau Presbyterian Church
Year: 1999
Released on LP: No
Released on CD: Yes

Tracks

1. In the Time of Silver Rain
2. The Dream Keeper
3. Dreams
4. Dream Dust
5. Tell Me
6. To Sit and Dream
7 .Dare
8. Wisdom
9. Final Curve
10. Dreamer
11. Heaven
12. Dream of Freedom
13. Boogie 1 A. M.

Notes

The Quartet performed on tracks 3 and 11.

Dave performed solo on track 9.

The Nassau Presbyterian Church and the Trenton Children's Chorus commissioned Dave Brubeck to write a choral work based upon the late Langston Hughes' poetry.

Dave & Iola chose a number of poems and created a wonderful piece of music that is heard on this CD. The performers were:

The Choirs for Children and Youth of The Nassau Presbyterian Church
The Trenton Children’s Chorus
Dave Brubeck - piano
Alec Dankworth - bass
Kevin Deas - baritone
Bobby Militello - alto sax
Randy Jones - drums
Steve Pilkington - piano
Kevin Deas - baritone
Sue Ellen Page - conductor


The CD was produced in limited quantities for distribution by The Choirs For Children and Youth of The Nassau Presbyterian Church and
The Trenton Children’s Chorus

Reviews

All Music Guide – Review – copyright

This is one of the more unusual recordings of the music of Dave Brubeck. Nassau Presbyterian Church and the Trenton Children's Chorus commissioned Brubeck to write a choral work based upon the late Langston Hughes' poetry, with "Hold Fast to Dreams" as a suggested starting point. The pianist and his wife, Iola, worked together, choosing a number of poems by Hughes and crafting them into a stunning work utilizing a church's children's and youth choirs, the Trenton Children's Chorus, two young sopranos, along with an adult soprano and Brubeck's baritone soloist of choice, Kevin Deas, with pianist Steve Pilkington accompanying the vocal segments.

In spite of the fact that Brubeck wrote a score for predominately young singers, his music is very demanding, yet it is obvious that conductor Sue Ellen Page rehearsed them extensively for this pair of concerts that featured the Dave Brubeck Quartet at its premiere performance. The CD does not have the polish of a professional recording, as there are problems with overmodulation and some of Brubeck's piano solos suffer from rather muddy sound and are buried in the mix. The inevitable coughs and applause at inappropriate times, problems inherent with recording live, are also distracting in spots. But the soloists are very prominent and do a terrific job, though there are occasions where the children's chorus could have benefited from post-production mixing.

This enjoyable CD was evidently released on a limited basis, likely targeted to other choir directors, so it may be rather difficult to acquire.

Ken Dryden

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