DREAMS

If Chicago or B,S & T both are well-known as brass jazz-rock pioneers, Dreams are often less known and stay in the shadow. But in fact they were not less important (just not so successful in their time market).

Having similar musical formula ( blues-rock based band added horn section), their music was different from both genre leaders. They never melted both genres deep enough, so listener all the time can easily hear where rock band play their rock, and where brass section play jazzy improvs. Differently from Chicago, their jazz side was really much more free and improvisational. So it is a real pleasure to listen these not very structurized jazzy horn pieces.

Another important moment - Dreams became starting ground for many future great jazz fusion musicians as Brecker Brothers, Billy Cobham and John Abercrombie (all of them participated on this debut album).

Even if their music sounds a bit dated now, this work is really interesting for everyone with interest to early brass jazz-rock. If you like early Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears albums, this Dreams debut is for you!

Three and half rounded to 4.

This is an interesting early album for what would be some fusion notables: Randy and Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham and John Abercrombie. Style style owes quite a bit to early jazz rock pioneers Blood Sweat and Tears, and maybe a bit to Chicago.

While the performances are excellent, it's the songs themselves that leave this listener wanting. All the songs were written by either bassist Doug Lubahn or keyboardist/guitarist Jeff Kent. The arrangements are all very loose. I would say too loose. I think some written horn arrangements would have added power to all of the pieces.

Still, this album is a pleasant work of vocal based jazz fusion. A treat for fans of the genre.

Jazz-infused rock music in the CHICAGO/BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS vein from New York City.

1. "Devil Lady" (3:33) a very concise BS&T-modeled song. (I get the very distinct feeling that the iconic LaBelle song, "Lady Marmalade" pretty much lifted the music from this song,.) Solid song that might have deserved radio airplay. (8.75/10)

2. "15 Miles to Provo" (3:01) a more mainstream pop-oriented song of the CHICAGO, Jimmy Webb or Eric Burden orientation--except for the elaborate play of the horn section that joins in (and dominates) late in the first minute. Besides the dynamic (though oddly engineered) horn play, I like the organ play here from Jeff Kent. (8.75/10)

3. "The Maryanne" (2:25) a very pretty strummed-acoustic guitar-based love song, bass and horns join Doug Lubahn and Edward Vernon as the song progresses. Nice. (9.25/10)

4. "Holli Be Home" (5:42) delicate cymbal play with electric guitar harmonics makes for a very pretty opening. "Distant" horns join in before Ed Vernon takes the lead in vocals. He's mixed a little into the back of the mix--sounding like a song from Broadway's Godspell. The horns are so amazing in support--even getting lead time third minute's instrumental passage (with electric guitar and Tenor Sax). Such a well-constructed song; too bad the sound mix is a little off. Nice song! (9.25/10)

5. "Try Me" (5:10) hard driving jazz-infused rock music with Sly Stone-like vocals, very tight, dynamic, and essential horn play, solid bass play, and emphatic drum play. Watch out world: here is Billy Cobham! (9/10)

6. "Dream Suite: Asset Stop/Jane/Crunchy Granola" (15:21) the first movement is a totally-R&B groove with tenor sax to start it out before the band chimes in and supports vocalist Edward Vernon on a very David Clayton-Thomas-like bluesy-rock performance. The wild horn interplay in the brief instrumental passage in the fourth minute is quite remarkable--and it continues after Ed's next soulful passage. (A great vocal performance here, by the way.) The transition into the second movement, "Jane" is quite murky--almost uneventful as the band members just seem to peter out. At the end of nearly a minute of this nebulous amorphous pool the band reemerges with a more blues- oriented song. One simply cannot help but notice the dextrous skill of these musicians in so many instances of this album, here Billy Cobham's lightning fast fills and the horn players' remarkably precise accents. The third and final movement of this is hard-drivin' jazz-rock fusion, "Crunchy Granola," sounds like it could come from Side One of CHICAGO's 1969 debut album, Chicago Transit Authority--the most accomplished and jazz-rock side of that wonderful album. Billy really gets to shine here beneath all of the funky elements interplaying above. It presents as a long high speed jam until the final two minutes when the music again devolves into the kind of soup of malaise that occurred at the end of the first movement--but is now rescued by an impressive Billy Cobham drum solo. Cool! Wish it had all been as catchy and dynamic as that first movement. (26.5/30)

7. "New York" (5:43) announced by a repeated horn bank chord before dynamic bass, drums and keys jump in--with choral vocals singing a very engaging melody with anthemic lyrics. Great organ and tenor sax performances in the first instrumental passage, trumpet in the second, electric guitar in the third. Such a great, lively tune! The horns, bass, and group vocals are the definite winners here! (9.75/10)

These musicians are so well-adapted to one another --and the horns are incredibly tight when they need to be yet incredibly skilled when they contribute as individuals.

A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of incredibly well-performed jazz-infused rock music from a veritable all-star lineup of future Hall of Fame artists.