American Dreams (Charlie Haden album)

American Dreams
Studio album by Charlie Haden with Michael Brecker featuring Brad Mehldau and Brian Blade
Released	September 2002
Recorded	May 14–17, 2002
Studio	Signet Soundelux in Los Angeles, California
Genre	Jazz
Label	Verve
Producer	Charlie Haden and Ruth Cameron
Charlie Haden chronology
In Montreal (2001) American Dreams (2002) Nightfall (2004)
Michael Brecker chronology
Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall (2002) American Dreams (2002) Wide Angles (2003)

American Dreams is an album by bassist Charlie Haden with saxophonist Michael Brecker recorded in 2002 and released on the Verve label.[1]

Reception

The AllMusic review by David R. Adler awarded the album 2½ stars, stating, "This overly long quartet-plus-strings session is Charlie Haden's paean to an ideal America, made during a time that was ripe for such reflections. The band, with Haden on bass, Michael Brecker on tenor, Brad Mehldau on piano, and Brian Blade on drums, is unassailably strong."[2]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Charlie Haden except as indicated

1. "American Dreams" - 4:52
2. "Travels" (Lyle Mays, Pat Metheny) - 6:46
3. "No Lonely Nights" (Keith Jarrett) - 5:18
4. "It Might Be You" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Dave Grusin) - 4:55
5. "Prism" (Jarrett) - 5:21
6. "America the Beautiful" (Katharine Lee Bates, Samuel A. Ward) - 5:23
7. "Nightfall" - 5:07
8. "Ron's Place" (Brad Mehldau) - 7:30
9. "Bittersweet" (Don Sebesky) - 6:46
10. "Young and Foolish" (Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt) - 5:38
11. "Bird Food" (Ornette Coleman) - 7:31
12. "Sotto Voce" (Vince Mendoza) - 5:12
13. "Love Like Ours" (Bergman, Bergman Grusin) - 4:25

• Recorded at Signet Soundelux in Los Angeles, California on May 14–17, 2002

Personnel

Musicians

• Charlie Haden – bass
• Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
• Brad Mehldau – piano
• Brian Blade – drums
• Unidentified String Orchestra
• Alan Broadbent – arranger, conductor (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, & 10)
• Vince Mendoza – arranger, conductor (tracks 2 & 12)
• Jeremy Lubbock – arranger, conductor (tracks 4, 7 & 13)

Production

• Charlie Haden – producer
• Ruth Cameron – producer
• Jay Newland – engineer (recording, mixing)
• Tom Hardisty – assistant engineer (recording, mixing)
• CB Graphic – design (cover)
• Claude Emile Furones – photography (cover)
• Jim McHugh – photography (session)

References

1. Discogs album entry accessed December 7, 2011
2. Adler, D. R. Allmusic Review accessed December 7, 2011
3. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 625. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.