Track Listing

1. American Dreams
2. Travels
3. No Lonely Nights
4. It Might Be You
5. Prism
6. America The Beautiful
7. Nightfall
8. Ron's Place
9. Bittersweet
10. Young And Foolish
11. Bird Food
12. Sotto Voce
13. Love Like Ours

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78978 in Music
• Released on: 2002-10-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .24 pounds

Amazon.com
In recent years, Charlie Haden has steadily released duo albums (with Pat Metheny, Kenny Barron, and others) or worked with the sentimental-sounding Quartet West, which uses lush orchestration to supplement the quartet's sound. Haden has upgraded his quartet here on American Dreams, using the all-star cast of Michael Brecker, Brian Blade, and Brad Mehldau, but again brings in the orchestra for nearly every track. This "Quartet East" takes on a few Haden originals, as well as tunes by past collaborators Keith Jarrett and Ornette Coleman, and mixes them up with popular songs such as the theme from the film Tootsie and even the patriotic "America the Beautiful." Some of the non-jazz tunes are a bit sappy, but they do right by "America" thanks to an outstanding solo by Haden and just the right amount of orchestral support. American Dreams is probably too mainstream and glossy for fans of Haden's challenging early work, but there are a few nice moments amidst the glitter. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews

In My Opinion
I came to love Charlie Haden's work when listening to his collaboration with Pat Methany on "Beyond the Missouri Sky". Unlike the vast openness evoked by that offering, "American Dream" nonetheless creates some similarly intimate moments. Several of the songs are somewhat too shallow in interpretation. However, I didn't realize that for a long time because I couldn't seem to get past the title song. What lushness! How achingly beautiful are the strings with the bass, creating such a mood of mellow, it's ridiculous. After a constant diet of trak #1 for a week, I moved on to discover that traks 4 and 6 also held my attention for a long time. All in all, the cd is worth having in one's collection. Don't make the mistake of comparing it with some of Haden's earlier work, just take it for what it is, and be content to go along for the ride -- just don't expect any revelations. :)

A dream too sweet for its own good.
If you marveled at the masterfully crafted piano/bass duo of "Night and the City," or if the evocative americana of "Beyond the Missouri Sky" sent you traveling through familiar yet eerily beautiful soundscapes, be forewarned: this one's made of different stuff . Listening to this recording, the adjective that comes to mind is "cloying." Haden's earlier effort, "Nocturne", had come perilously close, but "America the Beautiful" definitely crosses the line. This music is far too sweet, too syrupy, too shallow - the only exception, ironically enough, being the title tune, which exudes a kind of stately grace and an inner strength which I find quite moving (and for which I give this CD its second star.)

America's Greatest Bass Player Plays America
Charlie Haden is my favorite Jazz Bass Player, starting out as the youngest member of the 1960ish extreme Avant Guard Jazz group Ornette Coleman, to mellowing out during the 1980's & 1990's with Quartet West intermixing famous jazz ballads with modern production. Lately Charlie Haden as been playing interpret settings with the newest generation of young jazz players, coming full circle where he is the old man of the duet, first with Pat Metheny & then Kenny Barron. This CD with his newest Quartet with Michael Brecker, Brian Blade, & Brad Mehldau, returns to the sound of Quartet West string section but with the freshness of his duets. At times the Jazz will get off the beat & sound rather abstract, but not as wild as Be-Bop. Other times the music gets a little too sugary, specially "America the Beautiful" which I heard twice & plan to skip at next listen. Other than that, this CD is well produced & plays clear & tight.