As previously stated word of mouth has made and in some cases killed a business or a recording artist. The buzz around drummer/educator/arranger Andrew Dickeson and his latest quintet release is all good because it swings like a beast!
Live recordings are sometimes a gamble. Live recordings that are predominately standards played by the wrong musicians can be the equivalent of tap dancing in a musical minefield. Dickeson pulls off a sublime smoker with chops and with the sensitivity and finesse certain tunes call for.
Dickeson is an incredibly respected "sideman" and this live recording has literally been 25 years in the making and explodes with the right lineup and stellar arrangements of some marvelous tunes. "Soy Califa" is a Dexter Gordon classic and tenor player Roger Manins shines here as does the rest of the ensemble as they put their musical chops on display for all to see. Again Roger Manins does some stunning work on "Darn That Dream" with the quintet playing "with" Manins and not "around" him allowing for that true working band feel of musical synergy to make this live effort pop! Closing out the live set is "Relaxin' At Camarillo" which is a 3 minute and 56 second unaccompanied master class on how to swing as a drummer.
Weaver of Dreams contains a marvelous ebb and flow from gentle flowing standards to hard charging swing further proving if the chain is only as strong as its weakest link then there are no weak links here! Australia is giving the United States some top flight jazz talent from Laura Kahle to JC Styles and now Andrew Dickeson! A quintet of great depth and innate feel for what real swing is all about - the groove. Hopefully Weaver Of Dreams is only a taste of what is to come!
Tracks: Ill Wind; Isfahan; Soy Califa; Darn That Dream; A Weaver Of Dreams; Big Foot; Herzog; Relaxin' At Camarillo.
Personnel: Andrew Dickeson: drums, arrangements; Roger Manins: tenor saxophone; Eamon McNelis: trumpet; Steve Barry: piano; Alex Boneham: bass.
A Weaver Of Dreams via You Tube!
