Charlie Haden
American Dreams

An American beauty poignant, dramatic, and engaging. It's the only thought that comes to mind when listening to this major work by Charlie. A deeply American Haden; proud and intelligently generous as only a true American can be. Not to be confused with the false and very dangerous export models.

'Americans are big dangerous babies', said Hemingway. It might be true. Nevertheless, here we are in the presence of one of the brightest representatives of the best part of the country, a pinnacle of world jazz and an honest, clean, absolutely presentable face worthy of the highest consideration and respect. Setting aside for a moment any contingent or past political reference, this introduction driven by commitment to the review is nonetheless necessary as this work represents the logical continuation of "The art of the song" (1999 album with Shirley Horn and Bill Henderson) and the natural link with the rest of the varied production, both of Quartet West as well as more explicitly declared examples of civil intellectual commitment ('Liberation Music Orchestra', 'Not in our name'). 

In this album, we find the commitment of such calibers as Michael Brecker, Brad Mehldau, and Brian Blade who together with the leader work, magnificently accompanied by a string background that turns out to be perfectly arranged, in a magical puzzle with the mature and relaxed sounds of the tracks.
The arrangement of the pieces sees different subjects at work; Alan Broadbent's work, a member of Quartet West, stands out. For other tracks, the task is covered (always splendidly) by Vince Mendoza, Jerry Lubbock (veteran studio animals), and Charlie Haden himself for quartet tracks without strings. The cover and photos of the work should be by Claude Emile Furones who 'creates photos that look like paintings'. We say 'should be' because the artist is thanked in the notes, but the cover design is by CB Graphics studio in Paris. It's important to mention, of an album so beautiful, also the surrounding references that give you the exact impression of the care and love put into the realization of the artistic product it contains. After all, buying a CD costs good money and it's only right to get something in return that isn't just a piece of cold plastic with hastily written liner notes.

Charlie demonstrates, as always, alongside the utmost respect for his listeners. Like only a great artist and protagonist of our time. Again: on the last page of the booklet are two poems that open the ventricles of your heart and from there they create a bridge of gratitude and brotherhood towards the other side of the ocean. A couple of excerpts should absolutely be quoted:

'We must stop. Just stop. Stop for a moment before anybody says or does anything that may hurt anyone… be kind for a moment, innocent and trusting, like children or lambs… and now let us pray, in our own different ways but together, before there is no more Earth, no more life, no more chance for peace'

(from 'For our world', Mattie Stepanek). 

The tracks:

1) 'American Dream' is a piece by Charlie that introduces the theme with a bass solo over a string background that seems to emerge from a magical cloud. The piano steps in to pick up the baton and Brad Mehladu interprets his role on the record with the utmost respect, as does Brian Blade, who is normally a torrential cyclone but in this work paints lightly with brushes and total taste, at the complete service of the project, without ego. The piano continues on a bass pedal. For a piece that serves as a very delicate intro to the album.

2) 'Travels' by fellow countryman Pat Metheny is rendered masterfully, and the quartet is joined by imperceptible synth nuances curated by Judd Miller. Michael Brecker makes his majestic and triumphant yet discreet entrance in a global performance on the album that closely resembles his role in his quindectet in 'Wide Angles'; with the difference that here he is free from having to prove anything or the responsibilities of a project leader; thus, he dialogues magnificently with Brad and the others, with these wide carpets of wonderful music underneath.

3) 'No lonely night', by Keith Jarrett continues and delights your ears battered by the galactic daily lies that you have to endure. For a slice of the day, jazz and his pure art elevate you. Tomorrow we'll talk about the mortgage, daily toil, etc. For tonight Charlie speaks to your soul and Michael threads scale after scale with a now unmistakable figure, with a Mehldau of impressive sober maturity, fitting the role of a Monty Alexander in great shape. And it doesn’t mean to be derogatory, quite the opposite!

4) 'It might be you', by Marilyn Bergman and Dave Grusin retains the aforementioned standard of excellence, with a Michael Brecker used as the solo voice of a choral music project, almost from Carnegie Hall or similar. No audible drum beat or prominent piano. A duet between strings and sax of Mozartian beauty.

5) 'Prism', again by Jarrett, unfolds a themed development without strings, in the best contemporary modern mainstream tradition. The differences with Quartet West are noticeable in the highly personalized imprints of the three accompanying musicians Mehldau/Blade/Brecker who, as Catalano would say, are not Broadbent/Watts/Marable and characterize each for their part very strongly. Quartet East. Lots of Mehldau unleashed. Exceptional.

6)'America the beautiful' (traditional) again represents, after the first track, an artist justifiably proud of his roots. Who plays his theme freely with the double bass in evidence on the string carpet before giving way to the development of the rest of the band. Delicate as a young 35-kilo skater on a frozen lake on a sunny winter day. Mehladu measures out the notes and Charlie reaffirms his role as a bassist of enormous weight in the central solo (much greater than that of the skater!!!). Change of key and sober take of the sax. Anyone who has been to the USA and has grasped the profound naivety and need for security, of a reference model and essentially a hug for the average American will fully appreciate it.

7) 'Nightfall' is an old standard by Charlie revisited for the occasion. It rises to new life and shines with its own light with the 'Quartet East treatment'.

8) 'Ron's place' is by Brad Mehldau and this piece in ¾ is also interpreted at the same qualitative standard as the previous one, with a more 'pointed' but logically developed interpretation.

9) 'Bittersweet' is by Don Sebesky, a major US arranger. Slow and inexorable development, with intro by strings and sax giving way to a surprising Mehldau for taste, calibration, and choice of scattered notes.

10) 'Young and foolish', a standard by Horwitt/Hague, whose theme is initially developed by the bass and then continues smoothly like the proverbial Don. 

11) 'Bird food' by Ornette Coleman brings a breath of fast bebop to a classy album, like a lopsided cherry on the cake. You weren’t expecting it, but it's here and completely overturns expectations. It veers on the almost free side and, frankly, doesn't seem to have much to do with the rest; but evidently, Charlie needed to include it to testify to his affection for Ornette. And perhaps to remind us that in a series of American Dreams there is necessarily the roughest part too.

12)'Sotto voce' is by Vince Mendoza. An Evi 'pan flute' introduces a beautiful piece, a fresco of graceful chords led by the sax of a Michael Brecker in a state of elegy. Brad adds his magical reflections.

13)'Love like ours' again by Bergman/Grusin closes a masterful album in the most fitting crepuscular way, leaving in your mouth a sense of satisfaction and at the same time wanting to return to listen to the album. Not immediately. It must be digested and allowed to settle in the soul little by little.

It is rare to listen to works of this kind around. The level of maturity reached by Charlie Haden in understanding which tracks to include in the lineup, what type of arrangements to choose, and his nose for selecting the right musicians testify once again that jazz is far from being declared in a precarious state of health. 
Again Mattie Stepanek: 

'When the trees sing, it doesn't really matter whether or not you know the song, or if you know the words, or even if you know the harmony. What matters is that the trees sing'.