Dreamer - Slow Down. Listen. And Relax.
The music on Dreamer is slow, meditative, contemplative. It is composed and played with the intention to help calm the mind down. It has also a relaxing effect on your physical body. Take time to listen. Sit comfortably, or lie down on your back... Best is not to have any distractions around. Put your phone in plane mode for a moment. Listen to these tracks while watching a natural environment for instance. Trees, mountains, rivers, skies, birds… The sounds of nature will play an extra part, and will integrate perfectly into the music. There’s no need to listen to everything at once, maybe it’s even better not to. Take your time. Come back to it when you feel the need...
I play all instruments on this recording. My sweet old silver coated Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophone from 1968 has been with me for over 30 years. I use François Louis reeds, and play a solid silver mouthpiece he made for me 30 years ago. Furthermore, I play a male Kolkata tanpura, a scale changer harmonium, a Paiste Sound Creation #3 Earth Gong, bell chords, Peruvian Tobillera foot rattles, a Juju Bean rattle, Tingshas, and Tibetan singing bowls which I bought at a tiny shop in New Delhi while on tour in India with Tony Overwater Trio and Calefax, years ago. Many thanks to Anand Singh Bawa, our tour manager for connecting me with the shop owner. These bowls sound absolutely amazing, and I'm in bliss every time I hear their sound!
The titles on this album have been chosen in an intuitive way, like the ones on the album Let’s Call Ed (with Dré Pallemaerts, Michel Hatzigeorgiou and Jozef Dumoulin). There’s no specific meaning, at least not intended. There’s no story to be told. The titles are meant to give an additional dimension to the music. A dimension for you to enter if you feel drawn to it. A dream world beyond the outer reality.
Unlimited thanks to Udo Pannekeet, amazing sound engineer, and master bassist! The music sounds the way it sounds thanks to his expertise and outstanding musical ear. The environment of Wedgeview Studios in The Netherlands was perfect for this project. 2 days of peace and quiet surrounded by chickens, a rooster, cows, water and the meadows of the low lands...
1. DREAMER - tenor saxophone, one singing bowl
2. APPLE TREE LOVE - tenor saxophone, tanpura
Say Apple… Tree… Love… like 3 different words.
3. DOLORES - tenor saxophone, harmonium
The owner of the Wedgeview Studios, where this music was recorded, said this track reminded him of John Coltrane’s Alabama. At first I thought of not putting it on the album, but finally I did. It's a first take, it felt natural.
4. DOLORES (alternate take) - tenor saxophone, harmonium -
This is just another take (actually the 2nd and only other take) with the harmonium as an accompanying instrument. Here I approach the music with a different mode (scale). Towards the end you can hear me use different alterations, looking for the perfect shades of colours...
5. SOUND BATHING
Just Tibetan singing bowls here. Lie comfortably on your back, and relax deeply... let it all go, recharge...
6. BEFORE WE GO - tenor saxophone, gong, bells, singing bowl
And before you go, leave a comment, or a question. Would love to hear your feedback!
Listen to the music in the player below. Click on the track you love. For the price of a chai latte, download the entire album on CD Baby.
