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Released
2008
REVIEW:
By 2009, the term "new age" was long passé, but for the last 25 years,
no artist has defined the deepest melodic and rhythmic heart of what
can in the late 2000s be safely termed "pop classical instrumental"
than multiple Grammy nominee, pianist Peter Kater, whose solo piano
ventures, full ensemble dates, and collaborations with Native American
flutist R. Carlos Nakai are legendary in the field. On this exquisite,
gracefully produced, yet emotionally powerful collection, he finds a
wonderful new musical soulmate in famed guitarist Dominic Miller,
whose mile-long all-star résumé is centered on his two decades in
studio and on-stage as Sting's "right hand and my left hand." No doubt
having Kenny Loggins on tracks like the tender, almost whispery 'In
Her Eyes' is a selling point for pop fans only vaguely familiar with
the principals, but Kater and Miller - who met while working on a film
score the pianist was composing and recording - wisely resist the
temptation to let the singer loose on a lead vocal. Instead, they
choose to make their sensual piano-acoustic guitar tapestry the star,
adding the singer's ethereal wordless vocals as a complement. They do
the same on key hypnotic tracks like 'What Lies Within', establishing
their main melody and harmony lines before introducing the deeper and
more soulful possibilities that come with the combination of Loggins'
dreamy voice and Jaques Morelenbaum's haunting cello. Keeping with the
title concept, and the idea of creating a recording that wasn't
created in the light of day or the dark of night but only "in a
dream," the overall mood of the set is captured by meditative pieces
like 'Gut Feeling' and 'Hand in Hand'. But the piece that best defines
the joy Kater and Miller bring to their dynamic new venture is the
more rhythmic, sweeping, and passionate 'And We Danced', the first
track they recorded for the album, which they describe as their joyful
"getting to know you song." A truly astounding new moment in the
careers of both artists, 'In a Dream' lives up to its name by
transporting the listener to a lovely neverland of fresh and melodic
sonic possibilities. There's no way fans of either will allow them to
let this be a one-time collaboration.
Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
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