"Dream Keeper"

"The dream keeper and other poems", by Langston Hughes.

As I Grew Older

It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun-
-My dream.

And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Dimming,
Hiding,
The light of my dream
Rose until it touched the sky-
-The wall.

Shadow.
I am black.

I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.

My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!

1. Dream Keeper (16:51) [words by Langston Hughes]

• Dream Keeper - Part I [Carla Bley]
solo: Charlie Haden
• Feliciano Ama [trad. from El Salvador]
solo: Tom Harrell
• Dream Keeper - Part II [Carla Bley]
• Canto del Pilon (I) [trad. from Venezuela]
solos: Ken McIntyre, Don Alias
• Dream Keeper - Part III [Carla Bley]
• Canto del Pilon (II) [trad. from Venezuela]
solo: Juan Lazzaro Mendolas
• Hymn Of The Anarchist Women's Movement [trad. from Spanish Civil War]
solos: Joe Daley, Paul Motian
• Dream Keeper - Part IV [Carla Bley]
solo: Tom Harrell

Recorded April 4th & 5th, 1990 at Clinton Studios, New York City

Carla Bley : conducter
Charlie Haden : bass
Dewey Redman : tenor saxophone (on 2,3,4)
Joe Lovano : tenor saxophone, flute
Branford Marsalis : tenor saxophone (on 1,2)
Ken McIntyre : alto saxophone
Tom Harrell : trumpet, flugelhorn
Earl Gardner : trumpet
Sharon Freeman : french horn
Ray Anderson : trombone
Joe Daley : tuba
Amina Claudine Myers : piano
Mick Goodrick : guitar
Paul Motian : drums
Don Alias : percussion
Juan Lazzaro Mendolas : pan pipes, wood flute (on "Canto del Pilon", 2)
The Oakland Youth Chorus : chorus (on 1,5)
Elizabeth Min (director)

Blue Note Records 1990

"Dream Keeper"