Wollschleger/ Bearthoven - American Dream

The members of Bearthoven (pianist Karl Larson, double bassist Pat Swoboda, and percussionist Matt Evans) are a piano trio in the jazz sense of the term, but in practice, they're a progressive classical ensemble that has become an expressive vehicle for a growing contingent of young composers. The trio's second release on Cantaloupe Music, American Dream, focuses on the work of composer Scott Wollschleger, and includes three new pieces: the epic title work, as well as Gas Station Canon Song and We See Things That Are Not There. Larson describes American Dream as a reflection of the contemporary American state of mind. Rather than making a direct political statement, the album reflects the contradictory nature of the American Dream in our current socio-economic climate. This music expresses the strongest sense of urgency I've experienced in my entire life, Wollschleger explains, channeling feelings of doom, optimism, hopelessness, and the sublime. Much like a dream, these pieces weave an interconnected musical fabric of contradictory worlds. In essence, it's a direct reference to a modern American paradox: how the majestic and the repellent always seem to coexist in a state of flux, no matter the medium. American Dream is laden with rich melodies and jarring dissonances that interconnect throughout, creating a sonic experience that's by turns cinematic, surreal, contemplative, provocative - and ultimately, empowering.