Variations in Dream-Time

A key figure in the 'Third Stream' movement, composer and pianist Anthony Davis masterfully merges the worlds of avant-garde jazz and contemporary classical music. 'Variations in Dream-Time' is a complex, through-composed work that utilizes intricate structures and orchestration while still allowing for moments of powerful improvisation. The unique instrumentation, including the cello of Abdul Wadud, creates a sound that is both lush and challenging. The album represents a highly intellectual and sophisticated path for the avant-garde, one rooted in formal composition as much as spontaneous creation.