Shadowfax - The Dreams of Children [1985]

The Dreams of Children, is an excellent CD recording. Here, you will get the feeling of the sound of this neat group. They are worthy of a good listen and are a tight band. If you like new age and world music, and instrumental music, you should enjoy this one.

1. Another Country. Compose by Chuck Greenburg.
Another Country is a typical Shadowfax composition. It starts out with an established theme, the theme develops, and then it builds and finally repeats. There is usually some variety in the development of the theme, and a little poetic and musical license on the part of the musicians to deviate, but not so much as in pure jazz.
This one starts off with the keyboards, and then a bass and percussion come in. The lyricon of Chuck Greenburg comes in, with beautiful and formative result. The bass of Maggini acts as a perfect foil to Greenburg. All the while, the keyboards and percussion act in harmony to the rest. The song develops nicely, and builds upon the established Shadowfax formula, repetition, repetition, and variation on this repetition. It is very nice and very contemplative and very lovely.

2. Snowline. By Chuck Greenburg.
This one develops along the Shadowfax formula again, but it is a different theme. This time, Greenburg plays saxophone. There is a more majestic theme here, with more violin that counters the theme. I like the acoustic guitar work here by Mr. Stinson. He really can hit some nice harmonics and have some good counterpoint to the theme. The incessant percussion work of Stu Nevitt is also nice. He is ever present, and invisible, but always excellent in his performance.
Snowline is an excellent example of Shadowfax music.

3. The Dreams of Children.
This one is sublimely beautiful. As suspected, the aforementioned lyricon is used extensively by Chuck Greenburg. It is hauntingly beautiful with the accompaniment of the keyboards. It is almost a lullaby in its beauty, and could easily become so for children and adults. The Dreams of Children is simply an instrumental musical piece of loveliness.

4. Word from the Village.
This is one that is more of the world music classification. I like this son, it is kind of anthropological in its sound and scope. There is spoken voice and neat instruments like talking drums in it. The musical response and musicality of the personnel make it one of the more enjoyable tunes on this CD. The saxophone and bass in particular are excellent, and playful even. I like it.

5. Shaman Song.
I love this one, Shaman Song. It has nice earthly themes to the music, nice cultural motifs to it. You could be in an earth lodge of the pawnee, in a dwelling in India, or Thailand, and you would feel this song. This song again follows the Shadowfax pattern, but it works again. It’s nice. It is very human music, to be enjoyed in any culture.

Tracklist
1. Another Country
2. Snowline
3. The Big Song
4. The Dreams Of Children
5. Word From The Village
6. Kindred Spirits
7. Shaman Song
8. Above The Wailing Wall