The Kennedy Dream

The Kennedy Dream is an album by American composer/arranger Oliver Nelson recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! label.^[1]

Reception

The Allmusic review by Michael G. Nastos awarded the album 3½ stars stating "In February of 1967, Oliver Nelson recognized Kennedy's contributions and assembled a big band to play music in his honor, with taped segments of his speeches as preludes. The result is a heartfelt yet eerie combination, perhaps a bit off-putting, but absolutely relevant decades later. The music is reflective of the changing times as identified by Nelson, ranging from commercial movie score-type music, to soulful or straight-ahead jazz, bop, and the modern big-band sound that the leader, composer, and orchestrator owned... it's a stark reminder of how one man can positively influence the human condition aside from politics and corporate greed, and how another can change his world musically".^[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Oliver Nelson except as indicated

1. "Let the Word Go Forth" - 6:17
2. "A Genuine Peace" - 2:38
3. "The Rights of All" - 3:57
4. "Tolerance" - 3:24
5. "The Artists' Rightful Place" - 3:30
6. "Jacqueline" - 2:15
7. "Day in Dallas" - 3:41
8. "John Kennedy Memory Waltz" (George David Weiss) - 3:20

• Recorded in New York City on February 16, 1967 (tracks 3, 4 & 7) and February 17, 1967 (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6 & 8)

Personnel

• Oliver Nelson - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, arranger, conductor
• Don Butterfield - tuba
• Phil Bodner - english horn
• Phil Woods - alto saxophone
• Hank Jones - piano, clavinet
• George Duvivier - bass
• Grady Tate - drums
• John F. Kennedy - voice
• Unidentified strings

References