Waking Dreams

 

Featuring

Ambrose Akinmusire trumpet
Loren Stillman saxophones
Fabian Almazan piano
Joe Sanders bass
Justin Brown drums
Chris Dingman vibraphone

“A lyrically resplendent masterpiece that resides in the upper echelon of modern-day jazz expositions.”

– Glenn Astarita, Jazz Review
“Vibraphonist Chris Dingman delivers a sure-footed and deeply lyrical debut, a showcase both for his luminous compositions and for his rapport with a network of peers”
– Nate Chinen, The New York Times
 
“Rich and full of unexpected twists but never less than approachable, Dingman’s debut casts an atmospheric spell true to its name. Dingman emerges as a unique voice in his own right.”
– Chris Barton, Los Angeles Times
 
“Vibraphonist Chris Dingman delivers a sure-footed and deeply lyrical debut, a showcase both for his luminous compositions and for his rapport with a network of peers”
– Nate Chinen, The New York Times
 
“Rich and full of unexpected twists but never less than approachable, Dingman’s debut casts an atmospheric spell true to its name. Dingman emerges as a unique voice in his own right.”
– Chris Barton, Los Angeles Times
 
“Chris Dingman’s Waking Dreams is a very big, pleasant surprise… crisp melodic hooks, and an underlying lyricism: a quiet, sometimes majestic beauty… Dingman is a leader worth following.”
– Fred Kaplan, Stereophile
 

Available for Purchase

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iTunes

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CD Baby

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Waking Dreams tells a personal story, based on experiences from 12 years of my life. In these experiences, I believe there are elements – darkness, struggle, and loss, desire and hope, happiness, joy, and peace – that are universal to the human condition. For me, the music gives voice and release to these fundamental aspects of being alive in a way that I cannot otherwise express.

When I was unable to devote enough attention to the music during my conscious life, its need for existence came through in restless dreams in the early morning hours. In the end, writing, playing, and listening to these Waking Dreams has had a healing effect for me. It is my hope that you will find them to have a similar effect. Most of all, I wish that we all can find a personal freedom from the darkness and strife that often surrounds us. May we find real peace, real joy, and real happiness. 

– Chris Dingman, 2011