“Dreams” is an album by Gabor Szabo, recorded on August 6, 7, and 9, 1968, at Western Recordings, Los Angeles, and August 22, 1968, at Gotham Recordings, New York, and originally released on Skye Records (SK-7). The Ebalunga!!! reissue (EBL-013LP) as a 180-gram audiophile vinyl in gatefold format revives this record with remastering that highlights the guitar’s airy quality. The lineup features Gabor Szabo (guitar), Jim Keltner (drums), Louis Kabane (bass), Hal Gordon (percussion), and a string ensemble conducted by Bernard Ecker. The album includes seven tracks: Szabo’s originals like Galatea’s Guitar and Half the Day Is Night, interpretations of Manuel de Falla’s Song of Injured Love and Fire Dance from the ballet El amor brujo, and jazz renditions of pop songs, including Donovan’s The Fortune. The music blends jazz, bossa nova, folk, and classical influences, with Szabo’s guitar crafting dreamy, cinematic soundscapes, and strings adding dramatic flair. The Ebalunga!!! reissue, a limited edition, is prized for its clear, rich sound, capturing the album’s mystical atmosphere. “Dreams” is a poetic record, revealing Szabo’s genius as a visionary.
Gabor Szabo (March 8, 1936 – February 26, 1982) was a Hungarian jazz guitarist and composer, an innovator whose style wove together jazz, pop, rock, and folkloric motifs. Born in Budapest, he began playing guitar in his youth, inspired by Hungarian folk music and Charlie Christian’s jazz. In 1956, after the Hungarian Revolution, Szabo emigrated to the USA, studying at Berklee School of Music and joining California’s jazz scene. In the 1960s, he collaborated with Chico Hamilton, Charles Lloyd, and Gary McFarland, gaining fame for his unique sound—melancholic, with Eastern and Gypsy influences. Szabo recorded numerous albums as a leader, including Dreams, considered one of his most poetic and experimental works. His lyrical, improvisational guitar style inspired musicians like Carlos Santana. Later, Szabo taught and performed, leaving a vibrant legacy in jazz.
TRACKLIST
Side One:
1. Galatea’s Guitar (Szabo) 5:33
2. Half the Day is the Night (McFarland) 4:23
3. Song of Injured Love (DeFalla) 4:05
4. The Fortune Teller (Szabo-Kabok) 4:28
Side Two:
1. Fire Dance (DeFalla) 5:39
2. The Lady in the Moon (Szabo) 5:13
3. Ferris Wheel (Donovan) 5:27
Personnel:
Gabor Szabo, Jim Stewart (guitars); Louis Kabok (bass); Jim Keltner (drums); Hal Gordon (percusion); Tony Miranda, Ray Alonge, Brooks Tillotson (French horn); Gary McFarland (piano); Julius Schacter (violin); George Ricci (cello). All arangements by Gary McFarland.
Recorded at Western Recordings, Los Angeles August 6, 7 & 9, 1968, and at Gotham Recordings, New York, August 22, 1968
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