As a writer I like to write about everyday experiences and people in ways that find the extraordinary in the ordinary. For me, if you are awake to your senses, the connection between the awesome beauty of our lives in relationship to the cosmos is a natural. This is what drives my creativity. In this new CD The Great Dreamer the songs lead the way and take Caravan even further into the exploration of new musical terrains. These are songs that resonate and stay with you, with virtuoso moments from soulful musicians, and pulsating rhythms to get you trancing or dancing. The lyrics to the title cut "The Great Dreamer" speak to the interplay of our personal creative endeavors nestled within the creative endeavors of the Divine, i.e. The Great Dreamer. I love this song! I feel fortunate to have a band of ragged angels willing to flesh out the songs that I bring to rehearsal. Listen to the newest band member Victor Revere's bass line on this tune, his mysterioso touch brings the song to its fullness. "Slow Vibration" was inspired by a trip to Costa Rica. Volcano Arenal's primal presence left an indelible imprint in my psyche and I dreamed about her for many weeks after my return. I superimposed this tropical experience against the news I was hearing from home, the craziness of the war we had embarked upon in Iraq and the wonder and excitement of landing on the planet Mars with our rovers. I mused about what the future held for our children and their children. "The Park" is pure nostalgia. A time many years ago when I identified as a flower child, so willing to give my self fully to whatever touched my deep need to feel free and alive. In this way Charlotte and Lenny are archetypal, you can see them on the streets of Santa Cruz on any given day. "Dreams of Reunion" was inspired after the death of my father. Watching my mother grapple with her sorrow and the process of reinventing herself. And of course my own need to sing out in prayer with the ancient chorus. Keyboardist Brian Chester is the epitome of "less is more." He knows just when to add a nuanced communication or when to drop just the right chord color down to create a lush carpet of sound. Our drummer Jersey Foreman is from the San Francisco Bay Area. This guy is one energetic cat. He is a master martial artist and an impeccable drummer. His ears are big and he responds intuitively to whatever arises in the music. Phil Smith's contribution to the CD both as an artist and producer are amazing. Anyone that knows Phil's abilities as a jazz player can imagine the restraint he used on his solos for this CD, and the outcome is fabulous. He stays with the song's essence and develops his own storyline. Listen to his renderings on "The Park" or "Slow Vibration," and then check out his flute solo in "Dreams of Reunion;" pure beauty. We hope that you enjoy this music and appreciate you taking the time to listen.