In a Dream

By 2009, the term "new age" was long passé, but for the last 25 years, no artist has defined the deepest melodic and rhythmic heart of what can in the late 2000s be safely termed "pop classical instrumental" than multiple Grammy nominee, pianist Peter Kater, whose solo piano ventures, full ensemble dates, and collaborations with Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai are legendary in the field. On this exquisite, gracefully produced, yet emotionally powerful collection, he finds a wonderful new musical soulmate in famed guitarist Dominic Miller, whose mile-long all-star résumé is centered on his two decades in studio and on-stage as Sting's "right hand and my left hand." No doubt having Kenny Loggins on tracks like the tender, almost whispery "In Her Eyes" is a selling point for pop fans only vaguely familiar with the principals, but Kater and Miller — who met while working on a film score the pianist was composing and recording — wisely resist the temptation to let the singer loose on a lead vocal. Instead, they choose to make their sensual piano-acoustic guitar tapestry the star, adding the singer's ethereal wordless vocals as a complement. They do the same on key hypnotic tracks like "What Lies Within," establishing their main melody and harmony lines before introducing the deeper and more soulful possibilities that come with the combination of Loggins' dreamy voice and Jaques Morelenbaum's haunting cello. Keeping with the title concept, and the idea of creating a recording that wasn't created in the light of day or the dark of night but only "in a dream," the overall mood of the set is captured by meditative pieces like "Gut Feeling" and "Hand in Hand." But the piece that best defines the joy Kater and Miller bring to their dynamic new venture is the more rhythmic, sweeping, and passionate "And We Danced," the first track they recorded for the album, which they describe as their joyful "getting to know you song." A truly astounding new moment in the careers of both artists, In a Dream lives up to its name by transporting the listener to a lovely neverland of fresh and melodic sonic possibilities. There's no way fans of either will allow them to let this be a one-time collaboration.