Just as dreams give us clues about the next steps to take in our lives, the pieces in this concert programme contain lessons that the composers have lived and found important enough to share. They are like small keys to the basic human values of compassion, love, courage and equanimity. Our aim is to inspire the listener to live truthfully and not to be afraid of themselves.
The Dream Teller project was launched in April 2020, when vocalist/composer Kristīne Cīrule and pianist/composer Edgars Cīrulis returned to Latvia after several years spent studying abroad.
Dream Teller combines influences from a wide variety of sources, both within and outside music. Listeners can expect the intensity of jazz music, a colourful harmonic language and spontaneous interplay, as well as melodies that speak directly and immediately to people. All members are active musicians in several genres in Latvia and Europe, so Dream Teller is able to cross genre boundaries and create a new sound.
The pandemic forced both artists to stop their activities and look back at their creative lives. Finding it difficult to find inner peace and balance in increasingly turbulent times, they decided to create a new album that reflects their personal journey of self-discovery. Kristīne and Edgars are interested in the interaction between the human subconscious and the forces of nature, as well as in the meaning of dreams, so the musical material is based on these themes.
Participants:
Kristīne Cīrule - voice
Edgars Cīrulis - piano, voice
Māra Vidiņa - voice
Līva Dumpe - voice
Karlīna Priedēna - voice
Aleksejs Bahirs - violin
Kelly Ring - Carahon - flute
Sven Wilson - electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Rudolf Dankfeld - drums, percussion
Albert Reinholdt Østergaard - double bass, electric bass
Edgars CĪRULIS is a Latvian composer, pianist, improviser and arranger. He studied at the JVLMA and the Royal Academy of Music in Aalborg. He works in jazz and contemporary music genres.
In 2016, Edgars and his band "Ainavisti" released their album "-". In 2019, in collaboration with musicians from Latvia, Denmark, Italy and the USA, he released the fairy tale book and CD "Aisma", which he also presented in concerts in Denmark and Latvia. Cīrulis is also active in the Equanimity Trio. He has performed with musicians such as Mark Dreser, Marius Ungureanu, Jesper Lovdal, Kenneth Dahl Knudsen, Rok Zubov, Ahto Abner and others.
He was nominated for the Grand Music Prize Young Artist of the Year in 2020.