Grammy-nominated, Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?  is a “tour-de-force” (I Care If You Listen) of a concert experience that blurs the lines between classical, jazz, and contemporary music, examining what Ralph Ellison calls “the unity of American experience.” With a hybrid ensemble comprised of Akropolis Reed Quintet, pianist/composer Pascal Le Boeuf, and drummer Christian Euman, Le Boeuf deconstructs the fabric of his American experience by recognizing the strands of his musical DNA—Geri Allen, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Leonard Bernstein. What are the strands that form our collective identity, and are we dreaming the same dream?

"Brilliant writing, exquisitely performed, and ingenuously conceived! Are We Dreaming The Same Dream? is a musical journey that shares a sound world that reveals the deep layers of life experience, and done so in the hands of some real masters of their instruments." ~ Jennifer Higdon, Pulitzer Prize & Grammy Award-Winning Composer

Concert Repertoire

Pascal Le Boeuf – Are We Dreaming the Same Dream? (full septet) 50′

Pascal Le Boeuf – Variations on a Mood (Pascal & Christian) 8'

George Gershwin arr. Raaf Hekkema – An American in Paris (Akropolis) 18′

Geri Allen arr. Le Boeuf – “RTG” (full septet) 5′

Charles Mingus arr. Le Boeuf – “Self-Portrait in Three Colors” (full septet) 7′

Watch Grammy-nominated single, Strands: 

Composed by Le Boeuf, the composition draws upon a careful selection of his musical “ancestors”—Geri Allen, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Leonard Bernstein—each of whom have historically represented a variety of perspectives concerning the unity of the American experience. As author Ralph Ellison observed, “the most agonizing mystery sponsored by the democratic ideal is that of our unity-in-diversity, our oneness in manyness.”

Ellison also described a “unity of American experience beyond all considerations of class, of race, of religion.” More than a half-century later, have we realized this ideal of what it means to be American? Le Boeuf’s concert-length composition asks: Are we really dreaming the same American dream, or is our consumer culture overshadowing our own sense of belonging?

Album Reviews

"Brilliant writing, exquisitely performed, and ingenuously conceived! Are We Dreaming The Same Dream? is a musical journey that shares a sound world that reveals the deep layers of life experience, and done so in the hands of some real masters of their instruments."

~Jennifer Higdon
Pulitzer Prize & Grammy Award-Winning Composer

“It is truly one of the greatest releases I’ve heard in years.”

~Mark Dover
Grammy Award-Winning Clarinetist, Imani Winds

“Imaginative rhythmic inventions and distinctly expressive and lyrical use of the winds' colors makes for both super playful and thoughtful listen! Love the drive and character in the performances!”

~Curtis Stewart
4X GRAMMY Nominated Violinist and Composer

“A great addition to the wind quintet repertoire with fantastic jazz elements. Brilliant and engaging.”

~Elaine Martone
5X Grammy Award-Winning Classical/Jazz Producer

"Amazing writing and playing."

~Rudresh Mahanthappa
Jazz Saxophonist Composer and Guggenheim Fellow

“I just love the lushness of the wind writing on this album. Before you get too comfortable enjoying the transporting harmonies, the groove takes you into an intricate vortex, ping ponging between the Akropolis adept players always puppeteered by the drums. Le Boeuf draws a delicate balance between homages to his inspirations, and unique writing that leaves selections feeling reassured, then punchy, then ominous, always exploring the wondrous palette of the reed quintet.”

~Mariam Adam
Clarinetist (founding member of Imani Winds)

Biographies

Each artist on stage is a powerhouse in their field. Founded in 2009, the Billboard charting, 7-time national prize winning Akropolis Reed Quintet makes music with “infallible musicality and huge vitality” (Fanfare Magazine). Winner of 7 national chamber music prizes including the 2014 Fischoff Gold Medal, Akropolis has premiered and commissioned over 150 works by living artists and composers. Pascal Le Boeuf is a Grammy-nominated composer, pianist, and producer described as "sleek, new" and "hyper-fluent" by the New York Times. He is widely recognized for his polyrhythmic approach to chamber music and hybridization of disparate idioms. Christian Euman, one of Revive Magazine's "six drummers you should know about," has toured with Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling, Billy Childs, Walter Smith III, and Geoff Keezer, among others. He attended the Thelonious Monk Institute where he studied and performed with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chris Potter, Jimmy Heath, and Stefon Harris.