Peta who? That was my reaction back in 1996 when the DJ
on my local station announced whose single they had just played. Okay,
so the DJ had a fairly heavy New York accent, and I soon found
out she was talking about Peter White. So now my reaction
was Peter who? But, as I continued to hear this acoustic
guitar, I began to feel the passion for the music of Peter White. And
while Caravan of Dreams was the first
album of Peter White’s that I owned, who knew that I had
been listening to him for years prior as part of Al Stewart’s
band.
Caravan of Dreams contains ten original
songs and showcases the identifiable sound of Peter White’s
acoustic guitar. Included are guest appearances by Boney
James, Rick Braun, Marc Antoine and Basia. In addition
to guitar, Peter also plays most of the keyboards throughout.
The CD opens with the title track, which was a huge hit. It’s
a funky, upbeat give-and-take between Peter and Boney James. Listening
to this song just makes me smile, because it’s a happy
tune. The beat is provided by Joel Rosenblatt (drums) and
Lenny Castro (percussion). “Together Again” is
another tune where Boney adds depth, this time on the soprano
sax. A slower paced song, but with a wonderful melody that
flows right into “Venice Beach,” my personal favorite
on this CD. With the groove on this track, you cannot help
but move right along. Boney this time provides a different
sound on the windsynth.
Taking things to a slower, more serene place is the song “Soul
Embrace.” The melody is truly peaceful and Peter’s
guitar work makes you feel like this is truly coming from deep
inside him. It’s an emotion-driven song. Anyone
who has ever seen Peter live, would be able to picture him on
this tune with his eyes closed, digging deep. Rick Braun’s
flugelhorn joins in with the guitar on “Long Ride Home.” The
flugelhorn offers the lead-in, which also features Dave Camp
on flute. These three instruments combine to give an almost
Latin flavor to the music, each taking turns leading us on the
ride. For a totally different sound, tune into “Just
Another Day” featuring Basia on lead vocals. Peter
also lends his voice for background vocals. The sound of
castanets in the background alongside the crisp guitar gives
this a terrific sound. “City of Lights” gives
the feel of cruising down a city street during the night…searching
for someone or something. The guitar blends well with Peter’s
keyboard and the gentle sound of the accordion, which all add
to almost a sense of urgency in this track.
“Café Mystique,“ written by Peter and Marc
Antoine, is pure guitar. A Spanish feel is embodied in
this track with two gentle, acoustic guitars exchanging lead. The
play between them is remarkable. “Bittersweet,” featuring
Dee Harris on vocals, is a track that keeps you moving. Peter’s
guitar work is energetic and forceful. This song is very
edgy. Rounding out the CD is “Lullaby.” Nothing
but Peter. Sweet, clear notes in a peaceful melody. It
is a very fitting way to end the journey of this CD.
Caravan of Dreams takes you to many
places. It is a classic and one that I am grateful to have
in my collection. It introduced me to the great sound of
acoustic guitar and to the happy feel of Peter White’s
music.
- Bonnie Schendell |