Dreamride CD Release Concert!

DREAMRIDE

Linda Lee Thomas – piano

Pablo Romero – baritone

Bill Runge – saxophone and clarinet

Holly Burke – flute

Neil Ritchie – MC

In 2020, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and after a five year struggle with post-concussion syndrome, composer Holly Burke finally found herself back at the piano, improvising again. Her muse had returned. Re-invigorated, Burke shared a few new themes and unfinished compositions with musician and composer Bill Runge – a long time collaborator of Burke’s, now side-lined by the pandemic. Runge was deeply moved by the incredible beauty of these musical vignettes. Together, they began painstakingly crafting the compositions, sometimes doing as many as two dozen drafts until they were happy with the results. 

Their collaboration yielded twenty new pieces of music. Having decided to record this new music, they could think of no better pianist for the job than the great Linda Lee Thomas, the principal pianist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra since 1972 and member of the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame.

This collection draws from a variety of musical settings, including jazz, pop, tango, and various classical styles. It’s a fascinating and enticing body of work, with each piece akin to a miniature tone poem.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts