Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs Of Stephen Foster CD

 Foster for Today.
I can't see how Stephen Foster could be presented any better to today's audiences. There's much to enjoy here including The Dukh's excellent take on Camptown Races, David Ball's Old Folks At Home (Swanee River), Raul Malo's terrific Beautiful Dreamer and Mavis Staples stunning take on Hard Times Come Again No More. While there might be a cut or two that you'll want to skip, the first modern songwriter gets a first class treatment here. Excellent stuff!
Submitted by thomas_labelle (Thunder Bay Ontario Canada) 
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 Just Beautiful
I purchased this CD from CD Universe after hearing a song or two on our local radio station. What an absolute treat from beginning to end. It was interesting to find out that many of Stephen Foster's songs are very well-known American folk tunes. The line-up of stars who sing these songs are well chosen. I thoroughly enjoyed this CD and I recommend it to anyone who loves folk music.
Submitted by jfrawley (Melbourne Australia) 
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 Intricate patchwork of our national musical identity
Playing Time – 62:28 -- As one of America’s greatest songwriters, Stephen Collins Foster created a legacy that lives on in the hundreds of songs he left us. Although he died at only age 37 in 1864, Foster crafted many masterpieces that are presented here such as “Beautiful Dreamer,” “Oh” Susanna,” “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” “Camptown Races,” “Old Folks at Home,” and “Hard Time Come Again No More.” Besides some of the more familiar compositions, there are many others that are less often heard on this generous disc that exceeds an hour of fine music. The tunes make up part of the intricate patchwork of our national musical identity. It’s high time that we rediscover this important part of our essential American heritage. Contemporary artists do an exceptional job with their interpretations and arrangements of Foster’s songs on Beautiful Dreamer. These beloved parlor songs are presented by some highly-respected musicians that represent diverse genres, yet acoustic instrumentation is very central to most offerings. Some of the participating artists include John Prine, Raul Malo, Alison Krauss, Alvin Youngblood Hart, BR5-49, Judith Edelman, Mavis Staples, Michelle Shocked, David Ball, The Duhks, Grey DeLisle, Roger McGuinn, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Ollabelle, Suzy Bogguss, and Ron Sexsmith. Two instrumentals (“Autumn Waltz” and “Holiday Schottisch”) are performed by Henry Kaiser and Will Barrow, respectively. The energy level is high on this exhilarating tribute. Thus, the well-executed album is able to keep the music fresh sounding whether covering a plaintive folk ballad or an uptempo toe-tapper. Proceeds from the sale of this album benefit American Roots Publishing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving American regional culture through literature and art. Liner notes, lyrics and credits are plentiful in the CD’s 24-page jacket. (Joe Ross)
Submitted by Joe Ross (Roseburg, OR)
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