| The Kennedy Dream | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Oliver Nelson |
| Cover: | The Kennedy Dream.jpg |
| Released: | Mid May 1967[1] |
| Recorded: | February 16–17, 1967 |
| Studio: | Capitol (New York City) |
| Genre: | Jazz |
| Length: | 28:59 |
| Label: | Impulse! AS-9144 |
| Producer: | Bob Thiele |
| Chronology: | Oliver Nelson |
| Prev Title: | The Spirit of '67 |
| Prev Year: | 1967 |
| Next Title: | Live from Los Angeles |
| Next Year: | 1967 |
The Kennedy Dream (subtitled A Musical Tribute to John Fitzgerald Kennedy) is an album by American composer/arranger Oliver Nelson recorded in memory of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It was released in 1967 on the Impulse! label.[2]
The Allmusic review by Michael G. Nastos awarded the album 3½ stars, stating "In February of 1967, Oliver Nelson recognized Kennedy's contributions and assembled a big band to play music in his honor, with taped segments of his speeches as preludes. The result is a heartfelt yet eerie combination, perhaps a bit off-putting, but absolutely relevant decades later. The music is reflective of the changing times as identified by Nelson, ranging from commercial movie score-type music, to soulful or straight-ahead jazz, bop, and the modern big-band sound that the leader, composer, and orchestrator owned... it's a stark reminder of how one man can positively influence the human condition aside from politics and corporate greed, and how another can change his world musically".[3]
All compositions by Oliver Nelson except as indicated
Recorded on February 16 (#3, 4, 7) and February 17, 1967 (#1, 2, 5, 6, 8).