NOTES ON THE ALBUM

"The inspiration behind What Dreams We Have: The Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar was the brand new song cycle composed by Anthony Patterson, “Lyrics of Love and Laughter”. We premiered this cycle in recital at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in March 2024. We loved it so much that we knew immediately that we wanted to record it. We set out to select other songs with Dunbar lyrics to complement it, and found a wealth of songs that worked beautifully. With a combination of veteran composers like Hailstork, Adams and Price, new composers like Jeremiah Evans and Walker Jermaine Jackson, and the rediscovered gems of Lena McLin and Irene Britton Smith, we embarked on an inspirational journey through Dunbar’s lyric and poetic voice. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed creating it." 
-Kenneth Overton

Full liner notes by Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox available for download below.