Dreams is a six-track solo piano album by Swedish pianist/composer Adam Forkelid, a longtime mainstay of the Scandinavian jazz scene who has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz artists from all over the world. I have to admit that this album is my first experience with Forkelid’s music, but I am definitely interested in exploring more of it!

Dreams was recorded with Forkelid’s own Fazioli F278 grand piano in an intimate 50-seat venue. Going into the concert, he had no fixed plan beyond a few sketches and original song ideas, allowing the atmosphere of the room and the familiar faces in the audience to inspire him. Dreams features four improvisations, a loose idea retrieved from an old phone recording, and a reinterpretation of one of the pieces from his 2024 quartet release. Quoting Forkelid’s website:

“As the performance unfolded, Forkelid and the audience collectively drifted into a state of reverie - suspended in time in a shared stream of consciousness.”

The six tracks are varied with some fairly quiet and dreamy while others are bolder and more exploratory. I think this quote from Forkelid’s website sums the album up well:

“Dreams captures the rare alchemy of the pianist’s intuitive relationship with his instrument, the charged yet calming energy of the space, and the transformational power of music made in the moment. It’s a line between dream and reality, and each listener gets to decide what it means for them.”

Dreams begins with “Dream no. 1: Liminality,” a nine-minute piece that goes through many changes in mood and approach. Google defines the title as “a state of transition, confusion, and in-betweenness,” which makes complete sense with all of the changes going on within the music - a fascinating start! “Dream no. 2: Unfold” is much quieter and more subdued in the first half, again going through many changes as it opens and reveals itself, gradually fading out at the end. “Dream no 3: Time” is an energetic thirteen-minute piece that seems to be exploring the transitory nature of time itself as it moves in a variety of directions with different musical approaches. Much of “Dream no. 4: Repose” is played in the bass half of the piano and has a rather “angular,” abstract feeling. The latter part of the piece picks up the tempo considerably before becoming “dreamier” near the end. “Dream no. 5: The Quiet Above” makes effective use of the piano’s dampers to create a shimmering effect in some of the quieter passages. “Dream no. 6: Strive” is my favorite track on the album. Quiet, thoughtful and somewhat mysterious, the piece feels very relaxed and open to me, but is never simplistic or trite. If Adam Forkelid’s music is new to you, too, this is a great album to start with!


Dreams is widely available to stream and download. CDs with a bonus track are available from Amazon, and the album can be streamed there, too. The album and bonus track can be downloaded from Apple Music/iTunes. Dreams can also be streamed on Spotify