However, the imagery that stood out the most while listening to the music was being carried away on a steamboat on a dreamy evening. This narrative was the beginning of the design concept for the album system.

The final outcome of the design system for the album represents one big idea: the harmony of music and design as a muse.

The inspiration for the design system stems from the word itself—inspiration. Art and music styles of the past were very strong motivators. Because the album weighs itself on the inspiration from jazz masters of the past (such as Benny Goodman, Pee Wee Russell, Barney Bigard, and Buddy DeFranco), this inspiration bleeds into the main design concept for this album design. All of the masters (as well as Allan) have indicated that they have found some kind of musical inspiration from the birthplace of jazz: New Orleans.

The Result

The intention was to create a cohesive visual system that “carries the listener away,” much like the music does. Ornate typography was used for the album title that moves across all of the components of the album like waves.

The imagery was incorporated in a way that appears painted on and invokes a warm, hazy feeling in the viewer. Visual motifs include day & night, water, and the wheels of a steamboat. These motifs are used with the intention of visually depicting movement in a nostalgic or dreamy fashion. The duality of day & night, as well as sky versus water, are considered a metaphor for the 2 different movements, or “sides” of the album… one movement being an allusion to the past, and the other having a more improvised and “present” tone.

Warm reds and cool blues collide into a contrasted harmony meant to represent the juxtaposition of Dreaming: The Prague Sessions as a whole.

Dreaming: The Prague Sessions is an expressive album that tells a story; a story that may be a little different for every listener. However, this album design might be the inspiration that sways them to get their mind (and their new record) spinning.