Solo Acoustic

Solo Acoustic

Track Listings

1. Ask Your Dog! / I Bid You Good Night

2. Return of the Grievous Angel

3. An American Family

4. Down to Eugene

5. Lady With a Fan / Terrapin Station

6. River and Drown

7. The Minstrel

8. Shut Up and Listen

9. Sovereign Soul

10. Normal

11. The Nightmare / Blue Roses

12. Black Peter / Dear Mr. Fantasy / Trying

13. Elvis Imitators

14. Brokedown Palace

15. Who Killed Uncle John?

16. Tear My Stillhouse Down

Editorial Reviews
Relix Magazine
"...a superb songwriter and musician."

Product Description
Recorded live on tour 1999-2000

Solo Acoustic

Tracks:

Common Threads - Bobby McFerrin
Japanese Music Box - George Winston
Suliram - Thea Suits-Silverman
Shiny Shell Lullaby - Keola Beamer
Montanhas No Ceu - Flora Purim
Suantrai - Nightnoise
Anjo Da Guarda - Airto Moreira
Little One Mine - Turtle Island String Quartet
Cancion De Cuna - Eliot Fisk
Sofdu Unga Astin Min - Richard Stoltzman And Family
Kumbaya - Paul Hanson/Tracy Silverman
Rock-A-Bye Baby - Jim Brickman
Tumbalalaika - Mike Marshall
Just Close Your Eyes - Billy Taylor
Bayushky Bayu - Debbra, Margot & Noah Schwartz
Brahms Lullaby - Mike Wollenberg
Here I Am - Tracy Silverman

Amazon.com

The party line on most Windham Hill products seems to be that it's either the greatest stuff since wave machines, or that it all sounds alike. On a Starry Night, with its collection of world songs and reputable artists such as Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and others, does lean toward a seamlessly understated, homogeneous quality that is broken only occasionally by Bobby McFerrin's piece and a couple of others. That said, there can hardly be a more mellow or sonorous album of kid's music anywhere. Starry Night could calm a nursery with no nurses; why, it could even soothe the pained yelps at the dog pound--and turn a freeway full of bumper-to-bumper sour pusses into pussycats. Effective? You've heard of mind control, haven't you? --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews:

Starry Night A+++.......2007-07-29

I got this for my shower and I absolutely love it!! My son has listened to it every night since he was born, he is now almost 21 months and still it is part of his bedtime routine!!!! It is very different from the traditional lullabyes- we love it and have put it in the can't live without it category.

Soothing, calming and still works after 11 years!.......2007-05-09

I bought this for my newborn daughter and she has fallen asleep to this just about every night of her life. In particular, we enjoy the 2 Brazilian songs as I am Portuguese (born there, raised here) and it's immensely enjoyable hearing songs in my native tongue as well as other languages. I have gifted this to several expectant parents and everyone loves it as much as I do. I highly recommend this CD.

Wonderful product.......2007-03-08

The songs on this CD are soothing and fantastic. My son loved them!

Good for babies, but a little depressing for adults........2007-02-12

The music is all good, but several of the songs are eerily reminiscent of the Schindler's List soundtrack.

highly recommended.......2006-12-30

we used this before our first arrived (to acquaint her with the music and hopefully create a positive association for her) and played it every night as part of her bed time routine. i fell asleep to the music as well as i could hear it on the monitor from her room. i can't describe how much i loved listening to the tracks and how good i feel about the success of our nightly routine. we keep the music on the ipod for "sleepy music" while traveling in the car. my now 4 year old daughter with "request" the CD when she is tired! i often give this as a baby shower gift.

Average customer rating:

Where's Vol. 2??
up front and personal
Great to hear Jackson again
Bruce Springsteen for intellectuals
Quality Jackson

Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1
Jackson Browne
Manufacturer: Inside Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Prairie Wind
All the Roadrunning
The Very Best of Jackson Browne
Magic Time
Souls Alike

ASIN: B000B5XSXU
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

The Barricades Of Heaven
These Days
The Birds Of St. Marks (never before released!)
Fountain Of Sorrow
Your Bright Baby Blues
For A Dancer
Too Many Angels
For Everyman
Lives In the Balance
Looking East
The Pretender
Take It Easy

Album Description

Presenting twelve songs culled from Browne's extensive and critically acclaimed solo acoustic concerts around the world over the past few years, the disc also captures both spirited and humorous exchanges between Jackson and his audiences, making for a truly intimate listening experience. This new comp, produced by Browne and Paul Dieter, is Jackson's first live release since his 1977 multi-platinum "Running On Empty" album. It also marks the recording debut of a three decades old track, "The Birds Of St. Marks", not previously released in any form. "Solo Acoustic" reaches back to Browne's early years with "These Days" and "Take It Easy", and spans his entire career with other highlights such as "Fountain Of Sorrow", "For Everyman", "The Pretender", and "Looking East". A stirring version of "Lives In The Balance", the title track from Jackson's powerful 1986 album, will be this record's lead single.

Customer Reviews:

Where's Vol. 2??.......2007-06-01

I had the pleasure of seeing this show "live" when he dared to bring it into a really conservative hotbed in Escondido. The show was outstanding, even with the handful of annoyed conservatives grousing out loud to "Just sing" and other odd comments. Jackson Browne has been a liberal activist/performer for over 30 years now - how this escaped so many folks is some mystery.
The music is simply outstanding in its simple arrangement, and the commentary is, well, who the man is. For true fans it's great stuff. I hope volume 2 has a couple of Zevon tunes on it - as he "covered" several of these in the aftermath of the Excitable boy's untimely passing.

up front and personal.......2007-05-29

Jackson Browne has contributed so much both as a political voice and a song writer. These acoustic gems are not all the usual songs he is most associated with. But they are definitely great examples of his sensitivity to the subject matter which he writes about and his warmth he exudes on stage with his audience. Although it would not be my first recommendation to someone who is unfamiliar with his music, it is still a very good body of work to have in your collection if you find yourself as moved as I am by his prose.

Great to hear Jackson again.......2007-03-10

I didn't even know JB was still around! I purchased this CD and was so happy with it, I sent one off to my brother. He sings some of his famous songs and mixed in between is hilarious commentary on life, the road, the songs, women. I love this CD.

Bruce Springsteen for intellectuals.......2007-02-25

Awesome CD. Brief review, excellent songs, excellent voice, excellent sound. The acoustic setup takes away most of the 'retro' feel that comes with the original recordings from which the songs derive and makes them much more contemporary sounding.

Quality Jackson.......2007-02-15

Very nice compilation of classic Jackson Browne music in a live setting. HIs stories between songs are entertaining without being overwhelmingly "live". Any fan of Jackson will love this pure sound.

Average customer rating:

No Regrets
Nice
Sheer excellence
Too bad there's not a '6 stars' rating....
CAPTIVATING

Beyond Boundaries: Guitar Solos
Michael Hedges
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Aerial Boundaries
Live on the Double Planet
Breakfast in the Field
Oracle
Taproot

ASIN: B00005NNQY
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Rickover's Dream
Aerial Boundaries
Eleven Small Roaches
Ragamuffin
Ritual Dance
Chava's Song
The Double Planet
Jitterboogie
Java Man
Bensusan
Because It's There
The Unexpected Visitor
Gospel Law
Baal T'shuvah
The Funky Avocado
Dream Beach
Gospel
Sofa No.1
Rickover's Dream

Customer Reviews:

No Regrets.......2006-11-10

I really like this style of guitar and have no regrets with my purchase.

Nice.......2006-04-25

I just landed here. If this is considered New Age, then I am a newager. Pretty intense sounds in this album. I'll be starting coverage of Michael Hedges.

Sheer excellence.......2005-07-26

Michael Hedges, without exaggeration, was the most brilliant solo acoustic guitarist who ever walked this Earth. This CD is not only a great starting point for those who are not familiar with his work, but it is essential listening for anyone with general interest in the field of solo instrumental acoustic guitar.

During his lifetime, Hedges was acknowledged as the "king of the hill" among an elite handful of guitar virtuosi. Years after his untimely death, the music of this artist still towers above the pack.

Also highly recommended: Areial Boundaries, Oracle, and Taproot.

Too bad there's not a '6 stars' rating...........2005-04-02

Every now and then an album comes along that seems to stand outside the constraints of time. This is one of those albums. Beautiful and unlike anything you've ever heard before, this is one of those albums that makes you truly grateful that God gave you ears.

CAPTIVATING.......2004-10-25

I am a late bloomer, in regards to Hedges' music, but I can't express how much I like his songs. The first time I even heard about him was on the LAGQ Cd "Guitar Heroes" where they play a piece for him called "Lament and Wake".Then I bought the CD "Beyond Boundaries" and saw why they included him on their CD. What a great loss to lose such a talented musician.

This CD is a great introduction to the amazing world of Michael Hedges.

Average customer rating:

The Best!!
Aerial Boundaries
For guitarists, really, and even then...
Aerial Boundaries -- An Acoustic Masterpiece
amazing artist but wrong forum

Aerial Boundaries
Michael Hedges
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Breakfast in the Field
Oracle
Beyond Boundaries: Guitar Solos
Live on the Double Planet
Taproot

ASIN: B000000NFW
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Aerial Boundaries
Bensusan
Rickover's Dream
Ragamuffin
After The Gold Rush
Hot Type
Spare Change
Menage A Trois
The Magic Farmer

Amazon.com essential recording

It's been called the album that opened "a new chapter on steel-string guitar playing," and it's unquestionably one of the most groundbreaking albums in acoustic guitar history. Though Hedges had released the excellent Breakfast in the Field on Windham Hill in 1981, the Grammy-nominated Boundaries came as an unexpected revelation in 1985. On stirring, complex compositions like "Rickover's Dream," "Spare Change," and a deft instrumental reading of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush," Hedges unleashed a stunning new vocabulary of finger-tapping, hammering, and harmonic slaps--processed with electronics and reverb--that still resounds today in the playing of artists from Ani Di Franco to Preston Reed. Steeped both in classical harmony and the fingerstyle guitar tradition of Leo Kottke, Martin Carthy, and John Renbourn, Boundaries remains the late composer-guitarist's seminal work, and its innovations in technique, tuning, tone, and intensity remain key texts in modern acoustic circles. --James Rotondi

Customer Reviews:

The Best!!.......2007-07-09

Micheal Hedges lived to please his listeners with the best possible music that he could get from a guitar!!

Aerial Boundaries.......2007-07-09

Great CD if you enjoy acoustic guitar. Sophiscated, romantic,ethereal, and abstract all rolled into a ball. Good stuff!

For guitarists, really, and even then..........2007-06-18

Moments of brilliance, (yes, even genius, on this album), but over all it's a disjointed effort. You will listen to this, if you're a guitar player, and be inspired; but you'll find that inspiration fully realized in Kaki King and Don Ross, not on this CD. To be fair to Hedges, he died too early to do that for himself, but I still doubt he would have achieved the perfection of Everybody Loves You or Passion Session. He was just one of those guys who is hell bent on pushing that envelope, and it was kind of fitting he drove off a cliff one night.

Aerial Boundaries -- An Acoustic Masterpiece.......2007-01-03

Rarely do I find an acoustic artist so gifted as to make a guitar do what it supposed to do: convey imagery without lyrical content, or imply a feeling found nowhere else. This is exactly what Michael Hedges has done in "Aerial Boundaries." Mr. Hedges uses his guitar in what was, to my recollection, the first use of percussive slap harmonic technique I have ever heard. There are more recent artists who currently employ this technique, but I believe Mr. Hedges was the first to do so.

Mr. Hedges was a unique talent whose life was cut short too early in his career, but for the few recordings that Mr. Hedges produced, this is his most recognizable and more debatably, his best. I cannot personally think of another acoustic recording of any other artist that comes close to what Mr. Hedges has accomplished.

I will not described individual songs, as there are some better than others, but the recording "Aerial Boundaries" is best taken by listening to it in its entirety. This is the genius of Michael Hedges; revel in it, be absorbed by it and take it to heart. It is a learning tool for any acoustic guitarist who seeks to find originality, and a marvel to any non-musician who asks himself "How did Mr. Hedges coax the sounds out of his guitar the way he did?"

Prepare to be amazed, delighted, and bewildered by the unique talent known as Michael Hedges in "Aerial Boundaries."

amazing artist but wrong forum.......2006-09-14

Michael Hedges was an unbelievable guitar player and performer. This is a good cd but, if you are interested in this artist, you are in the wrong place.

Although Hedges is awesome, and there is good stuff here, it is nonetheless a Windam Hill new age album. This is like having a sports car stuck in your garage...there is not enough space to see what this baby/artist can do.

Hedges "live on a double planet" cd or, even better yet, the live Windham Hill dvd is a much better representation of this terrific and unique artist.

"Aerial Boundaries" is boring compared to the other works

Average customer rating:

Excellent!!!!!!
Haunting - like life, examined
Where's the music?
A revolutionary debut.
Six Strings, Infinite Intensity

Breakfast in the Field
Michael Hedges
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Aerial Boundaries
Taproot
Oracle
Live on the Double Planet
Torched

ASIN: B000000NF7
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Layover
The Happy Couple
Eleven Small Roaches
The Funky Avocado
Baby Toes
Breakfast In The Field
Two Days Old
Peg Leg Speed King
The Unexpected Visitor
Silent Anticipations
Lenono

Amazon.com essential recording

Released in 1981, Breakfast in the Field was part of the thrilling, early '80s rollout of "new acoustic" music unveiled by Windham Hill Records founder Will Ackerman, where each new release and new artist seemed to yield something revelatory. The startling uniqueness of guitarist Michael Hedges's imagination and style, however, was not fully recognized until he introduced a host of tradition-jarring innovations (unexpected tunings, tappings, and rhythmic slaps) on the magnificent Aerial Boundaries three years later. Here, on just the 13th recording to carry the Windham Hill logo, the 28-year-old Hedges involves himself more with straightforward finger-picking technique--which is dazzling--and more of the peaceful, pastoral sound typically associated with early Windham Hill releases. On these terms, the disc (at a brief, vinyl-era 34 minutes) is a quiet, elegant jewel, adorned with endearing melodies ("Eleven Small Roaches," "The Unexpected Visitor"), astonishing displays of nimbleness ("Peg Leg Speed King," "Silent Anticipations"), and hints of quirkiness to come ("The Funky Avocado"). Bassist Michael Manring contributes to several tracks and even pianist George Winston, fresh off the release of Autumn and spurred by the team-spirit togetherness of early Windham Hill, lends a few notes to the reflective concluding track, "Lenono." --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!!!!!!.......2007-07-09

Michael Hedges is the top guitarist of all time in my opinion!! His compositions and inovative style are unsurpassed!!!

Haunting - like life, examined.......2006-11-02

My parents flirted with Hedges as I was growing up, playing Breakfast in the Field and Live on the Double Planet every so often, and so when, at the age of 15 or so, the news caster played a clip of his "Because it's There" in memory of his life and death, I recognized the song and immediately went and searched out the cds which had floated in and out of my childhood.

Thankfully, both were still intact, and Breakfast in the Field soon became an album I was never without. This remains true, having replaced it a few times after losing or giving it away. And it is an album I will have until I die.

My favorites are The Happy Couple, Baby Toes, Two Days Old, and Lenono - and yet I can start the album at any point and listen, enthralled, until it ends. Each track is gorgeous, and each is incredibly different. And different from anything else you'll ever hear, especially with the added bonus of Michael Manring on multiple tracks (his additions inspiring me to buy a fretless bass).

This is one of those albums that, as another reviewer has said, will bring you to tears. He (the reviewer) is a year older than my 23 years - and here are two grown, but still young men talking about crying over another man with an acoustic guitar.

Just take some time and listen. By yourself, in a dark room, as the snow falls outside. It will find you.

Where's the music?.......2003-06-12

Very little melody,harmony, or rhythm.Not in the same class as L.Juber,D.Smith,or even E.Gerhardt.Boring.

A revolutionary debut........2002-02-07

This disc is worth getting just for one track "The Happy Couple" which is one of the most beautiful, haunting tunes every written by Michael. The single plucked string against the backdrop of the low E string is nothing short of stunning. Some of the artists out there who try to impress by bombarding us with 32nd note scales could learn a few things from Mr. Hedges. Often, 'simple' is better for effect. But the term 'simple' does not fit with Michael Hedges. What's great about his music is that it is actually very complicated and difficult to play, but it doesn't sound like it would/should be.

The rest of the album is a treat as well, especially "Layover", "Eleven Small Roaches", "Baby Toes" (oh my, a gorgeous tune), and "Lenono". All of these display the impecable finger-stylings of Hedges with awe-inspiring hammer-ons, pull-offs, and timing. A great debut by the master.

Six Strings, Infinite Intensity.......2002-01-08

Back in the early 80's, this disc set the guitar world on it's collective butt. Even 20 years later, I'm amazed at the depth of talent and creativity that Michael possessed. Had he only produced this one disc, his place in music history would have been cemented. This makes me all the more sad that his life was cut short by an auto accident in '98.

Breakfast In The Field does not have a weak cut on it. Having been released on the Windham Hill label, many were content to consider it New Age and by keeping the volume low, the melodious tunes seemed to conspire with that theory. But those that witnessed his live shows realized that Michael encompassed so much more, from classical to jazz, rock and beyond. From the opening track ("Layover") we are taken on an incredible acoustic guitar journey, much like an aural rollercoaster. Mellower songs are interspersed with the more intense until track eleven ("Silent Anticipations") arrives to peel back any remaining preconceptions we may have about the limitations of solo acoustic guitar. Fortunately, the disc ends with the meditative "Lenono", allowing our pulses to return from the stratosphere.

Tracks:

Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter - William Ackerman
White Rain - Alex De Grassi
Colors/Dance - George Winston
Angel's Flight - Shadowfax
Bradley's Dream - Liz Story
Afternoon Postlude Soliloquy - Daniel Hecht
2nd Gymnopedie - Bill Quist
Homfeld Suite - David Qualey
Rickover's Dream - Michael Hedges
Variations On Clair De Lune - Robbie Basho
Oristano Sojourn - Scott Cossu
Clockwork - Alex De Grassi
Peace - George Winston
Aerial Boundaries - Michael Hedges
Egrets - Montreux
On The Threshold Of Liberty - Mark Isham

Tracks:

Welcoming - Michael Manring
The 19A - Nightnoise
Montana Half Light - Philip Aaberg
Shadowdance - Shadowfax
Pittsburgh 1901 (Theme From Mrs. Soffel) - Mark Isham
The Calling - Stein & Walder
Gwenlaise - Scott Cossu
Dolphins - Mike Marshall/Darol Anger
Wishing Well - Schonherz/Scott
Theme For Naomi Uemura - Philip Aaberg
Toys Not Ties - Nightnoise
Close Cover - Wim Mertens
To The Well - W. A. Mathieu
Hot Beach - Interior
New Waltz - Malcolm Danglish
Processional - William Ackerman
Woman At The Well - Tim Story

Customer Reviews:

"The MOTHER of all WINDHAM HILL SAMPLERS".......2001-10-15

Windham Hill put the "new" into "new age" music. Each year they publish a sampler which is a "greatest hits of the year" album, intended to introduce new and talented artists. On Windham Hill's tenth anniversary they published the finest 2-volume CD set they ever mastered, and this is it.

This is the first CD set that I have ever worn out - I am here on Amazon buying a replacement copy which will be MP3 mastered. I have played this CD monthly since 1994. I use the music to help calm my nerves as I do creative computer work, such as prepare university lecture notes or writing computer software.

Like any classic album, you _cannot_ get tired of this 2-volume set, since new tracks capture your imagination as time goes by. Many tracks are reminiscent of the "Enya Watermark" album or George Winston's "December". This CD is mostly guitar and piano music with no vocals, but several guitar tracks have a Celtic tone. This CD rates half a notch below Winston's "December", which is no criticism because "December" is the finest New-Age CD that has ever been mastered. Check reviews on EBay and buy "December" first, then buy this set second.

Out of about 30 songs, there are probably three that I could do without. Some of the tracks that I cannot live without are listed below.

Disc One
2- White Rain
3- Colors/Dance
7- Gymnopedie
12- Clockwork

Disc Two
3- Montana Half Light
7- Gwenlaise
12- To the Well

10 years of excellence.......2000-12-22

If you are looking for music to relax by, then you have come to the right place. These 2 discs contain some of the best accoustic music you'll find, whether it be solo guitar or piano, or small groups like Shadowfax. There are also some non-accoustic pieces as well though, which are equally beautiful. I was first introduced to Windham Hill when I received a cd of George Winstons. I loved it, and decided to explore other Windham Hill artists and bought this double album. And I was not disappointed. Each and every piece on here is sheer heaven. Spanning the years 1977 to 1987 the quality has remained consistent. For lovers of quality music, I can't recommend this enough!

A Superb Sampling of Windham Hill's Top Artists.......2000-02-15

It's Valentine's Day today and I thought I'd share my thoughts on what I consider to be one of the most romantic albums in my collection. This is some of the loveliest music you'll ever find. If you haven't already been introduced to the world of Windham Hill, this is definitely the place to start.

In the late seventies, I had become a huge fan of Leo Kottke and John Fahey and for a time I couldn't find any other artist to match their skills. Then I heard Will Ackerman being played in my favorite record store. I left that day with two of Ackerman's albums and one each by Alex de Grassi and Daniel Hecht and I was hooked. They are all excellent acoustic guitar players. In addition to the above named guitarists, you also get tracks by Robbie Basho and Michael Hedges.

CD-1 leads off with my all-time favorite Ackerman song, "The Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter." The quality of the remaining tracks stays high throughout the rest of the CD. Most of the first CD is reserved for the guitar players on the Windham Hill roster, but you also hear pianists George Winston and Liz Story, the string band Montreux and Mark Isham.

CD-2 includes a wider diversity than the first disc and features the remainder of the early Windham Hill roster.

If your looking for a relaxing collection of music you can't go wrong with this. [Note: in 1996, Windham Hill released Sanctuary, a twenty year retrospective, which is excellent; but I prefer their first decade collection simply because of the heavy emphasis on the guitar players on their roster at the time.]

Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions: A Hurricane Relief Benefit
Average customer rating:

good album, worthy cause

George Winston?

Not classic Geo. Winston, but pretty amazing

Not up to George Winston's Standard of Excellence

From Solo Piano Publications

Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions: A Hurricane Relief Benefit
George Winston
Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
New Orleans Blues | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
Piano | Blues | Styles | Music
General | New Age | Styles | Music
Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music
Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music
General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music
Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
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Sundown: A Windham Hill Piano Collection

Night Divides the Day: The Music of the Doors

Montana: A Love Story

Forest

December, Piano Solos: 20th Anniversary Edition

ASIN: B000GRUQOM
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Tracks:

New Orleans Shall Rise Again
Creole Moon
Pixie
The Breaks
Pixie #3
Stevenson
Gulf Coast Lullaby - Part 1
Gulf Coast Lullaby - Part 2
When The Saints Go Marching In
Blues For Fess, Beloved

Amazon.com

George Winston is no stranger to benefits. He often gives the proceeds from his concerts to charitable organizations, and in 2001 he released Remembrance, a benefit album for the families of 9/11 victims. Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions: A Hurricane Relief Benefit serves two purposes. It's a benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, but it also allows Winston to indulge his love of New Orleans piano, which he's voraciously studied from the works of James Booker, Professor Longhair, Henry Butler, and Dr. John. Winston's proficiency at these styles is not always convincing. There's uncertainty in his timing, and he seems to get finger-tied on difficult runs. But he doesn't make it easy on himself, playing stomping stride pieces by James Booker ("Pixie") and Henry Butler ("The Breaks"). These are rapid-fire tunes on which Winston gets a honky-tonk sound from the piano that might surprise his fans.

On a 12-minute odyssey through "When the Saints Go Marching In," Winston echoes Bobby Hebb's 1966 hit, "Sunny," before breaking into a rollicking stride version of the New Orleans anthem that takes a turn into boogie-woogie minimalism. These songs challenge Winston's skill, as does Dr. John's ruminative "Creole Moon," which would seem more appropriate for Winston's technique. But it's not all New Orleans stride and jazz. Winston also throws in some gorgeous originals that are in his more conventional "folk-piano" style. The long ring-outs and sustains of "Gulf Coast Lullaby Part 1 & 2" have all the Winston signatures, as does "Stevenson." Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions is a fun album, but Winston's love of New Orleans piano isn't always done justice in the performance. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

good album, worthy cause.......2007-01-31

George Winston's piano playing is always interesting, and it's great to hear him work out on songs in a New Orleans mode. His take on music by Booker, Butler and Dr John is actually pretty impressive. He's got his own approach and the chops to pull it off. The fact that this album supports the Katrina victims also comes as an extra recommendation.

George Winston?.......2006-11-10

If you like the music of George Winston's earlier albums, especially the "seasons," December, Plains, Forest, Montana.....you will probably not like this one. Unfortunately, it is nothing like his earlier works. I would never have fallen in love with his music if it was all like Gulf Coast Blues. This new one is way too heavy, loud, and generally abrasive. I am very sorry to have to say these things, because I am such a big fan of his.

Not classic Geo. Winston, but pretty amazing.......2006-11-10

I love this CD. It has a meloncholy blues sound, very clean, with echoes of typical New Orleans dixieland, strains of Dr. John-type piano, and a touch of Winstoneque new age. Only wish it was longer.

Not up to George Winston's Standard of Excellence.......2006-11-10

I was disappointed in this CD and have only played it once. There was nothing about the music that "grabbed" me or even made me identify with New Orleans jazz or blues. Not what I expected, but I was still happy to contribute to the hurricane relief effort.

From Solo Piano Publications.......2006-09-15

George Winston's "Gulf Coast Blues and Impressions" is both a benefit album to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina as well as a tribute to New Orleans jazz piano. Those who have seen Winston perform in concert know that this style of music is one of his passions, so it's fun to have a full recording of both quiet and rollicking forms of jazz piano from this artist. Six of the tracks are original compositions in the styles of some of Winston's favorite jazz composers, three are covers, and one is an almost twelve-minute arrangement of the New Orleans musical staple, "When the Saints Go Marching In." Folks looking for meditation music should probably move on, although four of the tracks are much quieter and more what Winston's fans have come to expect. All of George Winston's proceeds from this album will go directly to the Dancing Cat Benefit Fund, to be distributed to organizations helping people on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans to rebuild and return. In unity with the artist, RCA Records will be donating the bulk of its net profits to benefit musicians in the New Orleans area, so this is a very noble cause deserving of everyone's support.

The CD opens with "New Orleans Shall Rise Again," a Winston original inspired by favorite New Orleans pianists. Spirited and determined, this piece is a great way to begin and is indicative of what is to come on the album. "Creole Moon" by Dr. John is much darker, and Winston's touch is very percussive. James Booker's "Pixie" is a lighthearted highlight. Winston says in the liner notes that Booker has influenced his overall piano playing more than anyone, and Winston seems to feel very comfortable in this style, with its repetitive walking bass and all-over-the-piano right hand. "Stevenson" is a beautiful Winston original dedicated to a dear friend who died last year, filmmaker Stevenson J. Palfi. Sad and reflective, it is a loving tribute and eulogy. Parts 1 and 2 of "Gulf Coast Lullaby" are full of the vast open spaces that Winston is known for. These two pieces and "Stevenson" are much more ballads than blues, and since they are placed consecutively on the CD, feel right at home between the toe-tappers. "When The Saints Go Marching In" begins with a dark and stormy prelude that barely hints of what is coming. Once Winston gets cooking with the song itself, it is unfettered joy and the boisterous good time that is expected in New Orleans. With almost twelve minutes to explore the themes of the song, Winston really lets loose. "Blues for Fess, Beloved" ends the CD with a mournful piece inspired by Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd), who founded the New Orleans piano scene in the late 1940's. The inspiration for and a strong influence on many, if not all, of the New Orleans-style pianists to follow, this is a sweet and fitting finale to an excellent benefit CD. Recommended!

Average customer rating:

Totally awesome and innovative guitar
Great music, even better guitar work
love it
Kaki carries the torch (and its an ADAMAS!)
a lump of coal in my Christmas sock

Everybody Loves You
Kaki King
Manufacturer: Velour Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Only

ASIN: B00008V5TI
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

kewpie station
steamed juicy little bun
carmine st.
night after sidewalk
happy as a dead pig in the sunshine
the exhibition
close your eyes and you'll burst into flames
joi
everybody loves you
fortuna

Customer Reviews:

Totally awesome and innovative guitar.......2006-10-22

If you want to hear new things from an acoustic guitar, this album, and King's Legs to Make Us Stronger are the ticket. Kaki is extremely talented. I'm eagerly awaiting to hear more music from this stunning artist. Very unconventional, so maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it!

Great music, even better guitar work.......2006-08-23

Kaki King is amazing, any fan of good music will love this.

love it.......2006-06-21

Its artistic and beautiful...if you like the "plastic" popular music and feel that a song should have A point and not many points than dont buy this cd. Its been said that its unfocused but i feel it is very focused on the feeling at the time...Her songs are like a dream vacation packed into 4 minutes.. ...if you like music to stimulate every emotion in a short period of time then go for it...but if you choose not to think fast enough then don't buy it... I also love the raw sound of the recording.. So stimulating, it takes me away to my memories of chilling with friends sipping dark brew, and letting the music go while hitting record.

Kaki carries the torch (and its an ADAMAS!).......2006-05-16

Kaki is a phenomenon. The very fact that she perplexes some listeners (like Hedges did) is good. NOT smmoth, NOT new age. She brings the freshness of youth to a wonderful synthesis of "newer" techniques that just jump out at you. I'll give her just shy of five stars because she needs some room to grow. I'm thrilled that the wonderful Adams (cousin of Ovation) is also getting some of the glory it deserves. Fantastic!

a lump of coal in my Christmas sock.......2005-12-27

Reecived this as a gift on Christmas. Never heard of Kaki King before.

Can't make any sense at all out of this sound (can't even bring myself to call it "music"). It's just a lot of aimless, unfocused, and shapeless sound. Sometimes she gets a rhythm going, but then she loses it, and the entire piece falls apart. This happens in several tracks.

There is not a single melody anywhere on this CD. How can anyone record an entire CD with a complete absence of melody? What is the point of that?

It's like writing a novel with a lot of loose words and phrases, but nary a complete sentence. Just lots of words, but no story, no characters, no plot. It's pointless.

This CD is pointless.

There are so many truly fantastic acoustic guitarists out there. This poor girl is no match for any of them. I much prefer Muriel Anderson to Kaki King.

This is a very weak effort. This music should never have been released. What a shame.

Average customer rating:

i carry your heart
The Channel to the soul
Something Different
an eclectic mix
Great Introduction to an intriguing guitarist

Taproot
Michael Hedges
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000NHV
Release Date: 1990-08-13

Tracks:

The Naked Stalk
The Jealous Tunnel/About Face
The Jade Stalk
Nomad Land
Point A
Chava's Song
Ritual Dance
Scenes (On The Road To Shrub 2)
The First Cutting
Point B
Song Of The Spirit Farmer
The Rootwitch
I Carry Your Heart

Customer Reviews:

i carry your heart.......2005-06-29

I met Michael when he was opening for CSN in my town. This particular album, though not his strongest effort, is obviously his most personal. I can just hear the demons being exorcised and the joys being relived as the tracks progress to the amazing arrangement of e.e. cummings' magical ode, i carry your heart. Hedges, Crosby, and Nash collaborated on several tunes, some of which C&N recorded after Michael's untimely death (what death IS timely??). The final song is a magnet for me: I know this is outside the review guidelines, but I'm going to share anyway. My dad died when I was 5; two weeks before his death, he went to the jewelry store and purchased a heart-shaped locket for my mother for their anniversary; he had the jeweler insert a smaller gold heart inside the locket. Wrapped alongside the locket was a copy of the poem, i carry your heart. Nineteen years later, my mom read this poem at my wedding. When I saw the title of the final song in the record store, I almost fell over! Take a close look at the poem, then listen to Hedges' interpretation -- sounds to me like the perfect love song. Thanks, Michael!

The Channel to the soul.......2002-08-07

In the passst 8 months I have purchased many of Hedges cd's. Michael hedges has unlocked the key to many people's soul. I have many friends and also have met many people with this opinion. Wether the guitar slapping, picking, or harmonics that you enjoy, all of these elements are key to Hedges preformances. He does not only know how to play the acoutic guitar better than anyone in his time , let alone ever, he knows how to relate to people with his sounds and brighten up their day.

Something Different.......2001-12-28

I'm a huge Hedges fan, but I always play Taproot when I want a departure from solo guitar. This CD has a mystical, fantasy vibe to it that is hard to explain. It is filled with great multi-textured tunes ranging from jazzy to depressing. It's one of my all-time favorites. You've got to check out Ritual Dance.

an eclectic mix.......2001-10-14

This is probably MH's most musically diverse album, with an emphasis on ensemble music. Although this genre doesn't shine on every single track, the bulk of the music contained here is excellent and worth buying. If anything, this album could justifiably be bought simply to hear "Rootwitch," perhaps the most astounding guitar piece Hedges ever composed. "Ritual Dance" is also very exciting, with its very intense and fast rhythms. The "Point A/Point B" series is an interesting presence, performed on an experimental guitar called a Trans-Trem. As far as the ensemble music goes, "The First Cutting" is the most appealing. Finally, Hedges sole vocal performance on "i carry your heart" demonstrates that the artist is also a gifted tenor. Definitely worth your time.

Great Introduction to an intriguing guitarist.......2001-08-10

This album grabbed me with the following quote from Steve Vai, paraphrased here : "No one alive plays an acoustic guitar better than Michael Hedges." It may very well be true. Although his recorded musical legacy is sometimes uneven, his brilliance and virtuosity on the guitar cannot be denied. On this mostly insatrumental album, Hedges slaps, taps, pokes, and cajoles his instrument - even employing a special guitar synthesizer for dynamic tonal adjustment - until it begins to take on a life of its own as a completely new musical entity. His polyphonic technique on the acoustic guitar is literally without peer, and his sense of melody and adventure is well-served on _Taproot_. The music is generally on the softer side of things, with traditional nature-worship-type mystical new-age themes. This is not his most energetic performance, yet it is mesmerizing and frequently jaw-dropping. And as it posesses only one complete vocal track - the excellent "I Carry Your Heart" (with backing vocals by David Crosby and Graham Nash) it will be his most accessible album to those who have little tolerance for some of his more ordinary endeavours into pop songwriting (like on _The Road To Return_). Sadly Michael has left us, far before his time, but his instrumental offerings are challenging examples of "new age" music, and some of the most amazing virtuoso acoustic guitar work ever committed to tape.

Average customer rating:

Crisp, fresh, and unique!
Not as good as "The First Ten Years"
Wonderful selection of Windham Hill artists and their music.

Sanctuary: 20 Years of Windham Hill
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000NLB
Release Date: 1996-06-04

Tracks:

Rocket To The Moon - Jim Brickman
Night Slip - William Ackerman
Bizet: Intermezzo From Carmen - Tracy Silverman and Thea Suits-Silverman
Aerial Boundaries - Michael Hedges
Wide Asleep - Michael Manring
Wedding Rain - Liz Story
Children's Dance - Alex De Grassi
Hand Picked Rose Of A Fading Dream - Billy Childs
House Made Of Dawn Light - Douglas Spotted Eagle
Siri's Arrival - Metamora
Night In That Land - Nightnoise
Hummingbird - George Winston
Redonda - Mondern Mandolin Quartet
Turning Twice - Turtle Island String Quartet
Ivory - Ray Lynch
Asleep The Snow Came Flying - Tim Story
Fionnghuala (Mouth Music) - Nightnoise

Tracks:

Manhattan Underground - Scott Cossu
Daydreams - Schonherz & Scott
A Very Special Place - Torcuato Mariano
Transit - Ira Stein And Russel Walder
We Kinda Music (Edited Version) - Andy Narell
A Thousand Teardrops - Shadowfax
Every Deep Dream - Phillip Aaberg
There's A Monk In My Garden - Oystein Sevag
Blue Kiss - Ray Obiedo
To Be - Montreux
Rameau's Nephew - Philippe Saisse
Pittsburgh 1901 (Theme From Mrs. Soffel) (Edited) - Mark Isham
Dolphins - Mike Marshall and Darol Anger
A View Of You - Fred Simon
Tears Of Joy - Tuck & Patti

Customer Reviews:

Crisp, fresh, and unique!.......2003-01-09

I can understand why some Windham Hill purists would feel as if this compilation is not as good as the "Windham Hill: The First Ten Years." But then again, I don't think the producers were looking to duplicate what was already done ten years ago.

Sanctuary is crisp, clean, fresh and unique. It is divided into a CD for "acoustic" and a CD for "electric." I personally prefer the simplicity of the acousting sound, although I found the electric sound very intriguing. I expected some "techno-bop, space age [junk]" but the tunes were far from falling into this category.

Don't let the fact that Sanctuary is as far removed from the origin of the Windham Hill experience scare you away. This compilation is as every bit as good as "The First Ten Years."

Not as good as "The First Ten Years".......2001-10-15

Sanctuary is a good CD, but the guitar and piano selections on "Windham Hill: The First Ten Years" are superior, whereas "Sanctuary" is really no better than an average Windham Hill Sampler album (and there are good and bad sampler albums from Windham Hill). Sanctuary has some rythmic and percussion pieces that are actually gnarly and you want to hit the skip key on your CD player if you are looking for relaxing and meditative music.

I recommend that you buy "The First Ten Years" before purchasing this album.

Wonderful selection of Windham Hill artists and their music........1998-07-15

I haven't known Windham Hill for more than a few years, however my interest in its post-ambient music is now very high. Sanctuary contains an excellent variety of acoustic and electric music, sounds that both calm me in relaxation and make my heart rumble. I play oboe and I especially enjoy Ira Stein and Russel Walder's "Transit" and "Underground" (the bonus track). I also like the selections by Scott Cossu, Jim Brickman, and Øystein Seväg.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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