VA - A Quiet Revolution, 30 Years of Windham Hill [2005] (4 x CD's)

WINDHAM HILL

VA - A Quiet Revolution, 30 Years of Windham Hill [2005] (4 x CD's)

Don't say "new age" around Will Ackerman, though his label has been the home to acoustic instrumental music for 30 years. The pastoral beauty prized by Windham Hill is conjured by the moon-and-evergreens label logo, by the four volume titles here ("Elements," "Peace," "Artistry" and "Excursions") and most of all by Clockwork Alex de Grassi; Moon George Winston; Peace Piece Liz Story; Time After Time Tuck & Patti; Hugh Nightnoise; several tracks by Ackerman; unique recordings by Janis Ian, Jane Siberry and Bobby McFerrin, and the rest of these 67 Windham Hill favorites!

The music on A Quiet Revolution is sorted by general style, not chronologically. Discs 1 and 2, Elements and Peace, focus more on the label's pastoral textures, and disc 3 (Artistry) explores more ambitious or ensemble pieces. Disc 4 (Excursions) might be viewed by some long-time fans as "Wayward Hill," with its assortment of latter-day vocal stylings and traces of smooth jazz. Beyond that and a few other head-scratching choices, there's much to like here, with stellar tracks from Liz Story (whose brilliant Solid Colors may be the label's finest release) to works from Ackerman, George Winston, Nightnoise, and lesser-known artists, such as guitarist W.G. Snuffy Walden and his small gem "Angela Smiled." Enlightening liner notes are by Echoes radio host John Diliberto and former Billboard writer (and past Windham Hill staffer) Sam Sutherland. For newcomers curious to know what the blissful fuss was all about a few decades ago, A Quiet Revolution provides an inviting overview. (Amazon)
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Track lists

CD1 Elements

01    William Ackerman    The Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter '81    3:54
02    Liz Story    Wedding Rain '82    5:39
03    Mike Marshall & Darol Anger    Dolphins '85    4:18
04    Michael Hedges    Aerial Boundaries '84    4:43
05    George Winston    Cloudy This Morning '94    2:46
06    Billy Oskay & Micheal O Domhnaill    The 19A '84    3:11
07    Alex de Grassi    Western '83    4:12
08    Philip Aaberg    O, Shenandoah '04    3:58
09    Pete Huttlinger    Flowers of Edinburgh '04    4:46
10    Shadowfax    Another Country '84    4:22
11    Doyle Dykes    The Road Back Home '00    2:49
12    Angels of Venice    After the Harvest '99    6:46
13    Alex de Grassi    Inverness '00    3:17
14    Tracy Silverman & Thea Suits Silverman    Callisto's Sky '99    5:07
15    George Winston    Moon '80    7:40
16    Nightnoise    Night in That Land '93    3:15
17    William Ackerman    Three Observations of One Ocean '80    3:34

CD2 Peace

01    Tim Story    Sanctus from Requiem '03    3:47
02    Barbara Higbie    True Story '03    4:48
03    Scott Cossu with Eugene Friesen    Gwenlaise '86    4:40
04    Lisa Lynne    The Light and The Longing '99    5:21
05    George Winston    Reflection '82    2:46
06    Michael Hedges    When I Was 4 '96    3:54
07    Jim Brickman    Open Doors '96    3:17
08    Schonherz & Scott    Peace of Mind '87    4:23
09    Ira Stein & Russel Walder    Engravings '86    4:07
10    William Ackerman    Visiting '82    6:11
11    Nightnoise    Hugh '88    3:42
12    George Winston    Love Song to a Ballerina '94    3:02
13    Jean Jeanrenaud & Paul McCandless    Calling You '05    5:04
14    Jim Brickman    All I Ever Wanted '95    4:07
15    Chris Botti    Andante from Sonata #2 in A minor for unaccompanied violin '94    4:34
16    Liz Story    Peace Piece '82    5:33

CD3 Artistry

01    W.G. Snuffy Walden    Angela Smiled '01    5:30
02    Nightnoise    Silky Flanks '93    4:49
03    Liz Story    Escape of the Circus Ponies '90    6:05
04    Michael Hedges    Because It's There '87    3:15
05    Darol Anger & Barbara Higbie    Tideline '82    4:32
06    Michael Manring    Welcoming '86    6:21
07    George Winston    Billy in the Low Land '04    2:35
08    Alex de Grassi    Clockwork '82    6:28
09    Nightnoise    Fionnghuala (Mouth Music) '93    1:56
10    William Ackerman    The Townshend Shuffle '78    4:30
11    Shadowfax    The Orangutan Gang (Strikes Back) '86    3:52
12    Michael Hedges    Rickover's Dream '84    4:54
13    Philip Aaberg    Out of the Frame '88    5:21
14    Tuck Andress    Europa '89    5:05
15    George Winston    Tamarack Pines '94    5:54
16    Mark Isham    On the Threshold of Liberty '83    7:30

CD4 Excursions

01    Subdudes    (You'll Be) Satisfied '94    3:57
02    Tuck & Patti    Time after Time '94    4:51
03    Jim Brickman feat. Martina McBride    Valentine '97    3:15
04    Ray Obiedo    Real Life '93    5:51
05    Patty Larkin    Who Holds Your Hand '93    3:08
06    John Gorka    Houses in the Fields '91    4:42
07    Jane Siberry    Follow Me '84    4:23
08    Keola Bearmer    Po Mahina '94    2:18
09    Janis Ian    On the Dark Side of Town '97    3:56
10    Cesaria Evora    Vaquinha Mansa '99    4:49
11    Paul Schwartz    Turning to Peace '03    5:27
12    Steve Erquiaga    Pavane '92    4:24
13    Jim Brickman feat. Carly Simon    Hush Li'l Baby '99    3:07
14    Nylons    That Kind of Man '82    3:21
15    Andy Narell    Hannibal's Revenge '87    4:02
16    David Arkenstone    Desert Crossing '99    6:50
17    Bobby McFerrin    Fever Trees '87    1:13
18    Tuck & Patti    Takes My Breath Away '88    4:56

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