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

1 William Ackerman - The Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter '81 3:54

2 Liz Story           - Wedding Rain '82 5:39

3 Mike Marshall & Darol Anger - Dolphins '85 4:18

4 Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries '84 4:43

5 George Winston - Cloudy This Morning '94 2:46

6 Billy Oskay & Micheal O Domhnaill - The 19A '84 3:11

7 Alex de Grassi - Western '83 4:12

8 Philip Aaberg - O, Shenandoah '04 3:58

9 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

1 Tim Story - Sanctus from Requiem '03 3:47

2 Barbara Higbie - True Story '03 4:48

3 Scott Cossu with Eugene Friesen - Gwenlaise '86 4:40

4 Lisa Lynne - The Light and The Longing '99 5:21

5 George Winston - Reflection '82 2:46

6 Michael Hedges - When I Was 4 '96 3:54

7 Jim Brickman - Open Doors '96 3:17

8 Schonherz & Scott - Peace of Mind '87 4:23

9 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

1 W.G. Snuffy Walden - Angela Smiled '01 5:30

2 Nightnoise - Silky Flanks '93 4:49

3 Liz Story - Escape of the Circus Ponies '90 6:05

4 Michael Hedges - Because It's There '87 3:15

5 Darol Anger & Barbara Higbie - Tideline '82 4:32

6 Michael Manring - Welcoming '86 6:21

7 George Winston - Billy in the Low Land '04 2:35

8 Alex de Grassi - Clockwork '82 6:28

9 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

1 Subdudes - (You'll Be) Satisfied '94 3:57

2 Tuck & Patti - Time after Time '94 4:51

3 Jim Brickman feat. Martina McBride - Valentine '97 3:15

4 Ray Obiedo - Real Life '93 5:51

5 Patty Larkin - Who Holds Your Hand '93 3:08

6 John Gorka - Houses in the Fields '91 4:42

7 Jane Siberry - Follow Me '84 4:23

CD4 Excursions

1 Subdudes - (You'll Be) Satisfied '94 3:57

2 Tuck & Patti - Time after Time '94 4:51

3 Jim Brickman feat. Martina McBride - Valentine '97 3:15

4 Ray Obiedo - Real Life '93 5:51

5 Patty Larkin - Who Holds Your Hand '93 3:08

6 John Gorka - Houses in the Fields '91 4:42

7 Jane Siberry - Follow Me '84 4:23

8 Keola Bearmer - Po Mahina '94 2:18

9 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 3:08

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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