Windham Hill recommendations?

I have enjoyed recordings by George Winston and Michael Hedges on the Windham Hill label. What artists and albums on this label do you recommend? (I'm not interested in bland muzak, but I like the atmospheric end of the 'new age' spectrum.)

 

Tim Story's Untitled and Glass Green

Both great albums and not New Age

 

Bola Sete Ocean Memories

 

Mark Isham's work on Windham Hill is VG.

Scott Cossu with Eugene Friesen - Reunion album is good.

Also, I enjoy the Country Soundtrack album.

 

I like Michael Manring, bass player. Here's a taste:

 

I have a couple of Tim Story albums not on WH, but they're both really good. I need to get more stuff by him eventually. I think anyone that likes quiet, minimal piano with some tasteful electronics would probably enjoy his work.

 

Shadowfax - "Shadow Dance"
WH-1029

I got a used copy of this on a lark - sonically amazing.

 

Will Ackerman re-recorded some of his best material for a release on Decca, Returning. I'd actually recommend that over his Windham Hill records. Sort of a greatest hits compilation, but the playing is even richer and better than the original cuts.

 

These are all much appreciated. Making a list...

 

I see a discrepency here,but try Soul of the Machine,a comp about New Electronic Music(this from 30 years ago). Actually,for atmospheric stuff,try a few episodes of the radio show,Echoes,and look for their playlists. There are lots of labels and lots of material,and none of them are Windham Hill. And pretty much after BMG gobbled WH up,they,too,lost their way.

 

Lot of good Narada recordings out there also.

 

Yeah, Shadowfax was sort of a guilty pleasure for me back in the day.

 

I have a lot of Narada & Windham hill. Both great labels for acoustic guitar/piano instrumentals. Nightnoise is a wonderful Irish band on Winham hll

 

Remember when "Windham Hill" was a punchline?
It all has aged rather well.

 

Shadowfax-Watercourse Way (1976). CD on Windham Hill. LP on Passport.

Guess what issue i own?!?

 

Daniel Hecht made a terrific solo guitar record called Willow. It turned out to be his last record before abandoning music to become a novelist.

 

Mark Isham's album Film Music.
Michael Hedges compilation called Beyond Boundaries.
George Winston's Autumn album.

 

Alex DeGrassi - Turning, Turning Back
Alex DeGrassi - Slow Circle
Scott Cossu - Wind Dance
Ira Stein & Russell Walder - Transit
Ira Stein & Russell Walder - Elements
Darol Anger & Barbara Higbie - Tideline

These are all great examples of early Windham Hill.

Scott

 

These are my favorites of his.

 

If you like these, DO look into Paul Winter's Living Music label. One of my absolute favorites is Paul Halley's Angel On A Stone Wall. It's literally breathtaking, albeit without any "grandstanding". You'll see what I mean.
Paul was the musical director at NYC's Cathedral of St. John The Divine at the time he joined the Paul Winter Consort, and participated in writing Missa Gaia, Winter's "Earth Mass"; they still do it live every Equinox at the Cathedral.

Eugene Friesen was mentioned above; Paul and Gene have a duet album on this label, and Friesen has his own solo work as well.

 

My favorites
Tideline - Darrell Anger and Barbara Higbie. Violin and piano w Mike Mandring on bass

Liz Story - Unaccounted Affect. - rich solo piano

William Akerman is nice solo guitar


If you like WH you owe it to yourself to investigate ECM

 

I like the Paul Winter albums with Ralph Towner as a group member. Of course, Icarus is a classic song.

Scott

 

This.

And this - Mike Marshal & Darol Anger, Chiaroscuro

 

Pretty much on the nose on all artists. I came in to say that while George Winston was much more famous, Liz Story's music really connected to me more strongly.

I still have the '82 and '86 samplers, would've worn them out if they'd been cassettes or albums. Great comps that may point you to some other candidates.

 

Michael Manring's three solo albums (plus Thonk on their offshoot label).

Alex DeGrassi (especially the Water-themed album)

Turtle Island String Quartet (particularly the first two)

Montreux

David Torn - Door X (a lot of people hated it - I love it)