Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    Wow - .1 was sure an informative answer to .0 !!!!

    Windham Hill is a recording company label, just like Columbia, Motown,
    Angel, Deutsche Grammophone, ad nauseum....

    They mostly record New Age type music.  Nice stuff if you're into that
    type music.

    Regards,

	Al

    Before the New Age term was applied to this type of music, it was
    generally called Windham Hill music.
    
    Windham Hill has been trying unsuccesfully to live that down.
    
    Danny W

    Thnx all.
    Now: what is New Age?
    
    Can you give me name of some performers?
    

    
    
    And before yuppies got tired of being called yuppies, Windham Hill
    music was an outlet for talented classical/jazz artists to blend
    the 2 styles of music and channel it through this independent label.
    Now, like Phil Collins & Bruce Springsteen, it's become passe' to
    the "cooler" folks in the world (some of whom are still closet Windham
    Hill listeners). 
    
    Possibly the term "new age" has ruined the original idea of Windham
    Hill's music. Then again, maybe Windham Hill has blown it's own
    image because of the economic need to issue lp's that've been labeled
    as "filler" or "fluff." Certainly the jazz fans have poo-poo'd it
    as being "not really jazz" and the classical fans have stated that
    it's "not really classical." So where do you go from here ?? Yeah,
    it's hot-tub music in a sense, but some is also powerful and unique.
    Best way to learn about Windham Hill is to try one or two of the 5 
    or 6 samplers the label has to offer. Expect to pay a premium, as 
    the records use virgin vinyl and the sampler discs hold upwards of 
    60+ minutes and, I believe, the majority of the music is recorded, 
    mixed and mastered digitally.
    
    				The Cruiser
    
    

        A few of the artist I like are:
    
    	Liz Story			solid colors,part of fortune,
    					unaccountable effect         
    
    	William Ackerman    		past light
    
    	Ira Stein,Russell Walder        transit,elements
    
    	Scott Cossu                    	islands,wind dance
    
    	Montreaux (the band)            sign language
    
    	Michael Hedges                  breakfast in the fields,aerial
    					boundaries
       
    	Shadowfax                       shadowfax,shadowdance,too
    					far to whisper,dreams of children
       
    	Michael Manring                 unusual weather
    
    	Alex de Grassi                  clockwork
    
    	Wim Mertens			close cover
    
    Anyone else want to contribute to the list?
    

john//

    Here's my "Sampler":
    
    Patrick Ball		From A Distant Time (Celtic Harp)
    Daniel Hecht		Willow (Guitar)
    Steve Kujala		Fresh Flute
    Mahavishnu Orch.		Apocalypse
    Andreas Vollenweider	Down To The Moon (keyboards, synth.)
    George Winston		December
    Paul Winter			Wintersong, Living Music, Winter Consort

    It's too bad people have to stick a label on everything. It
    often ends up leaving a negative impression. I consider the
    "New Age" music I have to be an extension of modern jazz,
    but with more of an accoustic flavor. I don't have any prob-
    lem, listening to a 6 pack with discs from the New Age genre
    playing randomly with Pat Matheny, Herbie Hancock, and even
    Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." The best new Christmas music
    I got this year was "A Narada Christmas," which had many of
    the Narada label's groups doing a traditional Xmas tune, in
    their style.
    
    Oh well, I guess I'll just sign off, and daydream about the
    nice warm hot tub, that I'm gonna climb into tonight, with
    a tall cold something or other, and listen to some appropriate
    tunes, like The Stones, CSN&Y, Pink Floyd, you know some light
    hypnotic stuff!! ;)
    
           Wayne_who_enjoys_listening_to_anything_from_Mozart_to_
                _Satchmo_to_Hendrix!!!
    

    RE < Note 1505.8 by CGVAX2::HARRIS "its simply irresistable" >

>                          -< what about the nylons? >-

    Heavens, The Nylons aren't "New Age" (at least, not to me). However, they
    are damn good. Four guys from Canada (I think) who sing a capella, but
    with percussion accompaniment (whether that constitutes an oxymoron, I'm
    not sure :-) ), and they manage to sound like a full band. 

    Surely there's a note in here somewhere about The Nylons?  Ward, you
    must've posted one... :-)
							-- Nina

    The Nylons aren't New Age but they record on the Open Air label.
    Open Air is Windom Hill's vocal label.

    I agree about labels - they can be a pain. If I like something,
    I don't care what the company calls it...
    
    Some favorites:
    
    Willaim Goldstein "Oceanscape"
    
    Amin Bhatia "The Interstellar Suite"
    
    Mannheim Steamroller "Fresh Aire V"
    
    Some samplers to try out:
    
    "The Narada Collection"
    
    "Winter Solstice" (I and II) on Windham Hill
    
    "The Cinema Sampler" on Capitol/Cinema
    
    					Happy listening!
    
    					--Eric--

    re: The Nylons
    
    Another definitely non-Windham_Hill-ish artist on Open Air is
    Jane Siberry -- at least her 2nd and 3rd albums.
    
    --- jerry

    I believe Windham Hill, Vermont is the place Will Ackermann used 
    to spend his summers as a carpenter/musician.
    
    I enjoy all of the Windham Hill disks except for George Winston.
    
    AAA