Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
Windham Hill initially gained a sterling reputation through exquisitely recorded and played instrumental guitar albums. The label now commemorates 25 years of recording by picking the cream of its crop. A great harvest it is, too! Founder Will Ackerman rerecords the early 'The Impeding Death of the Virgin Spirit.' Then there's Alex De Grassi's gentle pyrotechnics and Doyle Dykes's jazzy inflections. Together, they've truly expanded the boundaries of acoustic-guitar playing--an effort that may have reached its zenith with the late Michael Hedges. His 'Aerial Boundaries' remains a tour de force, while his live duet with bassist Michael Manring--'Rikki's Shuffle'--shows the synergy between two great musicians. --Chris Nickson









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Disc 1:

1. Aerial Boundaries - Hedges, Michael
2. Western - DeGrassi, Alex
3. The Impending Death of the Virgin Spirit - Ackerman, William
4. Larry's World - Freeman, Russ
5. Who Lives Up There - Walden, W.G. Snuffy
6. Pavane - Fauré, Gabriel
7. Coming Home - Harkness, Sean
8. On the Way - Cullen, David
9. Shella's Pictures - Ackerman, William
10. Nothing's Too Good (For a Friend) - Dykes, Doyle
11. Turning: Turning Back - DeGrassi, Alex
12. Rikki's Shuffle - Hedges, Michael

Rating: - * Beautiful Music ... Windham Hill is always great and this cd is right in that tradition Rating: - * Beautiful, calming, romantic... ... I have never purchased a Windham Hill CD that I have not enjoyed and this one may be the best of them all. It is beautiful and, at times, hauntingly so. I took a deep breath at the first note of the first song and I don't remember breathing after that. I highly reccommend this CD for anyone who loves acoustic guitar or for someone who just needs a moment to relax. Rating: - * Masterfull & Wonderful! ... This album has quickly become one of my favorite instrumental albums. Long a fan of the Windham-Hill label, I'm of the opinion that this compilation offers some of the best guitar music around. This CD is masterful and richly rewarding. It contains some of the most soothing instrumental music recorded, and as one other reviewer aptly put it, it's a great stress reducer. The cuts from the masters Ackerman, deGrassi and Hedges are wonderful as any WH fan over the years has come to appreciate them. My favorite selection is however, Snuffy Walden's "Who Lives Up There". In my opinion it is just the most beautifully written and performed piece of acoustic guitar music period. It is such a technically wonderful recording as well. This cut is worth the price of the CD alone. Another favorite is David Culen's "On the Way". I am not as familiar with his work but I plan to check out other Cullen offerings soon. There is not a misstep on this entire hour-long CD. And to think I almost hesitated buying it. Rating: - * Guaranteed to relax you! ... This is THE most relaxing, beautiful CD I've purchased in years. It should have STRESS-BUSTER written across the cover. Three minutes after I hit the "Play" button, I'm off in another realm altogether. If you love acoustic guitar music, you'll treasure this awesome CD. Rating: - * A generous helping of each artist ... This is a great commemorative album made up of the music that established Windham Hill. Thankfully, the principal artists are represented by two cuts apiece, making this CD more of a showcase than a sampler. Snuffy Walden got shorted with just his "Who Lives Up There?", but we have Michael Hedges opening the set with "Aerial Boundaries" and ending it with a duet with bassist Michael Manning, "Rikki's Shuffle". Alex De Grassi then has the #2 and the next-to-last positions. Rather an interesting pattern is established, using those two noteworthy members of the Windham Hill family. Will Ackerman is quite well represented with "The Impending Death of the Virgin Spirit" on the third cut, and "Sheila's Pictures" on the ninth cut. In my most humble opinion, these seven of the twelve are the very richest cream of the crop while the other five are scarcely a step less enjoyable. This is definitely the Windham Hill style of guitar music and therefore will seem rather mild and bland to those with desensitized ears, but those who can enjoy the depths of really good and well-performed music will indeed be well rewarded by listening to this.