Search - Will Ackerman :: Pure Will Ackerman

A Wonderful Collection of Songs

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 01/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a performer, producer and founder of Windham Hill, Will Ackerman is to some degree responsible for the entire genre of music dubbed new age (although Ackerman himself dislikes having that label applied to his music). Ackerman's guitar playing is in a word "beautiful." If he hadn't recorded anything else, he would be one of my favorite guitarists of all time for the wonderfully poignant "The Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter" from 1977's IT TAKES A YEAR (which has appeared on countless Windham Hill anthologies, including the must-own 4-disc retrospective A QUIET REVOLUTION).



Ackerman has only released two albums of new material since his previous anthology--1993's A WINDHAM HILL RETROSPECTIVE. As such, PURE repeats seven tracks from RETROSPECTIVE. New tracks to this collection include "Driving" and "A Child's Song" from 1998's SOUND OF WIND DRIVEN RAIN, and "Walk with Me" and "Briars above the Well," both from 2001's HEARING VOICES. The latter two tracks include vocals from Heather Rankin and Jaya Lakshmi respectively (Ackerman himself does not sing). The only previously unreleased track is a new version of "Murray's Song," which first appeared on 1979's CHILDHOOD AND MEMORY.



Ackerman's guitar playing is both intimate and acccessible. If you are not familiar with his impressive body of work, this is an excellent place to start. In the liner notes for 2004's RETURNING (a collection of reworked previously recorded songs), Ackerman states: "When you're 55 you begin to think of what will be left behind when you're gone." PURE gives you a clear idea of what this gifted guitarist has left us so far. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"

Superior Ackerman

L. L. Biggs | SC | 11/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like all Will Ackerman's recordings, this one is four-oh! Soothing, ethereal guitar rythms and melodies. I listen to these in the evening after a hard day and doing so really helps take the edge off."