My Thoughts on Will Ackerman's "New England Roads" CD

(**Reviewed October 2010**)
This is so ironic. Back in the early 90s I was introduced to the Windham Hill label while working as a night janitor at a Target store when I first moved to Missouri. The album, "Windham Hill Records Sampler '88" I saw in Target and rushed to buy that album as well as the "Windham Hill Sampler '86" and from there my love for this beautiful music journey began. The very first composition I heard from Will Ackerman was "Climbing in Geometry", originally from the "Conferring With The Moon" on the '88 sampler and when hearing the track I knew I have found the type of music I had been seeking all of my life.


Here it is, 21 years later it's like I've come full circle. While on the web I found myself on Will Ackerman site and I found out he has a new release, "New England Roads" and you can only get it one place...Target. Imagine my feelings of not only going out and purchasing his new work but from the store where I first discovered Mr. Ackerman.

Last night me and my queen went to Target but not just any 'ol Target, but the Target where I first purchased my first Windham Hill album and sure enough they had 3 albums left. When I popped it in the cd player and began hearing those beautiful harmonies through my headphones I knew it was going to be a treasure. From the first track, "The Waves in November" I knew the rest of the LP could only go upward. The blend of Mr. Ackerman's guitar style picking accompanied by the violin makes me just smile with joy.

Inspired by the movie, "Four Weddings and a Funeral", the track "For John Hannah Though I've Never Met Him" I love how the guitar and the piano is so intertwined with a small hint of a bass line that makes this piece to play with close friends over for a get together.

Team with the great guitarist David Cullen (who has recorded with Michael Manring) this radiant composition "Goodness Who Knows" takes me to a place where just sitting on the shore years ago when me and my queen visited Racine, Wisconsin. The waves hitting the rocks brings great times when we first began traveling together.

When hearing the mesmerizing "The Wheel" I knew this would be showing up in future podcast. Note to Will: this track is too short, you have to come out with an extended version of the lovely piece. I've played that track at least 5 times before moving on to the other tracks on the album. From the intro of the violin and then the guitar and then they fade away only to burst back with a vengeance, this track I will be spreading the word on to my followers. Very hypnotic. Thank you Corin Nelsen for keeping track of the recording, this is a keeper.

"Castle Hill" has a sentimental feel to it and after reading the notes that Mr. Ackerman attached to this tune I can see why, the palor guitar that Will is using on this recording was given to him by the late, great Michael Hedges. The Oboe along with this composition takes me back to first hearing Nightnoise from earlier Windham Hill recordings and makes tears come to my eyes because Michael Hedges is surely missed.

This tune, "For The Asking" takes me back to when I first heard, "The Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter". The soft hint of the Flugelhorn by Jeff Oster makes this a wonderful piece just sit back and reflect.

For me this piece, "The River is Wide / Shanandoah" is haunting but at the same time very peaceful. I don't know why but it gives me that feeling when hearing the Doobie Brothers, "Black Water"...alone with your thoughts but at the same glad you have that time of seclusion.

If you don't know T Bone Wolk then you are not a true 80s music fan. The quiet and yet strong presence of this wonderful bass player who for years played with "Hall & Oats" and countless other artists was also a close friend of Mr. Ackerman and this track "T Bone Called It Motown" is a dedication to Mr. Wolk (who passed away February 2010). This track will receive heavy rotation on my iPod, my stereo and will be featured on a future podcast. With the vocals blended in from talented percussionist Jeff Hayens and Noah Wilding I love the flow of this beautiful track.

This is my first time hearing the track, "Driving" and it will not be my last. It's going to make me seek out the original recording by Mr. Ackerman but in the meantime I can get use to this, "put one's feet up" composition. I don't know if this is Michael Manring or Tony Levin laying down the fretless bass line but I love it.

I'm not one on vocal tracks when listening to instrumental albums but I have to give to Heather Rankin because this track, "Walk With Me" puts me in the mind of a touching movie scene. I just watched the movie, "Yes Man" (a movie I thought was going to be a typical Jim Carrey movie but turns out I will have to find it on DVD)

This is why I love buying albums because by reading the liner notes you can get an "inside" look on the inspiration of tracks and discover other artists in the process. This duet with Shambhu is so lovely, so transparent when it comes to guitar compositions. "Imagine" is short but very inviting.

I read in the liner notes that "B 4 B" came from his wife and him calling one another that. A intimate code probably to substitute for the word, "honey" or "sweetheart" but I know feeling because me and my queen find ourselves constantly calling one another "honey". I dig the fact that it's just Will and the guitar...simple but very moving.

Another alluring piece that takes me back to when I first discovered the Windham Hill label. "A Koan From Hugh" is a piece that reminds me when we took the tour of the Stoney Hill Winery in Branson, Missouri. I hope we get a chance to take the tour at the Herman, Missouri location. I love the English Horn by Jill Hanley.

I have always been a fan of Will Ackerman and with this latest album I will be a fan for years to come. One wish: I wish one day I could meet Mr. Ackerman, set in at his Imaginary Roads Studio and watch the magic happen when these gifted musicians record their music to digital. I hope one day me and my queen can visit that lovely studio doing the Autumn.

Thank you Will Ackerman for another music treasure that I will play many times in my lifetime.

William Ackerman - The Wheel {From The "New England Roads"Album} by Darrenkeith3 on Mixcloud

Credits on "New England Roads"
Jill Halely
http://www.jillhaley.com/bio.php

David Cullen
http://www.cullenguitar.com/

Jeff Oster
http://www.jeffoster.com/home.html

Jeff Haynes
http://jeffhaynesmusic.com/Home.html

Derrik Jordan
http://www.derrikjordan.com/

People that Will mention in the liner notes

Charlie Bisharat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Bisharat

Michael Manring
http://www.manthing.com/Manthing/home.html

Corin Nelsen - Engineer
http://corinnelsen.com

Rob Waymen - photographer
http://robwayment.com

Steve Schuch
http://www.nightheron.com/

Shambhu
http://www.shambhumusic.com/

Heather Rankin