Conversations With God: A Windham Hill Collection, Disc 2
This 60-minute, 16-track compilation is the second installment in what has proven to be another successful concept generated by New Age-music specialists. In this case, bestselling author Neale Donald Walsh and Windham Hill have branded a pair of label compilation projects with the evocative title from Walsh's popular series of books. This assortment of preexisting music, which includes several splendid moments, nevertheless conveys a certain patchwork quality that impacts the intended mood of seamlessness inherent in the genre's best thematic samplers. The album's opener, "Remembrance," comes from George Winston's ode to Vince Guaraldi and introduces the project with an urban texture. The passionate vocal style of Patti Cathcart (of Tuck & Patti) and country-tinged voice of Cathy Bolton (who closes the album with "Amazing Grace") at times seem a bit intrusive within the album's generally contemplative mood. Still, gems like Will Ackerman's dynamic, violin-powered "Driving," Michael Manring's inventive "Welcoming," and Jim Brickman's piano solo "Dream Come True" succeed beautifully at fulfilling the album's premise. An attractive package.--Terry Wood