Windham Hill Records Discography


Windhaming. The Windham Hill Records Discography.

Welcome to Windhaming, the complete Windham Hill Records Discography featuring samples, reviews, liner notes, credits and links to the artists.

If you’re a jazz, new age or acoustic instrumental music fan, you’ve come to the right place to learn more about artists like William Ackerman, George Winston, Alex De Grassi, Shadowfax, Darol Anger, and so many more.

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Select an album for reviews, samples, track listings, and credits:

RELEASE ARTIST TITLE
1976
WHS C-1001 WH 1001 William Ackerman The Search for the Turtle’s Navel 1976
WHS C-1002 (no WH 1002) Linda Waterfall Mary’s Garden 1976
1977
WHS C-1003 WH 1003 William Ackerman It Takes a Year 1977
1978
WHS C-1004 WH 1004 Alex De Grassi Turning: Turning Back 1978
WHS C-1005 (no WH 1005) Robbie Basho Visions of the Country 1978
1979
WHS C-1006 WH 1006 William Ackerman Childhood and Memory 1979
WHS C-1007 (no WH 1007) Kidd Afrika Kidd Afrika 1979
WHS C-1008 WH 1008 Bill Quist Piano Solos of Erik Satie 1979
WHS C-1009 WH 1009 Alex De Grassi Slow Circle 1979
WHS C-1010 LL 82 Robbie Basho The Art of the Acoustic Steel String Guitar 1979
1980
WHS C-1011 WH 1011 David Qualey Soliliquy 1980
WHS C-1012 WH 1012 George Winston Autumn 1980
WHS C-1013 WH 1013 Daniel Hecht Willow 1980
1981
WHSD C-1014 WH 1014 William Ackerman Passage 1981
WHS C-1014 WH 1015 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill Records Sampler ‘81 1981
WHS C-1016 WH 1016 Scott Cossu Wind Dance 1981
WHS C-1017 WH 1017 Michael Hedges Breakfast in the Field 1981
WHS C-1018 WH 1018 Alex De Grassi Clockwork 1981
1982
WHS C-1019 WH 1019 George Winston Winter Into Spring 1982
WHS C-1020 WH 1020 Ira Stein and Russel Walder Elements 1982
WH 1021 Darol Anger and Barbara Higbie Tideline 1982
WH 1022 Shadowfax Shadowfax 1982
WH 1023 Liz Story Solid Colors 1982
WH 1024 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill Records Sampler ‘82 1982
WH 1025 George Winston December 1982
WH 1026 Windham Hill Artists An Evening with Windham Hill Live 1982
1983
WH 1027 Mark Isham Vapor Drawings 1983
WH 1028 William Ackerman Past Light 1983
WH 1029 Shadowfax Shadowdance 1983
WH 1030 Alex De Grassi Southern Exposure 1983
1984/85
WH 1031 Bill Oskay and Micheal O Domhnaill Nightnoise 1984
WH 1032 Michael Hedges Aerial Boundaries 1984
WH 1033 Scott Cossu Islands 1984
WH 1034 Liz Story Unaccountable Effect 1985
WH 1035 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill Records Sampler ‘84 1984
WH 1036 Darol Anger Barbara Higbie Quintet with Mike Marshall, Todd Phillips and Andy Narell Live at Montreaux 1985
WH 1037 Philip Aaberg High Plains 1985
WH 1038 Shadowfax The Dreams of Children 1984
WH 1039 Featuring Windham Hill Artists George Winston, Darol Anger, Mark Isham and Mike Marshall Country An Original Soundtrack Album 1984
1985
WH 1040 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill Records Piano Sampler 1985
WH 1041 Mark Isham Film Music“Mrs. Soffel”“The Times of Harvey Milk”“Never Cry Wolf” 1985
WH 1042 Ira Stein & Russel Walder Transit 1985
WH 1043 Mike Marshall Darol Anger Chiaroscuro 1985
1986
WH 1044 Michael Manring Unusual Weather 1986
WH 1045 Windham Hill Artists A Winter’s Soltice 1986
WH 1046 Malcom Dalglish Jogging the Memory 1986
WH 1047 Interior Interior 1985
WH 1048 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill Records Sampler ‘86 1986
WH 1049 Scott Cossu with Eugene Friesen Reunion 1986
WH 1050 William Ackerman Conferring with the Moon 1986
WH 1051 Shadowfax Too Far To Whisper 1986
WH 1052 unreleased
WH 1053 unreleased
WH 1054 unreleased
WH 1055 Windham Hill Artists The Shape of the Land
WH 1056 Wim Mertens Close Cover 1986
1987
WH 1057 Nightnoise Something of Time 1987
WH 1058 Montreaux Sign Language 1987
WH 1059 William Allaudin Mathieu Available Light 1987
WH 1060 Schonherz and Scott One Night in Vienna 1987
WH 1061 Tim Story Glass Green 1987
WH 1062 Windham Hill Artists Soul of the Machine 1987
WH 1063 Scott Cossu She Describes Infinity 1987
WH 1064 Rubaja and Hernandez High Plateaux 1987
WH 1065 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill Records Sampler ‘88 1988
WH 1066 Michael Hedges Live on the Double Planet 1987
WH 1067 Interior Design 1987
1988
WH 1068 Metamora Morning Walk 1988
WH 1069 Philip Aaberg Out of the Frame 1988
WH 1070 Ian Matthews Walking a Changing Line 1988
WH 1071 Fred Simon Usually/Always 1988
WH 1072 Windham Hill Artists Guitar Sampler 1988
WH 1073 Phillippe Saisse Valerian 1988
WH 1074 Theresa Schroeder-Sheker Queen’s Minstrel 1988
WH 1075 Hearsay Paul McCandless 1988
WH 1076 Nightnoise At the End of the Evening 1988
WH 1077 Windham Hill Artists Winter Solstice II 1988
WH 1078 William Ackerman Imaginary Roads 1988
WH 1079 Wim Mertens Whisper Me 1988
WH 1080 Mark Isham Tibet 1988
WH 1081 Scott Cossu Switchback 1989
WH 1082 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill Records Sampler ‘89 1989
WH 1083 Michael Manring Toward the Center of the Night 1989
WH 1084 Montreaux Let Them Say 1989
WH 1085 The Nylons Rockapella 1989
WH 1086 Windham Hill Artists Legacy: A Collection of New Folk 1989
WH 1087 Pierce Pettis While the Serpent Lies Sleeping 1989
WH 1088 Philip Aaberg Upright 1989
WH 1089 John Gorka Land of the Bottom Line
WH 1090 Barbara Higbie Signs of Life
WH 1091 Modern Mandolin Quartet Intermezzo
WH 1092 Cliff Eberhardt Long Road
WH 1093 Michael Hedges Taproot
WH 1094 John French, Fred Frith, Henry Kaiser & Richard Thompson Invisible Means
WH 1095 Windham Hill Artists Windham Hill: The First Ten Years
WH 1096 David Torn Door X
WH 1097 Nightnoise The Parting Tide
WH 1098 Windham Hill Artists A Winter Solstice III
WH 1099 Liz Story Escape of the Circus Ponies
WH 1100 Alex De Grassi Deep at Night
WH 1101 Mark Isham Songs My Children Taught Me
WH 1102 Michael Manring Drastic Measures
WH 1103 unreleased
WH 1104 Shadowfax What Goes Around: The Best of Shadowfax
WH 1105 Schoenherz and Scott Under a Big Sky
WH 1106 Windham Hill Artists Guitar Sampler II
 WH 1107 George Winston  Summer  1991
Lost Lake Arts
LL 81 George Winston Ballads and Blues, 1972 Piano solo
LL 82 Bola Sete Ocean Guitar solo
LL 83 Robbie Basho Art of the Guitar Guitar Solo
LL 84 John Renbourne Sir John A lot of Guitar and ensemble
LL 85
LL 86
LL 87
LL 88
LL 89
LL 90
LL 91
LL 92 Pierre Bensusan Musiques Guitar, mandoline and vocals

The first 50 albums all have a special status to me. The music has been a part of my life since I was a young teen — through high-school, college, marriage, vacations, commutes, kids, in short my whole life. The next 50 is much more a territory of discovery for me – and yet there are many or so includes some incredible gems. Some I bought when new (I would always pick up a Michael Hedges, William Ackerman, George Winston or Liz Story). Some of my other favorites, like Philip Aaberg, and Alex De Grassi, I came to later.

From 1986 through the early 1990′s, Windham Hill defined a new genre and sold millions of albums. On A&M Records, Windham Hill continued to flourish for many years, until William Ackerman became less involved in the label he founded and built by hand. Currently, Sony Legacy appears to have the rights to much of the Windham Hill catalog, but no longer maintains an independent site for fans.

Early releases used the numbering system “WHS C-10XX” . This system lasted for at least the first 20 albums. With A&M Records distribution, the system changed to WH-10XX. Three of the original albums were not re-issued.

Want more info? Just ask a question in the “comments” field below. Also, if you were a Windham Hill artist, staff member or were in studio I would love to hear from you.

In addition to the Windham Hill labelled imprints, there were related labels, which all have followings: Rabbit Ears, Open Aire, Windham Hill Jazz, Lost Lake Arts, etc.

Because each release was numbered, I’ll admit it appeals to the collector in me to get them all. So I started collecting the rest of the first 100, and simply thought I’d share my passion with you. I began by haunting the vinyl new age bins at my local Amoeba and Rasputin stores in the Bay Area, and have constantly been surprised by the quality of the music on the lesser-known releases. I’ve also enjoyed the thrill of finding a hard-to-get release  - like the signed Robbie Basho “Visions of the Country” WHS C-1005 that I picked up at Rasputin’s in Concord for $1.95.

Windham Hill Discografie

66 thoughts on “Windham Hill Records Discography

  1. Excellent resource. i’d wondered about the “missing numbers” in the listings of releases on early windham hill albums. would be nice if the odd ones (basho, linda waterfall, kidd afrika) got rereleased sometime, perhaps by the artists themselves.

  2. Thanks! It was the “missing” early albums that got me started on this project. I had always wondered over the years why some were skipped.

    Of course the real crime is that many of the core Windham Hill albums are not in print, or available digitally. Try buying “Turning: Turning Back.”

    The interest I’ve seen from other Windham Hill fans makes me wonder about the viability of re-issuing a series of the original Windham Hill albums on audiophile vinyl and CD pressings. Many of the original albums were mastered by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. I like what Music Matters did with their Blue Note series, or the Classic Records reissues. Chime in via comments if this is something you’d be interested in.

    Regarding the “lost” releases: Linda Waterfall has said she’d love to see Mary’s Garden re-released. I’m not sure who owns the rights to it, presumably she does, but it could be Will Ackerman. In the meantime, vinyl sales sites will be the only place to get it. I’ve traded emails with her, and she has promised to provide more information on the album and her experiences recording it.

    Kidd Afrika on the other hand has made the album available through Rhapsody and other digital sites, and it’s a really fun album. Nothing like the other Windham Hill releases. There’s a link to the Rhapsody site on the Kidd Afrika page.

    Basho’s Visions of the Country is a brilliant album, and very compelling, although it took me a few listens to wrap my head around Basho’s vocals. He has quite a passionate following, and I’m really surprised that the album wasn’t re-issued as a Lost Lake Arts album, or otherwise re-released over the years.

    There are also a few later catalog numbers that are as yet unexplained. I hope to research and find out more about those.

  3. Your list seems to be mssing WH-1042: Ira Stein & Russel Walder – Transit (see: http://www.discogs.com/Ira-Stein-Russel-Walder-Transit/release/762846). released in 1986. I don’t like it nearly as well as Elements, their first release, but it’s still a worthwhile album.

    Some additional Lost Lake Arts releases:

    LL-85 Shadowfax – Watercourse Way
    LL-86 Scott Cossu – Still Moments
    LL-87 John Renbourn – The Lady and the Unicorn
    LL-88 Pierre Bensusan – Early Pierre Bensusan

    LL-91 Paul Horn – Sketches: A Collection
    LL-93 Puck Fair – Fair Play
    LL-94 Tim Story – Untitled
    LL-95 Modern Mandolin Quartet – Modern Mandolin Quartet

    I hope this helps

    • Holy Cow! Transit is one of my favorite albums – I know it won’t be universally appreciated – but I’ve always loved Transit. I can’t believe that I missed it. Thanks also for the Lost Lake releases. I’ve never collected them, so I’m less familiar with those. I’ll add them in over the next few days.

      Caitlyn, I appreciate your comments! Make sure to sign up for the RSS updates of the Facebook and comment as you see fit.

      Best,

      John

  4. Hi John- I came to your site from your link on AudioEvo.org and have to say that I’m very impressed with your work here. I guess I grew up in a cave because all of this is new to me. But I’m going to see if I can find one of the Alex de Grassi pressings from Windham Hill. Thanks for turning me on to this resource.

    Jon Brink
    AudioEvo.org/jbrink

  5. John,
    Nice site you have here. I have been compiling a list of the Windham Hill family for years now and collecting the music. I would be glad to forward a copy of the list. Also, I have started to scan the album artwork. I have CD/LP copies up to 01934-11381-2 – Thanksgiving – A Windham Hill Collection – Various Artists [1998] as well as the WH Jazz, Lost Lake Arts, Open Aire, Dancing Cat, Magenta, and Rabbit Ears labels. Still on the hunt to add to the collection and the list.

    Dan

    • Thanks, Dan! Good to have you join in. I’ve collected a number of the CD’s as well as I found them used, but never made a concerted effort to grab those. I did just add the entire LaserDisc series to my collection thanks to an eBay seller. Did everything come out in CD? Also, if you have better scans of the artwork than I do, please let me know, I’d be happy to give the best possible images.

  6. Hi, John,

    It’s a pity you haven’t gotten around to collecting the Lost Lake Arts releases yet. It’s a very small number of albums and there are some real gems in there, including some of my all time favorites. Most are reissues or earlier albums by Windham Hill artists while a couple are original material, including “Fair Play” by Puck Fair, which I highly recommend. If you like Nightnoise it’s three of the musicians who either were or later would be part of that group. The sound is more Celtic than Nightnoise and the album is truly outstanding.

    I also rate Tim Story’s “Untitled” (originally released on the great Uniton label) and Scott Cossu’s “Still Moments”. I prefer Passport Records original mix of “Watercourse Way” by Shadowfax. The Windham Hill/LLA version was notoriously toned down to better fit the Windham Hill sound. John Renbourn’s “The Lady And The Unicorn” is also a classic, a mix of instrumental folk and renaissance music.

    Anyway, you’ve done a great job documenting the early and best years of Windham Hill here. It’s much appreciated.

    All the best,
    Cait

  7. This is a great site! Bravo to you for putting it together. I myself started hunting down WH after hearing M. Hedges aerial boundries on an AM new age station in San Francisco in 1986. I found most of the early samplers in thrift stores but after working at Amoeba records in LA a few years ago, the collection became a lot more fleshed out. I think the amazingly strict numbering system really appealed to ‘completist’ in me. I also got the laser discs but recently sold them after transfering them to Dvd. Not really an audiophile by nature (and wishing to shed a few hundred pounds of vinyl!) I’ve been digitizing everything album by album, transfering all my WH to (gasp!) Mp3. Please don’t hate me! I really do love this music! I figure with other people preserving WH as it deserves, I should worry too much.

    Incidentally can any one identify these albums?
    Open Air – OA-0307
    WH Jazz – WD-0137
    WH Jazz – WD-0138
    WH Jazz – WD-0139
    WH Jazz – WD-0140
    WH Jazz – WD-0145

    Thanks.

  8. Open Aire – AO 307 – The Nylons – The Nylons [1982] (not 100% sure on this)
    WH Jazz – WD-0137 – ????
    WH Jazz – WD-0138 – Blues & More Vol, 1 – Henry Butler [1992]
    WH Jazz – WD-0139 – Down the Road – Andy Narell [1992]
    WH Jazz – WD-0140 – Premonition – Paul McCandless []
    WH Jazz – WD-0145 – A Change of Heart – John Beasley [1993]

    Dan

  9. I have a pretty extensive listing that I’ve been compiling for several years in Word format. Also about 1/2 of that listing in MS Access database format if anyone wants a copy. This started with the listing on http://www.bsnpubs.com/aandm/windhamhill.html. When I saw that site I realized that a piece of history was fading away and began to research and collect in earnest. I have every recording up to about 1998 with several in hand after that. Alas, the releases became so much repackaging as the label attempted to milk every last ounce of blood from a dying genre and I realized that the talent had moved on and there would be no more music like the early years.

    Dan

    • Wow, Dan. You’re pretty dedicated. Since I’ve done the site, I’ve realized it’s really the first 50 that are meaningful to me. Of course, there are some later gems like Mark Isham’s “Tibet” and the later Hedges releases. I’ve also purchased several albums from the artists on other labels. Philip Aaberg, Liz Story, Ira Stein and Russel Walder have all put out amazing albums on other labels.

      • Marwatso,

        As much as I would like to claim ownership of the BNS listing (and John’s site here), I can’t. Except I did send an updated list to the BNS website and they updated their list from mine. I filled a lot of holes in for them.

  10. I really enjoy this website. Some of the windham people I have seen over the years and conversed with are true artists. I have fond memories of most of Windham Hill music, and own most of it except for a few of the later releases. This kind of music seems lost for the most part, I wish this label still existed, it was a lifeline to me……

    • Thanks for the great comments, Jerry. Of course most of the artists are still performing and recording in one way or another. I think that’s what’s missing is a well-curated collection – one where you know that the level of taste will be there regardless of the exact form of the music. Ackerman was a master at that, and I think that the first 50 records stand with Blue Note, and maybe ECM as one of the greatest highly-curated collections of music of the 20th century.

      For something in between Windham Hill and ECM, look at MA Recordings, curated by Todd Garfinkle. Great music and beautifully recorded. http://www.marecordings.com

  11. AWESOME!!!!!! Great work Dan. I am a long time Windham Hill Collector. I would be more than happy to help/share any information that you may need. Although, it looks like you have a good handle on everything.

    I have every LP and CD released on Windham Hill, Lost Lake Arts & Dancing Cat. I have many promotional items from the 80′s/90′s as I was in contact with the PR person there for years. I stopped collecting a couple years after Will left the company though. I still keep track of my favorite artists.

    I was actually listening to my copy of Robbie Basho’s Vision of the Country this morning and thought to look at see what people were asking for it these days. That is how I found your blog. I immediately went all smiles and today is my birthday. Thanks for the unintended birthday present Dan!

    The biggest question I have been trying to answer and purchase is the last remaining releases that went to LP. I have Phil Aaberg, Upright, Pierce Pettis, While The Serpent Lies Sleeping, and even George Winston’s Summer on LP. Do you know of any others that go put to vinyl this late?? I would cry if I found Taproot on vinyl. :)

  12. Hey everybody! I am looking for a complete list of the DMM Vinyl Releases for Windham Hill. I have several already and they are very impressive acoustically.

    Dan’s the man.

  13. Hey marwatso,

    Glad you like the site! This is John – the creator of the site. Thanks so much for the posting. I’ve never seen a DMM pressing – or at least one that’s indicated as such, but would love to. Starting google….

  14. Well, I got so excited upon finding Windhaming, I confused Dan for the brilliant creator of this site, John. I’m sure Dan’s still the man. But John’s Da Bomb! :) Sorry about that John.

    I read your bio at the beginning. I think we might be the same person. :) …really.

    Hey, I’ll give you $4.00 for that signed Robbie Basho. You’ll have doubled your money. :) :) :) That is an incredible album. One of my top ten across any genre.

    I too have frequented the bay area stores as well and many others across the country trying to complete the entire label on Vinyl. This for me means getting everything on WH and WHS-C and C-. Although I am not sure if the C-10XX numbers are a phase out of the WHS-C’s anyway.

    I have everything on CD already, because like you I was in high school from 89-92, collecting everything as it was released. In long boxes no less! Dang, I should have never thrown those away. :)

    I also am in continuing pursuit of earlier and earlier versions of WHS-C-1001. I think I have the original hand pressed. (with the funky label of a tree and fence) But I’ve thought that twice before. Woman She Rides is great!!! Will should have kept singing and let Basho do the same!!! It would have been a folk revolution! Actually…I think it was anyway. :)

    Do you have any specifics about the earliest version of WHS-C-1001?

    Thanks again for doing this John.

    • I have to correct this. I do actually have what I believe to be the first “Turtle’s Navel” The one Will was toting around to radio stations – according to legend. :) The jacket is cardboard with paper covers glued on. The back is just text, no graphics. The labels are in a funky font with a green turtle design that is unique to each side. Side One label and the back of the jacket have a rubber stamp that says P 1975 William Ackerman. Does anyone know if this is indeed the legendary first record?

      The one I have has Aimee’s written on the bottom right of the front jacket.

      So, John, Dan or anybody else: Do you know how many of this record were produced?

      • There are a few pictures of some of the early, alternate printings of Turtle’s Navel. There are a few shots on the listing that another reader gave me of his collection. I sure wish I knew better, but send us a shot and I’ll post your version as well.

  15. DMM Release list I have (from a Vinyl Sleeve):

    I call dibbs! :)

    TA-C-1012 – George Winston – Autumn
    TA-C-1014 – William Ackerman – Passage
    TA-C-1016 – Scott Cossu – Wind Dance
    TA-C-1018 – Alex de Grassi – Clockwork
    TA-C-1019 – George Winston – Winter Into Spring
    TA-C-1020 – Ira Stein/Russel Walder – Elements
    TA-C-1021 – Darol Anger/Barbara Higbie – Tideline
    TA-C-1022 – Shadowfax – Shadowfax
    TA-C-1023 – Liz Story – Solid Colors
    TA-C-1024 – Windham Hill Records Sampler ’82
    TA-C-1025 – George Winston – December
    TA-C-1026 – An Evening With Windham Hill Live
    TA-C-1027 – Mark Isham – Vapor Drawings
    TA-C-1029 – Shadowfax – Shadowdance
    TA-C-1030 – Alex de Grassi – Southern Exposure

    Can anybody fill in? I regard these pressings as noticeably better than any Windham Hill regular release. FYI – I regard the WHS-C pressing to be of better audio quality than the WH releases.

    Windham Hill also did “Audiophile” quality versions of their releases. I have found two and also call dibbs on everything else out there. :) I have seen one Aerial Boundaries on Ebay for this. Sadly I did not bid enough. :(

    I have WHS A-C1006 and WHS A-C1021. They are also superior in audio quality than the other releases.

  16. Excellent data – except now I must chase some of these DMM releases down. I regard the “standard” releases as outstanding audiophile LPs. I would agree that at least in theory the C-10XX should sound better than the A&M releases because they could be using earlier stampers. In practice, it’s less clear, at least for the few where I’ve done head to head comparisons. Additionally, RTI was still doing most of the A&M era releases, so they likely would have been creating their stampers in the same way as the original pressings. Also, I’ve never seen the A-C1006 numbering – what did the “A” designate?

    • My comparisons between the WHS-C-10XX and the WH-10XX have shown only modest gains in quality. But, it is noticeable, if I have two good copies that is. It’s nothing like a DMM or an WHS-A-C-10XX though. That is clearly brighter and richer.

      The A designated “Audiophile Edition”. The jackets are identical to the WHS-C10XX catalog releases. There is one small sticker at the top right of the front of the jacket that has the WHS-A-C10XX number and the words audiophile edition below. The record labels have an off-white or tan tone with burgundy ink, and an all cap bright red “audiophile edition” in the center. The label also shows the WHS-A-C10XX.

      Don’t buy them all, I’m still looking. :)

      • Finally found a DMM copy. In this case it was “Tideline”. I paid all of a dollar in the clearance bin at the Amoeba in San Francisco, today. Yes, it clearly sounds different than the regular issue. A lot more high-frequency information, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the naturalness it brought to the violin in particular was really impressive.

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  18. Thanks for the great resource! I’ve been collecting Windham Hill music in various formats since I worked at Sam Goody’s in Stamford CT in 1982-83. I discovered the Windham Hill Sampler ’81 in a large stack of promo records (mostly pop) and the album cover drew me in. I managed the audio department at the back of the store, next to the glassed-in classical room. Once I started to play the WHS ’81 in the back of the store, nearly everyone that ventured back to the classical and jazz sections wanted to know what it was. Needless to say, our sales of Windham Hill releases increased every week and we just couldn’t keep them in stock.
    A few years later I was living in Denver and a good friend was a cameraman at the local Boulder public television station and filmed the Darol Anger, Barbara Higbie and Alex De Grassi concert. Not only did I get to attend the show, but met them all and watched the video of the show with them afterward.
    I agree that the first 50 releases will always be the “Golden Age” of Windham Hill, and I listen to those much more that the ones that followed. Despite the downward spiral of the label, that music has and always will be magical for me and a part of my listening life.

  19. Thank you so much for sharing the information in this form.

    I had often wondered at the “missing numbers” – even “missing” on the plastic sleeve liner lists for the Windham Hill vinyl releases.

    When filling in “gaps” I have found the vinyl to be typically in excellent condition – Windham Hill listeners are clearly ones who handle such fine records with particular care.

    I don’t have any of the Windham Hill laser discs but I did find a couple of Windham Hill DVDs – I assume there were VHS tapes too at some point?

    I also have picked up some Windham Hill casettes over the years – often for just a few cents.

    I will try and spreadsheet all this at some point and I will happily share it with you.

    Sincere best wishes,

    Steve

  20. I heard some really spiritual bagpipe music awhile back, something like Windham Hill would do. (It’s not Amazing Grace). If anyone would have any idea about who could have done something like this, etc., let me know!

  21. I noticed your list now stops at WH-1106. Well… WH-1107 is George Winston – Summer and was released on LP, CD, and cassette. I believe that is where the WH series ends. After that BMG took over and lots of things changed.

  22. I’ve been told that WD-1052, one of the three missing releases from 1986-87, was “Fair Play” by Puck Fair. For reasons unknown it was released on Lost Lake Arts instead. That would solve one of the mystery numbers if it’s true.

    I still have no clue at all about the other two lost releases.

  23. I’ve said this elsewhere on the site, but here I will say again what a fantastic resource you have created for Windham Hill fans. Thanks! (My posting this also has the second purpose of getting me on the list so I’m notified when people post follow-up comments on this page.)

  24. Great site! I am a WH fan from ~1981 when I first heard Autumn playing in the Rizzoli bookshop in Water Tower Place, Chicago. Did some listening back then, but never fully explored the label. When I dove back into vinyl about a year ago, have been buying up a lot of the “first 50″ and really broadening my love of this music. Your next one to review, Southern Exposure, is one of my favorites – as are all of the Michael Hedges albums, Shadowfax, Liz Story and William Ackerman. I got to meet George Winston a few years back when he came to play at our hospital’s cancer center between concerts here in town – a very quiet, introspective, nice man. I really enjoyed reading some of your reviews today and will come back often to see what’s new! -J Smith, Des Moines, IA

  25. Dear Sir,
    I have been looking fo a cd by windham Hill Called In Search of Angels There aer various artist such as Tim Story, Jane Siberry, etc. but the song on the album is Star in the east By the ST. Olaf Choir. The CD was Manufactured and distributed by BMG MUSIC 01934 11153-2.
    can you help me find this album? It would mean so much to me.
    christopherfou@netzero.com Thank you so much

  26. Hello, I have opened a music group in Facebook featuring the music of Windham Hill Artists among others. I have found today this webpage that is so interesting. I am a music lover and as you I want this music not to be forgotten.
    I have some CDs of the label, two DVDs “Winter” and “Autumn” and a vinyl of W.A. Mathieu “Available Light” bought in Ebay because i could not find the CD version.
    Let me suggest you to search in http://www.gemm.com which is a website for collectors and people who sell and buy out of catalogue music.
    If you have a FB profile i invite you to join this group and help me to fill the collection.
    Regards
    Antonio, Buenos Aires, Argentina

  27. Windham Hill released a cassette with piano and cello. It was a wonderful album, but I cannot find the name so I could search for it. Do you happen to know the names of albums with solo cellos or cellos with piano?

    • I wonder if you mean Darol Anger and Barbra Higbie’s Tideline, which was for piano and violin. I’m not aware of an entire album with piano and cello, at least not from the first 106 releases, which is all I track.

      • He has to mean Scott Cossu & Eugene Friesen’s “Reunion” – WH-1049 released in 1986. Every song has cello and piano. Gwenlaise is the most beautiful piano and cello duet I have ever heard.

      • I am totally with you. I picked up “New Friend” for a dollar on vinyl a few months back and it’s been on heavy rotation ever since – I just played it again yesterday and truly wonder how I never heard of it until very recently.

  28. First, I agree with the recommendations for “Reunion,” which is probably my favorite Scott Cossu album. Eugene Friesen and Paul Halley are best known for their work with the Paul Winter Consort, a group whose work will probably appeal to a lot of people who like Windham Hill music. In the U.S. “New Friend” is on Living Music, a label started by Paul Winter and eventually bought by Windham Hill, so there most definitely is a Windham Hill Connection. Both labels later ended up under the BMG umbrella. Unlike Windham Hill, there are still new releases on Living Music.

    For fans of WIndham Hill who are curious about Paul Winter I’d recommend starting with a Grammy Award nominated album called “Canyon” from 1985, mostly recorded in the Grand Canyon. Both Eugene Friesen and Paul Halley play on this album. Other great choices would be “Spanish Angel”, a Grammy Award winning live album from 1994 and “Sun Singer” (1983). People who know Paul Winter will immediately wonder why I don’t mention “Icarus” from 1972. It’s a great album but it predates both Halley and Friesen joining the Winter Consort (the name of the group at the time). David Darling plays cello on that album.

    Anyway, it’s all great stuff. I look forward to Johnny’s reviews getting to “Reunion” :)

  29. Pingback: Music: Accoustic / Instrumental; Meadowlark Records Sampler | Church Profiles

  30. Okay – I collect Windham Hill things just because I liked their approach to music. I also found that those who OWNED Windham Hill material tended to take better CARE of their media (they also, in all likelihood, have better gear and take care of THAT better as well).

    I have a somewhat odd duck on a Windham Hill Cassette (MCT-001) – William Ackerman “Balancing” – subtitled “music for meditation” – it carries a 1980 Copyright (Windham Hill Records) and is generally okay (if slow-moving), but what attracted me was the cover photo (by Ron May) and the fact that I had NEVER heard of it (and had not seen it on any list).

    So what have I got here? Something very rare that would be worth sharing with friends and other collectors? It was $.49 at a Goodwill here in Phoenix. I also have a DMM of Liz Story’s SOLID COLORS which came from a different Goodwill some time ago for $.99. May you all find such wonderful treasures at such bargain prices.

    I apologize if this is a repost. I may have posted it once, but it did not show up.

    • Hello! Regarding the William Ackerman cassette; it sounds like you have a cassette-single. Balancing is the second track from the album “It Takes A Year”. Though it is rare, cassettes don’t usually command a price of more than a couple dollars. Many sellers do charge a premium for some of the earlier Windham Hill CDs – anywhere from 30.00 to 120.00 each.

      The Solid Colors DMM is a nice find. If in NM condition the record is worth about 15.00. The most collectible LPs from Windham Hill are the “audiophile” editions of the LPs. Though some are considered quite rare. For example, I just paid 91.00 on eBay for a still sealed Windham Hill 1010 – Robbie Basho – Visions of the Country.

      Thanks for sharing your find, I was not aware of this particular single.

      • It’s not a single – It’s a full album. Here are the track listings:

        Side 1:
        Balancing
        Sunday Rain
        Birdsong
        Ely
        It Takes A Year

        Side 2:
        Bricklayer’s Beautiful Daughter
        Processional
        Barbara’s Song
        The Impending Death of the Virgin Spirit

        These may correspond to another album, or this may be simply a re-labeled work or compilation of some of his other stuff simply for the sake of marketing. It does have a fairly early copyright date, though, for a compilation.

        I’m not interested in selling it – I’m a collector – but was more interested in learning if this stuff was known or not, and if anyone would want to have a listen.

        FWIW

  31. I’ve scoured the discography and have found that these tunes all appear on other albums. They are drawn from “Turtle’s Navel,” “It Takes a Year,” and “Childhood and Memories.” I’d call it a compilation.

    Mystery Solved. It’s out there. Curious about the numbering, though – were there more in the MCT-xxx series…..

  32. Ah, a full album. You got me on the origin. I’ve never seen a cassette like that. Perhaps another Pastels release (German Windham Hill outlet from the early eighties). It should be noted that “Birdsong” is only available on a Pastels vinyl release of the same name. Does your research concur? Can you describe the cover photo?

  33. Working on getting a picture of the album cover. It’s on a cassette, so it’s small. But check this – Google does not HAVE an image for this cover that I can use. It’s just not there.

    So I’m working on that.

    While way out in the sticks (actually brush) of Arizona, I went to a thrift store and scored an audiophile pressing of George Winston’s AUTUMN (among other things) for a buck.

  34. Nice find on the George Winston Audiophile Edition. There’s one on Ebay for 24.99 right now. :-) The picture/cover seems vaguely familiar but not enough for me to place it. Thanks for sharing!

      • No vocals on any of the album. I’m trying to figure out how to share the cassette without causing trouble with Mr. Ackerman. I wish there was a way to do this for his fans.

        Birdsong is like the rest of the album – very soft and comforting; in the oevre of Windham Hill, the opposite would be Shadowfax Shadowdance (just for reference).

  35. Rip it and share it. It’s not like you’ll taking away sales from anyone. Will sold Windham Hill (guaranteeing its demise) and the label became a shell of its former glory, simply repackaging the music until all the lame ideas were exhausted. It no longer exists and when we are gone, I don’t know who will keep the memory alive. I stopped my collection around the the mid 90′s since everything released after that, I already owned. I’ve never seen this cassette and would love to hear what’s on it. I love Will’s work, his music and production.

    BTW, does anyone have a Windham Hill “Tune In” transistor radio? I have one . . .

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