Windham Hill A Winter's Solstice

Some of the best instrumental compositions and record engineering I have ever heard! Nice! Lot's of separation of instruments in the mix and cool songs! A great choice for musicians and non-musicians.

Steel drummer Andy Narell contributed five of the six originals on this excellent set – all but the title cut, which is sung by its composer David Rudder. Joined by his regular band of the period (guitarist Steve Erquiaga, bassist Keith Jones, drummer William Kennedy and percussionist Kenneth Nash), Narell once again shows how surprisingly flexible steel drums can be in jazz, pop, rock, and of course calypso settings. Any album that includes the title "Brontosaurus Ballet" is certainly worth exploring.

Andy Narell is the Jimmy Smith of the steel drums, an innovative player who has been responsible for introducing his instrument to jazz. On this CD Narell shows off the surprising versatility of his instrument, not only playing spirited Latin jams and calypsos but also heartfelt ballads and more complex works. The lively yet diverse date is a strong example of Andy Narell's talents.

Paul McCandless is best known for his work as a founding member of Oregon, a pioneer in the genre that came to be labeled "new age." In fact, Oregon's music has always been much more than that oft-maligned label implies, for they combine jazz, classical and world musics into a blend that is at once unique and appealing. McCandless has worked the same terrain with his solo outings, and Heresay is one of his best. There is beauty here, there is polyrhythmic propulsion, there is first-class improvisation. The overall feel is one of optimism and light-heartedness, tempered with a compositional depth of emotion that conjures all sorts of visions in the listener's mind.

With this strong, mainly Latin influenced debut, add a chapter on Erquiaga to the book of smooth and breezy, and slightly exotic, smooth jazz guitar. Produced by Andy Narell and featuring Narell's steel pans on one cut and the jamming support of Peter Erskine, Jimmy Johnson, Bob Sheppard, and Mitch Forman, this collection goes down smooth and easy. There are moments of frenetic inspiration, but for the most part, it's more of that nice and easy pop jazz with Latin spice. An impressive debut from an artist we unfortunately didn't hear enough of as the '90s rolled by.

Ray Obiedo's excellent debut release was followed by five more over the next 10 years, after which he seemingly disappeared from the music scene. While the decline in jazz recording artist contracts is largely to blame, I had always thought that such a dynamic talent would continue recording and releasing music own his own, but unfortunately you can't even find a website for him. In addition to his writing and producing talents, Ray Obiedo plays both guitars and keyboards on every track; and if that wasn't enough, he also does the horn arrangements!