Very relaxing, but issues with the copyright protection
Let me start out by saying that when I tried to play this CD on my computer (XP with Windows Media Player) it refused to play. The disk did not start automatically. I inserted it again and this time it read the disk. The instructions said I had to agree to an end users agreement, which I did. I received an error message "CD3 Launch Error 0002011F-00000002".

This was repeated many different ways over 20 minutes. It was an issue with the copyright protection on the disk, and I never got it to play in my computer. However, it does play on my home system and in my portable CD player.

Having run through this frustrating experience, I needed the calmness this CD was to invoke. This CD is a compilation of works by various Windham artists that promotes calm, relaxation and is ambient at its best.

Ambient music should not interfere with your normal daily process, but it should not sound like "elevator music". Windham Hill, founded by William Ackerman in 1976, has given us some of the greatest Ambient artists and some of the best loved ambient music. Even now, years after Will Ackerman has left the company, Windham Hill still produces the best in the business. While many of the recent releases are compilations, which have always been their style, there is still new material being issued and new artists to add to the catalogue of distinguished artists.

This CD has 12 tracks, all by different artists, with a total time of 59:56, giving almost a full hour of calming, relaxing ambient music.

The artists featured are Yanni, Will Ackerman, Mark Isham, George Winston, Tim Story and Jim Brickman to name a few. The music features piano, guitar, smooth electronica and some classic pieces from the Windham Hill catalogue. This is Windham Hill at its best.

While trying to load this CD into my computer was frustrating to say the least, it was worth bypassing the computer to listen to the works. This is a well thought out and blended collection. The title says it all, but there is more here than just relaxing music. This is a collection of some of the best and brightest Windham Hill has to offer. If you never heard any material from Windham Hill, this would be a good starting point, and if you are a die hard fan as I am, you will appreciate this collection. maf