Customer Reviews

Conferring With the Moon

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Will Ackerman started the Windham Hill label in 1976, essentially to self-release some albums of "new age" guitar pieces he wrote (Ackerman detested any reference to "new age"). Much to his (and anyone else's) amazement, these early albums started selling beyond anyone's expectation. Soon Will signed other like-minded new age artists to his label, and before he knew what hit him, the Windham Hill label took off like a rocket. Being the label's CEO didn't stop Will from recording new music himself. And so on the 10th anniversary of the label, Will issued what would turn out to be his very best album ever.

"Conferring With the Moon" (1986, 11 tracks, 53 min.) continues the musical growth heard on the previous 2 albums, 1981's "Passage" and 1983's "Past Light". On "Conferring" it all come together just perfectly. On the title track, in which he is accompanied by piano, you can just "hear" Will talking to the moon. "Improv" is 'back-to-roots' Ackerman solo work. "Lago de Montanoas" finds Will accompanied by the pan-flute, you can just feel the "Inca-spirit" in your room! Other highlights include "Processional", "Shape of the Land" and the sweeping "Last Day on the Beach", with a great violin solo over Will's guitar work.

Will Ackerman has issued only 10 albums in his 28 year career to date (2001's "Hearing Voices" being the most recent). "Conferring With the Moon" stands the test of time, and is in my opinion his best work ever. Highly recommended! (Please note that the original vinyl album was replaced by CD in 1990, which in turn was reissued in a remastered version in 1998 that sounds miles better than the 1990 release.)

I first heard this album over 14 years ago when I was stationed on an aircraft carrier. I would put on my headphones and drown out the stress of the day and the noise of my environment.
Now 14 years later I am sitting in my kitchen in a much different world and it sounds just as good as it did then.
If I were to be stranded tomorrow on a desert island and have 10 albums to choose, this would be one of them.
The feelings and mood this album invoke are hard to describe, but are completely necessary to my being. This may sound extreme, but when you find and album you never tire of and can always return to, it is important.
Close your eyes, listen and make your own judgement.
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In the liner notes to this release, Ackerman writes of trying to understand love with the moon's help: "Now I remember clearly that I knew, but I have no memory of what I knew." This sums up the way I feel after listening to this album. I learn something, but I cannot place my finger on just what that something is. This is the single best work of William Ackerman's career thus far. It was also, luckily enough, the first one I heard.
I discovered this album at my local library, attracted by the title, the gray cover (of the original CD release) and the stark forest photograph on the front. Listening to it changed my life. The title track is seven and a half minutes of "unrequited love and misery," as Ackerman writes. Guitar, bass, violin, and the amazing sound of the lyricon mix to create something completely fresh, familiar and yet distant. The musical theme of this song is so deeply stirring. The rest of the album continues this mood, but in many different ways. There is nothing weak about this album.
The original vinyl release, which I also have, is missing (for space reasons) two tracks: "Processional," Ackerman's third and best recording of this piece, and "Garage Planet," a minimalist, multilayered effort. Buy the CD for the full experience. This music will carry you to so many different places. From the tranquil pan-pipes of "Lago de Montanas" to the soaring heights of "Climbing in Geometry," which features a memorable contribution by pianist Ira Stein, each piece is something new, but tied in to the recurring theme of love and loss and sadness and mixed emotions. Another personal highlight is "Singing Crocodile," which Ackerman admits he subconsciously drew from a Creole lullaby. Original or not, the piece is hauntingly beautiful. The album ends with a solo reprise of "Conferring with the Moon," which is not gratuitous but in fact a perfect ending for this watershed of an album.
Once heard, this album will not leave your memory.

If you like the more recent albums by guitarist William Ackerman, which are melodic, quiet, moody, cerebral, and relaxing, then you'll like this album too. If you are like me, however, and you enjoyed his early albums more - e.g., "In Search of Turtle's Navel," which is lively, emotional, and moving - then you will be disappointed. Ackerman is still a master artist, evolving in his craft, so I do not wish to take anything away from him. It's just a matter of taste.

Will Ackerman takes some pains in his liner notes to explain that much of this album is focused on love. Especially the hard side of love - questionings, misunderstandings, disappointments, and longing. As such, much of the music has a tenderness and depth that is surprising, even for Ackerman's music. The title song is a classic on this theme - a brilliant trio pitching high and low sonorities while Ackerman's guitar work bridges the two.

All of the work on this album is a logical progression from Past Light. Ackerman has become deeply interested in the possibilities of the small (duet and trio) ensemble, as well as some of the potential for electronic manipulation. Thus, Big Thing In The Sky features layered guitar playing and as well as using the oboe as a melodic voice. And Lago De Montanoas uses the primitive flute to establish a South American rhythm.

For all these complications, I still love Ackerman's solo work the best. He has a unique touch and a willingness to forgo pure technical brilliant and focus on emotional context instead. Like the work in Improv, and the solo version of Conferring With The Moon. But regardless of your preferences this is an exceptional album, one that gives great legitimacy to Ackerman as much more than a 'new age' musician, a title he abhorred. Seek this album out, it is full of remarkable moments.

Interesting to read others' reviews of this album, and know exactly how they feel. There's something really wonderful about this collection -it's clear, cool, fresh and visually evocative. It makes excellent work music. It's the best Windham Hill I've ever heard.

William Ackerman is one of my all time favorite artists! "Conferring with moon" is a perfect CD for those evenings when one can settle into the quiet of the night and relax from the day to day struggles of life... and find a measure of peace.

Taking off where "Past Light" left off... William continues to allow other instruments take the lead voice within the structure of his songs. This is not a bad thing but those hard core Ackerman fans will miss his melodic finger-style voicings of his earlier recordings. My only complaint is that the guitar sounds rather thin... but as Ackerman's current recordings show this is now a 'moot' point.

All in all... "Conferring with the moon" is a perfect companion to a wonderful evening of relaxation and is a wonderful recording from a wonderful artist! It is timeless...

Many years ago I spent ten days lying around on the beach on St. Thomas with headphones listening to this music on a cassette. I long ago wore out the tape and heard a snippet of the music recently and it brought back all sorts of wonderfully relaxing memories. I have to have it again. So I just ordered the CD. Haunting is the word that comes to mind because after all of these years....it has stuck with me.

I like mellow New Age music, although I prefer the more electric, rowdy fusion music. But still, when a special album comes out that really shines as a masterpiece, you have to give The Devil his due. Conferring With the Moon is such a special masterpiece. I won't go into my personal musical history, although I have tried recording and putting my own songs together into an album, and I know that you never realize how songs are going to come together into an 'album unit' until you hear the album as a whole. And every once in a while, the right collection of songs just comes together and gels and becomes something special...an entity that is just greater than the sum of its parts. William Ackerman acheived that goal with this album! Some of the tunes are solo guitar, sometimes his guitar works as a beautiful backdrop for other instruments like a lyricon (sort of a flute-like recorder) on the enchanting title track. The flute is used wonderfully as a lead instrument, or the oboe. Other notable Windham Hill musicians pop up on this album, such as Darryl Anger on violin or George Winston on piano. This album is relaxing, beautiful, ethereal, surreal, and just an incredible, mellow, beautiful New Age listening experience....even for a confirmed fusion nut like me! Relax. Buy it, and lose yourself in the euphoria.

I play this when I am sad or lost and lonely because it makes sadness easier. I don't know what was in the mind of Mr Ackerman when he wrote this, but it is wonderful and everyone shoule hear it. Thank you for letting me sing it's praises