Imaginary Roads [Original recording remastered]

William Ackerman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 25, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1988
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Windham Hill Records
• ASIN: B00000AF3F
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,802 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars perfection!, December 1, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Imaginary Roads (Audio CD)

I first bought this CD back in '89 and have been enjoying every penetrating note all these years. Unlike other CDs that I own, I never seem get sick of this one for some reason. I guess it's a mark of a true classic. I own several other Will Ackerman CDs and have to rate this as my favorite (although Conferring with the Moon comes close). I think Will's more recent CDs have been evolving into a more airy, new age style. I like plain and simple guitar compositions that are not too dressed up and Will delivers masterfully in this one. I never knew piano and guitar could sound so integrated together. Thumbs up to Philip Aaberg for his duet performance on Floyd's ghost.

Just buy it and you won't regret it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another gem to an already wonderful body of work, May 19, 2003

By 

J. Rich - See all my reviews

This review is from: Imaginary Roads (Audio CD)

Will Ackerman first and foremost cannot do a bad album if his life depended on it! I agree with alot of the reviews except for the fact that they focus on individual songs rather than the entire album as a whole, which should be the main focus here anyway. Another thing about Will Ackerman is that he seems to be bumped in with Michael Hedges, Alex De Grassi, and Sean Harkness. The only way Will is related to these artist is the fact that he plays guitar. That is it! I also hate when someone cringes when they hear that his music is "New Age." It is just a label the media has put on him just to turn people away from his music. Anyway, now on to my review. Imaginary Roads is excellent starting point for anyone who intrested in Will's work. It captures all of the signatures that make his playing so incredible. He is not a technical player. His music is more about craftsmanship, melody, and taste. This album in so stunningly beautiful that it either makes you smile or cry or both. There is many memorable melodies present on this album that it just keeps you coming back for more. He also essembled some incredible musicians as well (i.e. Philip Aaberg, Michael Manring, Chuck Greenberg, Charles Bisharat, Jill Haley, and Kifu Mitshuhashi). Most of whom have played on albums prior to this one. What I think that is great about this album is that there seems to be song structure abound but improvisation even more so. I guess that is why this album has such a fresh sound to it. It has an energy to it that is just awesome. This album is worth the purchase and ordering it from Amazon is the way to go because they'll ship it [quickly]. Very short wait for an album that you'll listen to for the rest of your life. My hats are off to Will for an album that has brought much happiness into my life.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding effort, December 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Imaginary Roads (Audio CD)

On "Imaginary Roads" William Ackerman has pretty much perfected his musical style -- some solo guitar efforts along with some duet and ensemble pieces. This CD thus continues in the vein he started with "Passage" (which was a transition from his more folk-oriented, solo-guitar arrangements on earlier releases like "It Takes a Year") -- in fact I consider "Passage" (an outstanding CD in its own right) a transitional effort.

The CD features a good mix of quiet, introspective songs such as the title track, "A Region of Clouds", "Darrow's Barn" and "Dawn Treader" with more upbeat or quicker arrangements for songs like "Brother A Teaches 7" (the closest song on the CD to his early folk-oriented releases) and "If You Look".

Indeed, "If You Look" is one of 3 songs that appear on the CD twice in differing arrangements. (The others are "The Moment", which opens the CD, and "Darrow's Barn", the full title of which is "The Prospect of Darrow's Barn and the Blossoms of an Apple Spring on Imaginary Road" -- hence the CD title.) The first "If You Look" features the late Chuck Greenberg (from fellow Windham Hill recording artist "Shadowfax") on lyricon and synthesizers; the second version of "If You Look" (and the one I prefer) features Charles Bisharat on violin; the second seems more aggressive in its tempo and arrangement. Both versions also include Michael Manring on fretless bass.

If you like the direction William Ackerman took starting with "Passage" and "Past Light", you should like this CD as well. I personally would rate it as one of his two or three best CDs.