Sounds of Wood & Steel

Various Artists - New Age | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 27, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Windham Hill Records
• ASIN: B000000NNR
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,912 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Conceived as a tribute to Taylor guitars, this recording manages to transcend any stereotypes of projects dedicated to the advancement of a business principle or product. That's due to the quality of the performers, the pieces they play, and the passion they bring to them. There's really not a misstep in the bunch. Guitar slingers from Russ Freeman to Leo Kottke, Steve Stevens and Billy Joe Walker are joined by singers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Guitar Player, March 10, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sounds of Wood & Steel (Audio CD)

I had been searching for this album because I downloaded just one song from the web, Vince Gill's "How great thou art". It took me months to find out where it came from. The emotion in that one song, the way Vince plays it, is what drives me to play the guitar, if only I was that good! I don't really care for the taylor's advertizing a lot of good accoustical guitars out there. While the highlight will always be the song that sent me on the search in the first place, the rest is definately worth the price!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine collection, December 7, 2001

By 

"timothy1146" (Lake Woebegone,Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sounds of Wood & Steel (Audio CD)

Every track on the album is at least pretty good."The claw" by Clint Black is a tricky piece deftly handled."Java man" by Michael hedges is a work of virtuosity."Liquid Amber" by Laurence Juber has all the dreaminess the title implies."Marina" by Skip Ewing and B.J.Walker Jr. is one the most lovely,sun drenched,yet melancholy pieces of music you'll ever hear.But the most brilliant work on the album has to be "Sadhana" by Steve Stevens.This vibrant,rhythmically manic tour through the possibilities of the guitar has to be heard to be believed.Great sound,balance and superb artist selection.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, not great, December 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Sounds of Wood & Steel (Audio CD)

I bought this album in the hopes of getting some exposure to a lot of different American fingerstyle and acoustic stylists. In that respect, I think the album does a decent job. It's helped me narrow down what my own personal likes and dislikes are for future purchases. I think that a lot of the songs on this album are good...I particularly like "Who Lives Up There" by Snuffy Walden. According to the liner notes, he wrote this in an attempt to answer his son's questions about death and heaven after the passing of a family member and a family pet. It's a haunting and beautiful song that I find myself listening to over and over. Unfortunately, a lot of the rest of the album seems like so much filler...and I particularly didn't like the background accompaniments on songs like Alma D'Alma (which sounds like one of those songs you'd hear on a Smooth Jazz radio station). In fact, I think a LOT of the accompanied songs would have been much better off with only the guitarist. After all, this is supposed to be "Sounds of Wood and Steel," not "Sounds of Wood and Steel and Fretless Bass and Bongos and a Windham Hill Mix".

Overall, something you could put on in the background at a cocktail party, but nothing to rave about.