Customer Reviews

Windham Hill in Concert (Laserdisc)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have always loved the music of the Windham Hill group. From Benson to Ackerman to Michael Hedges. Great mood music to relax to after a hard day at work. I enjoy mostly all of the musicians on this dvd, but I mainly purchased this dvd to see Michael Hedges perform. If you dont know who Michael Hedges is, you owe it to yourself to check him out. Unbelievable guitarist/musician. There is 15 performances on the dvd. Some are from Will Ackerman, which I enjoyed as well. Hedges has 7 performances out of the 15. In my opinion, he should have had the whole 15, but for the 7 perfoemances, this dvd is worth the price and then some....

This concert DVD is truly the stuff of legend. Several different copies of the video version have graced my VCR for over 10 years. NEVER loan it out if you ever expect to see it again! I was completely floored to discover that it is now on DVD! Michael Hedges' performance will always be regarded as one of the greatest moments in the history of the acoustic guitar - he completely reinvented the instrument, much as Hendrix did with the electric. His live performances were profoundly life-altering experiences for many. His 1997 death hit me so hard that I named my son after him and both of my children were birthed to his music. And Will Ackerman - what can I say! He is the originator of the New Age movement in the late 70's - early 80's and the founder of Windham Hill Records, helping launch the careers of Michael, Rob Eberhard Young, George Winston, John Gorka, Liz Story, Alex de Grassi, Yanni, the list goes on. . . The emotional depth of Will's performance here is untouchable. I love his music most for it's living, breathing evocative melodies and wide open spaces. I can feel my heart tug and pull and center my spirit with just the first few notes and just keep slipping deeper and deeper. Scott Cossu, an incredibly talented pianist and composer is sinfully relegated to one song, but I absolutely advise checking out more of his work. Shadowfax also deliver a stellar performance. If you seek lighter fare with peaceful, soulful performances that can sail you to the stars, this DVD delivers. And if you are a thrashing headbanger looking for someone who can completely obliterate a guitar by slapping, tapping, knocking and banging in an organically musical way, this DVD delivers. No added footage over the original VHS and LaserDisc versions and paltry special features (text bios of the performers) cannot detract from an historic classic. Don't forget to get an extra copy or two to loan out and maybe some as gifts for real music fans. Buy it right now, because I can almost guarantee that it won't be in print for too long. . . and then it will be too late.

RE "aldowhatever's" reveiw, i find it interesting that the first assumption is that someone was trying to fool the audience. that says more about the person writing that review than anyone on the dvd. as a matter of fact, there were several problems with the location shoot at red rocks. the audio and video were not usable. the only option was to go to a soundstage in hollywood to shot the footage because obviously you can't just book another gig at red rocks anytime you want. i'm not quite sure what to make of the comment, "the sound is just stereo." i don't how old the reviewer is but 5.1 surround was not availble to ordinary humans at that time. hello, wake up. it was the 80s. i agree with many of the reviewers that this dvd would be worth it if only for michael hedges' performances. michael was a gifted musician, beautiful person, good friend and touring comrade. he is sorely missed. g.e. stinson formerly of shadowfax.

This is a great DVD if you love the music that Windham Hill was producing in the 80s. Where else can you watch Michael Hedges performing Aerial Boundaries, or William Ackerman performing with an accompanying lyricon, along with Shadowfax and Scott Cossu performing their original compositions? Michael Hedges was the Paganini of the acoustic guitar. Nobody ever did more than he did to redefine the instrument and explore its possibilites. Unfortunately for me, the video of him performing Aerial Boundaries was somewhat disappointing in that you can't make out what his hands are doing through half of it. Obviously the producers weren't considering aspiring guitarists when they edited this video. And since Michael was tragically taken away in an auto accident in 1997 we will never have a video of him teaching his pieces and his unorthdox but brilliant style.

The biggest complaint I have for this DVD is the lighting and videography. Too often the camera catches the subjects in the shadows, or a glare coming from the lights reflecting off of the instruments, or a haze created by the lighting of the stage. Also, there are some puzzling shots of the landscape surrounding the outdoor theater. Still, the performances are well worth the price of the DVD as they capture a moment in time when "New Age" music came into its own.

I have no issues with the performances here, only that it appears that the entire show was recorded in a studio. There are moments afterward where Cameras pan to Red Rocks, but very misleading. I know Ackerman liked to control things a bit especially when Windham Hill was a young production company, and to his credit was very well done. I would rather have seen a blemished real-time performance without the studio closeups and studio type lighting. Hedges was great. It was astounding to me to hear how good a recorded acoustic guitar can sound and this was a trademark of Windham Hill in the beginning. Ackerman has since sold his rights to Windham Hill, and now the label is soaked in obscurity. It's only meaningful periods are the early 80's till about mid 1990's when Quality was still controlled.

I saw this DVD for the first time on Laserdisc in the 80's and I was introduced to Michael Hedges' live. Luckily, my friend's dad had a 20 grand AV system to watch it on. I highly recommend this rare footage to anyone.

This is obviously a studio recording that switches to applause from a live audience at the end of each song, which is strange and depressing. This is proof that there exists additional video from many live Michael Hedges concerts. Hedges has been gone for 7 years and not much else has been released. Jimi Hendrix fans had to wait 30 years before legal battles were won by the Hendrix family and we began to finally see new releases. Must all Hedges fans endure the same fate? A CD or DVD with even one Hedges song on it is worth owning, so this DVD is a must have. Windham Hill, please open your vaults and stop hoarding this material! If you created a CD or DVD for every Hedges concert you have, I'd buy them all.

I remember the first time I saw and heard Michael Hedges. A friend of mine lent me a copy of a copy of the VHS "Windham Hill..", Michael blew me away. That was over ten years ago, and watching this on DVD really brings back that feeling of being blown away. It also reminds of how much was lost when he perished in an automobile accident. Yet, it keeps his spirit alive. I love playing this for friends that haven't heard Michael Hedges, and watching their jaws drop. I have to say the Hedges part of the DVD is 5 stars and then some. The rest of the DVD blows. It is the Hedges portion that is worth more than the price of admission.

I remember it clearly - it was 1987 & i was browsing in a Blockbuster waiting for my laundry to finish next door. There was this amazing guitar playing & when i looked up at the TV monitor this guy just blew my mind! Michael Hedges was a one of kind guitar player who changed everything. Tune into his spirit in this video & you'll understand what i'm talking about.

After viewing a friend's LaserDisc of this Concert back in '96ish I had to buy the DVD when it finally came out. This was one of my favorite DVDs for a long time. Unfortunately, we hired some day laborers when we last moved and I'd left this DVD in the Player. The DVD Player (and this disc) disappeared during the move. The DVD is worth $150, but it is a bitter pill to swallow. Buy it and enjoy it. Michael is sorely missed.