Thanksgiving: A Windham Hill Collection

CD

Thanksgiving generally is a pleasant and likeable affair. Its features include a charming, gently propulsive take on the traditional piece "Allelujah" by Celtic harpist Lisa Lynne; a delicate rendering of "Amazing Grace" by John Doan on a 20-string harp guitar; and a church-ready version of "We Gather Together" by a trio of Paul McCandless (oboe), Philip Aaberg (piano), and Michael Manring (bass). A midalbum three-song stretch, though--from the heavy stringing (cello, violin, guitar) of William Coulter and Barry Phillips to R. Carlos Nakai's flute soliloquy to a saxophone meditation by Paul Winter--lingers overly long in a melancholy state. Later, a thoughtful harmonica outing by former Lovin' Spoonful member John Sebastian aims for Americana yet delivers more spaghetti Western. Still, the album ends with pieces by Will Ackerman and George Winston--and what could be more classic than that? --Terry Wood