Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
  Transport to a Better Place January 26, 2008
This is Oregon at their best. An exquisite, almost perfect album of brilliantly played instrumental music, including the best cover ever of Jim Pepper's Witchi-Tai-To. Is it jazz? classical? ambient? It transcends all categories and reaches into the stuff inside that makes you you. Even the cover art is moving and evocative. A classic, iconic, beautiful album.
Oregon at their Best May 28, 2007
This recording from 1974 from the original core band members is just wonderful and flawless. The pieces are risky melodically, beautifully performed by all member's at the peak of their musicianship. The band members communicate flluently with each other. Oregon, at this point in time, was an acoustic instrument only intramental band. They play with the influences from Ravi Shankar to The Modern Jazz Quartet as well as being ahead of their time. This is New Age music before New Age music existed!
A bit darker than most of the band's releases (Distant Hills, Music of Another Present Era), this is the record I always come back to. Excellent spin!
Oh...Come on..can't believe this hasn't been reviewed! November 25, 2005
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
OK.....I first heard this album ( not the CD) in the 1970"s when a great guitar making and playing friend in Chicago bought it for me. ( Hi Ed!) The first track hooks you and the rest follows suit. The sound is jazz-like but no big band or quartet tight ensemble here. Flute w guitar, wonderful soft but present percussion ( much more than I am able to describe ), synchopated and unsynchopated rhythm, that creates a sound native to no country. If you have a long commute, this music will stimulate yet relax the spirit and sharpen the mind. Enjoy ! Enjoy !
Desert Island Album March 28, 2005
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I first bought this album, on vinyl, in late 1975 or early 1976 - because I liked the cover. Knew nothing about the music. From the first spin, it was magic - and is no less so over the years. The music has a depth and complexity that rewards repeated listening with new revelations each time. 30 years of repeated listening. It has all the ineffable mystery, natural spirit, and grace of the Northwest coast. If I were stranded on a desert island, and could take only one record with me, Winter Light is it.
An Oregon Classic! July 17, 2003
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
The music sounds exactly like Oregon, the state (of being), itself. It is pure nature and spirit, and excellent to listen to on your headphones if you're in the (Oregon) woods. (Of note, Ralph Towner and Glen Moore attended the University of Oregon where Towner studied music theory and composition before his studies in Vienna, Austria.) All four musicians soar on this album. As a bonus, listen to the subtle flugelhorn by guitarist Towner on "Tide Pool" and "Margueritte". Other great albums by Oregon are "Music Of Another Present Era", and the out-of-print "Roots In The Sky" and "Out Of The Woods". I heard them play at the Northwest Cultural Center in Portland, and they are GREAT live, too!
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