Music by... W.G. Snuffy Walden [Soundtrack]

music by... w.g. snuffy walden [soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Claiming he was wary of finding himself "playing Holiday Inns at 60," W.G. "Snuffy" Walden segued gracefully from a career as a rock/blues guitarist and sideman/musical director to artists from Donna Summer and Laura Branigan to Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan to become one of modern television's most prolific composers. This collection offers up several of Walden's contemporary TV successes (the powerful, guitar- and wordless-aria-driven elegance of "Once and Again"; the haunting "Felicity's Theme"; an acoustic guitar revamp of "Thirtysomething"; and the stately theme from his Emmy-winning work on The West Wing) alongside other nonsoundtrack compositions that frequently evoke his Louisiana and Texas roots with graceful resolve. Assisted by a strong roster of notable sidemen (including guitarist Dean Parks, pianist Randy Kerber, bassist Neil Stubenhaus, and percussionist Paulinho da Costa), Walden's music gratifyingly stretches the boundaries of the Windham Hill "mold," especially on the evocative solo guitar and orchestra piece "Sketches of Topanga" and the percussive, energetic ambitions of "New York/Melting Pot." With his elegiac acoustic guitar leading the way, Walden's music here mixes woodwinds, orchestra, string quartets, and electric slide guitar into a subtle musical stew that expands on his screen work in ways both logical and rewarding. --Jerry McCulley

Music by... W.G. Snuffy Walden,W.G. Snuffy Walden,Windham Hill Records,Contemporary Instrumental,Pop,Soundtrack,Soundtrack Collections,Soundtracks & Film Scores,Television Music

Music by... W.G. Snuffy Walden [Soundtrack]

Average customer rating:

Too much clutter
Ear-pleasing music
Music by W G Snuffy Smith
This is a 10 Star Mood-Enhancing CD!
Tasteful!

Music by... W.G. Snuffy Walden
W.G. Snuffy Walden
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The American President: Original Score From The Motion Picture
Touch-Windham Hill 25 Years of Guitar
The West Wing Seasons 3 & 4: The Shooting Scripts: Eight Teleplays by Aaron Sorkin (Newmarket Shooting Script)
The West Wing Script Book
Sounds of Wood and Steel

ASIN: B00004DTOE
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

Angela Smiled
Love Unspoken
Once & Again
Turtle Bay
Sketches Of Topanga
Eugene's Ragtop
New York/Melting Pot
Room With A View
Felicity's Theme
Thirtysomething (Revisited)
Big City
Alone
West Wing Suite (Bonus Track)
West Wing - Main Title (Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

Claiming he was wary of finding himself "playing Holiday Inns at 60," W.G. "Snuffy" Walden segued gracefully from a career as a rock/blues guitarist and sideman/musical director to artists from Donna Summer and Laura Branigan to Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan to become one of modern television's most prolific composers. This collection offers up several of Walden's contemporary TV successes (the powerful, guitar- and wordless-aria-driven elegance of "Once and Again"; the haunting "Felicity's Theme"; an acoustic guitar revamp of "Thirtysomething"; and the stately theme from his Emmy-winning work on The West Wing) alongside other nonsoundtrack compositions that frequently evoke his Louisiana and Texas roots with graceful resolve. Assisted by a strong roster of notable sidemen (including guitarist Dean Parks, pianist Randy Kerber, bassist Neil Stubenhaus, and percussionist Paulinho da Costa), Walden's music gratifyingly stretches the boundaries of the Windham Hill "mold," especially on the evocative solo guitar and orchestra piece "Sketches of Topanga" and the percussive, energetic ambitions of "New York/Melting Pot." With his elegiac acoustic guitar leading the way, Walden's music here mixes woodwinds, orchestra, string quartets, and electric slide guitar into a subtle musical stew that expands on his screen work in ways both logical and rewarding. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Too much clutter.......2006-04-05

Snuffy's simple solo performances on this album are a "5", no question ... and if you like booming symphony orchestras and distracting New Age vocalists to accompany guitars, then you'll probably judge the whole album a "5." But there are too few of the former, too many of the latter. So please give us another album, Snuffy. Only next time bring fewer friends.

Ear-pleasing music.......2005-09-08

It was on "Touch, Windham Hill 25 Years of Guitar" that I first encountered the music of Snuffy Walden.

Well, that's not entirely true. It was back in the 80s, during my brief yet poignant obsession with Hope, Michael, Elliott and Nancy of Thirtysomething that I first became enchanted. Although I didn't really know it at the time; I just tapped along to the tune that opened the show then settled into the sofa for a good hour of 1980s big-hair, big-corporation drama.

Now, nearly twentysomething years later, Snuffy is back in my life, and I couldn't be happier. All the tracks of "Music by W.G. Snuffy Walden" are listenable, and many merit the "back" button on your computer or car stereo. His characteristic tug of the guitar string shows up here and there, which tugs at the heartstrings as well. The best cut is "Felicity's Theme," a sad, liquid tune, delightful in its restraint. "Thirtysomething Revisited" took some getting used to, as this fan remembers the original. But now it's my second-favorite track, causing me to sometimes race across the room to turn up the volume for a better hearing of the guitar work. The rendition is slow and meditative, not the upbeat version that served as the bed for the blue titles of the television show. But hey, this is now, that was then. Slower can be better, or at least just as good.

Bottom line: I've currently got three cds in my changer, which I press "play" and "repeat" every morning before putting in a day's work. So mind you, these three cds are all I have listened to for a good two months. Snuffy's is among them. (Sorry; you'll have to guess the other two.)

Music by W G Snuffy Smith.......2005-07-29

The primary reason for ordering this CD was for the theme for West Wing. It was the one track that was defective. The other tracks ranges from adequate to poor.

This is a 10 Star Mood-Enhancing CD!.......2005-06-30

I came across this CD while looking for others and intuitively, I felt it might be of interest. Excuse me for saying this, but I had never heard of W.G. Snuffy Walden before although I have seen the series "West Wing" on TV and heard the theme music which he wrote and two "bonus" takes of this are at the end of this fine CD.

The music on this CD is beautifully written and performed by Snuffy and/or his friends and is a pleasure to take in over and over. The moods range from mellow, lofty, airy, soothing, melancholy, contemplative, meditative, inspiring, and spiritual.

There are Celtic-like vocals in the background on some cuts along with a beautiful and pleasing arrangements of acoustic and electric guitar, violin, viola, percussions, drums, piano, cello, and woodwinds.

Those who enjoy this type of music will be overjoyed- it's a real jewel and I have put it right at the top of all my mellow mood enhancing CDs!

Tasteful!.......2004-07-09

Tasteful. That's how I would summarize this album.

This recording was a serendipitous discovery for me. In a stack of CDs that were given to our high school library, I was immediately drawn to acoustic guitar on the cover. I was not disappointed when I cracked open the case and dropped it into my CD player.

Snuffy Walden has written some extraordinarily beautiful melodies, and thankfully has kept them free from lyrics on this album. The majority of this recording has a quiet, restful atmosphere, played mostly on acoustic six-string guitar. Tracks at times are accompanied by string quartet, orchestra, voices, or "smooth jazz" style combo.

Snuffy appears to pay tribute on various tracks to some of my all-time favorite guitarists including an unplugged Eric Clapton, Bruce Cockburn, Will Ackerman and Phil Keaggy. There's even a hint of some of the classical greats such as Segovia or John Williams to be heard here (not that they'd ever play steel strings with a pick, but there's still a hint of that sound).

This has quickly become my favorite album of the summer, and it will remain in the top of my personal playlist when I return to school and play it as background music in the library.

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