Will Ackerman, Zade Durani

An evening of Music in the Great Room featuring Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill Music, on acoustic guitar, and Zade Durani, renowned Jordanian pianist & composer, on piano. Wednesday December 19, 2001 at 7 pm in the Great Room. Tickets $12.50. Advance reservations are suggested. Please call Diane Rapaport at 928-634-8894 or Nancy Jarvis at 928-282-9300.

Will Ackerman is known for his recordings of unusual and exotic acoustic guitar instrumentals. In his 10th album, Hearing Voices, Ackerman uses the guitar to frame improvisations of human voices singing in many languages. "In 25 years of recording, I had never used the human voice: probably the most expressive of all instruments" Ackerman said. "There are the songs I would have sung myself, if I were blessed with the talents of Samite, Happy Rhodes, Noah Chase, Jaya Lakshmi, Heather Rankin, Curtis King and Betsy McLeod."

"William Ackerman, just your average Stanford dropout who got into the construction business, then accidentally started a record company which changed the course of modern acoustic music. Yes, Ackerman started Windham Hill Records, and the world of New Age or Acoustic music was started in the Bay Area, amidst the new world of computers and silicon chips....

In my opinion, William Ackerman is one of the pivotal figures of modern instrumental music."

"Ackerman started out as just another guitar player. Then he learned about tuning the guitar to different base values and he says he has never played in the conventional tuning again. Will plays on a steel string guitar so that the notes have a distinctive ringing sound. Will likes to let the string vibrate free, and let the overtones and harmonic vibrations sound out on their own....

"The result is a guitar sound that is unlike anyone else. Very simple, not flashy or complex, but a purity of soul comes through the music."

Colin Glassey

Zade Durani, born in Jordan, is a world fusion composer and pianist known in Jordan for his compositions that blend Eastern and Western traditions. Inspired by the rich Jordanian heritage and history, and fired by the strength of the modern western scene, Zade strives to represent Jordan as a nation of peace in his music. Will Ackerman is producing Zade's debut album, to be released on Windham Hill Records in the Fall of 2002. Windham Hill Records is a new age label that is currently distributed by BMG.

Zade has been performing to sold out audiences in Jordan since he was seventeen years old. He performed before thousands of Jordanians, including Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein, Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Al Faisal. He has been appointed by His Majesty King Abdullah the 2nd as one of the six Jordanian achievers that are leading the country into its new era.

For further information please call Sedona Creative Life Center
928-282-9300