artist: Checkfield country of origin: USA style(s): World music, folk, jazz fusion essential releases: Water, Wind & Stone (1986, American Gramophone)

“Eclectic instrumental music for the thinking person” went one of their press releases, and that’s pretty close to the mark in summing up this album by Americans John Archer and Ron Satterfield. Released in a decade when downtempo acoustic sounds were all the rage thanks to success of labels like Windham Hill, Checkfield's debut album Water Wind & Stone has the melodic strength of good pop while drawing on a highly eclectic melange of folk, classical and ethnic sounds. Although given to occasional bouts of breezy, jazz-inflected nothingness, their best music expresses a joyful, euphoric beauty that can lift you right off the ground. Their debut remains their best effort to date - they really haven't come close since.

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