Wind and Wire ~ CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL TOP TWENTY OF 2004 (ranked)

1. Jim Wilson - Sanctuary (Willow Bay Music)
2. Omar - Free As A Bird (Real Music)
3. David Arkenstone - Atlantis (Narada)
4. John Adorney - Waiting For The Moon (Ever Sound)
5. William Joseph - Within (143/Reprise)
6. David Lanz - The Good Life (Decca)
7. Paul Cardall - Christmas Hymns (Stone Angel Music)
8. Tim Janis - Beautiful America (Koch Records)
9. Johannes Linstead - Mediterranea (Earthscape Media)
10. John Petrucci & Jordan Rudess - An Evening With John Petrucci & Jordan Rudess (Favored Nations)
11. Karunesh - Call Of The Mystic (Real Music)
12. Brian Crain - The BC String Ensemble (Crain Records)
13. Gandalf - Colors Of A New Dawn (Real Music)
14. Laura Sullivan - Mystical America (Delvian Records)
15. Benise - Live (Rosanegra Records)
16. Amethystium -Evermind (Neurodisc)
17. Craig Urquhart - Streamwalker (Heart Earth Music)
18. Bill Douglas - Stepping Stones (Hearts of Space)
19. Ryan Farish - Beautiful (Neurodisc)
20. Buedi Siebert - Wave Hand Like Clouds (Real Music)

Last year I traveled the wide-open freeway and took the easy way out and alphabetized my top choices of 2003. This
years is the route of the narrow curving road with a valiant attempt to rank what turned out to be a very good year
for contemporary instrumental music.

The year started off in tremendous form when I was given the privilege to review Jim Wilson's latest effort
Sanctuary and its beauty floored me. Though Omar's effort Free As A Bird and David Arkenstone's Atlantis came
very close, the soul of Sanctuary remained firmly entrenched as my number one pick throughout the entire year.

While it was relatively easy to choose my first ten albums, it was very difficult to round out my top twenty, as the
differences between them were nominal. But I would like to make honorable mention of two outstanding 2003
releases that I was not exposed to until later this year. They were the magical A Cup Of Moonlight by David Lanz
and the graceful Finding Solace by Philip Wesley.

I would like to thank the artists and the labels for entrusting me with their blood, sweat and tears. This is an honor
that I do not take lightly and I hope that my reviews assist the readers of our website. I would also like to thank my
webmaster Bill Binkelman for the creative outlet and my wife for her editorial assistance.

Mike Debbage, Wind and Wire