25 Year Celebration Mannheim Steamroller

Disc 1
1	The Steamroller Fresh Aire 8 4:38
2	Morning Fresh Aire III 2:56
3	Baroque-A-Nova Classical Gas 3:07
4	Christmas Lullaby Christmas in the Aire 4:06
5	Four Rows of Jacks Fresh Aire IV 3:13
6	Chocolate Coffee Sunday Morning Coffee II 3:54
7	A Winter's Day Impressions 5:11
8	Morning Blend (Sunday Morning Coffee) 5:17
9	Interlude I Interludes 2:43
10	Reggae Manana Mon Party 'Til You're Dead Mix 2:12
11	Prelude/Chocolate Fudge Fresh Aire I 4:28
12	Slo Dancin' in the Living Room Romance II 3:50
Disc 2
1	The Pines of Rome: Yellowstone The Music of Nature 2:58
2	Twilight at Rhodes Fresh Aire VI 1:59
3	Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse 3:19
4	The 7 Metals of Alchemy Fresh Aire 7 3:24
5	Dancin' in the Stars Fresh Aire V 5:13
6	Wassail, Wassail Mannheim Steamroller Christmas 2:22
7	The Fourth Door Fresh Aire II 3:53
8	Sonata Bach's Lunch Dinner for Two 2:54
9	The Holly and the Ivy A Fresh Aire Christmas 3:01
10	Eclectric Blue Party 2 3:20
11	Harp Seals Saving the Wildlife 1:38
12	Kanbai Romance 4:08
13	Ruslan and Ludmilla To Russia With Love 5:13

Barnes & Noble

To celebrate Mannheim Steamroller's 25th anniversary, Chip Davis -- the mastermind behind this new age juggernaut -- has released this two-disc retrospective. Each track is taken from a different Steamroller album, creating what Davis calls "a musical timeline." The course of Mannheim's musical evolution was set from their very first track, "Prelude/Chocolate Fudge" on FRESH AIRE 1, an eclectic manifesto that showed Davis was never shy about mixing musical styles. Jazz, classical, funk, and pop are whipped together into a smooth, frothy concoction, something he originally termed "18th-century rock 'n' roll." As descriptions go, it's a perfect fit, especially when Davis adds in baroque-style ornaments that glitter in their electronic getup -- check out "Interlude I" from INTERLUDES. But in listening to this collection, what's most striking is the scope of the music; no two songs here sound alike. Even the three Christmas tunes here -- a Steamroller specialty -- celebrate the holiday with merry variety. Only the most maniacal Mannheim fans will have all 25 of the tracks here, so this provides a fine overview -- and with the bonus of "The Steamroller," a track from the forthcoming FRESH AIRE 8, it's clear this train ain't stopping anytime soon. Andrew Farach-Colton

All Music Guide

To commemorate his quarter-of-a-century as Mannheim Steamroller, Chip Davis released the double-disc compilation, 25 Year Celebration Mannheim Steamroller. The 25-track set picks a highlight from each of Davis' and Mannheim's records, creating a good one-stop retrospective for fans and introduction for the curious. Certain fan favorites may be missing, but this is a thorough, solid compilation. Stephen Thomas Erlewine