Solo Instrumental, piano and percussion instruments

Solo Instrumental recordings launched successful labels like Windham Hill and Narada, ushering in a whole movement oriented toward impressionistic, often folk-inspired originals for piano, guitar, Celtic harp, and even hammered dulcimer. Though some of these releases offer innovative, emotionally moving performances, enough second-rate opportunists have jumped on the bandwagon to give the genre its "aural wallpaper" reputation. Still, some fine musicians continue to battle this stigma.