I have to admit, I love compilation CD's. You get a nice taste of multiple artists' music to see if that's something you want to invest in, and usually the CD's are a good bargain for how much music you get. "The Woodchopper's Ball" is just such a CD -- full of fine guitar music, and you get 26 tracks in all. Many of the artists are from Ohio. There are some famous players on here, like Don Ross, Pete Huttlinger, Stephen Bennett, Todd Hallawell, and Robin Kessinger. And there are some players many of us have not heard of, like Ryann Anderson, Kerry Kean, and Jon Mosey. But don't let their lack of star status fool you -- these folks can play. "The Woodchopper's Ball" runs the gamut of stylings, from tapping to straight up thumb picking to 12-string guitar to bluegrass to gypsy. The first CD is more high energy, while the second has more traditional tunes and ballads. The big names you may know, so let me shed some light on some lesser luminaries on this double CD. Jim Volk's "Conversation Piece" is a musical dialogue juxtaposing A & B parts, and it reminds me of early Alex DeGrassi or Ed Gerhard when the Windham Hill label was the freshest face on the acoustic music scene. Jon Mosey has got the rag down on "Variation on a Theme by Fuller", channeling Blind Boy in this clean yet dirty ditty. "Rain Whispers" by Michael Kelsey finds us sitting in the gentle wetness on the shores of Lake Erie enveloped by the hovering fog. This is a great CD -- go out and buy it -- you'll get some fine music, and all the proceeds go to support the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless.