Mannheim Steamroller Meets The Mouse: Unique Musical Creations Based On Disney Songs  (Audio CD) 
by Chip Davis

From the heartland of Nebraska, under the creative guidance of Chip Davis, the enormously popular Mannheim Steamroller has made some of the country's bestselling faux-classical synth-pop New Age music, as witnessed by the Fresh Aire and Christmas serials. Beginning in 1974, Mannheim Steamroller cleverly and skillfully created a niche--and more lucratively, a market--for their outfit and for a genre that has grown to encompass the likes of Yanni and Zamfir. On Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse, Davis and his cast of accomplices tackle Disney stalwarts such as "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" (from Song of the South) and "Chim Chim Cheree" (from Mary Poppins), as well as relative newcomers to the Mouse catalog, including "Go the Distance" (from Hercules) and "You've Got a Friend in Me" (from Toy Story). Sadly, despite sweet moments in their rendition of Mulan's "Reflection" or the beloved Pinocchio tune "When You Wish Upon a Star," on which there is a lovely hand-bell choir sound, at best the Mannheim Steamroller registers a tepid nice. --Paige La Grone