Best acoustic -natural instruments CD's

Fillip Johnston "Unknown" soundtrack available on Avan Japan. Rare CD but brass arrangements will certainly drive you nuts. That David Hofsta on acoustic bass is something!

Carla Bley big band "Goes to Church" on WATT 1995.

If you dig onto minimalizm you should check out Mark Nauseef "Wun Wun" on CMP label with Jack Bruce. A truely nice piece!

Another minimalistic proposition is to look-up solo albums of Lisa Gerrard(of Dead Can Dance) and Meridith Monk on ECM.

Another ECM proposition is for David Darling "October" he's only the one playing his cello. I realy was stunned with this album and listened to it from the very beginning to the end without stops. My dinner was becomming cold and I still didn't want to leave speaker focus.

From the rock musicians I'd recommend Peter Hammill(of Van Der Graaf Generator) "Black Box".

Anouar Brahem / Le Pas du Chat Noir
Cowboy Junkies / The Trinity Session
Eva Cassidy / Songbird or Imagine
Deb Talon / Something Burning or Sincerely

I second David Grisman's Acoustic Disc label. Many fabulous recordings with equally fabulous sound.

I second Rives' recommendations of M*A recordings.
Rives, if you like Calamus, then get Mujedar. I got it at the HE2003 show and like it a lot.
There are also some excellent recordings from Mapleshade (rather ecclectic repertoire though) and Turtle records (using tube recording gear). Turtlerecords.com is currently under construction.

Zakir Hussain - Making Music
This album is dating back to 1986 and features John McLaughlin (guitar), Jan Garberek (sax), Pandit Hariprasad Churasia (flute) and Hussain on Tabla. I have had it since 1989 and is still the most played CD in my collection and always lying next to my player. Amazing musicianship from all four veterans.

I also like following albums when it comes to natural sounding instruments.

McLaughlin, De Lucia, Dimeola - Friday Night in San Francisco

Strunz and Farah - Primal Magic

Ry Cooder/Ali Farke Toure – Talking Timbuktu

Eric Clapton-Unplugged