Summer Solstice: A Windham Hill Collection (1997)

About this title: After umpteen versions of their take on music relating to and inspired by "the most wonderful time of the year," the folks at Windham Hill finally turned in another direction, producing the fetching Summer Solstice. They shouldn't be persecuted for an attempt to trade on the trademark "Winter Solstice" market, as long as the disc succeeds on its own merits. And that it pretty much does. Standout cuts include Michael Hedges' "Dream Beach," bass guitar god Michael Manring teaming up with woodwind veteran Paul McCandless for the evocatively named "In Our Jasmine Days," and Hawaiian slack-key ... read more

Tracks:

1. Summer Solstice [Harkness/Keane]
2. Sad Lisa [Stevens]
3. Dream Beach [Hedges]
4. In Our Jasmine Days [Manring]
5. Reunion [Boswell/Keane]
6. Kalena Kai [Kalapana]
7. Midsummer's Moon [Arkenstone]
8. The Promise [Story]
9. Summer from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" [Vivaldi]
10. Summer Star [Lynne]
11. Incondizionatamente [Ackerman]
12. Companions [Arkenstone]
13. Out of Time [Story]
14. M.M.'s Dunk [Winston]
15. Warmth of the Sun/Surfer Girl [Love/Wilson]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.