Opening with the the Slack Key Guitar sound of "Keola Beamer" performing "Keiki's Dream (Child's Dream), "A Winter Solstice Reunion" has most of Windham Hill's major artists joining to present an album of semi-holiday season music. Maybe because I've already reviewed so many actual Christmas albums, and listened to even more of them, I couldn't tune in on this particular CD. There just doesn't seem to be any kind of pizzazz here on any of the songs. Even familiar tunes like "I Saw Three Ships" by "Darcy Anger" seem very draggy to me.

I know this is a "winter" album, not a Christmas album, but I found it sort of depressing. There's no mistake there are some beautiful tracks on the album, but the overall effect left me cold - no pun intended. "Babe Is Born/Enter The Stable Gently" by "Liz Story," is a very pretty piano solo, with a very uneasy undertone to it. "Barbara Higbie's" "Snowfall Lullaby" is another lightweight, dreary song. "Alex DeGrassi's" guitar rendition of "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" is too unemphatic to make any kind of impression.

The name alone of the next song is enough to get you depressed - "Impending Death Of The Virgin Spirit" by "William Ackerman." Again an acoustic guitar number that is draggy and un-inspiring. "La Nit de Nadal (Christmas Night/El Nol de La Mare (Son Of Mary)," from "Mike Marshall" starts on a light, peppy note, but disintegrates into more of the same melancholy music. "Dreamtime" by "Nightnoise" at least has more than on or two instruments, and it does have a dreamy quality, but again is kind of a downer.

Yet another piano solo, this time by "Michael Manning," is "Year's End." The music is still kind of depressing, but at least it fits the title. Back to acoustic guitar we go with "Song Before Spring" by "Benjamin Bardery with Ufonia." At least this one picks up after an inauspicious beginning and some rhythm is added to offset the melody. Probably the peppiest song on the album. My favorite Windham Hill artist has been "George Winston" for years. However, his "What Are The Signs" is probably the least exciting song I've ever heard him play. "Rain Into Snow" by "William Coulter" is more acoustic guitar, but at least it's not one note here, one note there. There's still that melancholy sound, but it's a pretty song.

"20 Degrees Below" is a pretty flute/guitar number from "Paul McCandless," probably one of the better songs on the whole album. Wrapping things up are "Tuck and Patti" with "Christmas Wish," the only song on the CD with a vocal. It's sung with emotion, but so softly it just really doesn't grab you.

I can't justify calling this album anything but average. The only thing that saves it from being below average is the all star cast - even if they don't appear to be at the top of their form on this particular compilation. If you're not into your music making a dreary winter even more so, don't bother with this one.