Photo of George Winston

George Winston

George Winston Radio

Music

FEATURED SONG
Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel
  1. Play
  2. Play Next
  3. Add to queue
Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel
Album:
Released: Jan 21, 2010
Label:

General Info

  • Genre: Acoustic / Folk / Other

    Location Santa Cruz, California, US

    Profile Views: 351749

    Last Login: 3/20/2012

    Member Since 4/11/2007

    Website www.georgewinston.com

    Record Label Sony/BMG

    Type of Label Major

  • Bio

    George Winston grew up mainly in Montana, and also spent his later formative years in Mississippi and Florida. During this time, his favorite music was instrumental rock and instrumental R&B, including Floyd Cramer, the Ventures, Booker T & The MG’s, Jimmy Smith, and many more. Inspired by R&B, jazz, Blues and rock (especially the Doors), George began playing organ in 1967. In 1971 he switched to the acoustic piano after hearing recordings from the 1920s and the 1930s by the legendary stride pianists Thomas "Fats" Waller and the late Teddy Wilson. In addition to working on stride piano, he also at this time came up with this own style of melodic instrumental music on solo piano, called folk piano. In 1972, he recorded his first solo piano album, BALLADS AND BLUES 1972, for the late guitarist John Fahey’s Takoma label. His latest solo piano release is LOVE WILL COME – THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI, VOL. 2 (to be released 2/2/10), which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including pieces from the Peanuts® TV specials. Since 1980 George has released ten other solo piano albums: AUTUMN (1980), WINTER INTO SPRING (1982), DECEMBER (1982), SUMMER (1991), FOREST (1994), LINUS & LUCY-THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (1996), which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including Cast Your Fate to the Wind and pieces from the Peanuts® TV specials; PLAINS (1999), which was inspired by his Eastern Montana upbringing, NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY - THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS (2002), and MONTANA - A LOVE STORY (2004) and GULF COAST BLUES & IMPRESSIONS – A HURRICANE RELIEF BENEFIT (2006). Also, in 2001 George released REMEMBRANCE - A MEMORIAL BENEFIT, a six song CD of piano, guitar and harmonica solos, to benefit those affected by 9/11. He has also worked with the late George Levenson of Informed Democracy (www.informeddemocracy.com) on three projects: a solo guitar soundtrack for SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES, and soundtracks of piano, guitar and, harmonica solos for PUMPKIN CIRCLE, and BREAD COMES TO LIFE. In 1984 he also did the solo piano soundtrack for the children’s story THE VELVETEEN RABBIT for Rabbit Ears Productions. George is presently concentrating mainly on live performances, and most of the time he is touring playing solo piano concerts (the Summer Show or the Winter Show), solo guitar concerts, solo harmonica concerts, and solo piano dances (with R&B and slow dance songs). He is also studying the playing of the great New Orleans pianists Henry Butler, James Booker, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and Jon Cleary, and he is also working on interpreting pieces on solo piano by his favorite composers, including Vince Guaraldi, Professor Longhair, the Doors, Frank Zappa, Randy Newman, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Laura Nyro, Al Kooper, Dr. John, Henry Butler, James Booker, Jon Cleary, Ralph Towner, Arthur Lee, Milt Jackson, John Hartford, Oliver Schroer, Taj Mahal, Philip Aaberg, and others, to play at concerts, and at his solo piano dances. George is also working on solo guitar and is recording the masters of the Hawaiian Slack Key guitar for an extensive series of albums for Dancing Cat Records (www.dancingcat.com). Slack Key is the name for the beautiful solo fingerstyle guitar tradition, unique to Hawaii, which began in the early 1800s and predated the steel guitar by over half a century. He is also recording his main inspirations for his harmonica playing, Sam Hinton, Rick Epping, and Curt Bouterse. George Winston plays Steinway Pianos www.georgewinston.com

  • Members

  • Influences

    Right now George is concentrating on live performances, as well as studying the playing of the great New Orleans pianists Henry Butler, the late James Booker, Dr. John, and the late Professor Longhair, as well as Dr. John and Jon Cleary. .. He is also working on interpreting pieces on solo piano by his favorite composers, including Vince Guaraldi, Professor Longhair, the Doors, Frank Zappa, Randy Newman, Sam Cooke, Al Kooper, Ray Charles, Curtis Mayfield, Laura Nyro, Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Henry Butler, James Booker, Jon Cleary, John Coltrane, Milt Jackson, John Hartford, Taj Mahal, Bruce Cockburn, Philip Aaberg, and others, to play at concerts, and at his solo piano dances, where he features R&B, slow dance songs, and more...

  • Sounds Like




..
..

Videos























Here is James Booker playing Pixie , his composition that George recorded on his album Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions–A Hurricane Relief Benefit

Comments

Post a comment...
10 of 484More

Discography

George Winston's NEW Album

Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions 2 - A Louisiana Wetlands Benefit

Order now:
Official George Winston Store
Amazon | iTunes
Photobucket

“Since Katrina, and even more after the oil spill, I have wanted to help New Orleans and the Gulf area as much as possible,” says George Winston. “New Orleans pianists have been the biggest inspirations to me on the piano so I wanted to do something to support them and their great city.”


Photobucket
George Winston Songbook Now Available

First fully authorized songbook features 20 transcriptions. Available to order now at George Winston Store.


The songs transcribed in the songbook are:
1. Black Stallion
2. The Cradle
3. Graduation
4. Joy
5. Loreta and Desiree’s Bouquet – Part 1
6. Longing
7. Lullaby
8. New Hope Blues
9. Prelude / Carol of the Bells
10. Reflection
11. Stevenson
12. Thanksgiving
13. Thumbelina
14. The Twisting of the Hayrope
15. Variations on Bamboo
16. Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel
17. The Velveteen Rabbit

____

Three from THE SNOWMAN:
18. Walking in the Air
19. Building the Snowman
20. The Snowman's Music Box Dance


Visit George Winston Online:

iLike George Winston













Login

Forgot password?

Need an account? Sign up