George Winston goes from spring to ‘Peanuts’ at Strathmore

“With music, for me, it’s all about the seasons,” he said emphatically. “I don’t think of cultures, philosophies or composers. If it isn’t a season, I don’t play it.”

There it is — straight from the musician’s mouth.

“We had it right when we thought the Earth was everything,” he continued. “Everything in the universe affects us, [and] my music is about the person looking at the seasons, looking at the stars from below and looking at the woods.”

This more than likely explains why his albums, in the style of melodic instrumental music on solo piano, have titles like “Winter into Spring,” “December,” “Summer” and “Forest.”

But for his Strathmore repertoire, Winston says he will play his “Summer Show,” which is actually spring and summer music played in a New World and R&B style. The solo performer (“I never play with anybody — I don’t want to”) will also regale audiences on guitar and harmonica.

This self-taught musician, who never uses sheet music and doesn’t know how to read music, will also play from his latest CD, “Love Will Come, The Music of Vince Guaraldi, Volume 2.” His first tribute album to jazz pianist Guaraldi was recorded in 1996.

The love affair with Guaraldi’s music goes back to Winston’s late teen years, when he became captivated with the piano soundtracks that accompanied Charles Schulz’s 16 “Peanuts” television specials, especially “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The music was scored by Guaradli, and Winston was determined to learn each piece.

“I listened to ‘Linus and Lucy’ [soundtrack] and I said, ‘I want to do it!’ ” he remembered.

And so he does — a bit of “Peanuts,” a lot more of Guaraldi, and plenty of spring and summer music fill the program.

“George Winston’s distinctive, boundary-defying music promises an evening of evocative and emotionally rich sounds,” said Shelley Brown, Strathmore’s vice president of artistic direction. “I hope this debut [visit] will be the first of many.”