George Winston is three pianists in one. The first is the impressionist, whose music inspired by growing up in wintry Montana evokes the spirit of the season. This “rural folk piano” style is the core of the program he presents at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts on Saturday.
“I never set out to compose; it just happens,” he said. “Music drives me, no matter how good or bad it is. For my first 12 years, my only entertainment was the weather. In our small town, we had no TV and no movie theater, but each time we looked out the window the weather was changing.
| Onstage |
| George Winston presents ‘The Winter Show’ |
| Where: George Mason University Center for the Arts |
| When: 8 p.m. Saturday, A pre-performance discussion begins at 7:15 p.m. |
| Info: $24 to $48 at 888-945-2468 or cfa.gmu.edu. Audience members are invited to bring a donation of canned food to the concert to support a local area food bank. |
“My seasonal albums were inspired by the weather in various parts of this country, but in the long run they are really about people. For instance, the song ‘Moon’ in the ‘Autumn’ album is about someone looking at the moon and what it means to him. All my songs are rooted in rural America and all are connected in some way, just as Appalachian blues is a cousin of rhythm and blues.”
The second George Winston is the stride pianist, his style inspired by “Fats” Waller, Teddy Wilson and other masters of that genre.
The third is his New Orleans style, a concoction of R&B, jazz and rock he developed while living in the city and absorbing the techniques of its master pianists Henry Butler, James Booker and Professor Longhair.
“From 1950 to 1967, I focused strictly on listening,” he said “There were a lot of instrumentals in the top 40 and I liked them, but I didn’t like singing. After I heard the Doors in 1967 and the jazz organist Jimmy Smith, I began playing the organ. Then when I heard ‘Fats’ Waller, I switched to piano.
“Learning the piano is like climbing a big mountain. I had some jazz lessons and music theory, but everything else I learned by listening. James Booker is my left hand. He became my template for how I play piano. My right hand comes from Jim Morrison and a chirp my cat always made when I played.”
Winston’s concerts are not complete without several numbers by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, composer of the scores for 16 “Peanuts” TV specials. Winston’s two volumes of Guaraldi’s music enchant children and adults alike. His own soundtracks for “The Velveteen Rabbit,” “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” and other children’s stories charm all ages.
“I’ll play several of Guaraldi’s pieces appropriate for the holiday season,” he said. “Everyone relates to the Charles Schulz’s characters. No matter the occasion, I always ask myself, What is the song saying and who am I playing for? I’m always looking for the best songs and the chord voicing that gives the best sound. ‘The Winter Show’ has surprises for everyone in the audience.”
