New Age Pianist George Winston - RIP

[Kevin Bresnahan]

George Winston, a pianist whose style is often grouped in the "New Age" music category has died at the age of 73 after a 10-year bout with cancer. Winston himself preferred to be called a "folk pianist".

https://www.georgewinston.com/about/

My wife & I have often listened to many of Winston's recordings over the years as we found them very enjoyable in a relaxed sort of way. We particularly liked playing his music at meal times. We saw him live several times as well, including the last time he came through the area just a few years ago. A memorable performance was when he played in Boston at the old Opera House, a beautiful venue to see/hear musical performances.

[T.D.]

1 hour ago, bresna said:

George Winston, a pianist whose style is often grouped in the "New Age" music category has died at the age of 73 after a 10-year bout with cancer. Winston himself preferred to be called a "folk pianist".

https://www.georgewinston.com/about/

My wife & I have often listened to many of Winston's recordings over the years as we found them very enjoyable in a relaxed sort of way. We particularly liked playing his music at meal times. We saw him live several times as well, including the last time he came through the area just a few years ago. A memorable performance was when he played in Boston at the old Opera House, a beautiful venue to see/hear musical performances.

 

R.I.P.

I was given a cassette of one of his solo albums (it might have been Autumn, but I forget) back around 1990.

I enjoyed it and frequently played it in the car (until the cassette failed).

[mjzee]

I particularly liked Autumn.  I didn't care about which genre it belonged to; it was just lovely music.  Ruminative, in a way that perhaps descended from John Fahey.  RIP.

[danasgoodstuff]

IIRC he produced a pretty good Professor Longhair album, so thanks to him for that.  RIP

[JSngry]

At the time, I remember thinking that it sounded like ECM without the jazz. Haven't thought about it since then. But obviously he enriched many peoples lives with that. 

RIP

[felser]

RIP, I enjoyed his most famous albums.

[Stereojack]

16 hours ago, danasgoodstuff said:

IIRC he produced a pretty good Professor Longhair album, so thanks to him for that.  RIP

The Longhair album was actually licensed from a French label, but he did have the good taste to release it it the US. I enjoyed the series of Hawaiian slack key guitar albums he produced on his Dancing Cat label, by Ray Kane, Sonny Chillingworth, Keola Beamer, Ledward Kaapana, Cyril Pahinui, Cyril Pahinui, and others.

[Big Al]

Always enjoyed his music. My sister and I got to see him live in 1991 at the Paramount in Austin. They chilled the theater and then turned off the AC so we could better hear his piano. His albums Summer and the tribute to Vince Guaraldi are my favorites. I never thought of him as new age; he seemed to me to be the John Fahey of the piano.

[mhatta]

For some reason, "Longing/Love" from George Winston's album Autumn is very (I mean VERY) popular in Japan, and used to be played at least once a day on various programs on TV. It surely is a good song.  RIP.

https://youtu.be/BiDZeo017Gs

 

[clifford_thornton]

Just seeing this now -- too bad. His first LP on Takoma is swell.

[romualdo]

On 6/16/2023 at 5:25 AM, clifford_thornton said:

Just seeing this now -- too bad. His first LP on Takoma is swell.

there's the connection but his relationship with Fahey goes deeper than that

https://www.furious.com/perfect/fahey/fahey-winston.html

 

[mjzee]

2 hours ago, romualdo said:

there's the connection but his relationship with Fahey goes deeper than that

https://www.furious.com/perfect/fahey/fahey-winston.html

 

Thanks for sharing that.  I do think Fahey was a "rainmaker" - he started things, he made things happen.  I didn't know Winston recorded for Tacoma.  I didn't know John Abercrombie recorded for Wyndham Hill.  I've never heard of John Creger.

[romualdo]

20 minutes ago, mjzee said:

Thanks for sharing that.  I do think Fahey was a "rainmaker" - he started things, he made things happen.  I didn't know Winston recorded for Tacoma.  I didn't know John Abercrombie recorded for Wyndham Hill.  I've never heard of John Creger.

I've been a listener of Fahey's for years, well before the term "American Primitive" was coined for his (and others) "category" of music

[clifford_thornton]

14 hours ago, romualdo said:

there's the connection but his relationship with Fahey goes deeper than that

https://www.furious.com/perfect/fahey/fahey-winston.html

 

Wonderful interview, thanks.

[Niko]

On 6/19/2023 at 4:08 PM, clifford_thornton said:

Wonderful interview, thanks.

Yes, indeed!