The ones I listen to... #6

After a long, though not especially harsh winter, spring has come and gone through my parts all too soon. Now the summer is in full blaze, almost without any warning. Be it as it may, summer is still likely my favorite season, bringing back memories. I spent many summers on the island of Vis, which was always a special and inspiring place for me.

When I hear the word “summer”, I also immediately think about an album of the same name by an American pianist and composer, George Winston. This introduced me to his work, and it has a very special place in my heart. It was the first CD I ever had - a gift from my mother, who was always my only true companion both in life and in music.

The music of George Winston often gets classified as new age, although he preferred to be called a folk musician and composer instead. Indeed, his music evokes pastoral scenes, quaint villages, and lush forests. It’s like looking at those rural-themed paintings from the past. Winston’s music will immediately transport you to nature and quiet places wherever you might be.

Winston was a very humble and sincere musician, despite being one of the best-selling authors of contemporary instrumental music. The record label “Windham Hill”, devoted to releasing acoustic instrumental music, played a pivotal role in his success. The label was originally started by William Ackerman, a musician and composer himself. I have discovered Ackerman’s music fairly recently and immediately fallen in love with it. In a way, Ackerman is George Winston’s counterpart on an acoustic guitar.

George Winston is a largely self-taught musician and composer. He was mostly influenced by New Orleans R&B music and also by Vince Guaraldi, who was most known as the author of music for “Peanuts”. Apart from his compositions, Winston often did instrumental covers of popular songs, especially from the Americana and blues genres. Some critics were bashing his playing technique, saying that Winston often sounds “like a pianist you might encounter playing in a shopping mall”. All this vile talk just can’t match the artist's undeniable talent and passion for music.

What I especially like about George Winston is his infinite modesty. Even after he achieved wide recognition and won a Grammy for the “Best Album of New Age Music” in 1996, he remained true to himself, nurturing an image of an unassuming gentleman who was even sometimes mistaken for a piano tuner or technician by an audience when he came out on the stage. I read somewhere that Winston often performed at concerts not wearing shoes, to quiet the pedal noise while playing a piano. It was almost like he was trying to erase his persona between the music and the listener as much as possible.

The highlight of his opus is certainly the “Seasons” series, which includes the following albums: “Autumn”, “Winter Into Spring”, “Summer”, and “December”. The last one is especially popular with listeners as it features several well-known Christmas carols in Winston’s recognizable arrangements. “Forest” from 1994 is another compelling release, probably the closest one to the “Seasons” series in comparison to his later albums. On these, Winston has turned to instrumental covers to quite a degree. He even released an album that features his piano renditions of music by The Doors.

Winston was first and foremost a pianist, but he also played acoustic guitar and harmonica. He was a big fan of Hawaiian music. Dancing Cat Records, the music label that Winston started in the early 1980s, released music by several Hawaiian artists as well as his own efforts in this domain.

I dislike gossip and sensationalism, which is why I only know a few small details from the personal lives of my favorite artists, including George Winston. He was a big philanthropist and often performed for charitable causes. I have subsequently learned that Winston was in poor health and suffered from various health conditions. He died of cancer in 2023. at age 74.

The music of George Winston will forever remain amongst my favorite sonic escapades and continue to inspire me with its spirit and simplicity.