Liner Notes
1. Tamarack Pines 5:49
Influenced by the work of composer Steve Reich and inspired by the Tamarack Pines of western Montana, which have pine needles that turn yellow and drop from the trees in the fall.
2. Forbidden Forest 2:32
3. Troubadour 1:56
By film composer John Barry. This instrumental orchestra piece was released on the flip side of the 45 rpm single of the instrumental Theme from Goldfinger in 1964.
4. The Cradle 2:13
By the late jazz organist, Larry Young (Khalid Yasim) from his album, HEAVEN ON EARTH (Blue Note Records).
5. Cloudy This Morning 2:43
6. Last Lullaby Here :59
Inspired by Thomas and Connie.
7. Mon Enfant (My Child) 3:20
A traditional children’s piece, also recorded as a guitar solo for the soundtrack SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES, with narration by Liv Ullmann (Dancing Cat Records). Great versions of this song have also been recorded by guitarist Ralph Towner (DIARY – ECM Records) and by guitarist Wes Montgomery (TEQUILA – Verve Records, under the title Little Child, Daddy Dear), with strings arranged by Claus Ogerman.
8. Returning :40
9. Graceful Ghost 2:53
A melodic ragtime piece written by composer and pianist William Bolcom in 1969 in memory of his father, and recorded on his album HELIOTROPE BOUQUET PIANO RAGS (Elektra Nonesuch Records) in 1971. This version is an adaptation of the first and last parts of the piece, rather than a faithful rendition of the original score.
Three pieces from THE SNOWMAN by Howard Blake:
10. Walking in the Air 7:45
The main theme from this beautiful children’s animation, with orchestra music composed by Howard Blake (CBS FM Records).
In the middle of this version are two fragments: part of the song Quiet Observer by harpist Andreas Vollenwieder from his album DOWN TO THE MOON (CBS FM Records); the second, by composer Dominic Frontiere from THE OUTER LIMITS soundtrack on the episode, The Man Who Was Never Born (GNP Crescendo Records).
11. Building the Snowman 1:35
12. The Snowman’s Music Box Dance 2:35
13. Love Song to a Ballerina 2:58
By composer Mark Isham from the children’s story soundtrack THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER. Other great soundtracks by Mark Isham include THUMBELINA and THE EMPEROR AND THE NIGHTINGALE (All Rabbit Ears Productions/BMG Kidz Records).
14. Lights in the Sky 1:41
15. Japanese Music Box (Itsuki No Komoriuta) 2:11
A traditional Japanese lullaby. The title means Lullaby of Itsuki, a region in southern Japan.
16. Night Sky 2:56
All pieces composed or arranged by George Winston except where noted
Produced by Howard Johnston, Cathy Econom and George Winston
Recorded by Howard Johnston
Additional engineering by Adam Muñoz and Nancy Scharlau
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Art Direction by Candace Upman and Anne Robinson
Photography by Larry Ulrich
Many thanks to the hard working people at Dancing Cat, Windham Hill and BMG
ADDITIONAL LINER NOTES
by Jay Junker
"I started in the late 1960s on organ and electric piano," George recalls. "Then I heard Fats Waller in 1971 and instantly switched to acoustic. I didn't even sell the electric gear, I just left it somewhere. Fats Waller became my main influence, and later I was also very much influenced by the late Teddy Wilson, who was well-known for having played with the great Benny Goodman trio and quartet in the 1930s." In 1972 George recorded his first album, Ballads and Blues - 1972. "It was solo and I am very much a soloist."
"In 1979 I borrowed a Professor Longhair album, New Orleans Piano (on Atlantic), from the library in downtown Los Angeles. It came to the track Hey Now Baby, and things have not been the same since. For all this I'm doing now, recording slack key, doing my own recordings, touring, I give great thanks to Professor Longhair, since he gave me the inspiration which made it all happen."
The R & B of "Fess" led George to other New Orleans keyboard masters, especially James Booker, as well as Henry Butler and Dr. John. "The James Booker piano language became a mainstay in almost everything I do," he says, "along with the other styles I play, stride piano and my own melodic style, which is a cross between pop instrumental and folk music. I've been inspired by many artists coming from many traditions."
In 1980, George returned to the recording studio, and since then has recorded five albums based on the seasons. These include Autumn (1980), Winter Into Spring (1982), December (1982), Summer (1991), and most recently Forest (1994). He tours constantly with two alternating solo programs, the Summer Show and the Winter Show. "Everything I do musically comes from the seasons," he says. "That's the whole undercurrent of everything I play and visualize as I'm listening to music. I grew up in Montana where the seasons were so distinct, each its own world. Since then, every song I like, every song I think of, every song I perform live or put on a recording is the sound of the season to me. For instance, Hawaiian slack key guitar reminds me of springtime in Montana, and I love hearing composer Steve Reich's music in New England in the fall. When I play, all I'm trying to do is portray the seasons."
"On Forest," says George, "The songs are all about November, but the forest theme is even more dominant than the season." This album has seven pieces put together by George, two traditional pieces, and seven others by other composers, including John Barry, Larry Young, William Bolcom, Howard Blake, and Mark Isham.
"One of the main inspirations on Forest has been Howard Blake's musical soundtrack for The Snowman animation," say George. "This is a great work in all aspects: the story, the animation, and the soundtrack. All the sound effects and moods in this story are done with the orchestra, and there's no narration. It can be universally appreciated. I've arranged three of the orchestra pieces for solo piano, and in the middle of the piece Walking in the Air I added some fragments from harpist Andreas Vollenweider and film composer Dominic Frontiere. The Snowman is my favorite children's story, in fact it's my favorite story of any kind."
The song Troubadour is by film composer John Barry. "This instrumental piece, originally for orchestra and electric guitar, was released on the flip side of the 45 rpm single of the instrumental Theme from Goldfinger in 1964," George relates. "I'm one of those people who always like the B sides, especially if they were instrumentals."
The Cradle is by the late jazz organist Larry Young (also known as Khalid Yasim), from his album Heaven on Earth (Blue Note Records).
Mon Enfant has an unknown origin. "I've heard it by guitarist Ralph Towner and under the name Little Child, Daddy Dear by guitarist Wes Montgomery and by bandleader Spike Jones," George says. "and also in a movie. The first lines of the lyrics are 'Daddy dear, Daddy dear, is the world really round?/Tell me where is the Bluebird of Happiness found.' I don't know if it's originally French. I've been told there are other versions, one on an old 78 rpm. If anybody knows more about the history of this song, I'd like to know."
Graceful Ghost is a melodic ragtime piece written by pianist/composer William Bolcom in 1969 in memory of his father, and recorded on his album, Heliotrope Bouquet ‹ Piano Rags (Elektra Nonesuch Records) in 1971. George's version on Forest is an adaptation of the first and last parts of the piece, rather than a faithful rendition of the original score.
Composer Mark Isham's Love Song To A Ballerina is the love theme that runs through-out the children's story soundtrack, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, whenever the soldier sees the ballerina. Mark has done many great soundtracks, and two of George's other favorites are Thumbelina and The Emperor and the Nightingale (all three are on Rabbit Ears Productions/BMG Kidz Records).
Japanese Music Box (Itsuki no Komoriuta) is a traditional Japanese lullaby. The title means "Lullaby of Itsuki," a region in Japan. "I first learned this from a music box a friend of mine's mother brought back from Japan," George recalls. The minor key ascending scale is different from the minor descending scale, which is common in traditional Japanese koto (plucked zither) music.
Although mainly known for his piano playing, George also plays solo guitar. "When I feel something I go to the guitar most of the time," he says. "Most of what I play is ki- ho-'alu, or Hawaiian slack key guitar, a venerable finger-picking tradition created and played in the Hawaiian Islands since the early 1800s." Since 1986, George has been recording several of the masters of slack key, mainly solo, in a manner befitting their status as culture bearers of one of the most distinct and beautiful guitar forms being played today. (More information about these guitarists is in George's slack key interview with Jay Junker.)
"Slack key," George explains, "is a tradition with tremendous feelings of the moment and of nostalgia. It speaks in a language all its own, a language of longing, of happiness, of sensitivity and strength at the same time. It's so full of aloha, of goodwill and fun. Like the musicians say, to play slack key properly, it has to come from the heart. It's such an individual thing, and no two people play alike, that's true of everyone everywhere. Without the individuals, who are the most important, there wouldn't be music or traditions. Each individual player really is in their own category when it comes down to it."
"We're trying to expand to include more of the great guitarists, and we hope to release about sixty albums in the long run."