I have been asked why I chose to record albums of the seasons over the years. The inspiration that runs through all the songs that I compose or interpret by other composers comes from the cycle of the seasons and the Earth’s topographies, especially the great plains of eastern Montana where I grew up. I am also always envisioning my Muse, friends, and the thought of a person alone in the setting of the song.

I consider that I have three time periods in which I have recorded solo piano albums:

The first one was 1971-1972, just after I switched from organ to solo piano and recorded my first album BALLADS AND BLUES 1972.

My second recording period was 1980 -1982, when I recorded the albums AUTUMN (1980), WINTER INTO SPRING (1982), and DECEMBER (1982). It was in 1973 that my concept of having specific themes for albums and concerts began to manifest. AUTUMN was very inspired by eastern Montana, especially the Miles City area, and by Autumn itself. WINTER INTO SPRING has a lot of Montana in it, as well as inspiration from the beautiful Mississippi springtime, where my family lived after moving from Montana.

The third time period is 1991 to the present. In 1991 I recorded the album SUMMER, which was again very inspired by Montana, particularly the eastern and central parts of the state, as well as by the work of the great Montana pianist and composer Philip Aaberg. The version of SUMMER included in this box set includes a bonus track, Old Friends.

I am sometimes asked what the songs are specifically about. Other than the suggestions of the song titles and liner notes, I like to leave it up to each listener to have their own experiences. I suggest listening to the albums in this order: AUTUMN, (then the DECEMBER album, which is outside of this box set), next WINTER INTO SPRING, and then SUMMER.

I grew up during the heyday of pop instrumental music in the 1950s and the 1960s (there were 30 instrumental hits in the Top 40 in 1961), and I would listen to the radio faithfully for the 30 seconds before the hourly news when they would play instrumentals. I also listened to my Dad’s 78s, and to records that my friends and my friends’ parents had - artists* such as:

*This is not meant to be a complete or definitive list of the music of these artists, or a definitive list of instrumental artists – rather it is just a list of many of the instrumental songs I heard and loved when I was growing up (therefore this list just goes up to 1969 or so):

Floyd Cramer (Last Date and On the Rebound and Let's Go and Hot Pepper and Flip Flop & Bob and The First Hurt and Fancy Pants and Shrum and All Keyed Up and San Antonio Rose and [These Are] The Young Years and What'd I Say and Java and How High the Moon), The Ventures (Walk Don't Run and Walk Don't Run ‘64 and Perfidia and Ram-Bunk-Shush and Diamond Head and The Cruel Sea and Hawaii Five-O and Oh Pretty Woman and Go and Pedal Pusher and Tall Cool One), Booker T. & the MG's (Green Onions and Hip Hug-Her and Groovin' and Time is Tight and Hang 'Em High and Melting Pot and Soul Limbo and Slim Jenkins' Place and Red Beans & Rice and Summertime and Mo’ Onions and Pigmy), B. Bumble & The Stingers (Nut Rocker [with Ali Hassan {aka Al Hazan} on piano and Rene Hall on guitar] and Bumble Boogie [with Ernie Freeman on piano] and Apple Knocker), Jack B. Nimble & the Quicks [with H. B. Barnum on piano] (Nut Rocker), Ali Hassan [aka Al Hazan] (Malaguena and Chop Sticks), Jack Fina (Bumble Boogie), Rene Hall (Twitchy), Ray Charles (Sweet Sixteen Bars and One Mint Julep and Roadhouse and Chitlins With Candied Yams and Mess Around), King Curtis (Soul Twist and Soul Serenade and A Change Is Gonna Come), Jr. Walker & the All Stars (Shotgun and [I’m a] Road Runner and Do the Boomerang and Cleo’s Mood and Cleo’s Back and Shake & Fingerpop and Shoot Your Shot and Sweet Soul), Lonnie Mack (Memphis and Wham!), Link Wray (Rumble and Rawhide and Jack the Ripper), Roy Buchanan (Mule Train Stomp and Pretty Please), The Chantays (Pipeline and Move It), Kokomo [aka Jimmy Wisner](Asia Minor and Roy’s Tune), Jimmy Wisner (Windjammer), Jorgen Ingmann (Apache), Santo & Johnny (Sleep Walk and Tear Drop), Jack Nitzsche (The Lonely Surfer and Beyond the Surf ), The Sandals (Theme from Endless Summer), Frank Zappa (Peaches En Regalia and Little Umbrellas and Son of Mr. Green Genes and The Gumbo Variations and It Must Be a Camel and Willie the Pimp and The Little House I Used to Live In), The Viscounts (Harlem Nocturne), Alvin Cash & the Crawlers (Twine Time), Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen (Midnight In Moscow and The Green Leaves of Summer), The Village Stompers (Washington Square and From Russia With Love), Bill Black’s Combo (Smokie-Part 2 and White Silver Sands and Hearts of Stone), Johnny & the Hurricanes (Red River Rock and Reveille Rock and Beatnik Fly and Crossfire), Dave Appell & the Applejacks (Mexican Hat Rock), The Tornados (Telstar and Bustin’ Surfboards), The Hawk [Jerry Lee Lewis] (In the Mood), The Champs (Tequila and Limbo Rock and El Rancho Rock [El Rancho Grande] and Too Much Tequila and Midnighter), Dick Dale (Misirlou and Let’s Go Trippin’), The Beach Boys (Pet Sounds and Let’s Go Away for Awhile and Moon Dawg and Misirlou and Stoked and Diamond Head and Let’s Go Trippin’ and Surf Jam), Bill Justis (Raunchy), Duane Eddy (Rebel Rouser and Forty Miles of Bad Road and Ramrod and Because They’re Young and Cannonball and Peter Gunn), Arthur Smith (Guitar Boogie), Arthur Smith & Don Reno (Feudin’ Banjos), The Virtues (Guitar Boogie Shuffle), Billy Strange (James Bond Theme and 007 Theme and Limbo Rock), Ace Cannon (Tuff), Freddie King (Hideaway and Surf Monkey and King-A-Ling), The String-A-Longs (Wheels and Mathilda), The Duals (Stick Shift), The Ramrods (Ghost Riders in the Sky), The Marketts (Out Of Limits), The Pyramids (Penetration), Billy Joe & the Checkmates (Percolator), The Lively Ones (Surf Rider and 40 Miles of Bad Surf), Les Cooper (Wiggle Wobble), The Bel-Airs (Mr. Moto), Eddie & the Showmen (Mr. Rebel), The Fireballs (Torquay and Bulldog and Carioca), Davie Allan & The Arrows (Blues’ Theme and Apache ‘65), The Rip Tides (Machine Gun), The Rock-A-Teens (Woo-Hoo), The Revels (Church Key), The Piltdown Men (McDonald’s Cave and Brontosaurus Stomp), Preston Epps (Bongo Rock), Sandy Nelson (Teen Beat and Let There Be Drums and Big Jump), The Surfaris (Wipe Out and Moon Dawg and Point Panic), The Hollywood Persuaders (Drums a Go Go), The Van-Dells (Slumber Party), Cozy Cole (Topsy-Part 2), Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (Rocket 88), Ernie Freeman (Theme from Dark at the Top of the Stairs and Raunchy and Indian Love Call and Blues After Hours and Jivin’ Around–Parts 1&2), Paul Revere & the Raiders (Like Long Hair and Beatnick Sticks), Bill Doggett (Honky Tonk-Part 2 and Hold It and Ram-Bunk-Shush and Shindig), Hank Crawford (After Hours), The Mar-Keys (Last Night and What’s Happenin’), The Bar-Kays (Soul Finger), Rene Hall’s Orchestra (Thunderbird), The Wailers (Tall Cool One and [I’m a] Road Runner and Mau-Mau), The Rockin’ Rebels (Wild Weekend and Rockin’ Crickets), The Routers (Let’s Go [Pony]), Jimmy Forrest (Night Train), Lee Allen (Walkin’ with Mr. Lee and Strollin’ with Mr. Lee and Boppin’ at the Hop), Al Caiola (Bonanza and Theme from The Magnificent Seven), Hugo Montenegro (The Good The Bad & The Ugly), Willie Mitchell (20-75 and Soul Serenade and Fever), Dave "Baby" Cortez (Rinky Dink and The Happy Organ and Come Back To Lonely Me and Hula Hoop and Jamin’-Parts 1&2 and The Whistling Organ), Professor Longhair (Big Chief-Parts 1&2), Fats Domino (Swannee River Hop), James Booker (Gonzo and Cool Turkey), Billy Preston (Billy’s Bag and Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying and Gospel In My Soul and Outa-Space and Space Race), Dave Lewis (Little Green Thing and David’s Mood-Part 2 and Lip Service), Eskew Reeder [aka Esquerita] (Green Door), Al Hirt (Java and Cotton Candy and Fancy Pants), Phil Upchurch (You Can't Sit Down-Parts 1&2), James Brown (Night Train and Mashed Potatoes ’66 and Ain’t It Funky Now-Parts 1&2), Earl Palmer (Johnny’s House Party-Parts 1&2), Johnny Otis (Harlem Nocturne and The Midnight Creeper-Part 1 and Long Tall Sally and Willie & the Hand Jive), Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers (The Honeydripper-Parts 1&2 and Pink Champagne), Erskine Hawkins (After Hours), Roy Milton & His Solid Senders (T-Town Twist), Lloyd Glenn (Southbound Special and Old Time Shuffle Blues and Chica Boo), Buddy Lucas (Deacon John), Joe Houston (All Night Long), Jimmy Beck (Pipe Dreams), Googie Rene (Side-Track), Plas Johnson (Hoppin’ Mad), Maxwell Davis (Boogie Cocktails), Jay McShann (Hootie’s Ignorant Oil), Mandrake (Lost Love), The Astronauts (Movin’ and Competition Coup and Baja), Tim Whitsett & The Imperials (Mashville and Monkey Man and Shine), Al Casey (Surfin’ Hootenanny and Cookin’ and Jivin’Around), Travis Wammack (Scratchy), The Shadows (Apache and Wonderful Land and Kon-Tiki and Dance On and Foot Tapper and FBI), The Rondels (Shades of Green and Back Beat #1), Jim Messina & the Jesters (The Breeze & I), Chet Atkins (Freight Train and Snowbird and Teensville and Wheels and Windy & Warm and Walk Don’t Run and Boo Boo Stick Beat and Muskrat Ramble and Greensleeves), Jerry Reed (The Claw and Jerry’s Breakdown), Lenny Breau (The Claw [a medley that also includes This Here] and Mercy Mercy Mercy), Merle Travis (Walkin’ the Strings and Cannonball Rag and Blue Smoke and Saturday Night Shuffle and Bye Bye Blues and I’ll See You in My Dreams and Bugle Call Rag), Flatt & Scruggs (Foggy Mountain Breakdown and The Ballad of Jed Clampett), Eric Weissberg & Deliverance (Dueling Banjos), Buck Owens & His Buckaroos (Buckaroo), Pee Wee King & Redd Stewart (Bonaparte’s Retreat), Johnny Smith (Moonlight in Vermont and Walk Don’t Run), Wes Montgomery (Windy and California Dreamin’ and Goin’ Out of My Head and Tequila and Bumpin’ On Sunset and Little Child Daddy Dear and The Big Hurt and What the World Needs Now and Insensatez [How Insensitive] and Midnight Mood and The Thumb and Road Song [aka Ogd] and Willow Weep for Me and Movin’ Wes and A Day In the Life), Gabor Szabo (Spellbinder and Witchcraft and Gypsy Queen and Cheetah), Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli (Minor Swing and Sweet Sue and Swing ’39 and I’ll See You in My Dreams and Limehouse Blues and Tiger Rag and Body & Soul and Sheik of Araby and Dinah), Jimi Hendrix (Rainy Day Dream Away and Still Raining Still Dreaming and Third Stone From the Sun), Tommy Garrett & The Fifty Guitars (Guadalajara), Boots Randolph (Yakety Sax), Earl Bostic (September Song and Harlem Nocturne and Flamingo), Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto (The Girl from Ipanema), Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd (Desafinado), Charlie Byrd (Meditation), Acker Bilk (Stranger on the Shore), Mongo Santamaria (Watermelon Man [with Herbie Hancock on piano, and he also composed this piece] and Afro-Blue), Grant Green [with Larry Young on organ] (The Cantaloupe Woman), Larry Young [Khalid Yasim] (The Cradle), Jimmy Smith (The Cat and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Walk on the Wild Side and Got My Mojo Working and High Heel Sneakers and Chain of Fools and I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town and Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby and Elegy for a Duck and Peter Plays Some Blues and I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man and One Mint Julep and Boom Boom and Blues & The Abstract Truth and TNT and Ain’t That Just Like a Woman and Midnight Special and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and The Sermon and The Champ and This Nearly Was Mine and The Gentle Rain and Go Away Little Girl and Organ Grinder’s Swing), Jimmy McGriff (I've Got a Woman-Part 1 and I’ve Got a New Woman and Red River Valley and Kiko), Gene Ludwig (Comin’ Home Baby and Moanin’), Little Richie Varola (Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ), Groove Holmes (Misty), Billy Larkin & the Delegates (Pygmy-Parts 1&2), Brother Jack McDuff (A Change is Gonna Come), The Mustang [aka Paul Griffin] (Night Train and Tennessee Waltz Frug and A Hard Day’s Night), Walter Wanderley (Summer Samba [So Nice] and Call Me and The Girl from Ipanema), Ethel Smith (Tico Tico), The Spencer Davis Group [with Stevie Winwood on organ] (Blues in F), Nicky Hopkins [pianist with the Jeff Beck group] (Girl From Mill Valley), Jeff Beck (Greensleeves), Al Kooper [with Super Session] (Harvey’s Tune), Al Kooper & Michael Bloomfield [with Super Session] (Albert’s Shuffle and Stop and His Holy Modal Majesty and Really), Al Kooper & Stephen Stills [with Super Session] (Season of the Witch), Blood, Sweat & Tears [featuring Dick Halligan on organ] (Blues Part II ), Brian Auger & the Trinity (In & Out and Kiko), The Nice [with Keith Emerson on organ] (America), Lee Michaels (Stormy Monday), Country Joe & the Fish (Masked Marauder), Jorma Kaukonen [guitarist with the Jefferson Airplane] (Embryonic Journey), Bert Jansch (Anji), Paul Simon (Anji), Davey Graham (Anji), John Renbourn (The Lady & the Unicorn and Trotto/Saltarello and Sarabande and The Earle of Salisbury and The Trees They Do Grow High), John Fahey (Brenda’s Blues and On the Sunny Side of the Ocean and Some Summer Day and When the Springtime Comes Again and The Last Steam Engine Train and Night Train of Valhalla and Joe Kirby Blues and Wine & Roses and Give Me Corn Bread When I’m Hungry and Requiem for John Hurt and Lion and Steamboat Gwine ‘Round De Bend and Beverly), John Mayall (Marsha’s Mood and Steppin’ Out and Room to Move), Paul Butterfield (East West), Little Walter Jacobs (Juke), Charlie McCoy (Orange Blossom Special), Albert King (Drowning on Dry Land-Parts 1&2), B. B. King (The Thrill is Gone), Clarence Gatemouth Brown (Okie Dokie Stomp), Elmore James (Dust My Broom and Hawaiian Boogie), Earl Hooker (Boogie Don’t Blot), Meade Lux Lewis (Honky Tonk Train Blues and Yancey Special and Bear Cat Crawl and Six Wheel Chaser and Mr. Freddie Blues and Celeste Blues and Celestial Express and Bass on Top), the Edmond Hall Quartet [with Meade Lux Lewis on celeste and Charlie Christian on acoustic guitar] (Profoundly Blue and Celestial Express), Jimmy Yancey (Five O’Clock Blues and Yancey Stomp and Tell ‘Em About Me and The Mellow Blues and Yancey’s Bugle Call and State Street Special and Yancey Special), Albert Ammons (Boogie Woogie Stomp and Shout for Joy and Bass Gone Crazy and Boogie Woogie Blues and Woo Woo), Pete Johnson (Kaycee on My Mind and Blues on the Downbeat and Death Ray Boogie and Roll ‘Em Pete and Shuffle Boogie), Albert Ammons & Pete Johnson (Cuttin’ the Boogie and Barrelhouse Boogie), Pinetop Smith (Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie-Parts 1&2 and Jump Steady Blues-Parts 1&2), Mary Lou Williams (Overhand), Andy Kirk & Mary Lou Williams (Little Joe From Chicago), Bob Zurke (Honky Tonk Train Blues and Cow Cow Blues), Freddie Slack (Down the Road Apiece and Behind the Eight Beat and That Place Down the Road and Rib Joint and Blackout Boogie and Kitten on the Keys and Bashful Baby Blues and Cow Cow Boogie), Teddy Powell (Bluebird Boogie and Teddy Bear Boogie), Franz Jackson (Boogie Woogie Camp Meeting), Dorothy Rice (Texas Stomp), Will Bradley (Celery Stalks at Midnight and Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar and In the Hall of the Mountain King and Lonesome Road), the Raymond Scott Quintet (Powerhouse and The Toy Trumpet and Twilight in Turkey and In an 18th Century Drawing Room and Huckleberry Duck and Manhattan Minuet and New Year’s Eve in a Haunted House and Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals and Siberian Sleighride and Boy Scout in Switzerland and War Dance for Wooden Indians), Woody Herman (Blue Flame and Woodchopper’s Ball and Blues on Parade and Chips’ Boogie Woogie and Indian Boogie Woogie), Stan Kenton (The Peanut Vendor [El Manisero]), Les Paul & Mary Ford (How High the Moon and Mockin’ Bird Hill and Steel Guitar Rag and Vaya Con Dios and Hummingbird and Nola), Johnny Lytle (The Snapper and The Loop and The Man and Lela and Selim and The Village Caller and A Taste of Honey), Artie Shaw (Indian Love Call and Nightmare and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child and Stardust and Concerto for Clarinet and Temptation and Begin the Beguine and Summertime and Tabu and Marinela), Leroy Anderson (Blue Tango and Sleigh Ride and The Syncopated Clock and Fiddle Faddle), David Rose (The Stripper and Holiday for Strings), Morris Stoloff (Moonglow [Theme from Picnic]), Les Baxter (The Poor People of Paris [Jean’s Song] and Ruby and Blue Tango and Blue Star [Theme from Medic] and Unchained Melody and The High & The Mighty and Tabu [Taboo]), Perez Prado (Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White and Mambo #5 and Patricia and Mambo #8 and The Peanut Vendor [El Manisero] and Mambo Jambo and Caravan), Xavier Cugat (Jungle Drums and Brazil and Tico Tico and La Cumparsita and Jalousie and Siboney and Inspiration and Perfidia and My Shawl and Havana’s Calling Me and Eco and Bim Bam Bum and Amor and Taboo [Tabu]), Tito Puente (Oye Como Va and Take the A Train and Lindo Cha Cha and Night Ritual and The Late Late Scene and Carioca and A La Salud and No Voy A La Luna and Ran-Kan-Kan), Machito (Zambia and Tanga), Ray Barretto (Watusi and El Watusi), Cal Tjader (Soul Sauce [Guachi Guara] and The Whiffenpoof Song and Solar Heat), El Chicano (Viva Torado-Part 1), Tommy Dorsey (Tea for Two Cha Cha and Boogie Woogie), Jimmy Dorsey (So Rare and The Breeze & I and Besame Mucho and Yes Indeed), Glenn Miller (A String of Pearls and In the Mood and Moonlight Cocktail and Song of the Volga Boatmen and Tuxedo Junction and Little Brown Jug and A Stone’s Throw from Heaven and Pavanne and Moonlight Serenade and Londonderry Air and Pennsylvania 6-5000 and Sunrise Serenade and The Spirit is Willing and I Dreamt I Done it in Harlem), Duke Ellington (Take the A Train and Caravan and Things Ain’t What They Used to Be and Satin Doll and Perdido and Mood Indigo and In A Sentimental Mood and Solitude and It Don’t Mean a Thing [If It Ain’t Got That Swing] and Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me and Don’t Get Around Much Anymore), Count Basie (One O’Clock Jump and Jumpin’ at the Woodside and Basie Boogie and One Mint Julep and How Long and Boogie Woogie), Benny Goodman (Sing Sing Sing and After You’ve Gone and Bugle Call Rag and Stompin’ at the Savoy), The Benny Goodman Quartet [with Teddy Wilson on piano, Gene Krupa on drums, and Lionel Hampton on vibraphone] (Runnin’ Wild and I Got Rhythm), Teddy Wilson (Liza and Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea), Fats Waller (Handful of Keys and Russian Fantasy and Valentine Stomp and Minor Drag and Numb Fumblin’), Art Tatum (Tea For Two and Tiger Rag and St. Louis Blues and Willow Weep for Me and Begin the Beguine and How High the Moon), Earl Hines (Boogie Woogie on St. Louis Blues and 57 Varieties and Panther Rag and Rosetta and A Monday Date), Louis Armstrong (West End Blues), Bix Beiderbecke (In a Mist), Lionel Hampton (Flying Home and Two Finger Boogie), Gene Krupa (Drum Boogie and Rhumboogie and Drop Me Off Uptown), Buddy Rich (Mercy Mercy Mercy and West Side Story), Bob Crosby (Big Noise From Winnetka [actually a duet with just two musicians - drummer Ray Bauduc playing the drums and also the strings of the upright bass with his drumsticks, and bassist Bob Haggart playing the bass and whistling] and Yancey Special and What’s Now and I’m Praying Humble and Gin Mill Blues and Boogie Woogie Maxine and Honky Tonk Train Blues), Harry James (Sleepy Time Gal and Sleepy Lagoon and Misirlou and Memphis Blues and Flight of the Bumblebee and Two O’Clock Jump and Cribiribin), Claude Thornhill (Snowfall and Autumn Nocturne), Herbie Mann (Memphis Underground and Comin’ Home Baby and Hold On I’m Comin’ and Feeling Good), Hubert Laws (Pavane), Paul Horn (Prologue/Inside),The T-Bones (No Matter What Shape [You’re Stomach’s In]), Pete Drake (Forever), Reg Owen (Manhattan Spiritual), Bert Kaempfert (That Happy Feeling and A Swingin' Safari and Bye Bye Blues and Wonderland By Night and Red Roses for a Blue Lady and Afrikaan Beat and Market Day and Take Me and The Magic Trumpet [The Happy Trumpeter] and Happy Safari and Sugar Bush and Pata Pata), Billy Vaughn (A Swingin’ Safari), The Bulawayo Sweet Rhythms Band (Skokiaan), The Tokens (The Lion Sleeps Tonight [Wimoweh {aka Mbube}]), Ralph Marterie (Skokiaan and In a Persian Market and Caravan), Pete Fountain (Stand By Me and Just a Closer Walk With Thee), Pete Seeger (Living in the Country), Doc Watson (Black Mountain Rag and Beaumont Rag and Dill Pickle Rag), Hank Garland (Sugarfoot Rag), Area Code 615 (Scotland), John Hartford (Austin Minor Symphony and Skippin’ in the Mississippi Dew and Presbyterian Guitar), The Dillards (Banjo in the Hollow), Ray Conniff (Blue Moon), Percy Faith (Theme from A Summer Place and Delicado and Song from Moulin Ridge [Where is Your Heart]), Bill Pursell (Our Winter Love), Don Cossack Choir (Song of the Volga Boatman and Two Guitars and Excerpt from Overture 1812), Claus Ogerman (Watusi Trumpets and What’d I Say and Comin’ Home Baby), John Barry (Goldfinger and Troubadour and From Russia With Love and Thunderball and Midnight Cowboy and The Last Valley), Elmer Bernstein (Theme from The Magnificent Seven and Theme from The Sons of Katie Elder and The Man with The Golden Arm), Francis Lai (A Man & A Woman), Harpo Marx (his solo harp scenes in all of the Marx Brothers’ films), Martin Denny (Quiet Village and A Taste of Honey and The Enchanted Sea), Arthur Lyman (Yellow Bird and Taboo [Tabu]), Antonio Carlos Jobim (Wave and Insensatez [How Insensitive]), Luiz Bonfa (The Gentle Rain and Manha de Carnival [aka Morning of the Carnival, and also aka A Day in the Life of a Fool]), Los Indios Tabajaras (Maria Elena), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (A Taste of Honey and The Lonely Bull and Mexican Shuffle and What Now My Love and The Work Song and Spanish Flea and Zorba The Greek and Acapulco Gold and Lollipops & Roses and Acapulco 1922), The Baja Marimba Band (Acapulco 1922 and Comin’ In the Back Door), The Brass Ring (The Phoenix Love Theme [Senza Fine]), Mikos Theodorakis (Zorba The Greek), Stevie Wonder (Fingertips-Parts 1&2), Jerry Murad and the Harmonicats (Peg O’ My Heart and Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White), George Martin (This Boy [Ringo’s Theme] and And I Love Her), The Beatles (Blue Jay Way), The Hollyridge Strings (All My Loving and Love Me Do and I Want to Hold Your Hand), Jose Feliciano (And I Love Her and Here There & Everywhere and Jingle Bells), Ernie Fields (In the Mood and Hucklebuck [Twist] and The Happy Whistler), The Soulful Strings [with Richard Evans] (Burning Spear), Henry Mancini (Peter Gunn and The Pink Panther and Baby Elephant Walk and Romeo & Juliet and The Sweetheart Tree and Moon River and Lujon and March of the Cue Balls and Mr. Lucky and Experiment in Terror and Theme from Hitari and Dear Heart and The Days of Wine & Roses), Ray Anthony (Theme from Peter Gunn and Skokiaan and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and A Taste of Honey and The Bunny Hop), Nelson Riddle (Route 66 Theme and Lisbon Antigua and Port-Au-Prince and Volare), Neal Hefti (Bathtub Saturday Night and Lord Love a Duck and Batman Theme), Spencer Ross (Tracy’s Theme), Lawrence Welk (Calcutta), Don Costa (Never on a Sunday and Theme from The Unforgiven), Ted Heath (Swingin’ Shepherd Blues and Sucu Sucu), Moe Koffman Quartet (Swingin’ Shepherd Blues and Curried Soul), Robert Maxwell (Shangri-La), Paul Weston (Bali Hai), Paul Mauriat (Love is Blue), Derek & Ray (Interplay and Dizzy Fingers), Anton Karas (The Third Man Theme), Hugo Winterhalter (Canadian Sunset [with Eddie Hayward on piano] and Vanessa), Frankie Carle (Sunrise Serenade and Near You and My True Carrie Love), George Shearing (Lullaby of Birdland), Mitch Miller (March from the River Kwai /Colonel Bogey March and Tunes for Glory [aka Scotland the Brave] and Under Paris Skies and Meet Mister Callaghan), Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians (Dry Bones), Milton Delugg (Theme for The Creature from Under the Sea and Theme from The Thing), Si Zentner (Up A Lazy River), Dominic Frontiere (Theme from The Outer Limits), Marius Constant (Theme from The Twilight Zone), Jerome Moross (Theme from Wagon Train), David Buttolph (Theme from Maverick), Fred Steiner (Theme from Perry Mason and Theme from Gunsmoke), Johnny Williams (Theme from Checkmate), Lalo Schifrin (Theme from Mission Impossible), Bernard Herrmann (soundtracks for the films The Day the Earth Stood Still, Vertigo, Psycho, and Fahrenheit 451), Herman Stein (soundtrack for the film This Island Earth), Horst Jankowski (A Walk in the Black Forest and Sing a Simple Song and Near You and Cast Your Fate to the Wind), The Bob Crewe Generation (Music To Watch Girls By), Kai Winding (More [Theme from Mondo Cane]), Andre Kostelanetz (I Will Follow Him), Felix Slatkin (The Sundowners), Skitch Henderson (Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy), The Mystic Moods (One Stormy Night), Dave Pike [with Herbie Hancock on organ] (The Jet Set), Herbie Hancock (Maiden Voyage), Eric Jupp (The Rhythm of Life), The Electric Indian (Keem-O-Sabe), Mason Williams (Classical Gas and Greensleeves), Hugh Masekela (Grazing in the Grass), Cliff Nobles & Company (The Horse), Hot Butter (Popcorn), Del Wood (Down Yonder), Johnny Maddox (The Crazy Otto Medley and Sabre Dance and Heart & Soul), Joe “Fingers” Carr [aka Lou Busch] (Ivory Rag and The Portuguese Washerwoman), Jo Ann Castle (Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy and Thoroughly Modern Millie), Big Tiny Little (Dill Pickles Rag and Tom Cat Blues), Crazy Otto [aka Fritz Schulz-Reichel] (Gaslight Medley and Sunrise Serenade and 12th Street Rag and The Crazy Otto Rag and Glow Worm), Sir Julian [Gould] (Caravan and Bach Goes Berserk and Lover), Steve Allen (Gravy Waltz), Bent Fabric (Alley Cat), Don Shirley Trio (Water Boy), Andre Previn (Like Young), Joe Harnell (Fly Me To the Moon-Bossa Nova), Dick Hyman (Moritat [Theme from The Three Penny Opera {aka Mack the Knife}] and The Sweetest Sounds), Pete Jolly (Sweet September and Kiss Me Baby and Little Bird and Serenata and Dindi), Art Van Damme (Lover), Roger Williams (Autumn Leaves and Theme from Exodus and Born Free), Ferrante & Teicher (Tonight and Exodus and Theme from The Apartment and Laura’s Theme and A Man & A Woman), Peter Nero (Brian’s Song and Where Do I Begin [Love Story]), Michel Legrand (I Will Wait for You and Brian’s Song and Theme from Summer of ’42 [The Summer Knows]), the Dave Brubeck Quartet (Take Five and Blue Rondo A La Turk and Raggedy Waltz), Brother Bones & His Shadows (Sweet Georgia Brown), the Paul Winter Consort (Allemande and Trotto and Both Sides Now and Icarus), John Coltrane (Giant Steps and My Favorite Things and Greensleeves and Chim Chim Cheree), Dizzy Gillespie (Groovin’ High and Salt Peanuts and The Champ and Night in Tunisia), Miles Davis (So What and Freddie Freeloader and Blue in Green and All Blues and Flamenco Sketches and ‘Round Midnight), Cannonball Adderley (This Here and Mercy Mercy Mercy and The Work Song and Country Preacher), Lee Morgan (Sidewinder), Milt Jackson (Bag’s Groove and Sunflower), Oliver Nelson (Blues & The Abstract Truth), Oscar Peterson (Night Train and Hymn to Freedom and The Honeydripper), Bill Evans (Waltz for Debby and Nardis), Thelonious Monk (‘Round Midnight and Blue Monk), Horace Silver (Song for My Father and The Jody Grind and Senor Blues), Bobby Timmons (This Here and Moanin’ and Dat Dere), Erroll Garner (Misty and I’ll Remember April and Teach Me Tonight and April in Paris), Linton Garner (To My Liking), Charlie Parker (Ornithology), Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Volunteered Slavery and Now Please Don’t You Cry Beautiful Edith), Stanley Turrentine (Salt Song), Charles Mingus (Goodbye Pork Pie Hat and Nostalgia in Times Square), Ray Bryant (The Madison Time-Part 1 and Gotta Travel On), Bud Powell (Tempus Fugit), Ahmad Jamal (Billy Boy), Ramsey Lewis (The In Crowd and Wade in the Water and Hang on Sloopy and High Heel Sneakers and A Hard Day’s Night and Billy Boy and Day Tripper), The Young-Holt Trio (Soulful Strut and Wack Wack), The Sounds Orchestral [with John Pearson on piano] (Cast Your Fate to the Wind), Vince Guaraldi (Cast Your Fate to the Wind and Samba de Orpheus and Linus & Lucy and Skating and Christmas Time is Here and Christmas is Coming and The Christmas Song [Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire] and Treat Street and Star Song and Happiness Is and Oh Good Grief and Pebble Beach and Charlie Brown & His All Stars and You’re In Love Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty and The Great Pumpkin Waltz and The Red Baron and It Was a Short Summer Charlie Brown and The Masked Marvel and You’re Not Elected Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving), and The (??) Brass (Feeling Good - [NOTE: if anyone knows the band who recorded this uptempo track of “Feeling Good” around 1966, in a style influenced by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, please contact us at ml@dancingcat.com ] ).

(ALSO NOTE: For updates to this list, as I remember more and more songs, see www.georgewinston.com and go to the FAQ, and to the question “What instrumental songs did you like when you were growing up?”)

I did not begin playing music until 1967, starting on the organ after hearing the Doors’ first album from that same year, with organist Ray Manzarek. I was also especially inspired by the late, great jazz organist Jimmy Smith (1925-2005), jazz organist Jimmy McGriff, Felix Cavaliere (the organist with the rock band The Young Rascals, later called The Rascals), jazz organist Gene Ludwig, and the late jazz organist Richie Varola (1943-1974). I was also inspired by the fact that all six of these organists usually played their own bass lines when playing live.

The melodic piano style that I developed in 1971 was influenced by the music from the previously mentioned instrumental era, as well as by North American folk music, American finger-style guitarists such as John Fahey, and also James Taylor’s early recordings. I was also influenced by the sounds of the organ, but what inspired me the most were the sounds attainable from the piano itself. I call this melodic style folk piano or rural folk piano.

The other two styles that I play are:

R&B piano, particularly inspired by the great New Orleans pianists - Henry Butler, the late James Booker (1939-1983), the late Professor Longhair [Henry Roeland Byrd] (1918-1980), Dr. John, Jon Cleary, Allen Toussaint, and others;

Stride piano, particularly inspired by Thomas “Fats” Waller (1904-1943) and the late Teddy Wilson (1912-1986).

The music of these wonderful pianists sustains me.

[For more of my piano influences see www.georgewinston.com and go to the FAQ, to the question “Who are your main influences on piano?”]

George Winston – June, 2005

I have had basically three time periods of recording:

First, 1971-1972: In 1971 I switched from organ to piano immediately after hearing the recordings of the great stride pianists Thomas “Fats” Waller (1904-1943) and Teddy Wilson (1912-1986), and in1972 I recorded the album BALLADS AND BLUES 1972 for the late great guitarist John Fahey’s Takoma label. After this time period there wasn’t an opportunity to record again or to play live much, but my playing became reinvigorated in 1979, when I heard the 1949 and 1953 recordings of the late great New Orleans pianist Professor Longhair [Henry Roeland Byrd] (1918-1980), on his album NEW ORLEANS PIANO, especially his 1949 track Hey Now Baby.

My second recording period was 1980 -1982, when I recorded the albums AUTUMN (1980), WINTER INTO SPRING (1982), and DECEMBER (1982).

Also in 1984 I recorded the piano soundtrack for THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, and in 1988 I also had the pleasure of doing the soundtrack for a Peanuts® animation “This is America, Charlie Brown-The Birth of the Constitution”, where I used mainly Vince Guaraldi’s compositions. I spent these years (and still am) mainly playing live, and studying the music of my two main piano mentors:

James Booker (1939-1983), who was the first one to take Rhythm & Blues, Soul music, the Blues, and New Orleans music, and make a whole solo piano style out of these traditions and more;

Henry Butler, the great New Orleans R&B/Jazz pianist, who is the main pianist I have been studying since 1985, and I'm still just scratching the surface of what he does;

as well as continuing to listen to Professor Longhair (who also inspired and influenced James Booker and Henry Butler, and many many others).

The third time period is 1991 to the present: In 1991 I recorded the album SUMMER, and then in 1994, FOREST, which was originally conceived of as “FOREST AND PLAINS”, but split off into initially two recordings (and later gave rise to the album MONTANA–A LOVE STORY and several other planned future recordings). In 1996 I recorded LINUS & LUCY–THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI, which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including Cast Your Fate to the Wind, and pieces from the first sixteen of the late Charles Schulz’ Peanuts® animations (and another volume is planned). I then recorded the albums PLAINS (1999), NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY–THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS (2002), and MONTANA–A LOVE STORY (2004).

Additionally, in November 2001 I released REMEMBRANCE-A MEMORIAL BENEFIT, a 6-song CD of piano, guitar, and harmonica solos, to benefit those affected by 9/11.

I have also had the great pleasure of working with George Levinson of Informed Democracy on three projects: a solo guitar soundtrack for SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES (1995); and soundtracks of piano, guitar, and harmonica solos for PUMPKIN CIRCLE (1999) and for BREAD COMES TO LIFE (2003).

Future recording plans include another album of Vince Guaraldi’s compositions, more albums inspired by the plains and forest topographies, and an album of Professor Longhair’s compositions, as well as albums featuring songs that I play at the solo piano dances I do, featuring R&B, slow dance songs and more, by some of my favorite composers including: Vince Guaraldi, Professor Longhair, the Doors, Frank Zappa, Randy Newman, Sam Cooke, Al Kooper, Dr. John, the late Ray Charles, Curtis Mayfield, Laura Nyro, Bob Dylan, Henry Butler, James Booker, Jon Cleary, John Hartford, Taj Mahal, Bruce Cockburn, Philip Aaberg, and many others.

Most of the time I am touring, playing solo piano concerts (the Summer Show or the Winter Show), solo guitar concerts, solo harmonica concerts, and solo piano dances.

I am also working on solo guitar and I am recording many of the masters of the Hawaiian Slack Key guitar tradition [link to slack key books part of D Cat website] for an extensive ongoing series of albums for Dancing Cat Records. Slack key is the name for the beautiful solo finger-style guitar tradition, unique to Hawai’i, which began in the early 1800s and predated the steel guitar by over half a century. www.dancingcat.com

I am also recording my three main mentors for my solo harmonica playing: harmonica players Sam Hinton and Rick Epping, and multi-instrumentalist Curt Bouterse; as well as another one of my inspirations, the Chinese gu-zheng (the Chinese zither/harp that is the ancestor of the Japanese koto) master player Wei-Shan Liu (www.guzheng.org).

---

Piano solos

September

1. Colors/Dance (10:25)

Inspired by the blazing yellow cottonwoods of Miles City and Billings, Montana, where I mainly grew up.

The middle section of improvisation over two chords was inspired by the great band The Doors (Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, John Densmore and the late Jim Morrison [1943-1971]), particularly the improvisation on two chords in the instrumental section of Light My Fire from their first album in 1967, THE DOORS (Elektra). This section was also inspired by the modal improvisation over different sets of two chords by the late, great saxophonist John Coltrane (1926-1967). This style of improvisation appears in the middle of Coltrane's version of My Favorite Things from the 1960 album of the same name (which also inspired The Doors) and his version of Greensleeves from the 1961 recording THE COMPLETE AFRICA/BRASS SESSIONS (Impulse!). Another inspiration was the Coltrane-influenced version by the great jazz organist Jimmy Smith, from his 1965 album ORGAN GRINDER SWING (Verve). I was also inspired by a similar improvisation by the late, great composer/guitarist Frank Zappa on his song Black Napkins, especially from hearing him play it live in 1975. He recorded it several times, including on his albums MAKE A JAZZ NOISE HERE (Rykodisc), FRANK ZAPPA PLAYS THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA—A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE (available from the family site at www.zappa.com), YOU CAN’T DO THAT ON STAGE ANYMORE VOL. 6 (Rykodisc) and ZOOT ALLURES (Rykodisc). His music has been very inspirational to me in general, especially his 1969 instrumental album HOT RATS (Rykodisc).

The Doors' first album, which is like one long song from the beginning to the end, is the album that most inspired AUTUMN, which I recorded thirteen years later in 1980. Of all the composers whose music I love to interpret, The Doors’ and Jim Morrison’s songs have taken the longest for me to make them sound how I want—some have taken 34 years. I now play ten Doors songs at the solo piano dances I am currently doing, and I do a solo piano version of one of Jim Morrison’s songs, Bird of Prey, that he sang a cappella on his poetry album, AN AMERICAN PRAYER (Elektra). Jim Morrison has inspired and influenced my playing more than any other vocalist. (www.thedoors.com). In 2002 I recorded an album of 13 Doors songs, THE NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY – THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS.

When I play this song live I now play it as a medley with Tamarack Pines, the song that begins my album FOREST. Colors/Dance was composed in 1979.

2. Woods (6:47)

Also inspired by the trees in Miles City, Montana, which was built around the Yellowstone River in Eastern Montana. Composed in 1974.

3. Longing/Love (9:10)

Composed in 1975

October

4. Road (4:14)

Composed in 1971

5. Moon (7:44)

The second half is influenced by traditional Japanese koto music. When I play this live I now play it with Lights in the Sky from the FOREST album. The first half was composed in 1973, and the second half was composed in 1979.

6. Sea (2:42)

Particularly influenced by The Doors. The introduction is inspired by the late, great guitarist and composer John Fahey (1939-2001). Composed in 1973.

7. Stars (5:36)

Inspired by composer Dominic Frontiere’s great soundtracks for the first year of the television series THE OUTER LIMITS from 1962-1963, some of which are on the soundtrack album THE OUTER LIMITS ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK (GNP Crescendo Records).

Also inspired by Russian composer Aram Khachaturian’s (1903-1978) Adagio, from the Gayaneh ballet suite of 1942 (which was prominently used in the soundtrack of the film 2001), and by Lullaby, from the same suite. Composed in 1973.

Produced by William Ackerman
Recorded June 19 & 20, 1980
Engineered by Harn Soper and Russell Bond (Stars)
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Cover photo by Ron May
Design by William Ackerman

Special thanks to Henry Roeland Byrd (the late Professor Longhair), Thomas “Fats” Waller, the late Bola Sete, the late John Fahey, Alex deGrassi, John Creger, Steve Reich, Dominic Frontiere, Nels Cline, Russell Bond, Megan Corwin, Marci Wolfe, the late Frank Zappa and the members of The Doors: Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, John Densmore and the late Jim Morrison.

BONUS TRACK

8. Too Much Between Us (5:38)

This song was written around 1969 by Robin Trower, Gary Brooker and Keith Reid of the great band Procol Harum for their beautiful epic third album, A SALTY DOG (A&M Records), which tells a story about voyage at sea. Procol Harum, best known for their 1967 hit A Whiter Shade of Pale, with great organ playing by Matthew Fisher and great vocals by Gary Brooker, was one of my very favorite ensembles, and one that I got to hear live at the Miami Pop Festival in late December, 1968. My other favorite bands were mainly organ-based, including The Doors, with Ray Manzarek on organ; The Rascals, with Felix Cavaliere on organ (both he and Ray played the bass simultaneously with the organ in live performances—Ray with his left hand on a keyboard bass, and Felix on the bass pedals); the original Blood, Sweat & Tears, with Al Kooper on organ (on their first album CHILD IS FATHER TO THE MAN on Columbia Records); and all of the late Frank Zappa's great ensembles.

And I was very inspired by the late, great jazz organist Jimmy Smith (1928- 2005), as well as jazz organists Jimmy McGriff and Richard “Groove” Holmes, all who also played their own bass lines.

BONUS TRACK CREDITS

Produced by George Winston, Howard Johnston and Cathy Econom
Engineered by Howard Johnston
Additional engineering by Justin Lieberman
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA

All pieces except Too Much Between Us composed by George Winston [Imaginary Road Music/Dancing Cat Music (BMI)]

Too Much Between Us composed by Robin Trower, Gary Brooker and Keith Reid [Essex Music International, Inc. (ASCAP)]

ENHANCED CD

This audio CD is enhanced and contains sheet music to “Longing Love” which can be printed by placing the CD into you computer and following the instructions on screen.

1. January Stars (6:32)

Inspired by winter nights in Billings, Montana.

2. February Sea (5:15)

Inspired by the great band The Doors (Ray Manzaerk, Robby Krieger, John Densmore and the late Jim Morrison). www.thedoors.com . In 2002 I recorded an album of 13 Doors songs, THE NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY – THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS.

3. Ocean Waves (O Mar) (7:08)

Composed in 1939 by the great Brazilian composer Dorival Caymmi, of the well known musical Caymmi family. This song, which originally had lyrics, was made into an incredible solo guitar odyssey by the late Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete (Djalma de Andrade) (1923-1987) on his recording OCEAN MEMORIES (on the Samba Moon label, formerly titled OCEAN). Also see Bola’s great recording SHAMBHALA MOON (formerly titled JUNGLE SUITE, and on the Samba Moon label), and the upcoming WINDSPELL (his last recordings before he passed away). For more information on Bola Sete see www.bolasete.com.

4. Reflection (2:40)

5. Rain (10:05)

Inspired by the Montana storms. The middle section is influenced by the work of the great 20th Century composer Steve Reich. www.stevereich.com

6. Blossom/Meadow 4:00

7. The Venice Dreamer 8:05

Part One - Introduction 2:19

Part Two 5:46
In memory of David Fleck

Produced by George Winston and William Ackerman
Executive Producer: William Ackerman
Recorded March 1982
Engineered by Howard Johnston
Assistant Engineer: Karen Kirsch
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Remastered September, 1990 using the Sonic Solutions NoNOISE® system
Cover photo by Ron May
Design by Anne Robinson
Reflection transcribed for enhanced CD by George Winston and Tom Bochold

All songs composed by George Winston in 1981-1982 and published by Imaginary Road Music/Dancing Cat Music (BMI); except Ocean Waves (O Mar) composed by Dorival Caymmi in 1939, arranged by Bola Sete and published by Mangione (Brazil) (SBACEM).

Special thanks to the late Bola Sete for his inspiration and for his arrangement of Ocean Waves from his solo guitar album, OCEAN MEMORIES. Also thanks to Henry Roeland Byrd (the late Professor Longhair), Cathy Econom, Megan Corwin, Scott Cossu, Dominic Frontiere, the late John Fahey, Alex de Grassi, Sylvan Grey, the late David Fleck, Daniel Hecht, the late Michael Hedges, Steve Reich, L. Subramaniam, Thomas “Fats” Waller and the members of the Doors: Ray Manzarek, Robby Kreiger, John Densmore and the late Jim Morrison.

BONUS TRACK

(Love Echoes in the) Pine Hills (4:07)

Inspired by the pines and the red clay hills south of Miles City, Montana, and Montana friends.

BONUS TRACK CREDITS

Recorded at the Custer County High School Auditorium in Miles City, Montana
Engineered by Howard Johnston, with assistance by Ben Churchill
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA

(Love Echoes in the) Pine Hills composed by George Winston and published by Dancing Cat Music (BMI).

And special thanks to Sheila Devitt, and thanks to Syd & Sandy Sonneborn, Beth & Malcolm Winter and the Winter Family, Philip Aaberg, Kathy Young, Adam Munson-Young, Rachel Munson-Young, P. J. Wenham and the Wenham Family, Lorraine Monson, Julie Southern and the Southern Family, Steve Liane and the Liane Family, Erin Shane and the Shane Family, Sondra Daly, Lexi Aleksich, Jenni Aleksich, Helen Mulroney, Katie Lineberger, Molly Lineberger, the Schneider Family, the Boeck Family, the Schindele Family, the Lochrem Family, the Habel Family, the Clayton Family, the Evans Family, the Ehresman Family, Judy Howard, Pete Lazetich, Tom Welton, Tim Bergstrom, Mike Harkins, Rick Becker, Greg Howlett, Larry Mitchell, Dennis Dell, the Kilwein Family, the Magnuson Family, the Neumiller Family, Linda Patenaude, Sally Rehbein, Linda Reynolds, Kim Irons, John Langliers, David Witzleben, Dan Farmer, Lana Thompson, Pamela Harris, Jim Schreiber, the late Edna Stamp, the late Esther Benson, the Nansel Family, Deanna Peterson, Karen Chin, Alexandra Broatch, the Horgan Family, Barbara Allen, the Mitchell Family, Willo Wright, Sandra Schiavon, Sara Hatfield, the Elmore Family, the Hunter Family, the Macarah Family, Colleen Thrailkill, Ricardo Sanchez, Mary McCaslin, Simone Dreifuss, Pua Lilia, Jane McHugh, Margaret Ezekiel, Pua Lilia, Costanza Knight, Elaine Farris, Laurie Snedden, Judy Devane, Katrinka Quirk, Mary Winston, Nancy Sweeney, Colleen Thrailkill, Bob Kaufman, Alma Kenyon, the late Irene Muryes, Gertrude Buterack, the Langstaff Family, and Marci Wolfe.

1. Living in the Country 3:45

Composed by Pete Seeger as a solo guitar piece around 1956. The introduction to Living in the Country is a traditional Irish song, Do You Love an Apple, as arranged by Tríona Ni Dhomhnaill and The Bothy Band.

2. Loreta and Desireé’s Bouquet (Part 1) 4:04

3. Loreta and Desireé ’s Bouquet (Part 2) 3:29

4. Fragrant Fields 4:02

By pianist Art Lande from the soundtrack of the children’s story, THE THREE BILLY GOATS’ GRUFF for Rabbit Ears Productions. www.rabbitears.com

5. The Garden 3:03

Two love themes by composer Dominic Frontiere from the soundtrack of the episode, The Guests, from the 1962-1963 science fiction TV series, THE OUTER LIMITS. Some of the music from this series has been issued on the recording THE OUTER LIMITS – ORIGINAL TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK (GNP Crescendo Records).

6. Spring Creek 4:03

By the great Montana pianist Philip Aaberg from his 1985 solo piano recording, HIGH PLAINS (Windham Hill). I have also recorded two other pieces of his: Nevertheless Hello, on my album MONTANA – A LOVE STORY (learned from Phil’s version on his 1987 album OUT OF THE FRAME) and Before Barbed Wire, on my album PLAINS (learned from Phil’s version on OUT OF THE FRAME). I also play live his composition Hill 57, which will be on his upcoming release THE BIG OPEN. His other Montana themed recordings, UPRIGHT, LIVE FROM MONTANA, FIELD NOTES, and his solo piano album of movie themes, CINEMA, have also been very inspirational, as well as all his other wonderful music. www.philipaaberg.com

7. Lullaby 3:25

The epilogue is taken from the song Gypsy Hollow by the great pianist and composer Steve Ferguson. www.stevefergusonmusic.com

8. Black Stallion 3:39

By the late composer Carmine Coppola from the 1979 film of the same name.

9. Hummingbird 5:06

The end “hummingbird” runs are a right hand technique learned from the great stride pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller. www.fatswaller.org www.redhotjazz.com/fats.html

10. Early Morning Range 2:59

11. Living Without You 5:58

By songwriter/film composer Randy Newman.

12. Goodbye Montana (Part 1) 2:15

13. Corrina, Corrina 4:21

The introduction and arrangement of this traditional piece was inspired partly by the Camp Sunshine Day School in Billings, Montana.

14. Goodbye Montana (Part 2) 3:11

15. Where Are You Now 3:20

BONUS TRACK

16. Old Friends time

All pieces composed or arranged by George Winston except where noted.
All pieces published by Dancing Cat Music (BMI) except the following:

Living in the Country - Fall River Music Inc. (BMI)
Do You Love An Apple?, traditional, arranged by Tríona Ni Dhomhnaill and The Bothy Band
Fragrant Fields - Rabbit Ears Music (BMI)
The Garden - EMI Music Publishing (BMI)
Spring Creek – Philip Aaberg; Beautiful Daughter Music, ASCAP/Mixed Emotion Music (ASCAP)
Gypsy Hollow - WB Music Corp. and Gypsy Hollow Music (ASCAP)
Black Stallion - EMI Unart Catalogue Inc. (BMI)
Living Without You - Unichapel Music-Six Continents (BMI)

Produced by Howard Johnston, Cathy Econom, and George Winston
Engineered by Howard Johnston
Assistant Engineers: Nancy Scharlau and Matt Murman
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Cover photography © Larry Ulrich
Art direction by Anne Robinson and Candace Upman

A Dancing Cat Production

Thank you to these artists for their influence on this recording:
Philip Aaberg, Keola Beamer, Martha Benedict, the late James Booker, Henry Butler, Jon Cleary, Dr. John, The late Vince Guaraldi, John Hartford, Ledward Kaapana, Taj Mahal, Mary McCaslin, the late Professor Longhair, Marcia Wolfe

ENHANCED CD

This audio CD is enhanced and contains sheet music to “Lullaby” which can be printed by placing the CD into you computer and following the instructions on screen.

SEASONS IN CONCERT DVD

The Original PBS Special plus 25 minutes of extra concert footage

This all-digital live concert production, recorded exclusively for PBS, features a live concert performance from Nashville, as well as footage from Maui and Montana. George plays selections from his best-selling solo piano albums, including: AUTUMN, DECEMBER, WINTER INTO SPRING, SUMMER, FOREST, and selections from his then newest album LINUS & LUCY–THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI, including Cast Your Fate To The Wind and some of Vince’s pieces from the Peanuts® soundtracks, as well as a song from his then future album PLAINS. In addition, he plays Hawaiian Slack Key guitar pieces with Keola Beamer and Chet Atkins, as well as his own solo guitar and solo harmonica pieces.

From his original solo piano compositions to his rollicking stride and R&B piano pieces, George Winston has been playing his own brand of melodic piano music, which is called folk piano or rural folk piano, since 1971. George’s main piano influences include Henry Butler, the late James Booker, the late Professor Longhair, Fats Waller, and the late Teddy Wilson, as well as Dr. John, Philip Aaberg, Vince Guaraldi, Jon Cleary, Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), Don Lambert, Art Tatum, and others.

This concert DVD features some of George’s most popular pieces, and includes: Rain, Cat & Mouse/ Handful of Keys, Blossom/Meadow, ‘Opihi Moemoe, Kalena Kai, The Great Pumpkin Waltz/You’re In Love Charlie Brown, MM’s Dunk, The Cradle, Corrina Corrina, Peppermint Patty/Charlie Brown and His All-Stars, Cast Your Fate To The Wind, Woods, Pu`uanahulu, Waltz for the Lonely, Skating, Thanksgiving, Variations On The Kanon by Pachelbel, and High Plains Lullaby #19.

Executive Producer – Steve Vining
Supervising Executive Producer – Christopher Toyne
Produced by – Stanley Dorfman
Concept Written by Bridget Terry
Hawaiian Sequences directed by Christopher Toyne
Package Design – Lynn Robb

1. Rain – solo piano

An excerpt from this piece, which I recorded on my 1982 album WINTER INTO SPRING (Windham Hill).

2. Cat & Mouse (with an excerpt from Handful of Keys) – solo stride piano

A piece in an older jazz piano style called stride piano. Stride piano basically means that the left hand strides between a bass and a chord while the right hand plays the improvisation. Stride piano was most predominantly played from the early 1920s to the early 1940s. My two main influences for stride piano have been: Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904-1943), who also in 1929 composed the standards Honeysuckle Rose and Ain’t Misbehavin’, the latter which was the title of the Broadway play in the 1980s about Fats Waller’s music; and also the late Teddy Wilson (1912-1986), who was best known for playing with the Benny Goodman Trio & Quartet in the late 1930s, and for backing up singer Billie Holiday on some of her first recordings in the 1930s.

In this piece the left hand is the cat and the right hand is the mouse. The last part of the song is an excerpt from Fats Waller’s 1929 composition Handful of Keys. I have not yet recorded this on CD.

3. Blossom/Meadow – solo piano

I recorded this song on my 1982 album WINTER INTO SPRING (Windham Hill).

4. ‘Opihi Moemoe – solo guitar

A piece by the late, great Hawaiian Slack Key guitarist Leonard Kwan (1931-2000), who was one of the three most influential slack key guitarists in history (along with the late Gabby Pahinui [1921-1980], and the late Sonny Chillingworth [1932-1994]). Leonard composed this piece in the 1950s and recorded it in 1960, and it has been re-released on the recording THE LEGENDARY LEONARD KWAN–SLACK KEY MASTER-THE COMPLETE EARLY RECORDINGS (Hana Ola Records). I am playing it on an 8 string guitar built for me by Ervin Somogyi, based in the G Major “Taro Patch” Tuning on the 6 highest pitched strings (A-C-D-G-D-G-B-D).

Slack key is the name for the beautiful traditional finger-picked solo guitar style unique to Hawai’i. This tradition began around 1830 and predated the steel guitar by about sixty years. In 1982 I started Dancing Cat records primarily to record many of the master Slack Key guitarists. www.dancingcat.com

5. Kalena Kai

Guitar duet played with the Hawaiian Slack Key guitarist Keola Beamer on the island of Maui, Hawai’i

I recorded this song as a duet with Keola Beamer on his 1994 album WOODEN BOAT (Dancing Cat). It was composed by Charles E. King or John Kalapana in the early 1900s. Keola is playing in an F Wahine Tuning (C-F-C-G-C-E, from the lowest pitched string to the highest), often called “Leonard’s F Tuning”, since it was first recorded by the late slack key guitarist Leonard Kwan; and I am playing again on the 8 string Somoygi guitar based in the G Major “Taro Patch” Tuning on the 6 highest pitched strings (A-C-D-G-D-G-B-D), and tuned down two half steps to sound in the key of F to match the pitch of the tuning Keola is in.

6 & 7. The Great Pumpkin Waltz/ You’re In Love Charlie Brown – solo piano

Composed by the late jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976), for the Peanuts® animations created by the late cartoonist Charles Schulz (1922-2000). These pieces first appeared in the 1966 episode “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, and the 1967 episode “You’re In Love, Charlie Brown” respectively.

Vince Guaraldi was best known for his standard piece Cast Your Fate to the Wind, which he recorded in 1962, and also for his soundtracks for the first sixteen of the Peanuts® animations. In 1996 I recorded an album of Vince Guaraldi’s compositions, titled LINUS & LUCY-THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (Windham Hill). I play about 45 of his songs, the most songs I play by any composer, and a second recording of his compositions is planned.

8. M.M.'s Dunk – solo harmonica

This piece is influenced by my two main harmonica mentors: Sam Hinton (www.samhinton.org), and we recently produced a double CD of his entire repertoire of harmonica solos, MASTER OF THE SOLO DIATONIC HARMONICA (Eagle’s Whistle Music); as well as the great harmonica player and inventor Rick Epping (www.rickepping.com), who I am also actively recording.

I recorded this piece on a compilation album with songs by various artists, SUMMER SOLSTICE (Windham Hill).

9. The Cradle – solo piano

A balled by the late jazz organist Larry Young [Khalid Yasim] (1940-1978), from his 1969 album HEAVEN ON EARTH, which is dedicated to mothers everywhere. I recorded it on my 1994 album FOREST (Windham Hill).

10. Corrina, Corrina – solo piano

A traditional American song, which has been sung three different ways: about a lost love, as a lullaby, and also as a children’s song, which is the spirit in which this version is played. I recorded it on my 1991 album SUMMER (Windham Hill).

11 & 12. Peppermint Patty/ Charlie Brown and His All–Stars – solo piano

Two more songs by Vince Guaraldi. Peppermint Patty first appeared in the 1967 Peanuts® episode “You’re In Love, Charlie Brown”, and it is also featured in several other episodes. Charlie Brown and His All-Stars is the title song of the 1966 Peanuts® episode of the same name. I also recorded these on my 1996 album LINUS AND LUCY–THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (Windham Hill).

13. Cast Your Fate to the Wind – solo piano

This was Vince Guaraldi’s impressionistic composition and hit from 1962. I also recorded this on my 1996 album LINUS AND LUCY–THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (Windham Hill), and I also played it in the Peanuts® soundtrack that I had the great pleasure of scoring in 1988, “This is America, Charlie Brown-The Birth of the Constitution”, where I used mainly Vince Guaraldi’s compositions.

14. Woods – solo piano

I recorded this song on my 1980 album AUTUMN (Windham Hill)

15. Pu`uanahulu – guitar duet with Chet Atkins

This traditional Hawaiian cowboy ballad was recorded by the late, great Chet Atkins on his 1996 album ALMOST ALONE (Columbia). This is Chet’s arrangement, inspired by the late great Hawaiian Slack Key guitar master Gabby Pahinui (1921-1980). Chet plays it in the keys of C and F, and he is in the C Major Seventh “Dropped C” Tuning (C-G-D-G-B-E), and I am playing on the 8 string guitar again tuned to A-C-D-G-D-G-B-D, which is similar to the tuning Chet is using, except the highest pitched string is tuned to D.

16. Waltz for the Lonely – solo piano

Composed by Chet Atkins and Charles Randolph Goodrum, and their beautiful ballad worked best for me as a piano solo. Chet recorded it on his video CHET ATKINS AND FRIENDS-MUSIC FROM THE HEART, and on his recording THE MAGIC OF CHET ATKINS (Heartland). I later recorded it on my 1999 album PLAINS (Windham Hill).

17. Skating – solo piano

This piece was composed by Vince Guaraldi and it was featured in the first Peanuts® soundtrack that Vince did in 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” I also recorded it on my 1996 album LINUS AND LUCY – THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (Windham Hill). This song always takes me to the scene in the video of the park in Billings, Montana where we skated as kids.

18. Thanksgiving – solo piano

I recorded this song on my 1982 album DECEMBER (Windham Hill).

19. Variations on the Kanon by Johann Pachelbel – solo piano

I also recorded this song on my 1982 album DECEMBER (Windham Hill).

20. High Plains Lullaby #19 – solo guitar

This piece, inspired by Eastern Montana, is played in a type of tuning in the Hawaiian Slack Key guitar tradition called C Mauna Loa Tuning, where the two highest pitched strings are tuned a fifth interval apart. I play it on the 8 string guitar in the key of C, and it is tuned to A-D-C-G-C-G-A-E.

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