The Palm: George Winston in Concert

22 Dec The Palm: George Winston in Concert

Editor’s note: George Winston returns to Telluride to perform in a holiday concert at The Palm Theatre. Doors at 7:30 p.m.; show time, 8 p.m. (The time on the event poster is incorrect.) Purchase tickets here.

George Winston, courtesy Joe del Tufo

When Grammy Award-winning solo pianist George Winston first came to town in 1998, the idea was not simply to entertain in his grand style, but also to tickle the ivories on behalf of Angel Baskets Food Bank. And 17  years later, it’s more of the same: Winston’s upcoming concert at The Palm on Tuesday, December 30, 8 p.m., supports the same non-profit through a canned food drive. In addition, 100 percent of the proceeds from all merchandise sales will wind up in Angel Baskets’ basket.

These days, George Winston is most inspired by the great New Orleans R&B pianists like Henry Butler, James Booker, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and Jon Cleary, so expect to hear interpretations of their work at the concert, as well as riffs on the music of some of Winston’s favorite composers, among them, Vince Guaraldi, Dr. John, the Doors. Allen Toussaint, Randy Newman, Curtis Mayfield, Laura Nyro, Al Kooper,  John Coltrane, Frank Zappa,  John Hartford, Taj Mahal, James Booker, and Jon Cleary.

Winston is also now working on solo guitar and is recording the masters of the Hawaiian Slack Key guitar for an extensive series of albums for Dancing Cat Records.  (“Slack key” is the name of the beautiful solo finger-style guitar tradition, unique to Hawaii, which began in the early 1800s and predated the steel guitar by over half a century.)

He is also recording his main inspirations for harmonica: Sam Hinton, Rick Epping, and Curt Bouterse.

George Winston was born in 1949 and grew up mainly in Montana, although he spent his later, formative years in Mississippi and Florida. Early on, his favorite music was instrumental rock ’n roll and R&B, artists such as Floyd Cramer, The Ventures, Booker T and The MG’s, the late jazz organist Jimmy Smith and especially The Doors.

Winston began playing organ in 1967. In 1971, he switched to acoustic piano after hearing recordings from the 1920s and the 1930s by the legendary stride pianists Thomas “Fats” Waller and the late Teddy Wilson. In addition to working on stride piano, at that time he came up with his own style of melodic instrumental music on solo piano, often described as “folk piano.”

Over the past four decades, Winston has released numerous solo albums, but lives on – and for – the road, performing 110 dates a year and a total of over 5,000 shows, concentrating mainly on solo piano concerts, solo guitar concerts, solo harmonica concerts, and solo piano dances (featuring R&B and slow dance songs).

For Winston, the road is not an escape. Getting out and about keeps it all going and growing.

For a preview of Winston’s concert, watch this video:

Note: The Palm encourages audience members to bring a non-perishable donation to the concert.

About the Telluride Arts District:

The historic Sheridan Opera House is a key player in the Telluride Arts District. 

We believe in a culture of the Arts—creativity across disciplines—and we strive to sustain, promote and expand all creative pursuits in our mountain community. Anchored on the west by the Palm Theatre, the south by the Ah Haa School for the Arts, the north by the Telluride Historical Museum and the east by the Town Park Stage, the district contains world-class exhibits, music, film, theatre, literature, architecture, design, food, and artists of all disciplines