I can't imagine that any fans of solo piano music from the last forty years or so wouldn't have at least heard of George Winston. Beloved: A Celebration of Professor Longhair is the second posthumous release of Winston's music since his untimely death in 2023. Most of Winston's many recordings were original compositions in what he called a "folk piano" style rather than the "new age" label he resisted. Professor Longhair (Henry Byrd - also known as "Fess") was one of Winston's biggest influences and his music is the foundation Winston's piano style was built on. Quoting George Winston: "James Booker is how I play the piano, and Professor Longhair is why I play the piano. I'm not philosophical nor do I want to be, but that is the truth of the matter."

The fourteen tracks on Beloved include seven of Winston's original pieces that were inspired by Professor Longhair and seven cover arrangements of Longhair's recordings. Winston released several albums in this New Orleans style of piano music, and the many Winston concerts I attended in San Francisco often included some of this music (along with harmonica and slack-key guitar!), clearly indicating his versatility as the artist he truly was.

Beloved begins with "Dance Home," one of the Winston originals. Bright and upbeat with a joyful groove, I dare you to listen to this one without tapping your feet! "Ball the Wall" is one of Professor Longhair's pieces and is great example of "piano euphoria"! There are two versions of "Tipitina" on the album - one of Fess' best-known pieces and more of a bluesy ballad. Winston cranks the energy level back up for Earl King's "Big Chief," which was also released as a single. Winston's "After Sundown" features his technique of placing one hand on the piano strings while playing with the other hand (just for short passages) to change the sound - a really fun piece! I love Winston's version of "How Long Has That Train Been Gone" - upbeat and high-spirited! "Walk Your Blues Away" slows the groove a bit, but that "walking" bass-line is infectious! Winston's "Trains" has a relatively steady rhythmic left hand, but the right dances all over the piano keyboard! Longhair's "Hey Now Baby" had a particularly strong influence on Winston back in the late 1970's. Winston had stopped playing the piano for two years because he couldn't play like his hero at the time, Fats Waller. When he heard a compilation of Professor Longhair's music, it reignited his passion and he started playing again - something many of us are very grateful for! The album closes with "Tipitina 2," a second version of Professor Longhair's piece. The slow, soulful arrangement is the perfect ending for a great album!

Beloved: A Celebration of Professor Longhair will be released digitally on April 18, 2025 and on CD on April 25, 2025. It can be pre-ordered as a CD or download on Amazon now, and will be available from Apple Music/iTunes and many streaming platforms including Pandora and Spotify on the release date. More links will be added as they become available. Great stuff!