Cast your fate to the wind (Vince Guaraldi) (LP 2448 - 2451)

George Winston  Winter Into Spring (CD, Dancing Cat Records, 1982) ***

George Winston  December (CD, Dancing Cat Records, 1982) ***  

George Winston  Linus and Lucy: The Music Of Vince Guaraldi (CD, Dancing Cat Records, 1996) ****  

George Winston  Montana: A Love Story (CD, Dancing Cat Records, 2004) ****  

Genre: Jazz

Places I remember: Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi); Virgin Megastore (Dubai)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Linus & Lucy

Gear costume: Little House I Used To Live In (Montana)

Active compensatory factors: George's first huge solo piano album was his second - called Autumn (which I've already written about).

His third album was Winter Into Spring (makes sense right). It has a brittle sound at times - like walking across a frosty lawn!

December also doubles up as a Christmas album (makes sense right). It also includes some hymns and music inspired by Vince Guaraldi among the Christmas touches.

George is obviously a Vince Guaraldi fan as he devotes a whole album to covering his work with Linus & Lucy. Outside of Autumn this would be my favourite. I'm also a fan of Vince's playing.

Montana is an excellent collection of varied pieces, all tied to the theme of Montana, the place. George wasn't born there, but he was raised there. Clearly, he feels indebted to that state.

I like the variety of moods on the album. And the fact that he includes a version of a Frank Zappa song endears George to me.

As the AllMusic review says: Montana goes deeper into his heart, back to childhood memories of his family's house, lullabies, and first encounters with songs that would later hold great personal meaning. It's this kind of genuine wonder of it all that makes Montana so great.

Where do they all belong? That's enough really. Solo piano is great for certain moods.