Montana

It is true that this long awaited album is an album close to the heart of George Winston, but is it all it should have been, or could have been? After all, it has been labeled as being the album that takes George Winston back to his roots. Now, when I think of George Winston going back to his roots, musically, I think of Autumn, December, or Winter Into Spring. Montana - A Love Story, I'm afraid, can't quite hold a candle to these albums, nor could it to Summer or Forest. This album is much more closely related to his latter work, Plains, than anything else. And while I liked Plains, it just didn't flow as well as it should have, not the album as a whole or the individual songs therein. There are a few stand out songs from Plains that make it worth having, and listening to frequently, and unfortunately, such is true with Montana - A Love Story.

So, like Plains, I did find a few songs rather exceptional from this new album, of those being: Thumbelina, High Plains Lullaby, The Mountain Winds Call Your Name, Sweet Soul, and Sky. There are others that are worth mentioning such as Valse Frontenac (to a generic degree), Nevertheless Hello (mainly right at the one minute mark), and Music Box (which is no match to Forests' Japanese Music Box). The remaining songs, while okay, failed to live up to my expectations, which did wane slightly after reading the liner notes prior to ordering/buying this CD. I say that they waned in that: I learned that only a few of the songs are original pieces (the way George Winston unfortunately likes it to be), many of the songs were noted as being fiddle or waltz pieces (not my cup of tea), and the fact that so many of the songs are under three minutes in length - I miss the five plus minute songs of old. And I am not quite sure of the artists' intention on the last song, Sky. It seems to end on a rather odd note, or three. I am still trying to figure this one out. It's a great song, but slightly unsettling. Perhaps due to this song's meaning. Of which you'd be best to check out the liner notes for. Sweet Soul and Sky are dedication pieces.

I must say that it pains me a bit to talk so negatively about this album, as it took an obvious amount of energy and feeling from George Winston, but I can't help pointing out my personal opinions based on my ongoing and established appreciation and love of George Winston's music.

One more thing I should note about this CD on a more technical side, as it can be a bit unsettling to the discerning listener. The quality of this album seems to lack overall, and heavily during certain songs. It almost feels as if I am listening to a live recording, with slight indications of the microphone picking up subtle sloshing around of the artist on the piano. While it doesn't distract one's attention too terribly from the works at hand, it can be annoying, especially during one song in particular - The Mountain Winds Call Your Name (my favorite one). This was apparent on Plains as well, but much more prevalent here with Montana - A Love Story. Just a mild warning, that's all.

George Winston proclaimed on many an occasion that he plays mainly in melodic or diatonic form, yet I don't feel that the works contained within this album follow suit. They are a bit, say, more bouncy and sporadic in nature. They do not flow as well as perhaps they should, or at least could have, and tend to repeat in a more chorus like effect than what I am used to with George Winston. He does seem to like to circle around a bit within pieces, and that's fine, but with Montana, he seems to have begun the repetition process for many a song without even going full circle, if that makes any sense. So while I do like this album, I am deeply dissatisfied. However, I cannot rate the album lower because of this, as I am a finicky listener, and expect only the best out of George Winston - an artist I have been listening to [nearly solely] for over fifteen years. And to have waited as long as I have for this CD, one that failed to meet my expectations, is disheartening to an even further degree to know that he won't release another for quite some time, maybe four or five years. I want another Autumn, December, Winter Into Spring, or another Summer or Forest. I want the Seasons back. Sure he may have covered them all by now, but why not revisit them? In fact, I'd be content with a George Winston arranged album of his previous works, as he plays many alternate versions during his live concerts that are beyond outstanding. That is of course, a lofty wish to be sure.

As you can guess from the title of this album, George Winston lives in Montana. And, very clearly, he likes it there. Choosing to base his work on folk and traditional music that is associated with that state, the album has only five original compositions. This isn't bad by any means, but I spent my first listening (without reading the notes) thinking how familiar the music sounded. For those of us who are used to the more abstract styling of his other albums this takes a few cuts to get used to.

The sound is still the sparse, acoustic approach that Winston is noted for. He isn't a musician to waste notes unnecessarily, often paring a melody, traditional or not, down to its bare bones. It is more proper to say that he 'derived' his work from Montanan music rather than that he borrowed it. Winston's musical sense is always very good, and it certainly didn't fail him here as he mixes his jazz-like approach with a melodic tradition.

If I had my druthers, I would have liked to hear Winston work more with the music of Montana's northern frontier - the Voyageurs and the Metis. This isn't a criticism, Winston has drawn from what he is most familiar with. I just would like to here what a really good musician could do with traditions that get too little air time in the US.

"Montana - A Love Story" is George Winston's tribute to his home state, and contains an eclectic grouping of piano solos coming from a variety of sources. The only real surprise on the album is that only five of the seventeen pieces are Winston's original compositions, but I doubt that his fans will be disappointed. From the beginning, Winston has called himself a "folk pianist" rather than "new age," and quite a few of the tracks are folk or traditional songs that Winston arranged as piano solos. Winston has again included a piece by fellow native-Montanan Philip Aaberg, a pianist Winston greatly admires and respects (who doesn't???). Most of the pieces are melodic and graceful, with the possible exception of Frank Zappa's "The Little House I Used to Live In," which is more discordant and abstract - can't say that I like that one much. Winston mentions in his liner notes that he is playing a lot of solo piano dances, and he includes some of his favorite pieces from those as well. Several of the tracks have a strong Asian-influence - an interesting development.

My favorites in this collection are pretty varied. "Thumbelina" comes from Mark Isham's soundtrack for the classic children's story. Gentle and quiet, this is a lovely opening. I really like "Billy In the Low Land," which is a variation on an American fiddle tune. It is easy to picture Montana's vast open spaces and to feel the peace and contentment of a simpler country life. "Valse Frontenac" is a traditional waltz from Quebec, and is a sweet and sincere piece full of charm and simple elegance. I prefer Philip Aaberg's recording of "Nevertheless, Hello," but Winston does this great piece justice. "The Twisting of The Hay Rope" is a joyful ancient Irish piece with a beautiful melody. "You Send Me," a slow-dance arrangement of the Sam Cooke classic, works well as a piano solo. "The Mountain Winds Call Your Name" is one of the originals, and much of it is played on plucked piano strings - a technique Winston has relished for a long time; it's an interesting piece. My favorite track is "Music Box" by Rentaro Taki, a haunting little piece with a bittersweet melody. I also really like Winston's arrangement of "Goodnight Irene," an easy-going waltz composed by Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) in the early 20th century. The final two tracks are loving tributes to two of Winston's cats, both very tender and sweet, and full of Winston's distinctive open spaces.

George Winston has truly become a legend in his own time, and has had a strong influence on many pianists and other musicians. "Montana - A Love Story" is a continuation of his tradition of gathering pieces from a wide variety of sources and making them his own. Winston's many fans will love this album!

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