George Winston - Beloved: A Celebration of Professor Longhair (2025) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Dance Home
02. Ball the Wall
03. Tipitina 1
04. Basketball
05. Big Chief
06. After Sundown
07. How Long Has That Train Been Gone
08. Doin' It
09. In the Night
10. Walk Your Blues Away
11. Trains
12. Fess Boogie
13. Hey Now Baby
14. Rolling Blues
15. Dr. Professor Holly
16. Tipitina 2

Experience the soul of New Orleans in George Winston's "Beloved: A Celebration of Professor Longhair", a captivating tribute to the legendary pianist's timeless grooves and rhythms featuring seven Winston originals and nine of Fess' fan favorites.

This album is a departure from his usual folk piano style, and celebrates one of George's main influences, New Orleans piano musician Professor Longhair, known as Fess to his fans. The album contains 7 original compositions by George Winston and 7 songs written by Professor Longhair along with a cover of Earl King's "Big Chief".

"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!" (Kathy Parsons, mainlypiano.com)

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