Autumn -Windham Hill 20th Anniversary Edition-

George Winston Autumn
One of his best, George Winston's music is great to listen to anytime. He paints word pictures in his music.

If you ever knew true love...
Brilliant and ageless. Colors/Dance is the soundtrack to those who knew true love ..... and lost.

Howls of derisive laughter
In the leaflet accompanying the CD he mentions how he was "inspired" by the improvisational parts of "Light My Fire" by the "great band" The Doors. Enough said. Convulsing with laughter as I slowly and carefully returned the CD to the rack...(had to make sure I wasn't contaminated by it...)...I just had to tell you folks... If you think California Merlot is "good" wine, if you eat your salad first, if you think Meryl Streep is a good actress, if you think Ansel Adams is a great photographer, if you think James Cameron is a good director, if you read Stephen King or James Patterson novels, well then this is the CD for you! Hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah.... hah hah...hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah.... Oh please stop, ye'r killin' me!.... Hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah.... hah hah...hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah.... This is to music what sushi is to tires... Hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah.... hah hah...hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah.... Mr Winston is to be complimented for providing such an inviting target. Work as delightfully inept as this is so wonderful to find. He is utterly unaware of any European music, it seems. He needs to listen to the work of the keyboard player and composer Vittorio Nocenzi (founder of the Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso). Then he would understand that he should never, ever, touch a piano again, and most especially, never write another word about music. Visiting his website, I notice he has a section on "influences" containing a selection of recommended recordings. Not one European artist appears in this "selection". He appears to be just the usual insufferable New Ager, with a smattering of American and Oriental influences. Inane, pointless dreck. Closely resembles narcosis. This is the man who almost single-handed invented the soulless, horrid New Age genre. How did we come to this? Ours is truly a degenerate age. Just what we need: the aural equivalent of waiting in the unemployment line. No thank you! Those who are about to snore salute you!!! ----------NOT RECOMMENDED EXCEPT FOR THOSE WITH INSOMNIA---

Balm for the ears
This is possibly George Winston's best album ever. I have been listening to it for many, many years and it is always, permanently mesmerizing. Fantastic piano music with an inner quality that speaks for itself. Brilliant.

A Quiet Conversation; Unexpected Benefits
The songs on this album suggest winding down, quiet conversations, and acceptance of life as it is. In other words, Autumn. I hate to highlight notable compositions, because each of them is beautiful and satisfying to a certain mood. But in particular, "Colors-Dance," "Woods," "Moon," and the track laid down later, "Too Much Between Us," convey a sense of dialogue between two very old, very close friends. I bought the vinyl version in my first apartment. My roommates and I would sit on our L-shaped couch and read to this music. Somehow, it has the ability to occupy the part of the mind that wants to wander while allowing the rest of your attention to focus on its task. (That may be true of Winston's music in general. )We found this to be true for my son as well, at night when the ADD meds were wearing off but the homework still had to get done. But don't only listen to "Autumn" when you're doing something else. It is full of emotional content and lovely melody. Unlike many other reviewers, I favor this album over all others, even "December."