When anyone is asked about George Winston, the majority of folks may respond that they know Winston for his beautiful and unique piano music and extensive knowledge of the form. In truth, he’s also an incredibly accomplished guitarist as well as a harmonica player – and quite an authority on Hawaiian Slack Key playing. We were lucky enough to do a Take 5 interview with George in anticipation of his benefit solo guitar concert on Friday, October 30th at Unity Temple on the Plaza in Kansas City. Details of the upcoming concert follow the interview.

1. Some people might be surprised to know you’ve been such an active advocate for Hawaiian Slack Key music with your Dancing Cat Records label for over 21 years. I have several of the discs and didn’t realize you were the man behind the label! How did a pianist become such a Slack Key fan as to start a label?

GEORGE: Actually I am a solo instrumental player on the guitar and the harmonica as well as the piano. Many of the great Hawaiian Slack Key guitarists are influences and inspirations to my own playing, and about 40% of what I play on solo guitar is Hawaiian. I started the label to record much more of the music of these great players.

GEORGE: Very minimal on the piano and harmonica as far as a direct influence, but inspiring for everything I play.

GEORGE: I play almost everything in Open G Major (C)-D-G-D-G-B-D from lowest Continue reading

(This interview was originally done in August 2009, before his Sept ’09 show). We’re excited to have the great Roy Book Binder play Mass St. Music again on Friday, June 11, 2010.  He’s not only a killer blues and folk guitarist, but a real entertainer who has lived a life that provides plenty of fodder for his true tales. He was kind enough to take some time to answer a few questions because, you know, inquiring minds want to know. Tickets for this show are $15 and are available at the store, by phone (785-843-3535) and at our store website at www.massstreetmusic.com

More tunes and tales than you shake a stick at

TAKE 5 with Roy:

1. How did your friendship with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna’s Jorma Kaukonen (Roy teaches sometimes at Jorma’s Fur Peace Ranch) come about?

ROY: Back in the ‘old days’, back in the ’60s, often when I played ‘Hesitation Blues’, someone would yell out, “JORMA!!”… Continue reading

The classic 60s instrumental ‘Telstar’ starts off (and ends) with an otherworldly blast-off, space-like noise, which turns out to be the producer, Joe Meek’s invention. He recorded the flush of a toilet and played it backwards.  Thanks to Little Steven’s Underground for this crazy bit o trivia. Read more about eccentric and extraordinary producer Joe Meek at www.wikipedia.org.

It’s Thursday, have a little Bo Diddley courtesy of youtube:

Hey, Bo Diddley Bo Diddley