What's Happening in Cincinnati, OH…

A popular pianist will be in Cincinnati soon, bringing his unique styling to residents of the Queen City.

George Wilson has sold millions of albums, mainly of his solo piano playing. He typically plays in three different styles, including one he has developed himself that he calls “rural folk piano.” He also enjoys playing stride piano, although his main interest is the rhythm and blues piano style found in New Orleans. He cites Henry Butler, Professor Longhair, and James Booker as his primary influences in the R&B field.

Stride piano takes its name from the motion of the left hand, which alternates between chords and bass notes, making large jumps, or “strides” between the two. The technique is familiar to listeners of ragtime, and Wilson was inspired in this method by Teddy Wilson and Thomas “Fats” Waller.

Wilson was born in Michigan, but grew up in various places including Florida, Mississippi, and Montana. His earliest musical interests were in the jazz, pop, rock, and R&B genres, particularly when played on the organ. He began playing the instrument only to switch to the piano when he heard the artistry of stride pianists like Fats Waller.

Reviews of Wilson's performances on the Songkick ticketing website have called them “pure melodic excellence,” “amazing and mesmerizing,” and “fantastic.”

Wilson's concert is scheduled to begin at 8:30 pm on December 12, at Ludlow Garage Cincinnati. Tickets are on sale now. Poster printing is often used to create notices of events like this.