Night Divides the Day: The Music of the Doors [ENHANCED] [LIMITED EDITION]

George Winston

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 8, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Limited Edition
• Label: Windham Hill Records
• ASIN: B000069JZM
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,467 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
George Winston cites the Doors as a seminal influence on his music in the liner notes for the 20th anniversary edition of Autumn. Winston is a voracious musical explorer, and the Doors are among several musical tributes Winston has rolling around in his head. He's already paid homage to pianist Vince Guaraldi with Linus and Lucy. Winston's take on the acid-rock shamans is sometimes magical, sometimes regretful. It's no secret that George isn't a great technician, and you can hear the flaws whenever he remains true to the melody, especially replicating Robbie Krieger's guitar lines. But some songs are just perfect for Winston, notably "Crystal Ship," which he expands into a gorgeous meditation. Winston mixes the hits, including "Light My Fire," with some eccentric personal choices like "Spanish Caravan" and "My Wild Love." Ardent Doors devotees may cringe, but Winston fans will find a home here. --John Diliberto

Ray Manzarek - Doors keyboard player
"I love this CD; George has captured the essence of the Doors and added his own unique voice"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Winston's Long-Awaited Tribute To The Doors, October 27, 2002

By	Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This CD was obviously a labor of love for George Winston. He has over the years freely acknowledged the influence of The Doors' music--especially on his 1980 album Autumn. In the liner notes to Night Divides the Day, Winston writes how he played "Love Me Two Times" and "Light My Fire" in the first band he played in back in high school. This is music that made a lasting impression on Winston and his approach to music.

Having listened to this tribute several times now, I still have mixed feelings. The playing, of course, is impeccable. And on songs like the opening "Spanish Caravan," "The Crystal Ship" and "My Wild Love," Winston manages to make the songs his own. On others songs like "Love Her Madly" and especially the nearly 10-minute "Light My Fire," I'm left with the nagging question: What's new here? I "hear" Winston's piano, but my brain is playing the Doors' version in my head at the some time. The familiarity of the original versions makes it difficult to always appreciate Winston's technique.

Among his die-hard fans (and I own all of Winston's recordings), I know there are those who will fall in love with this tribute. Heck, even Ray Manzarek declares on the sticker on the cover: "I love this CD! George has captured The Doors' essence and added his own unique voice." There is an energy and ferocity to Winston's playing here and there is much to enjoy. If you appreciate the music of The Doors half as much as Winston, this CD will not disappoint. RECOMMENDED

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful And Brilliantly Played., October 13, 2002

By	Mr. Fellini "Fellini" (El Paso, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

George Winston has provided one of the most melodic and enrapturing homages to The Doors with "Night Divides The Day," a beautifully done album that conveys the musical intricacies of the band. Like "Riders On The Storm: The Doors Concerto," "Night Divides The Day" works for Doors fans who truly love and appreciate the MUSIC and for those fans of classical tastes. The opening, "Spanish Caravan," is a great experience of what good piano playing is. Winston masterfully adapts the melody to his keys, creating a great collage of notes and sound. "The Crystal Ship" is one of the more beautiful tracks on the album, emotional, hypnotic and completely enrapturing. One of the most fun tracks on the CD is "People Are Strange," it sounds like a perfect piano copy of the original but with Winston adding special flavors to it that give it a nice jazz feel. "Love Street" is a neat delight, really nice and sweet would be the best word to describe it. What you really get out of the album is an appreciation for just how classical-based The Doors' music was and how wonderfully melodic, a sense you sorta lose when listening to versions performed by bands like Aerosmith and Creed, which simply bring out the rock aspects The Doors influenced. A lot of people forget they were a band that were probably more avant-garde than most rock bands ever have been. Jim Morrison obviously influenced more in musicians than just the desire to act like madmen on stage or wear black leather pants. And yet eventhough we think of Morrison during this great album, these classical tributes bring out a true appreciation for the other musicians, especially keyboardist Ray Manzarek, we realize how intricate the playing of Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore really was. "Light My Fire" is wonderfully executed and plays like a roller-coaster, culminating in a beautiful rendition of a part from "The End." "Love Me Two Times" is a mixed bag, it works as a great, hard-thumping blues-like tune, but the feeling of the original is really lost. "My Wild Love" is as atmospheric as the original and conveys a threatening mood. One thing that should be appreciated is that Winston doesn't stick to just hits, in fact, tunes like "Hello I Love You" and "Strange Days" are missing. He does a great job with songs mostly Doors fans are familiar with like "Summer's Almost Gone," which can be beautiful and haunting. "I Can't See Your Face In My Mind" is very emotional, sometimes sounding like a melody you would hear in some kind of strange dream. "Riders On The Storm" is epic, heavy filled with some excellent craftsmanship. "Bird Of Prey" is one of the more simple songs, like the original, but it's an enjoyable listen. Winston has done a great thing here, it should be cherished by those who were really touched by Doors music when they first heard one of their albums. Winston himself is a professed Doors fanatic and the booklet in the CD case expresses this with him confessing that the band's first album is what inspired him to take up the keys. "Night Divides The Day" is real music for those who have real ears.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for everyone... but if you love music, get it., April 7, 2006

By	Dick K (Centreville, VA United States) - See all my reviews

Okay, this CD isn't for everyone and the other reviews reflect that fact. Some folks love it (includes me) and some, well... let's just say they didn't. So, what you care about is which group you're going to be in, right?

Avoid this CD if:

-- Doors not done by the Doors or a rock group is "a bad thing"
-- You're expecting a George Winston "new age" CD

Get this CD if:

-- your tastes in music are eclectic and you tend to like just about anything with top notch musicianship
-- you like jazz piano
-- you like the Doors music but its a good thing when it gets interpreted creatively

For me the key here is that Winston is interpreting the music, its not the Doors doing these songs, its George doing them. That's why I think if you like jazz piano this CD is for you. Winston's influences include many of that genre and you can hear them here, especially the stride piano influence. This is music Winston loves and respects--but that doesn't mean he can't intrepret it his way while staying true to the spirit of the music. Indeed, there's a real passion that comes thru here. And that, I think, is what Ray Manzarek (Door's keyboardist) meant in his quote on the back of the CD:

"...I love this CD. You've captured the Doors' essence, and added your own unique voice..."

In any case, this is a superb CD from a technical view, well played and excellently recorded. It's a favorite of mine--might be one of yours too, but maybe not...