George Stone (composer)
Encyclopedia
George Stone is an American musician and educator. He has composed
or arranged over 100 works for instrumental ensembles, with the bulk of his material for jazz band
.
music since the age of 5 when he first heard Maynard Ferguson
’s record called Newport Suite. By first grade he listened daily to recordings of groups such as the Four Freshmen, The Hi-Lo’s, Woody Herman
, Buddy Rich
, Bud Shank
, Frank Rosolino
, Howard Roberts
, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra
, the Candoli
brothers, Gerry Mulligan
and Paul Desmond
. He memorized the layers of each tune, from the melody to the bass line, to the accompaniment parts and horn parts. But a particular record called Mavis Meets Shorty created commotion in his first grade classroom. “My teacher asked us to tell what our favorite song was and to sing it. At my turn I said, ‘I Remember You’ to which every student looked confused. I validated their fears and those of the teacher by singing not only the lyrics but all the band parts as well. Gratifyingly, I later came to know and work with the son of Mavis Rivers, the legendary Matt Catingub, with whom I shared many warm recollections of that recording.”
While his jazz initiation was rich, his family was not. Because his parents could not afford piano lessons, he taught himself how to read music while practicing on the family’s reed (pump) organ. By the age of 8 he could play most of the music in family songbooks as well as complex chord structures and progressions. The reed organ forced him to hold onto the keys while changing chords (since they would stop sounding upon release) and this performance practice was instrumental in developing his approach to piano playing and later, orchestration.
In 5th grade he began playing trumpet in the beginning band and within the first three weeks he could play all the music. The director invited him to play in the junior high advanced band. George would bicycle to the junior high rehearsal at 7:30 AM and then ride back to the elementary school for an 8:45 AM start.
To pay for trumpet lessons, he worked at a local music store in Newhall (now Santa Clarita, CA) and took lesson from Bob Hughes. At the age of 12 he began writing for and directing his first jazz combo, and by age 13 he wrote his first large ensemble arrangements followed by his first big band arrangement at age 14. He then attended the outstanding program at Hart High School under the direction of Larry Thornton, writing and composing music for all their ensembles while concurrently enrolled at College of the Canyons
(COC) in Valencia
, CA, performing under the direction of composer, arranger and teacher Stewart "Dirk" Fischer. Fischer became his first composing mentor and their musical and personal association continues today. Upon graduation he enrolled at CSU Northridge where he became a member of the outstanding Jazz A-Band for whom he composed and arranged extensively. He thrived under the expert tutelage of instructors Roy Poper, Gary Pratt and Joel Leach. The close proximity to both Hollywood and Los Angeles
offered him a valuable integration with the professional music scene. By age 20 he was leading his own big band and writing for live shows and television.
Upon completion of his degree at CSU Northridge, he began teaching instrumental music at Hart High School. In 1996 he moved to the Central Coast of CA and has since enjoyed a career in music performance, composition and music education for over 20 years. He currently directs the Audio Technology Program and teaches Music Theory
and Composition at Cuesta College
San Luis Obispo, CA.,http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/08/local/me-62862 LA Times 12/8/2000
Artists and groups with whom he has been privileged to work include Maynard Ferguson
, Clare Fischer
, Dave Grusin
, Tom Scott
, the American Jazz Philharmonic and the Tonight Show Orchestra with Doc Severinsen
. He has composed for CBS
, NBC
, HBO, ABC
and Disney. He is in demand as a recording engineer and producer for high schools, college groups and professional musicians nationally.
His extensive participation as a festival adjudicator and clinician has included the California Music Educators Association (CMEA
), California Band Director’s Association (CBDA), Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), Buchanan HS
, Dos Pueblos HS
, Folsom HS
, Westlake HS
, University of New Mexico
, CSU Sacramento, CSU Northridge, Northern Arizona State University
, Bellevue College (WA), Fresno City College
, College of San Mateo
, Monterey Next Generation Festival, Eastern Washington University
, Delta College
, Fort Lewis College
(CO) and Reno International jazz festivals.
George has directed all levels of the California State Jazz All Star honor bands and has appeared as the CSU Fresno guest composer/conductor, CSU Northridge guest composer/conductor, FMCMEA honor jazz director, New Mexico All State jazz band director, Ventura County All Star jazz band director and Reno honor jazz director.
in a final effort for free publicity. Interestingly, the music file clearly showed the designation Provided by Passport Designs but did not list George Stone as the composer. Microsoft
renamed the file Canyon.MID where it was released on Microsoft Windows
3.1 up through and including Windows 2000
. Never apprised of the Microsoft acquisition, and being an exclusive Mac computer user, George never saw nor heard it until others had told him about it. After confirming that the piece was indeed his composition, George was advised by a musician friend to seek legal advice, later consulting the firm of Rosenfeld, Meyer and Susman LLP in Los Angeles
. Unfortunately, upon review it was determined that though George was the original composer and copyright holder, he had signed a contract that gave Passport exclusive publishing rights to the music. Consequently, George never received royalties
, compensation, nor credit as the composer. In one last effort, he wrote a letter to Microsoft
explaining the situation and requested a meeting to discuss the issue, his reasoning based upon the fact that although Passport was the holder of the publishing rights, he was nevertheless the composer and wanted to have at least his name listed as such. By this time, Passport Designs had all but ceased operation and was acquired by G-Vox, supporting the rationale to credit George for his work. No meeting ever transpired after which George decided it best to abandon pursuing the issue.
The song has experienced a small resurgence of popularity due to a remix of it found on the website called Big Lion Music.
All or Nothing at All
, Composed by Arthur Altman and Jack Lawrence; Arranged George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Autumn Leaves
, Composed by Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prevert; Arranged by George Stone;
Autumn Nocturne, Composed by Josef Myrow and Kim Gannon; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Bass-ically Two of a Kind, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Blues in the Night
, Composed by Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Body and Soul
, Composed by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton John Green; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Brown Knows Rose, Composed by George Stone - Georgestonemusic.com
Call Me Irresponsible
, Composed by James Van Heusen; Arranged by George Stone; Sony/ATV Harmony
Caught in the Current, Composed by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing/Maynard Ferguson
Close Enough for Love, Composed by Johnny Mandel, Paul Williams; Arranged by George Stone; Universal Music Corp OBO Warner-Olive Music
Come Rain or Come Shine, Composed by Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Count Me Out (I’m Out Me Too I Win), Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
D-Bop, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Doxy
, Composed by Sonny Rollins, Arranged by George Stone; Prestige Music
Giant Steps
, Composed by John Coltrane, Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Hey There
, Composed by Jerry Ross, Richard Adler; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
I Can’t Get Started, Composed by Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
I Didn’t Know What Time it Was, Composed by Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers; Arranged by George Stone; Chappell & Co., Williamson Music Co - A Division of Rodgers and Hammerstein
I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart, Composed by Duke Ellington, I. Mills, H. Nemo, John Redmond; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
I Love You
, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Chappell & CO.
I Watched Her Walk Away, Composed by Russ Freeman, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
I’m Beginning to See the Light, Composed by Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James; Arranged by George Stone; Chappell & Co., WB Music Corp. OBO Ricki Music Co., Sony/ATV Harmony
It Could Happen to You
, Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
It Might as Well be Spring, Composed by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein 2nd; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
It’s All Right With Me, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Josie, Composed by Donald Fagan and Walter Becker, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Just One of Those Things
, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Just You Just Me, Composed by Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
La Samba Primera, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Long Ago and Far Away, Composed by J. Kern, I. Gershwin, Arranged by George Stone; Universal - Polygram International Pub Inc., WB Music Corp. OBO IRA Gershwin Music
Lost Mind - Composed by Percy Mayfield, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Minor Point of View, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
Monday Morning Blues, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Moonlight in Vermont
, Composed by Karl Seussdorf, John Blackburn, Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Mulligan’s Nest, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
Nardis, Composed by Miles Davis, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Pulblishing
On Broadway, Composed by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Peaceful Thunder, Composed by Louie Bellson, Dave Black, Arranged by George Stone; Alfred Pub Co. OBO Beam Me Up Music
Peel Me a Grape, Composed by Dave Frishberg, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Pretty Little Thing Called Love, Composed by Freddie Mercury, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Prime Rib, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
Save the Best For Last
, Composed by W. Waldman, J. Lind, P. Galdston; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Shuffle Scuffle, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Publishing
Silver Bells, Composed by Jay Livingston, Ray Evans; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Sophisticated Lady
, Composed by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Speak Low
, Composed by Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash; Arranged by George Stone; Walrus Publishing
Spring is Here
, Composed by Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart; Arranged by George Stone; EMI Robbins Catalog Inc.
Straight Ahead, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
The New Generation, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
The Very Thought of You
, Composed by Ray Noble, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Then and Now, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
They Can’t Take That Away, Composed by Steve Diamond, Anders Bagge, Peter Sjoestroem; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
When Sunny Gets Blue, Composed by Marvin Fisher/Jack Segal, Arranged by George Stone; Sony/ATV Tunes LLC
Where or When, Composed by Richard Rogers; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Why Not
, Composed by Michel Camilo, Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
You’d be so Nice to Come Home to, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
D-Bop
Then And Now
Peaceful Thunder
Mulligan's Nest
The Very Thought Of You
I Love You
Doxy
When Sunny Gets Blue
Count Me Out
I'm Beginning To See The Light
Straight Ahead
George Stone Big Band PIECE BY PIECE Sea Breeze Jazz (2000)
Spring In Here
La Samba Primera
Hey There
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Heavy Cussin'
Autumn Nocturne
Long Ago and Far Away
Autumn Leaves
Other recordings as performer or writer
American Jazz Philharmonic - Featuring Phil Woods and Ray Brown
Jacob Armen - Drum Fever
Gene Burkert - Jazz Palette
Luis Bonilla - Escucha!
Cedar Avenue Big Band - Land of 10,000 Licks
Central Coast Jazz Quartet - At Home
Miki Coltrane - I Think of You
Dirk Fischer and George Stone - Coming of Age Seabreeze Records (2011)
George Stone and Friends - Perform the Music of Stewart "Dirk" Fischer Seabreeze Records (2004)
Tony Lujan - Tribute
Tony Lujan - You Don't Know What Love Is
Ladd McIntosh - Bulbous Garlic Blues
Nightlife - Smooth Jazz
Royal Garden Swing Orchestra - Best Foot Forward
Sugar Daddy Swing Kings - How Big Can You Get
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
or arranged over 100 works for instrumental ensembles, with the bulk of his material for jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
.
History
George has enjoyed jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music since the age of 5 when he first heard Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
’s record called Newport Suite. By first grade he listened daily to recordings of groups such as the Four Freshmen, The Hi-Lo’s, Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
, Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
, Bud Shank
Bud Shank
Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank, Jr. was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and throughout the decade worked in various small jazz combos. He spent the 1960s as a first...
, Frank Rosolino
Frank Rosolino
Frank Rosolino was an American jazz trombonist.- Biography :Born in Detroit, Michigan, Frank Rosolino studied the guitar with his father from the age of 9. He took up the trombone at age 14 while he was enrolled at Miller High School where he played with Milt Jackson in the school's stage band and...
, Howard Roberts
Howard Roberts
Howard Roberts was an American jazz guitarist, educator and session musician.-Biography:Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and began playing guitar at age 8. By the time he was 15 he was playing professionally locally....
, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra
Sauter-Finegan Orchestra
The Sauter-Finegan Orchestra was an American swing jazz band popular in the 1950s.The orchestra was led by Eddie Sauter and Bill Finegan, who were both experienced big band arrangers. Sauter played mellophone, trumpet, and drums, and had attended Columbia University and Juilliard; Finegan had...
, the Candoli
Pete Candoli
Pete Candoli was an American swing and West Coast jazz trumpeter. He played with the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and many others, and worked extensively in the studios of the recording and television industries...
brothers, Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also...
and Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond , born Paul Emil Breitenfeld, was a jazz alto saxophonist and composer born in San Francisco, best known for the work he did in the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for penning that group's greatest hit, "Take Five"...
. He memorized the layers of each tune, from the melody to the bass line, to the accompaniment parts and horn parts. But a particular record called Mavis Meets Shorty created commotion in his first grade classroom. “My teacher asked us to tell what our favorite song was and to sing it. At my turn I said, ‘I Remember You’ to which every student looked confused. I validated their fears and those of the teacher by singing not only the lyrics but all the band parts as well. Gratifyingly, I later came to know and work with the son of Mavis Rivers, the legendary Matt Catingub, with whom I shared many warm recollections of that recording.”
While his jazz initiation was rich, his family was not. Because his parents could not afford piano lessons, he taught himself how to read music while practicing on the family’s reed (pump) organ. By the age of 8 he could play most of the music in family songbooks as well as complex chord structures and progressions. The reed organ forced him to hold onto the keys while changing chords (since they would stop sounding upon release) and this performance practice was instrumental in developing his approach to piano playing and later, orchestration.
In 5th grade he began playing trumpet in the beginning band and within the first three weeks he could play all the music. The director invited him to play in the junior high advanced band. George would bicycle to the junior high rehearsal at 7:30 AM and then ride back to the elementary school for an 8:45 AM start.
To pay for trumpet lessons, he worked at a local music store in Newhall (now Santa Clarita, CA) and took lesson from Bob Hughes. At the age of 12 he began writing for and directing his first jazz combo, and by age 13 he wrote his first large ensemble arrangements followed by his first big band arrangement at age 14. He then attended the outstanding program at Hart High School under the direction of Larry Thornton, writing and composing music for all their ensembles while concurrently enrolled at College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons is a public two-year community college that operates within the Santa Clarita Community College District. The college is located on of rolling, tree-dotted hills in the incorporated city of Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County, California. The college’s address is:...
(COC) in Valencia
Valencia, California
Valencia is an affluent planned community located in the City of Santa Clarita, California and Los Angeles County, California, U.S. in the northwestern corner of the Santa Clarita Valley, adjacent to Interstate 5. In 1987, it was one of the four unincorporated communities that merged to create the...
, CA, performing under the direction of composer, arranger and teacher Stewart "Dirk" Fischer. Fischer became his first composing mentor and their musical and personal association continues today. Upon graduation he enrolled at CSU Northridge where he became a member of the outstanding Jazz A-Band for whom he composed and arranged extensively. He thrived under the expert tutelage of instructors Roy Poper, Gary Pratt and Joel Leach. The close proximity to both Hollywood and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
offered him a valuable integration with the professional music scene. By age 20 he was leading his own big band and writing for live shows and television.
Upon completion of his degree at CSU Northridge, he began teaching instrumental music at Hart High School. In 1996 he moved to the Central Coast of CA and has since enjoyed a career in music performance, composition and music education for over 20 years. He currently directs the Audio Technology Program and teaches Music Theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
and Composition at Cuesta College
Cuesta College
Cuesta College is a public community college located in San Luis Obispo County near the Central Coast of California. It currently offers 76 Associate's degree programs and 96 certificate programs...
San Luis Obispo, CA.,http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/08/local/me-62862 LA Times 12/8/2000
Artists and groups with whom he has been privileged to work include Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
, Clare Fischer
Clare Fischer
Clare Fischer is an American composer, arranger, pianist and organist. His parents were of German, French, Irish-Scot, and English backgrounds.-Early years:...
, Dave Grusin
Dave Grusin
David Grusin is an American composer, arranger and pianist. Grusin has composed many scores for feature films and television, and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record work, including an Academy award and 12 Grammys...
, Tom Scott
Tom Scott (musician)
Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California...
, the American Jazz Philharmonic and the Tonight Show Orchestra with Doc Severinsen
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen is an American pop and jazz trumpeter. He is best known for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.-Early life:...
. He has composed for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, HBO, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and Disney. He is in demand as a recording engineer and producer for high schools, college groups and professional musicians nationally.
His extensive participation as a festival adjudicator and clinician has included the California Music Educators Association (CMEA
MENC: The National Association for Music Education
MENC: The National Association for Music Education is an organization of American music educators dedicated to advancing and preserving music education and as part of the core curriculum of schools in the United States...
), California Band Director’s Association (CBDA), Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), Buchanan HS
Buchanan High School
Dr. Floyd B. Buchanan High School, known as Buchanan High School, is a four-year public high school in Clovis, California, United States. The school is part the Buchanan Educational Center, which houses approximately 5,000 students at Garfield Elementary School , Alta Sierra Intermediate School ,...
, Dos Pueblos HS
Dos Pueblos High School
Dos Pueblos High School is a high school located in Goleta, California, west of Santa Barbara. Located adjacent to the foothills on the edge of the Goleta Valley in an area known as El Encanto Heights, it serves a student body of approximately 2,300 in grades 9-12.Dos Pueblos, or "DP" or "DPHS", is...
, Folsom HS
Folsom High School
Folsom High School is a nationally acclaimed American high school located in Folsom, California, established in 1922. It is a part of the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District...
, Westlake HS
Westlake High School (California)
Westlake High School, often known simply as Westlake or Westlake High is a public high school in Westlake Village, California, hosting grades 9–12...
, University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, CSU Sacramento, CSU Northridge, Northern Arizona State University
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
, Bellevue College (WA), Fresno City College
Fresno City College
Fresno City College is a community college in Fresno, California. Established in 1910, it was the first community college in California and the second in the nation...
, College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo is a community college in San Mateo, California. It is part of the San Mateo County Community College District....
, Monterey Next Generation Festival, Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University is an American public, coeducational university located in Cheney, Washington.Founded in 1882, the university is academically divided into four colleges: Arts and Letters; Business and Public Administration; Science, Health and Engineering; and Social & Behavioral...
, Delta College
Delta College
Delta College is the name of several community colleges in the United States and Canada. Among them are:* Delta College , near Bay City* Delta College , Quebec* Louisiana Delta Community College...
, Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College is a public liberal arts college in Durango, Colorado.-History:Military FortThe original site of Fort Lewis College began southwest of its present location back in 1880. Set up originally as a Military Fort for the 22nd Regimental Infantry which occupied the land from...
(CO) and Reno International jazz festivals.
George has directed all levels of the California State Jazz All Star honor bands and has appeared as the CSU Fresno guest composer/conductor, CSU Northridge guest composer/conductor, FMCMEA honor jazz director, New Mexico All State jazz band director, Ventura County All Star jazz band director and Reno honor jazz director.
Trip Through the Grand Canyon
An interesting but rarely known fact is that George is the composer of an original piece of music called "Trip Through the Grand Canyon." It was composed in 1990 for Passport Designs (for whom he worked as MIDI producer) to be used in various MIDI applications, but as Passport Designs neared the end of their operation, they reportedly gave the music to MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in a final effort for free publicity. Interestingly, the music file clearly showed the designation Provided by Passport Designs but did not list George Stone as the composer. Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
renamed the file Canyon.MID where it was released on Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
3.1 up through and including Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
. Never apprised of the Microsoft acquisition, and being an exclusive Mac computer user, George never saw nor heard it until others had told him about it. After confirming that the piece was indeed his composition, George was advised by a musician friend to seek legal advice, later consulting the firm of Rosenfeld, Meyer and Susman LLP in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Unfortunately, upon review it was determined that though George was the original composer and copyright holder, he had signed a contract that gave Passport exclusive publishing rights to the music. Consequently, George never received royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
, compensation, nor credit as the composer. In one last effort, he wrote a letter to Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
explaining the situation and requested a meeting to discuss the issue, his reasoning based upon the fact that although Passport was the holder of the publishing rights, he was nevertheless the composer and wanted to have at least his name listed as such. By this time, Passport Designs had all but ceased operation and was acquired by G-Vox, supporting the rationale to credit George for his work. No meeting ever transpired after which George decided it best to abandon pursuing the issue.
The song has experienced a small resurgence of popularity due to a remix of it found on the website called Big Lion Music.
Music
Selected Published/Copyrighted Anthology of George Stone Compositions and Arrangements for Jazz EnsembleAll or Nothing at All
All or Nothing at All
"All or Nothing at All" is a song composed in 1939 by Arthur Altman, with lyrics by Jack Lawrence.Frank Sinatra's 1939 recording of the song became a huge hit in 1943, when it was reissued by Columbia Records during the 1942-43 musicians' strike...
, Composed by Arthur Altman and Jack Lawrence; Arranged George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Autumn Leaves
Autumn Leaves (song)
"Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song "Les Feuilles mortes" with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit...
, Composed by Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prevert; Arranged by George Stone;
Autumn Nocturne, Composed by Josef Myrow and Kim Gannon; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Bass-ically Two of a Kind, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Blues in the Night
Blues in the Night
"Blues in the Night" is a popular song which has become a pop standard and is generally considered to be part of the Great American Songbook. The music was written by Harold Arlen, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, for a 1941 film begun with the working title Hot Nocturne, but finally released as Blues...
, Composed by Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Body and Soul
Body and Soul (song)
"Body and Soul" was recorded as a duet by Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse in 2011. It was the final recording made by Winehouse before her death on July 23, 2011. The single was released worldwide on September 14, 2011 on iTunes, MTV and VH1....
, Composed by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton John Green; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Brown Knows Rose, Composed by George Stone - Georgestonemusic.com
Call Me Irresponsible
Call Me Irresponsible
"Call Me Irresponsible" is a 1962 song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics written by Sammy Cahn.According to the Mel Tormé book The Other Side of the Rainbow with Judy Garland on the Dawn Patrol, Van Heusen originally wrote the song for Garland to sing at a CBS dinner...
, Composed by James Van Heusen; Arranged by George Stone; Sony/ATV Harmony
Caught in the Current, Composed by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing/Maynard Ferguson
Close Enough for Love, Composed by Johnny Mandel, Paul Williams; Arranged by George Stone; Universal Music Corp OBO Warner-Olive Music
Come Rain or Come Shine, Composed by Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Count Me Out (I’m Out Me Too I Win), Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
D-Bop, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Doxy
Doxy (song)
"Doxy" is an early composition by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins. It first appeared on the 1954 Miles Davis album Bags' Groove, performed by Davis on trumpet, Rollins on tenor saxophone, Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. When Rollins eventually established his...
, Composed by Sonny Rollins, Arranged by George Stone; Prestige Music
Giant Steps
Giant Steps
-Personnel:* John Coltrane — tenor saxophone* Tommy Flanagan — piano* Wynton Kelly — piano on "Naima"* Paul Chambers — bass* Art Taylor — drums* Jimmy Cobb — drums on "Naima"* Cedar Walton — piano on "Giant Steps' and Naima" alternate versions...
, Composed by John Coltrane, Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Hey There
Hey There
"Hey There" is a show tune from the musical play The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. It was published in 1954.It was subsequently recorded by a number of artists. The recording by Rosemary Clooney reached #1 on Billboard's chart in 1954. Another version was also recorded about...
, Composed by Jerry Ross, Richard Adler; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
I Can’t Get Started, Composed by Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
I Didn’t Know What Time it Was, Composed by Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers; Arranged by George Stone; Chappell & Co., Williamson Music Co - A Division of Rodgers and Hammerstein
I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart, Composed by Duke Ellington, I. Mills, H. Nemo, John Redmond; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
I Love You
I Love You (Cole Porter song)
"I Love You" is a song written by Cole Porter in 1944 for his stage musical Mexican Hayride. It was popularized by Bing Crosby in the same year...
, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Chappell & CO.
I Watched Her Walk Away, Composed by Russ Freeman, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
I’m Beginning to See the Light, Composed by Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James; Arranged by George Stone; Chappell & Co., WB Music Corp. OBO Ricki Music Co., Sony/ATV Harmony
It Could Happen to You
It Could Happen to You (song)
"It Could Happen to You" is a popular standard with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was written in 1944 and was introduced by Dorothy Lamour in the Paramount musical comedy film, And the Angels Sing....
, Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
It Might as Well be Spring, Composed by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein 2nd; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
It’s All Right With Me, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Josie, Composed by Donald Fagan and Walter Becker, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Just One of Those Things
Just One of Those Things (song)
"Just One of Those Things" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee.The song was later featured in two Doris Day musical films, Lullaby of Broadway and Young at Heart .-Influence in popular culture:...
, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Just You Just Me, Composed by Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
La Samba Primera, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Long Ago and Far Away, Composed by J. Kern, I. Gershwin, Arranged by George Stone; Universal - Polygram International Pub Inc., WB Music Corp. OBO IRA Gershwin Music
Lost Mind - Composed by Percy Mayfield, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Minor Point of View, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
Monday Morning Blues, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
Moonlight in Vermont
Moonlight in Vermont (song)
"Moonlight in Vermont" is a popular song about the U.S. state of Vermont, written by John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf and published in 1943. The lyrics are unusual in that they do not rhyme...
, Composed by Karl Seussdorf, John Blackburn, Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Mulligan’s Nest, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
Nardis, Composed by Miles Davis, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Pulblishing
On Broadway, Composed by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Peaceful Thunder, Composed by Louie Bellson, Dave Black, Arranged by George Stone; Alfred Pub Co. OBO Beam Me Up Music
Peel Me a Grape, Composed by Dave Frishberg, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Pretty Little Thing Called Love, Composed by Freddie Mercury, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Prime Rib, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
Save the Best For Last
Save the Best for Last
"Save the Best for Last" is a 1992 single written by Phil Galdston, Wendy Waldman and Jon Lind in March 1989. It is considered Vanessa Williams' signature song. The lyrics' redemptive themes resonated with Williams' story, as she had put together a successful recording career following her earlier...
, Composed by W. Waldman, J. Lind, P. Galdston; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Shuffle Scuffle, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Publishing
Silver Bells, Composed by Jay Livingston, Ray Evans; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Sophisticated Lady
Sophisticated Lady
"Sophisticated Lady" is a jazz standard, composed as an instrumental in 1932 by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills, to which words were added by Mitchell Parish. The words met with approval from Ellington, who described them as "wonderful—but not entirely fitted to my original conception".That...
, Composed by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills; Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Speak Low
Speak Low
"Speak Low" is a popular song composed by Kurt Weill, with lyrics by Ogden Nash. It was introduced by Mary Martin and Kenny Baker in the Broadway musical One Touch of Venus . The 1944 hit single was by Guy Lombardo and his orchestra, with vocal by Billy Leach...
, Composed by Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash; Arranged by George Stone; Walrus Publishing
Spring is Here
Spring Is Here
"Spring is Here" is a 1938 popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the musical I Married an Angel , where it was introduced by Dennis King and Vivienne Segal.-Notable recordings:...
, Composed by Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart; Arranged by George Stone; EMI Robbins Catalog Inc.
Straight Ahead, Composed by George Stone; Walrus Music
The New Generation, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
The Very Thought of You
The Very Thought of You
"The Very Thought of You" is a pop standard published in 1934, with music and lyrics by Ray Noble. In addition to Noble's own hit recording of the song with his orchestra, featuring the vocals of Al Bowlly, there was also a popular version recorded that same year by Bing Crosby. A decade later, the...
, Composed by Ray Noble, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Then and Now, Composed by George Stone; Georgestonemusic.com
They Can’t Take That Away, Composed by Steve Diamond, Anders Bagge, Peter Sjoestroem; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
When Sunny Gets Blue, Composed by Marvin Fisher/Jack Segal, Arranged by George Stone; Sony/ATV Tunes LLC
Where or When, Composed by Richard Rogers; Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
Why Not
Why Not (song)
"Why Not" is a song written by Charlie Midnight and Matthew Gerrard, and recorded by Hilary Duff. It was a single from the soundtrack of The Lizzie McGuire Movie , in which Duff starred.-Background:...
, Composed by Michel Camilo, Arranged by George Stone; UNC Jazz Press
You’d be so Nice to Come Home to, Composed by Cole Porter, Arranged by George Stone; Hal Leonard Publishing
Recordings
George Stone THE REAL DEAL georgestonemusic (2010)D-Bop
Then And Now
Peaceful Thunder
Mulligan's Nest
The Very Thought Of You
I Love You
Doxy
When Sunny Gets Blue
Count Me Out
I'm Beginning To See The Light
Straight Ahead
George Stone Big Band PIECE BY PIECE Sea Breeze Jazz (2000)
Spring In Here
La Samba Primera
Hey There
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Heavy Cussin'
Autumn Nocturne
Long Ago and Far Away
Autumn Leaves
Other recordings as performer or writer
American Jazz Philharmonic - Featuring Phil Woods and Ray Brown
Jacob Armen - Drum Fever
Gene Burkert - Jazz Palette
Luis Bonilla - Escucha!
Luis Bonilla
Luis Bonilla is an American Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin jazz trombonist born in Los Angeles, California of Costa Rican descent. He is a Grammy Award- winning performer, composer, and Music Professor, about whom the New York Times has described as the artist who "explodes the usual musical structures...
Cedar Avenue Big Band - Land of 10,000 Licks
Central Coast Jazz Quartet - At Home
Miki Coltrane - I Think of You
Dirk Fischer and George Stone - Coming of Age Seabreeze Records (2011)
George Stone and Friends - Perform the Music of Stewart "Dirk" Fischer Seabreeze Records (2004)
Tony Lujan - Tribute
Tony Lujan - You Don't Know What Love Is
Ladd McIntosh - Bulbous Garlic Blues
Nightlife - Smooth Jazz
Royal Garden Swing Orchestra - Best Foot Forward
Sugar Daddy Swing Kings - How Big Can You Get