From his original home base in Tampa, George Pennington ‘s musical journey has expanded to gigs and recording sessions in California and along the East Coast. A master guitarist, influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, among others, George’s music is original, electric, and ever-expanding.
He is debuting his new album, American Odyssey, at the Palladium Side Door on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. For tickets and more information, please follow this link.
“I think rock is the easiest catch-all (description), but there’s a lot of blues guitar techniques in my music,” George told me. “These songs are tight, rock and roll compositions but some have room for improvisation.”
His sound began with rock roots and gradually expanded into other genres, including the rich complexities of ‘70s jazz, including the experimental landscapes of Miles Davis’s “Bitch’s Brew.”
Recorded mostly in Los Angeles, where Pennington was based for a time, the album was produced by Wil Anspach, who has engineered and produced records for artists like Pharrell, NoID, Justin Timberlake, Zack De La Rocha and Travis Barker.
Will’s work “takes my sound to the next level,” George told me during a phone call this week.
You can always count on propulsive electric guitar, with a lot of blues influence in George’s shows, but also some laid-back Laurel Canyon sounds, some fusion and even a little classical. George studied classical guitar and sang with the Master Chorale while earning a degree from the University of South Florida.
George is happy to be living and playing back in his hometown. He’s coming to the Side Door with a band that sets his Stratocaster sound against keyboards, synthesizers, trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor sax, bass and drums.
It’s been a couple of years since I’ve heard George play, but I’ve always been impressed with his talent, his work ethic, and how he continues to explore new musical landscapes. I’m looking forward to hearing where his latest album takes him and his fans.
