About George

Performer. Composer. Producer.
George Maurer is all three. But if you asked him to trim his talents to a single word, he would simply say “collaborator”. Whether he’s composing a score for a movie or helping Eric Clapton with a few chords, George has a genius for working as part of a creative team and realizing a collective artistic vision.

PERFORMER.

What do Motley Crue’s Vince Neil and Twin Cities jazz aficionados have in common?
George Maurer – and probably not much else.

George’s innate interest in many forms of music and his versatility as a performer have led him on many collaborative adventures. Jazz fans know him from his regular gigs with the George Maurer Jazz Group at acclaimed Twin Cities venue The Dakota Jazz Club and also his collaborations with vocalists such as Debbie Duncan, Prudence Johnson, Ruth McKenzie and Ann Michels.

The nine-piece George Maurer Jazz Group and rambunctious George Maurer Jazz Trio have wowed crowds, sold out venues and earned stellar reviews across Minnesota. They infuse their shows with humor, wit and musicianship, earning them a spot among the Midwest’s jazz elite. When George gets the urge to for some be-bop, he pulls together the George Maurer Big Band, which lives up to its name with its 20-plus musicians and enormously fun sound. “I love the improvisation and energy of a live show, performing in front of a live audience,” he says. “And our show typically involve a lot of laughter, and I think that’s part of what makes us memorable. There’s definitely a lot of personality on stage when we play.”

Then there’s his rock side. With some help from fellow Minnesotan Bobby Vee, George has found himself surrounded by rock and roll legends. For example, Vee called on him to play keyboards for a Buddy Holly tribute show, during which George got to play the keys for Holly’s band, the Crickets. In 2004, Vee invited George to reprise his role as the Crickets’ keyboardist, and he found himself on stage at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip with the likes of Eric Clapton and — Dr. Feelgood, anyone?  — Vince Neil.

It turns out Slow Hand doesn’t read music and needed a little help with the chords of the Holly song he was performing. Enter George, who had scored out all of the music in advance (of course) and knew the song. “So I’m standing there on the stage at the House of Blues, helping Eric Clapton with his guitar chords, and he’s singing to me. It was just surreal,” George recalls.

 And just to keep things lively, George imbibes in side projects like the “Pet Sounds” show he performed with the band Collective Unconscious, which sold out show after show with performances of the Beach Boys’ seminal album. (The show marked George’s theremin debut.) Another indulgence is the Shake A Hamster band, which comes together once a year to write and perform hilarious parodies for KVSC 88.1-FM’s 50-hour trivia contest at St. Cloud State University.

ON THE ROAD

George’s musical journey taken him to all but two states in the U.S. (Alaska and Maine, you’re next) and led him everywhere from the British Isles to the Hawaiian Islands, Panama to Prague, Canada to the Caribbean. His experiences at each locale contribute to his artistic evolution. “You just enhance a world view, which gets reflected in the music. The collaborations increase with each place I go. I could go to any of these places now and pick up with a composer or performer or a style of music.”

His introductions to different styles, instruments and collective histories add texture to his music while contributing to his unique voice as a musician. “I think, more than anything, it’s just being able to play any musical style that’s set in front of me. In terms of playing, it’s having the musical ear and repeating it back. It’s becoming a more stylized musician.”

NEW AGE IS OLD NEWS

George’s career started at Saint John’s University, where he recorded his first release – a collection of contemplative (OK, New Age) songs for solo keyboard. It was 1986, and George was a college sophomore with a lot of motivation but little financial backing, so he recorded his debut cassette on used tape from the Minnesota Public Radio studio at St. John’s.

He continued on that new age theme for some time, until a young boy mistook him for Yanni. At that point, George knew it was time to find his own musical voice.

In less than two decades, he made the transition from New Agey keyboard player to one of the Midwest’s premier jazz pianists. He made the journey  from solo artist to group performer and relishes his time on the road and on the stage making music and memories at each stop.