Today, acclaimed Gypsy Jazz guitarist Robin Nolan releases For the Love of George, a heartfelt tribute to George Harrison, on what would have been the legendary musician’s 82nd birthday. The album is available digitally and across all streaming platforms via Dark Horse Records. LISTEN HERE
Recorded at Friar Park, George Harrison’s home, For the Love of George features ten Gypsy Jazz interpretations of classic George Harrison songs, as well as a brand-new composition crafted by Nolan from chords discovered on an envelope after Harrison’s passing. Bringing a deeply personal connection to the project, Nolan played three of George’s own guitars during the recording sessions.
Nolan’s relationship with Harrison dates back to the 1990s, when the former Beatle personally recognized and encouraged his playing. Since then, Nolan has remained a valued presence within the Harrison musical circle, making this tribute especially meaningful.
Talking about how the album came about, Robin Nolan explains, "I was at Friar Park playing for Olivia's birthday. We were all talking and then George's Ramirez acoustic guitar appeared and I played ‘And I Love Her’ on it. It was a massive thrill to play the song on the same guitar George originally recorded it on with Olivia and everyone watching.
“I had already been thinking about how cool it would be to do an album of George's songs, but then to actually be playing one of his songs on that guitar. ‘That’s another level, you know, that's another layer of awesomeness.’ So that was where the inspiration for the album was born.
“A few days later, I was working on the arrangements of how these songs could sound in the Gypsy Jazz style and Olivia texted me this picture of an envelope with some chords that George had written on it and said, ‘Check it out. I wonder if George ever did anything with that? Maybe you can look at the chords and tell?’
“I stared at the envelope and studied the chords intently that George had written all those years ago and started to feel the magic. It was like unraveling a mystery, trying to imagine what George might have meant.
“At a certain moment I felt that the chords started to make sense and came alive as I strummed them on my guitar, ‘Ahh maybe that’s what he meant’, I remember thinking to myself.
“After I’d figured out the chords a melody came to me. In my mind I could hear George humming a tune that sounded really beautiful. That’s when it all came together. The title track of this album ‘For The Love Of George’.
“I was really excited so I recorded a simple version on my phone and sent it to Olivia wondering what she might think. She responded, ‘Wow it sounds so much like George!’
“And, of course, it does sound like George, because there's a few chord changes in there which are really unique to him, and then the melody I wrote is so inspired by him.
“That song developed and developed until the final version you hear on the album, entitled ‘For the Love of George’, which we recorded at Friar Park.
“For this new track I used all three of George’s guitars that feature on the album. The intro is the 12-string Rickenbacker used on the bulk of the ‘Hard Day's Night’ album, and it's just got that sound, you know? So, I made the intro with that guitar, and some fills. The main melody is played on the Gibson J160, which is the guitar with a lot of history. It’s the only guitar that was used on every Beatles album. It’s tough to play, but it has so much character. I did the melodies on that one, and then there's some backing lines on the Ramirez.”
For The Love Of George Tracklisting:
1. For The Love Of George
2. Wah-Wah
3. Marwa Blues
4. I Want To Tell You
5. And I Love Her
6. My Sweet Lord
7. All Things Must Pass
8. Dark Sweet Lady
9. The Inner Light
10. Something
11. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
