I've been working on this project for almost two years. Musically, it’s different than anything I've ever done before.

Every track takes you on a journey, each telling a different story taken from my own musical journey and life experiences.

The album as a whole has three themes, all running in parallel. The order of the tracks evokes the passing of one day, from early morning to very late at night. At the same time, the order of the songs represents the four seasons of the year – starting with spring, passing through summer and autumn, and ending with winter.

The third and most important theme is the theme of love. The love of friendship, of family, of someone special. The love of a particular season or part of the world or time of day. The love of all cultures and colors of humanity. The love of a pet, of a nostalgic memory, or of the planets and stars.

All of the music is original and I’m playing every instrument in most cases: drums, piano, bass, synthesizers, ocean harp, percussion and vocals. On a few tracks, I used a Vocoder, a talkbox, and an amazing instrument called the guzheng. I also sampled sounds from things like vinyl records, cassettes, retro video games, nature, and even a radio show that my grandfather did in the 1940s.

Some tracks also feature guest artists. Several singers and rappers contributed their amazing voices, and more than ten instrumental musicians contributed their talents.

The amazing album artwork for this project was created by my cousin Alex Williams. Every track name is represented in the artwork.

This project is a very personal statement for me, but its themes of time and place and love are themes that everyone can relate to. I'm so excited to share this project with the world, and I hope it has a positive and emotional impact on everyone who listens.

Little Blue Planet in Great Need of Care

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Hangzhou

Little Blue Planet feat. Carolyn Perteete

Puffy White Clouds feat. John Petrucelli

Love AM (Daylight) feat. Brett Williams

Spring Dreams feat. P.SUS

It's a Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood feat. Luke Williams & Brett Williams

War and Peace feat. Leslie Ezra Smith & Ben Sherman

Getting Through to You feat. P.SUS

Summerfly

Retro Gamer feat. Alien Facez, Geenpool, Stretchshino

My Drum Machine feat. Daryl Strodes, Brett Williams

Autumn Vibes feat. Carolyn Perteete & Ben Sherman

Together

Hookah At The View feat. Carolyn Perteete & P.SUS

Neon Night Rider feat. Dai Numo

I've been working on this project for almost two years. Musically, it’s different than anything I've ever done before. 

Every track takes you on a journey, each telling a different story taken from my own musical journey and life experiences. 

The album as a whole has three themes, all running in parallel. The order of the tracks evokes the passing of one day, from early morning to very late at night. At the same time, the order of the songs represents the four seasons of the year – starting with spring, passing through summer and autumn, and ending with winter. 

The third and most important theme is the theme of love. The love of friendship, of family, of someone special. The love of a particular season or part of the world or time of day. The love of all cultures and colors of humanity. The love of a pet, of a nostalgic memory, or of the planets and stars. 

All of the music is original and I’m playing every instrument in most cases: drums, piano, bass, synthesizers, ocean harp, percussion and vocals. On a few tracks, I used a Vocoder, a talkbox, and an amazing instrument called the guzheng. I also sampled sounds from things like vinyl records, cassettes, retro video games, nature, and even a radio show that my grandfather did in the 1940s. 

Some tracks also feature guest artists. Several singers and rappers contributed their amazing voices, and more than ten instrumental musicians contributed their talents. 

The amazing album artwork for this project was created by my cousin Alex Williams. Every track name is represented in the artwork. 

This project is a very personal statement for me, but its themes of time and place and love are themes that everyone can relate to. I'm so excited to share this project with the world, and I hope it has a positive and emotional impact on everyone who listens.

Love PM (Moonlight) feat. P.SUS

Christmas Tree Forest

Floating in Space feat. James Vincent Wylie

Not Like Planet Earth feat. Leslie Ezra Smith & Brett Williams

Window

In this fast and constantly changing planet some souls are meant to listen, search, learn and offer the understanding of the endless span of beauty they will encounter. 

George has such a soul and a heart, and above all, ears. He will construct an architecture of elegant music blending the ingredients of universal collective memory through rhythms, melodies and textures collected worldwide. He has some of the seeds we need to enjoy his journey and discover his unique path.  

- Steve Shehan

 

Wisdom Path was inspired by my experiences traveling and living around the world and from a transcendent encounter meeting and collaborating with Steve Shehan, percussionist master and long-time musical hero. My goal was to record exceptional musicians from around the world and bring their sounds together to create one worldly sound while maintaining respect for each culture.

Wisdom Path is a tribute to the intrepid human spirit, to our yearning to connect with one another, and to our intrinsic ability to overcome the obstructions that life lays in front of us. My musical intentions reflect a celebration of life, adventure, compassion, and a cry for unity from deep within the collective human conscience.

This album was recorded almost entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic and is a testament to the improvisational skills of my good friends, many of whom recorded their parts remotely and isolated. I hope these compositions inspire even just one impressionable musician in the same way that Steve Shehan’s original albums, specifically Arrows, inspired me as a child.

This album is dedicated to my father, George Heid Sr., and to future generations of listeners, critical thinkers, and adventurers. 

- George Heid III

Wisdom Path

Reunion feat. Steve Shehan, Joe "Sonny" Barbato & P.SUS

Maeklong Railway feat. Steve Shehan, Brett Williams, Victor Provost & P.SUS

Ode to Shehan feat. Steve Shehan & Warren Wolf

Smoky Sanctuary feat. Steve Shehan & Warren Wolf

Candle Kites feat. Steve Shehan & Victor Provost

Wisdom Path feat. Steve Shehan, Joe "Sonny" Barbato & Benny Benack III

Pandemic feat. Steve Shehan, Warren Wolf, Victor Provost & Brett Williams

Mystery Man feat. Steve Shehan & Victor Provost

Poetic Prophets feat. Steve Shehan, Chantal Joseph & John Shannon

The Journey feat. Steve Shehan, Joe "Sonny" Barbato & Victor Provost

George Heid III is a drummer, percussionist, and composer whose diverse musical passions range from jazz and classical to world and electronic genres.

George grew up in his father’s recording studio and began playing drums and piano at age 3. In this environment, he was always immersed in music and surrounded by powerful musical influences, such as jazz guitarist Jimmy Ponder and his uncle Bill Heid, a world-class pianist and Hammond B3 jazz musician.
 
George graduated from Pittsburgh’s Creative and Performing Arts high school, where he was mentored by jazz drumming legend Roger Humphries. After high school, he studied jazz performance at Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University as well as at State University of New York: Purchase, where he studied with master jazz drummer Kenny Washington.
 
He has toured and played at numerous notable jazz venues across the United States and China, including three multi-month residencies in Hangzhou, China. He has recorded with numerous well-known artists, including Roger Humphries, Sean Jones, Warren Wolf, Benny Benack III, Victor Provost, Ron Blake and Steve Shehan. He’s also performed at numerous festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival, Tri-C Jazz Fest Cleveland, Washington Jazz Festival, among others.
 
George is the recipient of numerous awards as both a performer and composer, including the 2013 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, Downbeat magazine’s 2013 Best Original Jazz Composition award, and back-to-back Outstanding Soloist awards at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival awards in 2011 and 2012.
 
George proudly endorses Canopus Drums and Bosphorus Cymbals.

George Heid III

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