David Lanz
Encyclopedia
David Lanz is a Grammy-nominated New Age
pianist. His most popular album, Cristofori's Dream, topped the New Age charts in 1988, which was No. 1 on Billboard's
first adult alternative/New Age chart for 27 weeks and eventually sold platinum. Natural States peaked at No. 125 on the Billboard 200.
. He said, "As children, the piano is one of the first 'machines' we come in contact with, and one of the first we are allowed to explore."
One of the other reasons that he enjoyed the piano was his mother. His mother played songs by Ray Charles
, Frank Sinatra
, and Nat King Cole
on the piano, and became David's first musical mentor.
Lanz started his performing career as a teenager during the 1960s. He played keyboards on the Terry Jacks
' hit, "Seasons in the Sun
". In the late 1970s, Lanz was musical director of the Seattle band, The Sweep, with Ken McCann as front man singer, Peter Pendras on lead guitar, Glenn Ayers on drums, and Hugh Gerrard on bass. Saxophonist Robbie Jordan was added to the group after a gig in Boise, Idaho
. A childhood friend of Lanz', Jeff Simmons
, at one time or another played with or filled in for Sweep personnel since Simmons is a multi-instrumentalist.
Later, Lanz shifted to playing solo acts in local clubs. At a nightclub in Seattle
, Lanz began to perform his own compositions. "It was the world's first new age piano bar," said Lanz. It was during this time that he began his transition from rock to other more reserved music genres, such as jazz
and blues
.
.
, Lanz stated that he wanted to create an atmosphere similar to that of Steven Halpern
's music, but with a "more popular hook in it".
Lanz has said, "[The piano] is the most divinely inspired instrument on the planet. It presents a great attraction to our left-right brain relationship. My goal is to create entertainment that also provides enlightenment."
In the front of his Musicbook, The David Lanz Collection, he writes: "At the piano, I'm able to communicate in a way that is very intimate and direct. My approach at music is a bit like talking to a friend. You don't have to be very complicated when you speak. If you say what's in your heart, it's usually very simple."
Lanz's style spans the popular songbook as well. His recent release, "Liverpool", made with Xiao flute
master Gary Stroutsos
pays homage to the music of The Beatles
.
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
pianist. His most popular album, Cristofori's Dream, topped the New Age charts in 1988, which was No. 1 on Billboard's
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
first adult alternative/New Age chart for 27 weeks and eventually sold platinum. Natural States peaked at No. 125 on the Billboard 200.
Early years
Lanz attributes his interest in the piano to experiences during his childhood in the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. He said, "As children, the piano is one of the first 'machines' we come in contact with, and one of the first we are allowed to explore."
One of the other reasons that he enjoyed the piano was his mother. His mother played songs by Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, and Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
on the piano, and became David's first musical mentor.
Lanz started his performing career as a teenager during the 1960s. He played keyboards on the Terry Jacks
Terry Jacks
Terrence Ross "Terry" Jacks is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and environmentalist.-Early life:...
' hit, "Seasons in the Sun
Seasons in the Sun
Apart from the versions noted above, there have been numerous cover versions of the song. Generally, these use the same translation as the Terry Jacks version, and thus inherit that version's less harsh interpretation of the song's storyline....
". In the late 1970s, Lanz was musical director of the Seattle band, The Sweep, with Ken McCann as front man singer, Peter Pendras on lead guitar, Glenn Ayers on drums, and Hugh Gerrard on bass. Saxophonist Robbie Jordan was added to the group after a gig in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. A childhood friend of Lanz', Jeff Simmons
Jeff Simmons (musician)
Jeff Simmons, born May 1949 in Seattle, Washington, is a rock musician and former member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. Simmons provided bass, guitar, and backing vocals for the group between 1970 and 1971. He left The Mothers just prior to the filming of 200 Motels in mid 1971...
, at one time or another played with or filled in for Sweep personnel since Simmons is a multi-instrumentalist.
Later, Lanz shifted to playing solo acts in local clubs. At a nightclub in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Lanz began to perform his own compositions. "It was the world's first new age piano bar," said Lanz. It was during this time that he began his transition from rock to other more reserved music genres, such as jazz
Jazz
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...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
.
Recording career
The 1980s saw the birth of a new type of musical talent in Lanz. During this time, with the help of a friend, he began composing what would now be considered New Age music. From the 1980s onward, he has released a steady stream of albums, including his ground-breaking album Heartsounds, his first solo album, which boosted the popularity of his record label, NaradaNarada Productions
Narada is a record label formed 1983 as an independent New Age music label and distributed by MCA Records. Now a fully owned subsidiary of EMI, Narada evolved through an expansion of formats to include music from other styles including world music, jazz, Celtic music, new flamenco, acoustic guitar...
.
Style
Lanz's goal is to have his music create an atmosphere of enlightenment. In an interview with Barnes & NobleBarnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
, Lanz stated that he wanted to create an atmosphere similar to that of Steven Halpern
Steven Halpern
-Early career:Halpern played trumpet and guitar in the New York City jazz scene of the 1960s, but became disenchanted with it and moved to California. There he began exploring the idea of creating music entirely for the purpose of relaxation, which he called "anti-frantic alternative" music...
's music, but with a "more popular hook in it".
Lanz has said, "[The piano] is the most divinely inspired instrument on the planet. It presents a great attraction to our left-right brain relationship. My goal is to create entertainment that also provides enlightenment."
In the front of his Musicbook, The David Lanz Collection, he writes: "At the piano, I'm able to communicate in a way that is very intimate and direct. My approach at music is a bit like talking to a friend. You don't have to be very complicated when you speak. If you say what's in your heart, it's usually very simple."
Lanz's style spans the popular songbook as well. His recent release, "Liverpool", made with Xiao flute
Xiao (flute)
The xiao is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. It is generally made of dark brown bamboo . It is also sometimes called dòngxiāo , dòng meaning "hole." An ancient name for the xiāo is shùdí The xiao is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. It is generally made of dark brown bamboo (called...
master Gary Stroutsos
Gary Stroutsos
Gary Stroutsos is a flute player based in Seattle who plays a variety of genres of music. He has made his mark by tapping into the Native American canon, and has brought several forgotten songs to life. He plays a variety of different flutes from all around the world, and in unusual settings.Gary...
pays homage to the music of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
.
Discography
(For track listings, see: http://www.davidlanz.com/cdsonglist.html)- 1983 — Heartsounds
- 1984 — Nightfall
- 1985 — Natural States with Paul Speer
- 1985 — Solstice with Michael Jones
- 1987 — Woodlands with Eric Tingstand & Nancy Rumbel
- 1987 — Desert Vision with Paul Speer
- 1988 — Cristofori's Dream
- 1990 — Skyline Firedance (The Orchestral Works/The Solo Works 2 CD set)
- 1991 — Return to the Heart
- 1993 — Bridge of Dreams with Paul Speer
- 1994 — Christmas Eve
- 1995 — Beloved (Collection with unreleased piano solo)
- 1996 — Sacred Road
- 1996 — Convergence with David Arkenstone (Collection of Lanz, Arkenstone)
- 1998 — Songs from an English Garden
- 1999 — An Evening with David Lanz (Live Concert recording)
- 1999 — Cristofori's Dream (remastered with additional track)
- 1999 — The Christmas Album (Collection with several unreleased tracks)
- 2000 — East of the Moon (Grammy Nomination - Best New Age Recording)
- 2000 — Angel in My Stocking - Limited Edition
- 2001 — Love Songs (Collection/additional unreleased track)
- 2002 — Finding Paradise
- 2002 — Romantic: The Ultimate David Lanz Collection (2 CD set)
- 2003 — A Cup of Moonlight (Limited Website Edition)
- 2003 — The Symphonic Sessions (Collection with several unreleased tracks)
- 2003 — Heartsounds/Nightfall (Re-released/re-mastered 2 CD set)
- 2004 — The Good Life
- 2005 — Spirit Romance with Gary Stroutsos
- 2005 — The Best of David Lanz
- 2006 — Sacred Road Revisited
- 2007 — A Cup of Moonlight (Revised Official Release/additional tracks)
- 2008 — Living Temples with Gary Stroutsos
- 2008 — Painting the Sun
- 2009 — Liverpool:Re-imagining the Beatles featuring Larry Knechtel and Gary Stroutsos
Compilation appearances
- 20 Years of Narada Piano20 Years of Narada Piano20 Years of Narada Piano is a 2001 compilation release by Narada. It peaked at #12 on Billboard's Top New Age album charts in the same year.-Track listing:*1.1 "Endings" – Michael Jones – 5:33*1.2 "Sunrise" – Kostia – 5:02...
- Grand Piano (Narada Anniversary Collection)Grand Piano (Narada Anniversary Collection)Grand Piano is a 1997 compilation release by Narada. It peaked at #10 on Billboard's Top New Age album charts in the same year.From album liner:...
- Narada Smooth JazzNarada Smooth JazzNarada Smooth Jazz is a 1997 compilation release by Narada. It peaked at #25 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums in the same year.-Track listing:*1.01 "Redwood/Nocturne" – Spencer Brewer – 4:20...
- Narada Film and Television Music SamplerNarada Film and Television Music SamplerNarada Films and Television Music Sampler is a 2003 U.S. EMI Film & TV Music publishing 2CD sampler that represents an overview of the Narada catalog, demonstrating the breadth and diversity of the Narada roster.-Disc One:...