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GRAMMY NOMINATED PIANIST DAVID LANZ is a contemporary instrumental legend whose deeply-felt compositions helped forge the New Age music movement over 20 years ago. Since then, countless fans around the world have embraced his music which is infused with a passion and tranquility much sought after in the face of today's world. From his young teens through his late 20s, the Seattle native was a rocker with groups steeped in both classic covers and what he terms "Northwest Instrumental Rock". The talented young musician honed his skills working with an eclectic array of groups and recording projects, including playing keyboards on Terry Jack's 1974 world wide smash hit "Seasons in the Sun" and recording one album for Mercury Records with Canadian super-group BRAHMAN in 1971. (See Downloads for mp3's from Brahman) YEARS LATER IN THE 1980’s,
deftly playing blues and jazz in a piano bar, he "stumbled" onto a different
path. On 1998's SONGS FROM AN ENGLISH GARDEN, Lanz paid homage to many of his favorite classic 1960’s British Invasion bands, paving the way for 2010’s LIVERPOOL...RE-IMAGINING THE BEATLES. The year 2000 brought David his first Grammy nomination for the new age-orchestral rock event EAST OF THE MOON, produced by legendary rock producer Hugh Padgham. (Sting, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge). In 2002-2004, he set about FINDING PARADISE and THE GOOD LIFE
in the realm of smooth jazz, working with instrumental stars Dave Koz, David
Benoit, Peter White, Gregg Karukas, and Jeff Lorber. IN 2005, DAVID LANZ AND WORLD FLUTIST GARY STROUTSOS created their first collaboration, SPIRIT ROMANCE, a recording of elegantly-composed serenades for piano and flute. In 2007 they came together again to create the moody Southwest inspired soundtrack for film maker Jan Nickman’s, SACRED EARTH (originally titled LIVING TEMPLES) aired nationally on PBS. David’s brother, record producer, singer songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Gary Lanz, stepped in as the producer/engineer for both projects, as well as co-producing David’s solo piano recordings, SACRED ROAD REVISITED (2006), A CUP OF MOONLIGHT (2007), and PAINTING THE SUN (2008) His critically acclaimed album LIVERPOOL: RE-IMAGINING THE BEATLES was released in 2010, and he was of course hoping that it would be well received by his legion of loyal fans. And it was, so much so that Lanz took the advice of many of them and went back into the studio armed with a brand new batch of classic tunes by the Fab Four. HERE COMES THE SUN was released in 2012 in two versions, one featuring accompaniment by flutist Gary Stroutsos, cellist Walter Gray and bassist Keith Lowe and the other spotlighting only Lanz and his piano With the release of HERE COMES THE SUN, Lanz feels that he’s scratched his Beatles itch, and now he looks forward to returning to his original compositions again. He recently participated in another new CD release, TIME TRAVELERS, with Stroutsos and a second flutist, Michael G. Allen, and next up will be a brand new, 25th anniversary re-imagining of Lanz’s landmark work CRISTOFORI’S DREAM, the first album to top the Adult Alternative New Age chart in Billboard magazine. "All the years I was playing rock while getting into jazz and classical music, I had a feeling I might be destined for some success, and the fact that it came in Contemporary Instrumental music was a wonderful surprise," he says. "The most fulfilling thing by far is meeting young musicians who get excited about making music by hearing my own. I think back to how important my influences were as a kid, and I feel blessed to play that role for others." |