So, Lanz talked with his manager and decided to do a smooth jazz album. "It is actually a logical follow-up to my last album 'Finding Paradise,' " Lanz said by phone from his home in Seattle. "That album wasn't really new age and wasn't really jazz. I called it 'Smooth Age.' The new album is that, taken to the next step."

The album is called "The Good Life," and Lanz said he wanted to do something that was more upbeat than what he had done in the past. "I looked around the world and saw how dark and gloomy it was, and I wanted to make an album that was more happy, and one that had a beat."

Lanz, who is known for his classically inspired solo piano and contemporary instrumental works, forged his craft in the '70s, playing in rock, funk and rhythm & blues bands. So, doing a soulful smooth jazz album was a nice return, once his system got over the initial shock. "It was a challenge not doing something introspective. I grew up and worked in '70s and did '70s music, which some consider the root of smooth jazz. So it was nice getting back to my roots, in a way. But I was a little nervous and apprehensive when I started.

"But by the time I finished it, I felt good."

Lanz worked on "The Good Life" with saxophonist Rick Braun, percussionist Lenny Castro, keyboardist Nelson Jackson and guitarist Robbie Nevil, just to name a few. "Working with those musicians was so inspirational to me. They really made it enjoyable."

Still, Lanz won't be playing with a band when he makes his stop in Salt Lake City. "It will be just me and piano."

Lanz said he whittled the album's play list down to 10 from 30 songs he had written. "My producers (Steven Dubin, Gregg Karukas and Eric Calvi) helped keep things in focus. It was a challenge doing that, but I also did more collaboration than I have in the past. And that kept things fresh for me."

However, choosing the songs for his concert set list took more work. With more than 20 years worth of songs, he had to be creative. "I do a medley of works that hopefully includes audience members' favorites. I do my classics. And I use humor to lead into the new works, because they are so different than what I've done before.

"Choosing the ones that I play in their entirety was difficult, but I used some guidelines. First it's the music. The second is the story behind the music. Those two things help me choose the song list and make for a more personable concert."

"The Good Life" is Lanz's 19th studio album and his last for Decca Records. "I've got ideas for my future. It will be interesting to see what happens. I would like to do workshops and work with piano educators and students in the future. I am writing some solo-piano works for my next album, but 'The Good Life' has only been out a couple of months and I wanted to release as many singles to radio as I can. We'll see."