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East of the Moon - David Lanz (Decca/Universal Classics) This isn't exactly in the Jazz genre, but it's definitely worth a listen. On his multiple-themed Decca debut East of the Moon, David Lanz enters a remarkable new era in his career with an inspirational vision that simultaneously reflects on the past while looking ahead optimistically towards the future. Creating a recording unlike any in his best-selling Narada Records catalog, the composer and pianist delves first into a spirited intertwining of Greek mythology and rock and roll, then formulates a classically-influenced, six movement suite declaring his hope for a "World at Peace." With his best-selling Narada Records catalog and his breakthrough 1988 recording Cristofori's Dream, David Lanz has established himself as the premier ambassador for an alternative, instrumental genre music lovers have quietly embraced for decades. Recorded in London and produced, engineered and mixed by famed pop producer Hugh Padgham (best known for his work with Sting, Phil Collins and Melissa Etheridge), East of the Moon is divided into two distinct sections: seven mythologically inspired tracks recorded live with a band featuring top British studio players, and "World at Peace: Music For Piano and Orchestra in Six Parts," featuring a 35 piece orchestra arranged and conducted by Steven Ray Allen. Lanz delved into high concept and orchestral recordings on previous efforts like Skyline Firedance (1990) and Bridge of Dreams (1993), but finds this his most rewarding and relevant work to date. "This recording places together two very different musical concepts; one a lengthy thematic work for piano and orchestra whose concept I'd been working on for some time, the other a playful gathering of instrumental pop/rock tunes cut live," says the intensely spiritual Seattle native, whose music has always incorporated a myriad of influences. "The eighth tune, 'Declaration Overture' begins the 'World at Peace' segment which is my own positive image of our planet when all war is done and mankind steps into a higher phase of evolution. Telling a story through musical images like 'Prayer of Peace,' 'Gaia: Goddess Reborn,' 'New World Turning' and 'Renaissance,' I imagine a worldwide peace treaty leading to a spiritual rebirth that would help wipe out things like hunger and social injustices." "For the first part of the album, as on many of my recordings, I have recorded my piano performances first and then overdubbed the other tracks," he adds. "But during my first conversation with Hugh, he suggested that we record this album live. This idea struck both excitement and fear into my soul, but I realized it was a great challenge to capture that special kind of magic that only happens in a live context. That magic exists on the band tunes, but especially, it turns out, on the orchestral pieces. Hugh really raised the bar for me, and opened me up to new and exciting possibilities. The sessions for the first half of East of the Moon began at the Town House Studios last January, and all of the piano and rhythm tracks were recorded in only four days. On to the next phase of the project, Lanz found it appropriately ironic to be recording the orchestral portion at a facility called Angel Studios, converted from an old church in Central London. Lanz and the orchestra got their first take in less than an hour, and took only two and a half days to craft the final recording. In his liner notes, Lanz colorfully explains the mythological inspirations behind such pieces as "The Green Man" (an exotic Celtic flavored track featuring Gerald Fahy's Ulienn pipes), "Dancing With Dionysus" (a jamming, symphonic rock/blues romp), the lush and graceful "Chasing Aphrodite" and the striking, Eastern flavored title name of the album, which he explains, emerges from an ancient story of the Green Man, who predates Christianity by a thousand years and was a pagan symbol of creativity. "He's asked by a man named Jack, who just beat him at a game of cards, where he comes from, and he replies, 'West of the Stars, East of the Moon.' I took the metaphor as step further and somehow believed that this was the location of our imagination." Lanz concludes East of the Moon is a "heavy mellow" mode with the gently graceful "The Visitor," whom he describes as a presence "who made me experience a slight electrical charge. It was like having the spirit of Beethoven walk in the room, a true guardian angel vision which for me tied together all the elements of the album." Though the term "New Age" has different connotations now than when he began his dominance in the acoustic oriented instrumental genre with 1983's piano solo album Heartsounds, David Lanz's music has long been associated with the melodic, soulful and healing powers the music is noted for. The pianist was pursuing a career in rock throughout the 70's, but became aware of the New Age genre when a friend wanted to use a few of his piano pieces for a seminar on chakras and body work. "He wanted my music to illustrate the flow of energy through the body," Lanz says. "I made a little tape of music for the class and everyone who heard it wanted a copy." The music which became Heartsounds helped launch Narada Records into the mainstream and led Lanz into a chart-topping career which has featured eight best-selling solo albums and three popular collaborations with New Age rock guitarist Paul Speer - Natural States (featuring the smooth jazz staple "Behind the Waterfall"), Desert Vision and Bridge of Dreams. Lanz's solo recordings include the gold selling Cristofori's Dream (the number one chart hit on Billboard's first Adult Alternative/New Age chart for twenty seven consecutive weeks), Nightfall, Skyline Firedance (a two-disc collection featuring the same songs done as piano solos and with orchestra), Return to the Heart, Christmas Eve, Beloved (a romantic collection); Sacred Road and his final original Narada recording Songs From An English Garden.
"The reason East of the Moon touches on so many different themes is that, unlike when I first began my career when I focused only on the project at hand, nowadays I look at my life and work as whole picture," Lanz says. "Using the imaginary context of mythology past and future, I combined the pop-oriented flavors of my work with Paul Speer with an orchestral narrative that is larger in scope than my previous work in this area. I guess I've been inspired by all the big thinking going on with the dawn of the new millennium, translating fears of what may come into a larger vision of great world peace. My final Narada album chronicled the British rock that inspired my growth as a musician, and I felt it was appropriate to launch my career on Decca with a recording that let people know my impressions of and hopes for the future." East of the Moon - David Lanz (Decca/Universal Classics) Setting the standard for instrumental piano music since the mid-'80s, when the term "new age" was the fashionable way to label it, David Lanz has worked ambitiously with orchestra before, most notably on 1990's Skyline Firedance. On his Phillips debut East of the Moon, however, he creates a majestic, dual-themed recording unlike any in his bestselling Narada Records catalog. First, he delves into a spirited intertwining of Greek mythology and rock & roll, then formulates a classically-influenced, six-movement suite declaring his hope for a "World at Peace." Initially, Hugh Padgham seems to be an odd production choice on Lanz's part, but the producer -- best known for his pop classics with Sting, Melissa Etheridge, and Phil Collins -- builds a lively, rocking environment around the first tunes: the Irish-scented "The Green Man" (which begins with a Collins-esque drum fill and finds Lanz dancing over uilleann pipes and pennywhistle) and the symphonic, hard-blues, organ-based "Dancing With Dionysus". While Lanz enjoys jamming more than ever before, his feathery ivory intertwining with Dave Heath's flute on "Chasing Aphrodite" reminds us of his command with graceful piano ballads. Though the "World at Peace" has its booming orchestral swells, this same sort of gentle sway and sparse, acoustic piano melody approach (with touches of flute and violin) are the dominant sounds driving Lanz's soaring millennial vision from "Declaration" and "Prayer of Peace" through "Renaissance" and "Transformation." -- Jonathan Widran, AMG Expert Review East of the Moon - David Lanz (Decca/Universal Classics) The auteur of such grand works as CRISTOFORI's DREAM and SKYLINE FIREDANCE places together two very different musical concepts on his latest opus: A lighthearted selection of instrumental pop tunes recorded live, and a serious, multi-part suite for piano and orchestra. Why? Who knows, but each is a uniquely satisfying listening experience that captures the special kind of magic for which Lanz compositions have become renowned over the decades. Produced by Hugh Padgham (Sting, Phil Collins), tunes like "Chasing Aphrodite" and the title track are boldly polished, yet retain their intrinsic spontaneity. Other tunes in the pop-rock array address the mythological themes Lanz adores. Celtic-flavored selections like "The Green Man" and "Tara" are intensely spiritual and deeply moving, with Lanz' emotive playing at its most articulate. When seated at the piano across from a full orchestra, Lanz becomes expansive, initiating a new theme of worldwide David Lanz - EAST OF THE MOON (Decca/Universal Classics) His first album since leaving Narada, this is a return to well-played piano-led instrumentals from one of the founders of the genre. From up tempo to reflective, signature Lanz touches abound, i.e. breezy and spirited, fast pieces, warm and romantic slower numbers. Lanz seems to be headed in a more accessible (if that is possible) direction than his more introspective stuff on Narada. Bill, New Instrumental Music and Interviews, Wind & Wire, January 2000 David Lanz, East of the Moon (Decca Records/Universal Classics) This long-awaited new release from pianist David Lanz is a delight from start to finish. From the opening strains of the exuberant "The Green Man" to the pure poetry of the closing track, "The Visitor," East of the Moon features a full spectrum of Lanz' playing and composing styles - and what a wonderful ride it is! The first seven tracks of the album are based on mythology and personal experiences, and have a more pop/rock feel than the six-part "World at Peace" which is more of a concerto for piano and orchestra. Producer Hugh Padgham suggested recording the album live rather than in layers, a proposal that was both daunting and exciting for Lanz. The resulting recording successfully captures the freshness and spontaneity of a concert performance with the polish of a studio recording. Recorded in Great Britain in early 1999, Lanz included some great English studio musicians, and his frequent guest artist, Matthew Fisher from Procol Harum, appears on three tracks. Dave Heath's flute and piccolo add ebullience, as do Gerald Fahy's Ullieann pipes. |