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Profile of Spirit Romance
 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, hundreds of thousands of 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 hectic world.
Both composer and flutist, Gary Stroutsos has produced and recorded over
ten albums and has been featured throughout the world on the NPR
syndicated programs Echoes with John Diliberto and Skitch Henderson's New
York Evening At The Pops as well as on Ken Burns' PBS documentary, Lewis
and Clark: The Journey Of The Corps Of Discovery, which led to a command
performance at the White House in 1997.
On SPIRIT ROMANCE, David Lanz and Gary Stroutsos combine their astonishing
gifts to create all new music of extraordinary beauty and simplicity on
elegantly-composed serenades for piano and flute.
The Zen like quality of the title, Spirit Romance, is meant to be open for
interpretation by the listener. Imbued with the healing nature of the lush
natural world of the Pacific Northwest, where the recording was made, and
informed in part with the musical legacy of our world's indigenous peoples
at once romantic, mysterious, and introspective, this music emanates
directly from the heart, soul, and hands of it's creators.
At the core of Spirit Romance, is the coming together of two brothers, and
three friends. The Lanz brothers, David and Gary, and renowned world
flutist Gary Stroutsos, have all been friends and collaborators for nearly
a decade.
Record producer, singer songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Gary Lanz,
stepped in as the project's producer/engineer. His first decision was to
record his brother David's piano, and Stroutsos' flute, in David and
Alicia Lanz's newly acquired hundred-year-old home located north of
Seattle, Washington.
"They had just moved in," remembers Gary Lanz, "but the feeling and the
sound of their old wooden home was so rich, I had the sense it would be
the ideal location for our project."
The trio came together Easter weekend as an experiment, just to see what
would happen. Much of the recorded material was to be improvisational, so
all were hoping that the "spirit would move."
Not only did the spirits come out to dance, but also the sound captured in
the old home went beyond their already high expectations. That Easter
weekend's session, and one more later that spring, made for the foundation
of Spirit Romance. The rest of the tracking and mixing took place back in
Seattle, primarily in the relaxed environs of Gary Lanz's home studio.
The other two members of the Quartet Moon Ensemble, the group that evolved
out of this project, brilliantly support Lanz and Stroutsos on this
musical outing. Glen Velez, world-renowned master hand drummer, and
acoustic bassist, and super sideman, Keith Lowe.
Rounding out the musical cast are two other musical bright lights.
Lummi Indian solo violinist extraordinaire, Swil Kanim, performing
beautifully on the title track, and legendary space music pioneer, Jonn
Serrie, featured on the songs Satori and the suite, Return To Altair.
Jonn has appeared with Stroutsos on several recordings, including Hidden
World and Pacific Moon, and on David's classic recording Cristofori's
Dream in which he helped to create the cosmic soundscape for the piece,
Wings To Altair, so it seemed only fitting to invite Serrie back to . . .
Return To Altair.
"The making of this music," mused David Lanz, "has been a soulful tonic
for all concerned. We now invite our listeners to go with us . . . deep
into this musical landscape, and into the world of "Spirit Romance".
See also
David's Bio |
Spirit Romance
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