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DAVID LANZ
To understand how David Lanz (pronounced LAH-NZ) evolved into one of America's best-loved contemporary new age recording artists, one needs only to take a few steps back to the early years.
TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED is how Seattle-born pianist David Lanz found his way from traditional jazz and rock 'n' roll to an unexpected career twist over two decades ago
.Born on June 28, 1950, Lanz started his performing career in his early teens back in the mid 1960s playing keyboards with local rock bands and then years later as a solo act, deftly playing blues and jazz songs in small smoky clubs, until he "stumbled" onto a different path in the early 1980s.
"A friend of mine was leading a seminar on the energy centers of the body and wanted music to illustrate the flow of energy through these areas sometimes referred to as chakras," Lanz says. "I was also interested in the healing qualities of music and it's effect on body and soul, so I made a little tape of piano music for the seminar and just about everyone who heard it, to my utter surprise, wanted a copy!"
"There was no musical style quite like it in those days," he says. "And it certainly wasn't called New Age. I used the music I composed for this seminar as the basis for my first solo piano album for Narada, HEARTSOUNDS.
"HEARTSOUNDS helped launch Narada Records into the mainstream in the 1980s and led Lanz into a chart-topping career which has featured nine bestselling 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 landmark CRISTOFORI'S DREAM (which was Number One on Billboard's first adult alternative/new age chart for 27 weeks and eventually sold platinum); 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; SACRED ROAD; the live recording AN EVENING WITH DAVID LANZ; and a variety of "Best of" collections including The Ultimate David Lanz Narada Collection; ROMANTIC.
David also created an instructional piano video, THROUGH THE HANDS OF DAVID LANZ (1997) In this video, he reveals his versatile style through discussions, demonstrations and performances of his beloved melodies. The video includes complete performances of some of his most popular songs
."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, close to twenty years after the classic solo piano recording HEARTSOUNDS launched David Lanz's career as a veritable icon of new age music, he set about FINDING PARADISE and THE GOOD LIFE in the realm of smooth jazz, working on his first full-fledged genre albums with popular instrumental stars like Dave Koz and Gregg Karukas (who both co-produced), Peter White, David Benoit, Paul Jackson, Jr., saxmen Michael Paulo and Eric Marienthal, and keyboardist Jeff Lorber.
An instant hit with new audiences as well as fans who remembered the pianist's mid-80's radio hit (with Paul Speer) "Behind The Waterfall", FINDING PARADISE hit the Top 15 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart and spawned the radio hits "That Smile" and "Romantica".
THE GOOD LIFE (David's 2004 Decca/Universal release) was also a hit at radio with the tracks "Big Sur" and "Kal-e-fornia." The always spiritual minded Lanz delved even deeper into the physical on THE GOOD LIFE, surrounding his compelling melodies with deep pocket, R&B-influenced grooves
. "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 New Age music was a wonderful surprise," he says. "At first, I had to get away from the idea that it was just a diversion from my rock aspirations, but then I came to embrace it. 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."