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{{BLP refimprove|date=June 2024}}
{{bio-notability}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{sources}}
| name = David Lanz
{{Infobox musical artist 2
| image =
|Name = David Lanz
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|6|28|mf=y}}
|Img_capt = David Lanz in a promotional photo.
| birth_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S.
|Background = khaki
| genre = [[New-age music|New age]], [[Jazz music]]
|Birth_name = David Lanz
| occupation = Musician, composer
|Born = [[June 28]] [[1950]]
| instrument = Piano, Tastiere
|Origin = [[Seattle, Washington]], [[United States]]
| years_active = 1964–present
|Genre = [[New Age music|New Age]], [[Rock and Roll]] (previously)
| label = [[Narada Productions|Narada]], Decca Records
|Years_active = 1964–present
| website = {{URL|www.davidlanz.com/}}
|Label = [[Narada Records|Narada]] <small>(1982&ndash;)</small>
|URL = [http://www.davidlanz.com davidlanz.com]
}}
}}
'''David Lanz''', (born [[June 28]], [[1950]] in [[Seattle, Washington]]) 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.


'''David Howard Lanz''' (born June 28, 1950, in [[Seattle]], Washington) is an American pianist and composer. His album ''[[Cristofori's Dream]]'' topped the New Age Music Chart in 1988.
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.


==Early years==
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.
Lanz attributes his interest in the piano to experiences during his childhood in the [[Pacific Northwest]]. He was inspired to play piano by his mother.<ref>[http://www.narada.com/images/ArtistBio/Lanz/david_lanz_biography.htm] {{dead link|date=June 2024}}</ref> She played songs by [[Ray Charles]], [[Frank Sinatra]], and [[Nat King Cole]] on the piano and became his first musical mentor.


Lanz started his performing career as a teenager during the 1960s. In 1971, he recorded an album for [[Mercury Records]] with the Canadian group Brahman. He played keyboards on the hit song "[[Seasons in the Sun]]" by [[Terry Jacks]]. In the late 1970s, he was musical director for the Seattle band the Sweep, with Ken McCann as singer, Peter Pendras on lead guitar, Glenn Ayers on drums, and Hugh Gerrard on bass. Saxophonist Robbie Jordan was added to the group after a gig in Boise, Idaho.
"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!"


Lanz shifted to playing solo acts in local clubs. At a nightclub in Seattle, he began to perform his own compositions and moved from rock to [[jazz]] and [[blues]].
"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."


==Recording career==
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.
The 1980s saw the birth of a new type of musical talent in Lanz. During this time, with the help of a friend, he began composing what would now be considered New Age music. From the 1980s onward, he has released a steady stream of albums, including his ground-breaking album ''Heartsounds'', his first solo album, which boosted the popularity of his record label, [[Narada Productions|Narada]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}


==Style==
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.
Lanz's goal is to have his music create an atmosphere of hope and enlightenment. In an interview with [[Barnes & Noble]], Lanz stated that he wanted to create an atmosphere similar to that of [[Steven Halpern]]'s music, but with a "more popular hook in it".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://music.barnesandnoble.com/features/interview.asp?NID=159270&z=y |title=Barnes & Noble.com Music - New Age Interview<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2006-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518175450/http://music.barnesandnoble.com/features/interview.asp?NID=159270 |archive-date=2008-05-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Lanz has said, "[The piano] is the most divinely inspired instrument on the planet. It presents a great attraction to our left-right brain relationship. My goal is to create entertainment that also provides hope and enlightenment."
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.


In the front of his Musicbook, ''The David Lanz Collection'', he writes: "At the piano, I'm able to communicate in a way that is very intimate and direct. My approach at music is a bit like talking to a friend. You don't have to be very complicated when you speak. If you say what's in your heart, it's usually very simple."
FOLLOWING A DISTINCTLY UNIQUE PATH came naturally to David Lanz, the son of two iconoclastic parents who also chose unique careers. David's father, Howard Lanz, started out running a beauty salon, "but taught himself to be a chemist," David says, "and would experiment at night in our garage inventing his own line of shampoos, conditioners and beauty products."


Lanz's style spans the popular songbook as well. His 2009 release, ''Liverpool: Re-imagining The Beatles'', made with [[Xiao (flute)|Xiao flute]] master [[Gary Stroutsos]] pays homage to the music of [[The Beatles]].
And candy, too. Vogue magazine calls the gourmet licorice David's father invented and sells from the Chateau d'Lanz company "some of the best licorice in America." http://www.chateaudlanz.com. My father is also very charming and funny," says David, "a natural comedian."


==Discography==
David's mother, Helen, a secretary by profession, was very active in Seattle choral groups, sang in big bands, and played piano. (she still does!) "Mom was my first musical influence," he says. "I heard a lot of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole growing up, which I thought was great!"
===Studio albums===
* 1983 ''Heartsounds''
* 1985 ''Nightfall''
* 1985 ''Natural States'' (with [[Paul Speer]])
* 1985 ''Solstice'' (with Michael Jones)
* 1987 ''Woodlands'' (with Tingstad and Rumbel)
* 1987 ''Desert Vision'' (with Paul Speer)
* 1988 ''[[Cristofori's Dream]]''
* 1990 ''Skyline Firedance''
* 1991 ''Return to the Heart''
* 1993 ''Bridge of Dreams'' (with [[Paul Speer]])
* 1994 ''Christmas Eve''
* 1996 ''Sacred Road''
* 1996 ''Convergence'' (with [[David Arkenstone]])
* 1998 ''Songs from an English Garden''
* 1999 ''An Evening with David Lanz''
* 1999 ''Cristofori's Dream'' (remastered with additional track)<ref name="Inc.1997">{{cite magazine|title=Virgin Acquires Narada Label|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AwoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA111|date=27 September 1997|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=111–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref>
* 1999 ''The Christmas Album''
* 1999 ''East of the Moon''
* 2002 ''Finding Paradise''
* 2003 ''The Symphonic Sessions''
* 2004 ''The Good Life''
* 2005 ''Spirit Romance''
* 2006 ''Sacred Road Revisited''
* 2007 ''A Cup of Moonlight'' (revised official release with additional tracks - 2003 limited website edition)
* 2008 ''Living Temples''
* 2008 ''Painting the Sun''
* 2009 ''Liverpool: Re-imagining the Beatles''
* 2011 ''Here Comes the Sun''
* 2011 ''Here Comes the Sun'' (solo piano edition)
* 2012 ''Christofori's Dream Re-envisioned''
* 2012 ''Joy Noel''
* 2013 ''Movements of the Heart''
* 2014 ''Forever Christmas'' (compilation with Kristin Amarie)
* 2015 ''Silhouettes of Love'' (compilation with Kristin Amarie)
* 2016 ''Norwegian Rain''
* 2017 ''French Impressions''
* 2020 ''Water Sign''
* 2022 ''Lettere D'amore - Letters of Love'' (with Kristin Amarie)
* 2024 ''Valentine Hill''
* 2024 ''Ayres'' (with Kristin Amarie)


===Singles===
Helen Lanz also loved and played the infectious jazzy boogie-woogie style piano which David was skillfully playing by age ten, composing his own boogie-woogie tune the same year.
* 2000 "Angel in My Stocking" – Limited Edition


===Live albums===
By the time he was 14 years old, his musical tastes changed to the distinctive sounds that followed America's sudden invasion by The Beatles. "I went nuts!" David says, "I loved their energy and their sound."
* 2010 ''Liverpool Trio: Live in Seoul''


===Compilation albums===
On 1998's SONGS FROM AN ENGLISH GARDEN, Lanz paid homage to The Beatles and many of the classic 1960s British Invasion bands. 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".
* 1995 ''Beloved: A David Lanz Collection''
* 2001 ''Love Songs''
* 2002 ''Romantic: The Ultimate David Lanz Collection''
* 2003 ''Heartsounds/Nightfall'' (rereleased/remastered)
* 2005 ''The Best of David Lanz''


==Compilation appearances==
IN THE EARLY YEARS OF LANZ'S CAREER, he was asked to join a high school rock "combo," playing bass clarinet; David returned to the piano a few months later, putting his own group together, "The Towne Cryers" (Helen Lanz named the band). Several years later, after adding and replacing several members, The Towne Cryers http://pnwbands.com/towncryers.html placed third in a field of 300 bands at the 1965 Seattle Teen Fair. (See Downloads for mp3's from The Towne Cryers)
*''[[20 Years of Narada Piano]]''
*''[[Grand Piano (Narada Anniversary Collection)]]''
*''[[Narada Smooth Jazz]]''
*''Narada Film and Television Music Sampler''


==See also==
The talented young musician honed his skills working on an eclectic array of gigs and recording projects, including recording one album for Mercury Records with Canadian super-group BRAHMAN in 1971, and playing keyboards on Terry Jack's 1974 world wide smash hit "Seasons in the Sun." (See Downloads for mp3's from Brahman)
* [[List of ambient music artists]]


==Sources==
As a nightclub artist, Lanz even sang the pop tunes he was writing. "I used to sing a lot in those days," Lanz says. "It was part of my thing...I was a singer-songwriter." And although Lanz included a pair of vocal tracks on his 1993 BRIDGE OF DREAMS album ("Only because the vocals came out of the story and theme of that record," he says), David isn't interested in pursuing a singing career.
David Lanz, "Solos for New Age Piano" copyright 1991 NARADA Music Inc. pp.&nbsp;2–3
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
"Just let me play the piano," he says.
* [http://www.davidlanz.com Davidlanz.com]&nbsp;— official site


{{Authority control}}
PLAYING THE PIANO, Lanz says, is his greatest form of self-expression, especially at his concert performances where he effortlessly blends his emotionally affecting music ("a gift to the soul" wrote a recent reviewer) with audience involvement and his own charming comic take on what it's like to be a SNAG.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Lanz, David}}
A SNAG? "My acronym for a Sensitive New Age Guy," Lanz says, grinning. "It was a comfortable and funny way of breaking through misconceptions of the 'New Age' label in a way similar to Victor Borge's unique talent for making classical music more accessible by including his own witty personality as part of his concerts."
[[Category:1950 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]
"When I was a kid," Lanz adds, "I thought Victor Borge was cool. Years later, I noticed that, with a few exceptions, most solo pianists didn't seem to be reaching out to the audience."
[[Category:Musicians from Seattle]]

[[Category:New-age pianists]]
"The chance to play the music is great," says Lanz, whose solo concerts have won critical raves. "But concerts are also opportunities to show the audience a bit more of myself than just playing the piano."
[[Category:Narada Productions artists]]

[[Category:People from Pittsford, New York]]
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).
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]

[[Category:American male pianists]]
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.
[[Category:21st-century American pianists]]

[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
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".
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]

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."

(Biography by: www.davidlanz.com)

Latest revision as of 17:13, 24 October 2024

David Lanz
Born (1950-06-28) June 28, 1950 (age 74)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
GenresNew age, Jazz music
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Piano, Tastiere
Years active1964–present
LabelsNarada, Decca Records
Websitewww.davidlanz.com

David Howard Lanz (born June 28, 1950, in Seattle, Washington) is an American pianist and composer. His album Cristofori's Dream topped the New Age Music Chart in 1988.

Early years

[edit]

Lanz attributes his interest in the piano to experiences during his childhood in the Pacific Northwest. He was inspired to play piano by his mother.[1] She played songs by Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole on the piano and became his first musical mentor.

Lanz started his performing career as a teenager during the 1960s. In 1971, he recorded an album for Mercury Records with the Canadian group Brahman. He played keyboards on the hit song "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks. In the late 1970s, he was musical director for the Seattle band the Sweep, with Ken McCann as singer, Peter Pendras on lead guitar, Glenn Ayers on drums, and Hugh Gerrard on bass. Saxophonist Robbie Jordan was added to the group after a gig in Boise, Idaho.

Lanz shifted to playing solo acts in local clubs. At a nightclub in Seattle, he began to perform his own compositions and moved from rock to jazz and blues.

Recording career

[edit]

The 1980s saw the birth of a new type of musical talent in Lanz. During this time, with the help of a friend, he began composing what would now be considered New Age music. From the 1980s onward, he has released a steady stream of albums, including his ground-breaking album Heartsounds, his first solo album, which boosted the popularity of his record label, Narada.[citation needed]

Style

[edit]

Lanz's goal is to have his music create an atmosphere of hope and enlightenment. In an interview with Barnes & Noble, Lanz stated that he wanted to create an atmosphere similar to that of Steven Halpern's music, but with a "more popular hook in it".[2]

Lanz has said, "[The piano] is the most divinely inspired instrument on the planet. It presents a great attraction to our left-right brain relationship. My goal is to create entertainment that also provides hope and enlightenment."

In the front of his Musicbook, The David Lanz Collection, he writes: "At the piano, I'm able to communicate in a way that is very intimate and direct. My approach at music is a bit like talking to a friend. You don't have to be very complicated when you speak. If you say what's in your heart, it's usually very simple."

Lanz's style spans the popular songbook as well. His 2009 release, Liverpool: Re-imagining The Beatles, made with Xiao flute master Gary Stroutsos pays homage to the music of The Beatles.

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
  • 1983 Heartsounds
  • 1985 Nightfall
  • 1985 Natural States (with Paul Speer)
  • 1985 Solstice (with Michael Jones)
  • 1987 Woodlands (with Tingstad and Rumbel)
  • 1987 Desert Vision (with Paul Speer)
  • 1988 Cristofori's Dream
  • 1990 Skyline Firedance
  • 1991 Return to the Heart
  • 1993 Bridge of Dreams (with Paul Speer)
  • 1994 Christmas Eve
  • 1996 Sacred Road
  • 1996 Convergence (with David Arkenstone)
  • 1998 Songs from an English Garden
  • 1999 An Evening with David Lanz
  • 1999 Cristofori's Dream (remastered with additional track)[3]
  • 1999 The Christmas Album
  • 1999 East of the Moon
  • 2002 Finding Paradise
  • 2003 The Symphonic Sessions
  • 2004 The Good Life
  • 2005 Spirit Romance
  • 2006 Sacred Road Revisited
  • 2007 A Cup of Moonlight (revised official release with additional tracks - 2003 limited website edition)
  • 2008 Living Temples
  • 2008 Painting the Sun
  • 2009 Liverpool: Re-imagining the Beatles
  • 2011 Here Comes the Sun
  • 2011 Here Comes the Sun (solo piano edition)
  • 2012 Christofori's Dream Re-envisioned
  • 2012 Joy Noel
  • 2013 Movements of the Heart
  • 2014 Forever Christmas (compilation with Kristin Amarie)
  • 2015 Silhouettes of Love (compilation with Kristin Amarie)
  • 2016 Norwegian Rain
  • 2017 French Impressions
  • 2020 Water Sign
  • 2022 Lettere D'amore - Letters of Love (with Kristin Amarie)
  • 2024 Valentine Hill
  • 2024 Ayres (with Kristin Amarie)

Singles

[edit]
  • 2000 "Angel in My Stocking" – Limited Edition

Live albums

[edit]
  • 2010 Liverpool Trio: Live in Seoul

Compilation albums

[edit]
  • 1995 Beloved: A David Lanz Collection
  • 2001 Love Songs
  • 2002 Romantic: The Ultimate David Lanz Collection
  • 2003 Heartsounds/Nightfall (rereleased/remastered)
  • 2005 The Best of David Lanz

Compilation appearances

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Sources

[edit]

David Lanz, "Solos for New Age Piano" copyright 1991 NARADA Music Inc. pp. 2–3

  1. ^ [1] [dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Barnes & Noble.com Music - New Age Interview". Archived from the original on 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
  3. ^ "Virgin Acquires Narada Label". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 27 September 1997. pp. 111–. ISSN 0006-2510.
[edit]
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