David Lanz
| David Lanz | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 28, 1950 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | New Age, Jazz (One Album) |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Labels | Narada |
| Website | www |
David Howard Lanz (born June 28, 1950 in Seattle, Washington) is a Grammy-nominated New Age pianist living in Pittsford, New York. His most popular album, Cristofori's Dream, topped the New Age charts in 1988, which was No. 1 on Billboard's first adult alternative/New Age chart for 27 weeks and eventually sold platinum. Natural States peaked at No. 125 on the Billboard 200.
Lanz attributes his interest in the piano to experiences during his childhood in the Pacific Northwest. He said, "As children, the piano is one of the first 'machines' we come in contact with, and one of the first we are allowed to explore."
Lanz was inspired to play the piano by his mother, Helen Lanz, who also played. Helen played songs by Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole on the piano, and became David's first musical mentor.
Lanz started his performing career as a teenager during the 1960s. In 1971, Lanz recorded one album for Mercury Records with the Canadian group Brahman. He played keyboards on the Terry Jacks' hit, "Seasons in the Sun". In the late 1970s, Lanz was musical director of the Seattle band, The Sweep, with Ken McCann as front man 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 childhood friend of Lanz', Jeff Simmons, at one time or another played with or filled in for Sweep personnel since Simmons is a multi-instrumentalist.
Later, Lanz shifted to playing solo acts in local clubs. At a nightclub in Seattle, Lanz began to perform his own compositions. "It was the world's first new age piano bar," said Lanz. It was during this time that he began his transition from rock to other more reserved music genres, such as jazz and blues.
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