New Age Music World

Instrumental Music Review: David Lanz – The Beatles Inspired Here Comes The Sun, (Solo Piano & Piano Instrumental Album) with Gary Stroutsos, Walter Grey, and Keith Lowe.

If someone were to ask you to name one of the greatest bands ever in today’s contemporary modern times, who would you name?

If the question was slightly rephrased and you were then asked to name the greatest band of all time most people would begin by naming English rock band icons The Beatles. Even today, a half century later after forming in 1960, The Beatles are considered the greatest, best-selling band of all time, with over 300 million albums sold – according to Wikipedia.

Legendary pianist David Lanz is one of today’s top instrumental recording and concert artists who would most likely reach the same conclusion for either question about The Beatles. In addition to knowing this music history fact the platinum selling artist David Lanz also happens to be a pianist many people would name as one of today’s top pianists in the industry who has produced a great number of solo and instrumental songs inspired by The Beatles.

While there are a variety of The Beatles tribute bands and albums, David Lanz has one of today’s most comprehensive collections of original music inspired by The Beatles as a band, and as songwriters. You will find his song arrangements pay a fine compliment to the beloved band by their depth, passion and complexity. This year he has released two superb individual versions of their work each having 10 songs with identical song titles. The first is a solo piano album and the second is a piano with instrumentals release. Both are quality new releases for 2012.

Here Comes The Sun is a new instrumental ensemble album where David Lanz re-defines 10 song melodies by the Fab Four in a personal way. The depth of his instrumental arrangement and performance of the melodic songs are shown in a new beautiful light, having spent four years on the song arrangement and recording of Here Comes The Sun as a quality driven product for 2012.

David performs piano and keyboard on the instrumental album, and enlisted three artists who each have their own notoriety as instrumental music professionals. Artists in the ensemble are Gary Stroutsos on woodwinds/flute, Walter Grey on cello, and Keith Lowe on bass.  I suppose it’s applicable to say he had a little help from his friends. After sampling Here Come The Sun (Solo Piano Version) I can say this is where you will hear David Lanz at his personal best as a piano soloist.

Liverpool: Re-Imagining The Beatles by David Lanz is an earlier 2010 release honoring the Fab Four by as many may know. The Liverpool release includes guest artists and presented flutist Gary Stroutsos, cellist Walter Gray, and one of the last performances of the late great session artist Larry Knechtel.

The 10 song titles on both versions are: Prelude: Sunrise Follows Moon, Here Comes the Sun, Help!, Mother Nature’s Son, For No One, There’s A Place, Please Please Me, Penny Lane and I Am The Walrus & Sir George (Liverpool Farewell).

While David Lanz is famous for his The Beatles inspired albums and songs, his #1 in the Top 10 Billboard Adult Alternative/New Age hit Cristofori’s Dream, re-defined his career from that moment forward. Today David Lanz has an excellent collection of albums to choose from in the solo piano, and piano with instrumentals selection.

For any serious music aficionado a song collection simply wouldn’t be complete without music of The Beatles as a band, along with the solo music of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Would I say the same about David Lanz and his entire selection of solo and instrumental projects inspired by The Beatles? Knowing the depth and passion of his work, I would say yes. From yesterday and today it’s a wonderful stroll down Abbey Road.

Visit DavidLanz.com for news and sample or purchase at the David Lanz music store. Portrait courtesy Joe del Tufo Photography and davidlanz.com.

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