David Lanz' Good Life 'The Good Life' album

In 2002, 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 in the realm of smooth jazz, working on his first full-fledged genre album (and second on Decca) with popular instrumental stars like Gregg Karukas (who co-produced), Peter White, David Benoit and Dave Koz.

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 always spiritual minded Lanz delves even deeper into the physical on The Good Life, surrounding his compelling melodies with deep pocket, R&B-influenced grooves (and splashes of soulful brass) courtesy of collaborations with Karukas and a new circle of smooth jazz friends-guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr., saxmen Michael Paulo and Eric Marienthal, keyboardist Jeff Lorber (who first met Lanz in the mid-70s), Rick Braun (as part of a horn section with Nick Lane), the Jerry Hey horns and veteran producer Steven Dubin, who has helmed numerous radio hits and best selling albums for George Benson, Richard Elliot, Najee, Peter White and fellow Philly native Lorber. Also adding to the R&B/ pop flavor is producer and former pop star Robbie Nevil ("C'est La Vie") co-wrote the playful and strutting, retro-soul tune "It's The Way That I Feel" with keyboardist Nelson Jackson.

The title, which came from a conversation Lanz had with his wife Alicia while sitting outside their Seattle area home, is a call to appreciate life's many blessings in a time where the headlines threaten to cloud our individual worlds with fear and negativity.

"We were enjoying the sunshine one day, taking stock of our lives, and she echoed the classic Christmas movie, saying 'you know, it's a wonderful life,'" Lanz says. "That was the working title and vibe of the project. I wanted the music to be a manifestation of joy, because we can decide to have that in our lives no matter what's going on in the world. The first tune I wrote was 'Sorry Charlie,' which is kind of a tongue in cheek apology to Charlie Brown because I was trying too hard at first to capture that classic Vince Guaraldi-Peanuts music flavor. But its energy set the tone. It's a reflection of the cool frame of mind I'm in right now."

Dubin co-wrote (and co-producing with Lanz) four songs with the pianist and Lorber-the easy-grooving samba-lite "Call-ee-fornia"; the brassy, retro soul-jazz influenced "Mood Swing"; a trippy, shuffle-funk journey into the "Mystical"; the soaring, anthemic and string-sweetened "Not a Moment Too Soon"; and the fiery, brass-drenched Latin jam "Big Sur," which features the flamenco-styled guitar of Paul Jackson, Jr. Dubin also co-produced Lanz's whimsical, old school R&B flavored gem "The Good Life."

Three other tracks on The Good Life were co-produced by Lanz and Gregg Karukas, who played a huge part of the sonic success of Finding Paradise. These include the title cut (which moves from a graceful beginning to an aggressive blues-funk explosion, and features the buoyant interaction of Lanz and Eric Marienthal), "It's The Way That I Feel," and the Guaraldi-inspired, fingersnap accented and organ and brass tinged "Sorry Charlie." Karukas also did the string arrangement for the lush, orchestrally enhanced closer "A Song For Helen," a revisiting of the classic Lanz new age piano style dedicated to the pianist's beloved mother.

On 1998's Songs From An English Garden, his final Narada Records recording after 15 years with the label, Lanz paid homage to the classic 1960s British Invasion bands and recordings which inspired his early dreams of rock stardom. From his early teens through his late 20s, the Seattle native was a rocker with bands steeped in both classic covers and what he terms "Northwest Instrumental Rock."

The music which became Heartsounds helped launch Narada Records into the mainstream and led Lanz into a chart-topping career which has featured eight 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 (a greatest hits collection); Sacred Road; the live recording An Evening With David Lanz; and a variety of "Best of" collections. His transition recording before emerging as a "smooth age" artist with Finding Paradise was 2000's Grammy nominated new age-orchestral rock event East of the Moon.

"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 new age music was a wonderful surprise," he says. "At first, I had to get away from the trip 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."

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David Lanz' Good Life - The Good Life