David Lanz

David Lanz is one of the biggest instrumental stars of the last 30 years, a Grammy-nominated pianist whose solo recordings have sold consistently and made him a leading exponent of new age music. His 1988 album 'Cristofori's Dream' - named for Bartolomeo Cristofori di Francesco, who is regarded as the inventor of the piano - established his style and became the first number one when Billboard Magazine introduced its New Age Chart in 1988.

As a teenager, the Seattle-born musician played in rock and roll bands in local venues but soon moved on to nightclubs as a solo pianist. Playing his own compositions in between the usual lounge bar favourites, they proved so popular that eventually that's all he played. Signed by new age label Narada Productions, he released solo albums that sold well starting with 'Heartsounds' in 1983.

Guitarist Paul Speer, who produced 'Cristofori's Dream', accompanied Lanz on the albums 'Natural States' (1985) and 'Desert Vision' (1987) and the pianist also recorded with new age performers Michael Jones, Eric Tingstad, Nancy Rumbel, David Arkenstone and Kostia.

Lanz has continued to be prolific on record and Narada has released several compilation albums. In 2010, with Gary Stroutsos on flute and Walter Gray on cello, he made 'Liverpool: Re-imagining the Beatles', which featured some Lennon and McCartney songs that were not single hits such as 'Because I'm Only Sleeping', 'Lovely Rita' and 'Things We Said Today'. His latest release, in 2013, was 'Cristofori's Dream Re-Envisioned', which again features his version of Procol Harum's 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' and the title tune in a live orchestral version.