Spirit Romance

"Spirit Romance" is David Lanz's first album of new material on Narada since 1998. Since then, he has recorded several albums on Decca and one independently, the most recent of which was a smooth jazz album that confused the heck out of a lot of his longtime fans. Anyone who has seen Lanz in concert knows that he can play just about any style of music, but many fans didn't want him to deviate from the beautiful, romantic music he is so well-known for. Lanz has been one of the most influential artists in the "new age piano" genre, and "Spirit Romance," takes him back to those roots while still moving in a slightly different direction. This new music isn't as structured or melodic as some of his earlier work, but this is my favorite Lanz album in quite some time. However, "Spirit Romance" isn't just David Lanz, but a collaboration between himself and flutist Gary Stroutsos. They improvised most of this music in Lanz's new old house, with David's brother, Gary Lanz, at the helm as engineer and producer. Some of the tracks feature Jonn Serrie working his ambient space magic in the background; the title track features Swil Kanim on violin; and a few tracks feature Keith Lowe on acoustic bass and Glen Velez on acoustic percussion, but it's mostly just flute and piano. What a magical sound! The freedom of improvisation creates a sense of deep intimacy and spiritual connection. Stroutsos played several different flutes on this recording, but used the Xiao flute, which is rarely heard outside of China, most often. Older than the Japanese bamboo flute, this instrument has a haunting, deeply spiritual quality that is perfect for this kind of music. What kind of music is it? There are a lot of recognizable Lanz touches, but this music is quite different from his other recordings. Lanz has occasionally been criticized for being too pop-oriented, but I don't think there was any thought of commercialization in the making of "Spirit Romance." The exotic flutes and percussion instruments bring a strong Eastern flavor to the music, while the piano and string bass merge with a more Western sensibility, creating a universality of spirit that is intriguing, soothing, and very satisfying. In short, I LOVE this album! Very highly recommended!

As a massage therapist I am always looking for new cds with relaxing music for the entire cd. This is one I give a thumbs up to. There is one song that is a little upbeat but not offensive to hear during a massage. Nice flute & keyboard.

If you have imagined a world where strains of ancient flutes drift across misty water worlds, David Lanz invites you into a renewed clarity where you feel as if you have been cleansed of every negative mood.

This is a refreshing album with whispers of Xiao flute and haunting echoes of ancient memories. David Lanz' playing is especially spiritual and soul soothing. If you love piano and flute, this is a perfect mingling of earth and sky.

The mood remains consistent throughout making this perfect for meditation, reflective moments or deep introspection. It truly feels as if your soul has been retuned and as every stress dissolves, this album takes you to a place of spiritual purity. In that regard it is exquisite and memorable. I had been looking for another album with flutes and piano and this appeared. The cover is also especially beautiful and perfectly reflects the mood.

~The Rebecca Review

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