David Lanz

This album from piano master David Lanz is something like the new age equivalent of a jam session. Lanz took to his piano and Gary Stroutsos to his flute and, in combination with a small handful of other new age musicians and engineers, spent a few weekends putting together a series of instrumental works. The music is composed to have a "Zen-like quality," which is to say that there is no real motif in use and no thematic sense to speak of, but more of a generalized feeling that can be given mood or content proactively by the listener. In the realm of new age music, this one's relatively nice. More emphasis is given to the general likableness of the sound than to the occasional spiritual or academic backings that can twist music to a more intellectual level without aesthetic purpose (à la interpretive dance). This one is a plausible addition to the collections of non-new age listeners, as a basic piece of background music on a quiet day. ~ Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide