David Lanz • Movements of the Heart • Score: 7 out of 10 • Shanachie Records • Producers: David Lanz and Gary Lanz
Grammy nominated pianist-composer David Lanz gets back to his “heavy mellow” wheelhouse with his first set of all original pieces in five years. Balancing lighthearted romantic whimsy and darker meditations, the artist’s lightly dramatic journey draws inspiration in equal parts from emotional shifts in his own life (longings, partings, celebrations) and the simple beauty of nature (“Rainlight,” “La Luna dell’Amante”). Fans of emotional solo piano music will enjoy Lanz’s thoughtful melodic landscapes, while piano geeks may enjoy figuring out the sonic subtleties resulting from his choice to tune the piano at A-444 instead of A-440. – Jonathan Widran
