BWW Reviews: David Lanz's LIVERPOOL

Since I'll be unable to attend the performance of the David Lanz with the Liverpool Trio (featuring Lanz, Walter Gray and Gary Stroutso) this Friday (February 11, 2011) at the Sheldon Concert Hall due to a scheduling conflict, I thought I'd offer up a review of his latest CD release, Liverpool, instead. And, since the upcoming concert, and the album, are both sub-titled "Re-Imagining the Beatles," this will provide a sneak preview of much of what they'll probably be playing that evening.

As a fan of the Beatles, I imagine it's a bit of a daunting task to try and bring something fresh to the table regarding their classic catalog of music. After all, their timeless melodies have been explored by artists from around the globe for decades. Nonetheless, Grammy-nominated composer and pianist David Lanz puts his own twist on their work with his new CD Liverpool, and it's a warm and loving tribute that's really quite charming and engaging, taking the listener on a musical journey that truly captures the spirit of the fab four by focusing on the emotions inherent in each song.

Lanz, who also co-produced the album with his brother Gary, has chosen an eclectic batch of material, blending some of them together in medleys that are often so well conceived that the songs seem more like movements within a suite, rather than just individual pieces that have been intertwined. A perfect example of this technique closes Liverpool as Lanz conjures up a John Lennon suite he's suitably titled "London Skies," which mixes the droning eastern mysticism of "Tomorrow Never Knows" with the lullaby-like "Across the Universe," before closing with the hopeful strains of "Give Peace a Chance."

The set kicks off with an original composition, the eponymous track "Liverpool," which sets the tone for the rest of the album, mixing both plaintive and strident piano melodies with familiar sounds and descending figures that gently remind the listener of those innovative lads from across the pond. After a quick guitar intro by Alonzo Davideo, "Things We Said Today" follows and receives an almost cinematic arrangement that suits it particularly well. It leads directly into a curious pairing of "Rain" and "Eight Days a Week", which affords Lanz ample opportunity to play off the contrasts between the two tunes.

Next, he introduces "Lovely Rita" with a brief interlude (the playful "Teatime for Rita"), before plunging in headfirst with a sparkling attack that runs the musical gamut in approach, with circular classical patterns replacing the wordless background vocals in the break in novel fashion. Another clever pairing crops up with the classically derived "Because" sliding in and out of the more bluesy and woozy "I'm Only Sleeping." "Norwegian Wood" is given a moody arrangement that twists the melody into little dramatic, romantic vignettes, which may be at odds with the author's original intent, but which takes the music in a wholly unexpected direction. And isn't that the whole purpose of re-imagining someone's work? 

Before closing the album with the elegiac and stately "London Skies," Lanz sweetly reworks "Yes It Is," taking full advantage of its simple chord changes, which are filled with a sense of teenage yearning and angst, to produce a remarkably restrained ballad that's both melancholy and uplifting at the same time. And, he adds a coda of "P.S. I Love You" to his arrangement, which further sweetens the mood.

International flutist Gary Stroutsos adds the textures of the xiao flute and mark tree to the mix, which neatly complement the overall sound, often providing counterpoint and tasteful flourishes to the melodies. Cellist Walter Gray's contributions also make a considerable impact, generating both emotion and drive in equal measures. And the late, and truly great, Larry Knechtel plays Hammond organ to extraordinary effect on "Rain Eight Days a Week," effectively bringing a sunny splash of color to this tempered and introspective arrangement.

Liverpool is a delightful addition to anyone's music collection, showcasing the many talents of David Lanz and company. The audience for his upcoming concert, in the acoustically perfect confines of the Sheldon Concert Hall, is in for a real treat.

Photo credit: Carole May Images

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