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Built in 1901, the beautifully restored Everett Historic Theatre proved a fitting venue for pianist extraordinaire David Lanz. The night after Thanksgiving was a chilly one in Everett, Washington, and several hundred attendees were in the mood for some holiday cheer. Lanz began his show solo at the piano, working his way through a magical version of “Joy to the World.” That tune established a theme for the evening, as the Grammy-nominated artist was later joined by his significant other, vocalist Kristin Amarie. Together with upright bassist Gary Lowe, they tackled several new holiday-themed originals from their new album Forever Christmas.
Since the 2010 release of his Liverpool: Re-Imagining the Beatles (not to mention its follow-up, Here Comes the Sun), no Lanz concert has been complete without some Beatles music. The pianist performed a medley of Fab Four classics that, if anything, was too short. Lanz has a knack for getting deep inside these tunes, uncovering fresh harmonic intricacies. Adding bits of everything from “There’s a Place” to “I Am the Walrus,” the medley served as a highpoint of the two-hour show.
In addition to the Yuletide tunes, a pair of numbers from 2013’s Movements of the Heart received delicate treatment. Lanz’s music is transporting, allowing listeners to simply close their eyes and fall into an almost trance-like, meditative state. His all-time classic “Cristofori’s Dream” (from his Billboard chart-topping album of the same name) captivated the audience, as did 1991’s intense “Vesuvius.” In addition to all-new songs “What is Christmas?” and “Sweet Winter Love,” Amarie soared during a beautiful rendition of “O Holy Night.”
The Everett performance marked the beginning of Lanz’s holiday concert series. For more information about upcoming performances, visit the official David Lanz site.
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