In preparation for creating my 1996 Narada release of "Sacred Road", I began in my home studio where I recorded a number of the CD's 13 piano based compositions. (The 14th piece found on the original release was an orchestral prelude.)

These piano tracks were then orchestrated and never released in their original solo recorded form. After finishing the process of recording the remaining pieces, adding the various instrumentation and rhythm, and then completing the final mixing, co-producer Paul Speer and myself submitted our finished master recording to the Narada label.

However, upon hearing the results, the powers that be felt that the piano was being a bit overshadowed by our ambitious production. Paul and I were encouraged to go back in the studio and remix the music with reduced orchestration thus putting the piano squarely out in front, sonically speaking.

After re-envisioning the overall sound of this recording with the piano's role as the dominant voice, we were all satisfied with this second effort. The revised Sacred Road remixed version was then officially released later that year in 1996.

A decade later, and in the process of moving, I rediscovered these original solo piano recordings and a copy of the first unreleased version of Sacred Road.

The unadorned solo piano recordings were a breath of fresh air, and while some of the unreleased original first mixes still seemed a bit top heavy with strings, brass, woodwinds, and the like, most of the original mixes, with their slightly pumped up rhythm tracks and reinstated orchestration, were lively and invigorating!

My brother, Gary Lanz, has skillfully and lovingly re-mastered these original recordings for this slightly new look at Sacred Road. He definitely shared in my joy of finding these unreleased versions and was especially taken with the original solo piano recordings as is evident in this quote from him, "It's a revelation to find these beautiful performances. The delicacy and nuance of these compositions are now revealed in their original, pure form. David needs only one instrument to create his beautiful sonic landscapes. A Piano. Period."

With that vote of confidence, I hope you will once again enjoy taking the journey with me down that road...the Sacred Road...revisited.

Laura Sullivan:

Feast of Joy & Love

Tingstad & Rumbel: Homeland

Gary Stroutsos: Oru