Songs From an English Garden
David Lanz'sSongs from an English Gardenis, like a garden stroll, a pleasant experience. While one really can't say that "Sitting in an English Garden" or even "Bus Stop" are exciting, they are exemplary of Lanz's skills as a performer and arranger. There are even hints of jazz here and there, as on "Tuesday Afternoon," but the emphasis here is on the piano, and on the expressiveness of the instrument. Hence, "London Blue," "Sunny Afternoon," and the arrangement of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" are the highlights. The only real mis-step is the cover of "As Tears Go By," which doesn't quite capture the wistfulness of the original. --Genevieve Williams