Eclectic composer/cellist David Darling incorporates jazz, classical, country, pop, and new age music into his playing and compositions. Starting as a child, Darling displayed facility with many different instruments and styles of music; he began with piano at age four, moved to cello six years later, and played string bass in his high school... [+] Read More

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One of the most popular artists in the solo instrumental and adult-alternative spheres, Lanz played in several rock bands during his teens, then began developing his style as a solo pianist in a small Seattle nightclub. He introduced some of his originals into the bar's required mix of standards and pop tunes, receiving such a positive response... [+] Read More

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Smooth jazz pianist Jim Chappell was born and raised in Michigan, initially influenced by the pop songcraft of the Beatles and Jimmy Webb. After spending the better part of his early adult years travelling across the country, he settled in Nashville and became a songwriter; finding the work unfulfilling, however, Chappell relocated to... [+] Read More

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As the son of two professional musicians, John Boswell grew up in a richly musical and artistic environment. This developed into an interest in musical theater which began in high school and blossomed during his years at U.C.L.A., where he wrote a musical with actor Tim Robbins. Boswell continued on this track after graduation, working on... [+] Read More

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This Seattle-based composer and music teacher writes contemporary piano-based ensemble works inspired by family, friends, and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Though his uptempo pieces are on the trite side, he is at his best when he creates flowing, impressionistic music involving acoustic piano and melodic instruments like oboe, French... [+] Read More

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Paul Sullivan is an accomplished pianist and composer who has worked in many different genres surrounding his instrument. He began his training in his hometown of Boston, where he attended the Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University, where he received a B.A. in 1977. He became a freelance musician, moving to New York to try his luck at... [+] Read More

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Tucson-based multi-instrumentalist R. Carlos Nakai is a Native-American musician and cultural anthropologist of Navajo-Ute descent. Though he received classical training on the trumpet, his numerous recordings consist primarily of resonant solo performances of Native-American flute improvisations with a judicious use of synthesizers, chanting,... [+] Read More

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Before developing a taste for rock and jazz, Barabas studied classical music at the Caracas Conservatory in Venezuela. His skills as a pianist are admirable; Barabas's use of synthesizers is not quite so sophisticated but shows some promise. His recordings include 1988's Magic in December, 1992's Sedona Suite, 1995's Mosaic and 1999's Live. ~... [+] Read More

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For much of the 1990s, pianist Wayne Gratz delivered one elegant new age-inflected, quiet piano album after another, each with a different mood and accompanying theme. Gratz's presence on the Narada roster gave him substantial equity in terms of name recognition, helping him become one of the more recognized and best-selling artists working... [+] Read More

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