Mars Lasar is a German-born keyboardist and composer, raised in Australia. Predominantly new-age, his music also contains elements of electronica, jazz, pop, world, and rock. Lasar's music has appeared on television and in films; one notable example is music from his first album, Olympus,[1][2] being used for CBS's coverage of the Olympic Games in Albertville, France in 1992. He has worked with other artists including Seal, Herbie Hancock, Jon Stevens, John Sykes, and t.A.T.u. Many of his album covers feature his own artwork.
In 2019, Mars released the second of his 8-minute MindScapes series.[3]
Early life
editWhen Lasar was eleven, he began to learn piano, and was trained extensively in jazz and classical. It was his mother, who was a classical artist from Germany, that ignited a love for music in him.[4][3] Lasar has been interested in technology as long as he can remember.[5] Using a stopwatch, a cassette player, and a shortwave radio, he demonstrated multi-track sequencing before it was ever invented.[3][5]
His mother was also partly the reason for his interest in art, and he began hanging his original oil paintings around his high school in the 80's.[4]
When Lasar was fifteen, he received the "Young Composers Award" sponsored by the Sydney Opera House.[6] It was at this age that he discovered his interest in blending music and technology which soon led him into working and composing for the President of Fairlight Computers.[7][8]
He was discovered by Fairlight while being a part of a band of members who loved music, mathematics, and technology equally.[3] As a band in the late 70's and early 80's, they used synthesizers, monophonic sequencers, drum machines, and vocals and would dress up in spacesuits when they performed.[3][9][5]
Career
editHis work with the Fairlight CMI was extensive, and he recalls, "I spent countless hours building the first sample library. I composed many compositions using my sequencing method which was sent out to the world with the machines at $80,000 a piece. I demonstrated the Fairlight to many artists and producers including Alan Parsons, Kate Bush, Duran Duran, Herbie Hancock and many others at that time."[5][9][10]
Due to his work with Fairlight CMI, Mars attracted much attention and went on to create compositions for companies, such as Kleenex, Duracell, and Chrysler. In addition, he created compositions for television, such as Equal Justice and Baywatch, and the NFL.[7]
His early experience scoring movies came from his project with Sounds Like Australia (1987), a wildlife movie that required him to rework the sounds of Australian wildlife into music.[7][11][12]
In the following years, Lasar worked with Hans Zimmer on the movie, Days of Thunder, starring Tom Cruise.[13] Shortly after, Lasar was asked to help with composing an album with Seal, a new artist at the time. That album earned a Grammy nomination.[14][13]
Lasar released his first solo album in 1991 and now has over 30 solo albums as well as a collection of collaborative projects.[3][5] Mars' music has been featured in shows such as Conviction (NBC), 24 (Fox), America's Got Talent, Extreme Makeover, The Bachelor, and others.[3][9][15]
Discography
editMeditation and MindScapes Series
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Mindscapes, Vol.1 – Fields of Gold | Sound Manipulations | [16] |
| 1996 | Mindscapes, Vol.2 – Moonlight | Sound Manipulations | |
| 1996 | Mindscapes, Vol.3 – Satin 3 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Mindscapes, Vol.4 – Divine Spark | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Mindscapes, Vol.5 – Eterna | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Mindscapes, Vol.6 – Presence | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Mindscapes, Vol.7 – Transformation | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Mindscapes, Vol.8 – Inner Purpose | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2009 | 8 Minute MindScapes | Sound Manipulations | eight-minute excerpts from volumes 1–8 |
| 2019 | 8 Minute MindScapes Meditation II] | Sound Manipulations | [citation needed] |
| 2020 | Mindscapes Beyond | Sound Manipulations | [17] |
Solo Piano
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Sapphire Dreams | Real Music | |
| 2011 | Piano Moods From Mars | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2015 | Piano Moods From Mars 2 | Sound Manipulations |
Motivational
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Final Frontier | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2010 | Final Frontier 2 | Sound Manipulations |
Nature Series
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Olympic National Park | Real Music | |
| 2006 | Yosemite Valley of the Giants | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2009 | Tahoe Spirit | Sound Manipulations |
World Series
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Karma | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2013 | AfterWorld | Sound Manipulations |
Chilled Electronic and Eleventh Hour Series
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Eleventh Hour (11.01) | Real Music | |
| 1998 | 11.02 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2000 | 11.03 – When Worlds Collide | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2004 | 11.04 – Panorama | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2005 | 11.22 – Arrival | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | 11.05 – Revival | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2020 | Multiverse | Sound Manipulations | [18] |
| 2021 | Ultra Chill | Sound Manipulations | [19] |
New Age
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Olympus | Real Music | |
| 1995 | Escape | Real Music | |
| 2000 | Blue Maze | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2003 | Nocturnal Diaries | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2007 | At the End of the Day | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2020 | Coastal Escape | Sound Manipulations | [20] |
Electronica
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Big Box | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2007 | Vertical Velocity | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2010 | Organized Chaos | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2010 | Organized Chaos 2 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2012 | Organized Chaos 3 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2017 | Utopia | Sound Manipulations |
Holiday
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Christmas From Mars | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2007 | Christmas From Mars Lasar – A Star is Born | Sound Manipulations |
Babyscape and Baby Escape Series
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | BabyScapes | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.1 | Sound Manipulations | [16] |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.2 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.3 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.4 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.5 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.6 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.7 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Baby Escapes, Vol.8 | Sound Manipulations |
Compilations
edit| year | title | label | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Collaborations | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Exotic Intimacy | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Total Intimacy | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Romantic Collection | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Grooves From Mars 1 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2008 | Grooves From Mars 2 | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2009 | In-Flight Metro | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2009 | In-Flight Relax | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2010 | Natural | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2010 | Jog | Sound Manipulations | |
| 2016 | Jazz From Mars | Sound Manipulations |
References
edit- ^ "Mars Lasar Synthesizes His Musical and Painting Careers". The Los Angeles Times. June 6, 1992 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Olympus". Realmusic.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mars Lasar – About". marslasar.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
- ^ a b "About". Mars Lasar Studio – Fine Art Photography. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
- ^ a b c d e "Mars Lasar: Quantum Tracks". www.ascap.com. September 1, 2007. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
- ^ "Lasar, Mars | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
- ^ a b c "Mars Lasar | New Age Musician". www.realmusic.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
- ^ Mars Lasar: Fairlight CMI feature, Countdown 1983, retrieved 2019-12-05
- ^ a b c "Mars Lasar | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
- ^ "Mars Lasar (Holiday)". Pandora. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
- ^ "Sounds Like Australia". NFSA Online Shop. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
- ^ "Sounds Like Australia", YouTube, retrieved 2019-12-05
- ^ a b "Interview with Mars Lasar, May 2008". mainlypiano.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
- ^ "APM Music – Crazy by Seal". www.apmmusic.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
- ^ "APM Music – Mars Lasar". www.apmmusic.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
- ^ a b "Mars Lasar Albums and Discography". AllMusic.
- ^ "Mindscapes Beyond". MarsLasar.com.
- ^ "Multiverse". MarsLasar.com.
- ^ "Ultra Chill". MarsLasar.com.
- ^ DyanG (November 21, 2021). "Mars Lasar | Coastal Escape | Album Review". New Age Notes.