• Mars Lasar: Karma (Anagram/PGI, 56:23).
There is more bite to this instrumental disc, including "Great beast of Wisdom".
Lasar, born in Germany and raised in Australia, is a composer, producer and
multi-instrumentalist. At 15 he won the Young Composers Award at the Sydney
Opera House with his original classical piano concerto. As a teen he also played
in a rock band with his brothers, inspired by Rick Wakeman of Yes, Keith Emerson
of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Alan Parsons, Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and Pink
Floyd. In the 80's his compositions were used to promote Fairlights I, II & III. He
worked on the soundtrack for the film "Days of Thunder" and contributed to Seal's
debut album. Here Lasar uses ancient instruments from Africa, India and the Middle
East. In "Seventh Journey" There are Chinese instruments and monk voices on
"Thusness", while "Prophecies" has a slight bossa nova sway. A-