To listen to samples of my songs, stream my albums, or download MP3s, please click the albums below. The links will take you to Spotify. I am also available to stream/download on iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, etc. Thanks for your support!
There are a hundred thousand love songs in the world. And most of them get it wrong. There just aren’t many songs that move beyond physical attraction and simple emotion and speak to the deeper aspects of love—fidelity, faithfulness, selflessness, grace. There truly is a different, deeper kind of love—the kind that is patient and kind, selfless and humble, honorable and truthful. The kind that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. This album features nine original songs in a neo-soul style, a bit of a departure from my other work, with lots of deep bass, complex chord voicings, and uber-rich vocal harmonies. Featuring Elizabeth and Jason Dyer on vocals, Ryan “Harpo” Harbert on saxes, and Nate Poehlke on guitars. Hit the link to listen to samples, stream, or download.
Released in 2013, this project features the Manuel Luz Trio (ML3) with Chad Jackson on drums and Matt Sawhill on basses. This album includes some of my favorite original songs, and there are definitely some nods to my influences, from Mayer and Hornsby to Miles and Sting. I would say it is not unsimilar to a Jamie Cullum, interpreting a variety of different styles in a piano-driven style through a trio format. I also had a little help from my friends—a little classical guitar from Bob Kilpatrick, a little rock’n’roll from Kent Peterson, a little blues from Steven Randal, some jazz sax from Kim Peterson, and a heavy dose of banging from ML3 alum, Steve Liberti. And of course, I’ve managed to throw in not a few piano solos in the process.
Released in 2007, this album is an introspective look at the “middle” of my life, that place between the road that stretches behind us and the uncertain future that unfolds before us. Musically, I would describe this album as piano-driven and jazz-influenced, with more than a touch of old school funk (check out the title cut and my cover of “Take Me To The River”). Lyrically, I examine the life half-lived, and the questions that come from that place. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from this album, which has a more developed fun ethic than my previous projects. I hope you like it.
The follow-up album to A Bridge Called Surrender, this album delvesdeeper into the musical and spiritual journey. Musically, the songs were intended to be both simple and complex, with unobvious melodies and chord changes—piano driven, jazz-tinged adult contemporary. Lyrically, I was influenced by my experiences while living in Vancouver, Canada. From the liner notes: “They say every person has a story. I believe every person is a story. And in these last few years, I have become more aware of the Writer of my story, the Author of Days.”
“Life is a journey, with peaks and valleys, narrow roads and dusty paths, and never a clear view of what lies beyond the bend. In a very real way, this album is a collection of conversations I have had with God as He gently moved me forward on that road toward a bridge called surrender.” This CD has a piano-driven, organic sound that hints slightly of my influences of Bruce Hornsby, Sting, and Steely Dan. A heart-led acoustic foray themed around the author’s spiritual journey.
A SECRET PLACE
A musical departure from my other releases, this album was an experiment: Set up a few mics above the Yamaha grand piano in my living room, and hit the record button during some musical devotional times over the course of a few weeks. The result was this album, a completely improvised instrumental CD created during some intimate moments of prayer and reflection. I originally intended as a simple Christmas gift to select friends, but I have seen the ministry potential of this work—in hospice care situations, devotional quiet times, even funerals. I think there’s a meditative, peaceful quality to the album that speaks to people. A special CD-R release, no longer available.
Adventures in Faith & Art 