Stephanie Trottier
The 11-track album, Reality Not Fantasy, is the product of one talented pianist named Louis Landon. This pianist takes on an entirely new style compared to his previous albums by taking the role of pianist, singer, and melodica player on this album.

The songs on this album are extremely habit-forming. Seeing as how Landon started playing music at the age of five, it really should not be a surprise that this album is this good. The songs are so full of life and shows the emotions everyone feels at one point in his or her life.

Landon’s voice is incredibly soothing, and the different melodies and beats in each song really make this album a winner. Can I say Christmas present? Honestly, I definitely did not think this would be my type of music, considering his age (no offense). Reality Not Fantasy is astonishingly good. I cannot believe how much life Landon injects into his lyrics, voice, and the instrumentals. He is an incredible musician and I may have just become his newest fan.

Some of the songs on the track remind of the ‘80s, for some ungodly reason. They remind me of a sort of soft rock ballad with the instrumentals a little bit. The track the album is named for, “Reality Not Fantasy,” is a little haunting, but good nonetheless.

With so many delectable songs for my ears to devour, it is definitely a challenge choosing one that I completely adore. “I was searching for you all my life, someone just like you,” is a tiny snippet of a great song on the album called “I Found You.” I know, all those cynics of love are probably saying “that’s such a terrible line.” On the contrary, the way Landon creates his phrasing and the mere superior quality of his voice makes this my favorite song on the track. Come on, all of you cynics out there; give this album a chance despite the seemingly sappy lines.

Peaceful Christmas is one of my favorite new Christmas albums this year. Arranged for solo piano and performed by Louis Landon, this collection of fifteen Christmas carols ranges from sweet tranquility to blues and jazz, and features four original compositions. (Pianists will be overjoyed to learn that a companion sheet music book is on its way!) Landon plays some of the songs fairly traditionally, and then there are some surprises (like the gospel-tinged “Silent Night” and the jazz-infused “Jingle Bells.” I really like the variety in the music and Landon’s effortless playing style. The album was recorded at Joe Bongiorno’s Piano Haven Studio, so the sound of the piano is clean, clear, and warm. If you are looking for new solo piano Christmas music, this one is a keeper!

Peaceful Christmas begins with “Joy to the World,” which starts out delicately and picks up energy as it evolves. Each verse has a little different rhythm, giving the song a theme and variations kind of feel. “The First Noel” is almost fragile in its shimmering beauty. The interlude in the middle gives a very personal touch. “Family” is the first of the original pieces. Tender and sweet, it overflows with contentment and loving warmth. As a piano teacher, “O Christmas Tree” was always one of the first carols I got tired of each year, but I love Landon’s slightly bluesy take on the song. “Icicles” is the second original and one of my favorite tracks on the album. Played mostly in the upper registers of the piano, Landon’s expressive touch gives this piece a real chill as well as a sparkle. Love it! “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is one of my favorite carols – in part because it’s so versatile – and Landon’s arrangement is one of my favorite solo piano versions. Dark, poignant, and in constant motion, I also love the magical interludes between verses and how they flow back into the song. Landon cleverly weaves phrases from “Carol of the Bells” into “Greensleeves,” giving it a very original interpretation that works beautifully. “Moonlight Sleigh Ride” is both lively and enchanting. What fun it would be to ride through the snow late at night with the moon as a guide, and this piece captures that feeling perfectly. “Silent Night” is usually the epitome of peaceful Christmas carols, so Landon’s gospel take on it is a happy surprise. Played at a leisurely tempo, it’s still very peaceful, but very different. Fun! “Bluesy Christmas” is the fourth of the originals, and is a slow and easy blues that seems a little wistful and bittersweet. “Jingle Bells” ends the set in a way you’ve never heard this song before. Pure jazz fun, I’ll bet Landon recorded this take with a big grin on his face! A great close to a great album!

Peaceful Christmas is available as a CD or as a download from www.louislandon.com, Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby. Check it out!

Kathy Parsons
MainlyPiano.com

11/22/11

Survived Hurricane Irene unscathed. Not even one tree down. Got off lucky. People in upstate NY and VT, not so much…

Had a most excellent tour/vacation in the Northwest. Was in Portland, Eugene, Florence, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle. Saw friends and family and performed 4 solo piano concerts.

“Get Out of My Life Forever” aka “Black Widow Spider” video is being edited. I should be getting a second revision in a day or so. Hoping for a final video within the next couple of weeks.

Three peace concerts for the month of September! Do not miss this one! September 30th – Horizontal Yoga and Piano for Peace at Lift Nyack. (see dates below)
Check out the flier here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17287396/Horizontal_Yoga_%26_Piano_Concert2%20copy.jpg

Improv for Peace #153 is a free download at Bandcamp. Enjoy!
http://louislandon.bandcamp.com/track/improv-for-peace-153
Another free download – “Hurricane Irene” http://louislandon.bandcamp.com/track/hurricane-irene

Mark down October 6th. Freedom Plaza, Washington, D.C. 10th Anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan. This is a no win war ladies and gentlemen. Let’s put an end to it once and for all!
http://october2011.org/welcome

No war! No nukes!
love peace happiness~
Louis

DATES:

Sunday, September 11th 1:00pm – Solo Piano Peace Concert – Elant Polo Picnic. Blue Sky polo club, 380 Bart Bull Road, Middletown, NY 10941-3806 845.692.2922 Tickets are $130 and will support Elant, a not-for-profit organization providing healthcare and housing programs throughout the Hudson Valley. For more info go to http://elant.org

Thursday, September 22nd 7:30pm Concert for Peace – flute/piano duo featuring Gottfriend Stoger on flute. Peaceful original riginal music in remembrance of 9/11 – Livingston Public Library, 10 Robert Harp Drive, Livingston, NJ 07039. This is a free concert. For more info call 973.992.4600 or go to the website
http://livingston.bcc ls.org

Friday, September 30th 8:00pm – Horizontal Yoga and Piano Concert for Peace – Relaxing yoga with Marie Salamon my solo piano music. This is going to be a great night. Don’t miss this! It is at a fantastic venue: Lift Nyack, Yoga & Wellness Center, 42 Main Street, Nyack, NY 10960. Tickets are $20 in advance and
$25 at the door. Call 845.512.8546 or go to the website for tickets.
http://liftnyack.com/events/#PP
Check out the flier here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17287396/Horizontal_Yoga_%26_Piano_Concert2%20copy.jpg

LINKS:

Check Tour Dates link for full listing of gigs if you are looking to book me and
need to know availability.
http://www.louislandon.com/concerts.php

“like” my band page as well as be my friend on facebook.
Be a friend on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouisLandon1
Be a fan on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouisLandon2
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/louislandon

All CDs:
http://www.louislandon.com/cd/index.php
Solo Piano Sheet Music:
http://www.louislandon.com/sheetmusic.php

Leaving for Oregon on August 4th for my NORTHWEST MEDIUM TOUR and will be playing 5 concerts. I would appreciate it if you would share any concert information with friends and/or family who might live in any of the cities below. Although I feel like I’m always on vacation at home I am also looking forward to my play/vacation in the Northwest. Will also be visiting San Francisco, Portland, Eugene and Las Vegas to see friends and family.

“Get Out of My Life Forever” aka “Black Widow Spider” video is being shot today!! With any luck at all, it will be finished by the third week in August. I have a feeling this is going to be an amazing video. Totally NOT something that a solo pianist for peace would produce or promote. But this song and video demanded to be brought to life and I went with it. Will keep you posted. Again, many thanks for the amazing support in getting the Kickstarter campaign funded. You rock!! love peace happiness~ Louis

DATES:

Saturday, August 6th – 7:00 pm – Florence, OR – PIANO CONCERTS IN SANDPINES – Solo performances. Two shows. The first one Sinatra. The second one solo piano instrumentals. Ticket/Reservation info: Tickets will be $10 at the door. Reservations are required. To make your reservation email Kathy at kathyparsonspiano@mac.com. Address and directions will be provided at the time seats are reserved

Wednesday, August 10th at 7:00 pm – Salt Lake City, UT – COZY CORNER CONCERT SERIES with Michele McLaughlin – Tickets are $10 and seats are limited. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.brownpapertick​ets.com/event/186497 This concert will also be broadcast online at http://www.cozycornerconce​rts.com

Friday, August 12th – private concert in Seattle, WA

Saturday, August 13th – private concert in Maple Valley, WA (may be made public – will advise…)

Sunday, August 14th at 7:00 pm – Kenmore, WA – PIANO HAVEN CONCERT SERIES with Scott Davis and Joe Bongiorno. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/180177 General seating is $20 and priority seating is $30. Contact: Joe Bongiorno Phone: 206-949-9179 Email: joe@pianohaven.com Web: http://pianohaven.com

Saturday, August 20th at 7:00 pm – Columbia, MD – SOLO PIOANO DC CONCERT SERIES featuring Louis Landon, Greg Maroney, and Tim Neumark. Tickets are $20. To reserve your seat and purchase tickets: http://timneumark.com/store/productdetail.php?product=154

Wednesday, August 31st at 7:00 pm – Monticello, NY – THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK & MORE – Solo performance – Crawford Public Library, 393 Broadway, Monticello, NY 12701 Call 1-845-794-4660 for more info. This is a free concert.

Happy Fourth of July! Hope you have a great weekend!

Kickestarter campaign for “Get Out of My Life Forever” aka “Black Widow Spider” was funded June 16th! For those who helped make it happen, THANK YOU FOR YOU SUPPORT! Video production has been delayed, but I will keep you posted.

My daughter Brooke sang a few tunes with me at my Oradell, NJ concert last month. Check out the two versions of “It Will Be All Right” here: http://louislandon.bandcamp.com/album/it-will-be-all-right

Which version do you like better?

There are also two videos that Brooke and I made before we changed the title of the song:

A heads up about my West Coast Medium Tour at the beginning of August. Solo piano concerts in Florence, OR, Seattle, WA, and Salt Lake City, UT.

DATES:

Sunday, July 10th from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm 1348 9W, Marlboro, NY Phone: 845-236-7970 http://www.liveatthefalcon.com
Jazz brunch at Live @ The Falcon with Joe Carozza Trio with Tom Charlap on bass

Friday, July 15th at 7:00 pm – Solo piano and vocals at New City Library’s 75th Anniversary celebration. 220 North Main Street, New City, NY 10956  call 845.634.4997 for more info or go to their website: http://www.newcitylibrary.org

Thursday, July 21st from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Newburgh Waterfront, Newburgh, NY All star jazz with Matt Jordan – trumpet, Sal Giorgiani – sax, John Fumasoli – trombone, Tony Dipalo – guitar, Louis Landon – keys, Jimmy Commack – bass, Arti Dixson – drums

Saturday, July 23rd at 2:00 pm – Solo piano and vocals at Helen Hayes Hospital, 51 N. Route 9W, West Haverstraw, NY Call 1-888-70-REHAB for more info or go to their website: http://www.helenhayeshospital.org

LINKS:

Check Tour Dates link for full listing of gigs if you are looking to book me and need to know availability.
http://www.louislandon.com/concerts.php

“like” my band page as well as be my friend on facebook.
Be a fan on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouisLandon2
Be a friend on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouisLandon1

All CDs:
http://www.louislandon.com/cd/index.php
Solo Piano Sheet Music:
http://www.louislandon.com/sheetmusic.php

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/323696046/get-out-of-my-life-forever-aka-black-widow-music-v/widget/video.html

I have created this Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a video shoot that I would like to take place in New York City at the end of June. When I finished writing this song, I really saw “Get Out of My Life Forever” as a music video. Hoping that the shooting of the video will be as much fun as I have had creating the song and the track.

Many people know me as a solo pianist for peace. My mission is to create a more peaceful and loving world by writing, recording, and performing music from the heart. This song is from the heart but it is definitely a different direction for me. Not so much about world peace…

The $1,000 project goal is a modest one and will not fully fund the project. Be great to be able to raise more than the stated goal. If I do go above and beyond the goal, I am going to try to shoot an additional music video for “If You Only Knew,” a song from my latest CD, Reality Not Fantasy.”

Please share this with your friends and family. Thanks for your continued appreciation and support!

love peace happiness (and closure)

Louis

GOT A LITTLE RANT COMING HERE. FEEL FREE TO READ OR SKIP DOWN TO NEW, DATES, LINKS AND FREE DOWNLOAD…

I find myself being extremely positive and life affirming personally, and yet, when I look at what’s happening in the world, I am dismayed that the violence and wars continue, and as a species, we are not only no closer to living in peace, we are further from it than ever before. People are holding onto their belief systems for dear life, and when people are dying in the name of religion or ideology, something is terribly wrong. I continue my mission of creating a more loving and peaceful world starting with myself and then going forth into the world with my Consciousness and music to change the world one listener at a time. I have never been clearer or more determined. Now more than ever, we need to find our own inner peace and take that peace and manifest it in the world. I believe that the time has come for all people of intelligence and awareness to help people less aware and less fortunate to bring about real CHANGE. Obviously, change has not come, and is not going to come, from politicians and/or government. Change comes from within.

I have been against nuclear power since my days touring with John Hall, and performing at the No Nukes Concerts at Madison Square Garden. We have got to put a stop to the insanity. We have a major problem in the US already. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/03/30/spent.nuclear.fuel And part of our future “clean energy” program is to build 25 new nuclear reactors. Of course, since the catastrophe in Japan, this is being downplayed. What is happening in Japan is not even close to being over. See Chernobyl article http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Chernobyl-A-Nuclear-Accident-With-No-End-118943489.html

(FYI The most important isotope of plutonium is plutonium-239, with a half-life of 24,100 years. Plutonium-239 is the isotope most useful for nuclear weapons. Plutonium-239 and 241 are fissile, meaning the nuclei of their atoms can break apart by being bombarded by slow moving thermal neutrons, releasing energy, gamma radiation and more neutrons. These can therefore sustain a nuclear chain reaction, leading to applications in nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors.) If anyone out there still thinks that nuclear power is the way to go, I would really like to try to understand your thinking.

Regarding our national debt and the states running out of money (because they can’t print money like the Fed and actually have to balance their budgets). I wonder what we could do with the 1 TRILLION dollars that is going to be spent on our next generation fighter jet. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/the-f-35-a-weapon-that-costs-more-than-australia/72454 More money than the GNP of Australia!

NEWS:

“Reality Not Fantasy” was officially released on March 15th. It is being promoted on the internet by Chip Shutzman and Miles High Productions and it looks like word is starting to get out about it. We shall see what’s meant to be.

DATES:

Lot of gigs this month but only two that are open to the public.

Saturday, April 2nd 2:00 pm Solo Piano Concert and vocals at Helen Hayes Hospital, 51 N Rte 9W, West Haverstraw, NY For info call 1.845.786.4000 or go to http://www.helenhayeshospital.org

Sunday, April 10th 3:00 pm Sunday, April 10th 2:00 pm – Louis Landon plays and sings “Sinatra & More” at the Somers Public Library, 80 Primrose Street, Katonah, NY 10536. Call 914.232.5717 for more info or go to http://somerslibrary.org

LINKS:

Would appreciate it if you would “like” my band page as well as be my friend on facebook.
Be a fan on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouisLandon2
Be a friend on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouisLandon1
All CDs:
http://www.louislandon.com/cd/index.php
Solo Piano Sheet Music:
http://www.louislandon.com/sheetmusic.php

FREE CD DOWNLOAD of my peaceful “unwind” CD – ENJOY!
http://louislandon.bandcamp.com/album/unwind

All by myself and I feel fine
All by myself enjoying my time
Never believed I would find peace of mind
All alone by myself

The sun is shining the sky is blue
The wind is blowin where’s it going to
The birds are singing and spring is here
Flowers are blooming it’s that time of year

All by myself and I feel fine
All by myself enjoying my time
Never believed I would find peace of mind
All alone by myself

The stars are twinkling the night is still
The streets are quiet in the air there’s a chill
People are sleeping I see the moon
I seize the moment it will all end too soon

All by myself and I feel fine
All by myself enjoying my time
Never believed I would find peace of mind
All alone by myself

©2011 Landon Creative, Inc.