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Mars Lasar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

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When 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

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His 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

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Meditation and MindScapes Series

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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

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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

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year title label notes
2003 Final Frontier Sound Manipulations
2010 Final Frontier 2 Sound Manipulations

Nature Series

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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

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year title label notes
2003 Karma Sound Manipulations
2013 AfterWorld Sound Manipulations

Chilled Electronic and Eleventh Hour Series

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ "Mars Lasar Synthesizes His Musical and Painting Careers". The Los Angeles Times. June 6, 1992 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Olympus". Realmusic.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Mars Lasar – About". marslasar.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  4. ^ a b "About". Mars Lasar Studio – Fine Art Photography. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Mars Lasar: Quantum Tracks". www.ascap.com. September 1, 2007. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  6. ^ "Lasar, Mars | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  7. ^ a b c "Mars Lasar | New Age Musician". www.realmusic.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  8. ^ Mars Lasar: Fairlight CMI feature, Countdown 1983, retrieved 2019-12-05
  9. ^ a b c "Mars Lasar | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  10. ^ "Mars Lasar (Holiday)". Pandora. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  11. ^ "Sounds Like Australia". NFSA Online Shop. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  12. ^ "Sounds Like Australia", YouTube, retrieved 2019-12-05
  13. ^ a b "Interview with Mars Lasar, May 2008". mainlypiano.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  14. ^ "APM Music – Crazy by Seal". www.apmmusic.com. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  15. ^ "APM Music – Mars Lasar". www.apmmusic.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  16. ^ a b "Mars Lasar Albums and Discography". AllMusic.
  17. ^ "Mindscapes Beyond". MarsLasar.com.
  18. ^ "Multiverse". MarsLasar.com.
  19. ^ "Ultra Chill". MarsLasar.com.
  20. ^ DyanG (November 21, 2021). "Mars Lasar | Coastal Escape | Album Review". New Age Notes.
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