Martin Lass Explained

Martin Lass
Birth Place:	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Birth Date:	6 August 1958
Website:	https://martinlass.com/

Martin Allan Lass (born August 6, 1958) is an American violinist and sometime astrologer, who grew up, and started his performance career, in Australia.

Biography

Martin Lass was born in Chicago in 1958 to Earle Lass (born 1931) and Ruth (born 1933); he has two siblings.^[1] At the age of eight, he became interested in playing violin after seeing Yehudi Menuhin on a TV show.^[2] The Lass family migrated to Australia in 1969.^[1] He graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and then joined the Australian Chamber Orchestra.^[2] He also played with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra,^{[2] [3]} and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra (the Elizabethan Sydney Orchestra).

Lass was a contestant on Bert Newton's TV talent quest, New Faces,^[4] in 1982, winning the Grand Final^[5] and People Choice awards. Then a touring career ensued, in which he combined classical, gypsy and popular genres including jazz, bluegrass and Celtic. He has also written much original material. He appeared as the Fiddler in two seasons of Fiddler on the Roof in Sydney.

In the 1980s he was a frequent television performer, including regular appearances on The Midday Show with Ray Martin and Hey Hey It's Saturday. He supported major stars such as Luciano Pavarotti, Julio Iglesias, Kamahl and Joan Baez. He won the Mo Award for Instrumental Act for eight years consecutively, from 1984 to 1991.^[6] By January 1989 Lass had, "developed a stage show which combines unique stage clothes with apowerful stage presence. His playing is backed by four other musicians, who also feature in their own right as a band. His wife plays synthesisers and is the musical director."^[2] He was voted the Variety Club Artist of the Year 1990. According to The Canberra Times Vanessa Johnson, "[he] has revolutionised the classics, playing music which links Bach, Vivaldi and Beethoven to jazz, country and rock 'n' roll."^[7]

Lass returned to the United States in the 2000s, for ten years, and has periodically returned to Australia.^[8] In 2002 he recorded his ninth album, Sonnet, at Galactic Studios in Nyack, New York.^[9] For that album he provided art direction, design, audio engineer, keyboards, mastering, mixing engineer, piano, producer, and violin.^[9] AllMusic's Alex Henderson rated it at three-out-of-five stars and explained, "[it] is an example of the more classical-influenced new age, and even though the material falls short of mind-blowing, all of it is pleasant and sincere."^[9]

Martin Lass's piano accompanist is his Dutch-born wife Inge, who made her Carnegie Hall debut at age 14 and studied at the New England Conservatory from age 16.^[10] They have three children and two grandchildren. Lass was a practising professional astrologer from the late 1980s to the mid-2000s.^[11] He has written astrological books and articles, and given presentations to astrological societies. His book, Chiron – Healing Body and Soul, has become a definitive text about Chiron, the "planet" of wounding and healing. In addition to this, in Sydney, for eight years, Lass was a student of an esoteric school of self-knowledge under George M. Adie (1901–1989), a disciple of George Gurdjieff and P. D. Ouspensky.^[8]

Compositions

• "Stories of Ray Bradbury" (1981) – Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra & BBC Philharmonic^[12]
• "Six Pieces for String Orchestra" (1980) – West Australian Symphony Orchestra under Dobbs Franks^[13]
• "Four Pieces for Violin and Piano 1980" – The Seymour Group directed by Vincent Plush, performed by John Harding and David Stanhope (pianist), Sunday, 22 June 1980^[14]
• NASA – Soundtrack for NASA's video, “3 Years of Sun in 3 Minutes” (Song: “A Lady's Errand of Love”) (@ 0:19s)
• US Music Library: Inter Music Library – Trailer for re-release of classic French film, La régle du jeu (The Rules of the Game) (1939) (Song: “Bach-analia”) (2007) (@ 0:53s)
• 11 songs from CD release, “Sonnet” (classical crossover style) (2001) – Radio airplay by over 600 radio stations worldwide. Achieved No. 13 on the US New Age Voice charts.^[15]

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"

Album details	Peak chart positions
AUS ^[16] ^[17]
Gypsy Airs	Released: 1983^[18] ^[19] Label: EMI (EMC-2768) Format: LP	—
String Sensations	Released: February 1986^[20] Label: G & R, WEA (600139-1) Format: LP	42
One Love	Released: May 1988 Label: Paganini Promotions (PAG 790511) Format: LP, cassette	83
Bach to the Future	Released: 1989 Label: Paganini Promotions (PAG 793491) Format: LP	—
Songs Without Words	Released: April 1991 Label: Paganini Promotions (CD PAG 796359) Format: CD	33
One Love	Released: May 1997 Label: MRA (MR60022) Format: CD	96
Full circle	Released: 1998 Label: MRA Format: CD	—
The Gypsy Fiddler	Released: 1999 Label: Galactic Music Format: CD	—
Sonnet	Released: 2002 Label: MRA Format: CD	—
Take a Bow: The Ultimate Collection	Released: 2011 Label: Fanfare Format: CD	—
Home for Christmas	Released: 2014 Label: EMI Format: CD	—

Awards

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Martin Lass won 7 awards in that time.^[21] (wins only)|-| 1984| Martin Lass| Instrumentalist of the Year| |-| 1985| Martin Lass| Instrumentalist of the Year| |-| 1986| Martin Lass| Instrumentalist of the Year| |-| 1987| Martin Lass| Instrumentalist of the Year| |-| 1988| Martin Lass| Instrumental Act of the Year| |-| 1989| Martin Lass| Instrumental Act of the Year| |-| 1990| Martin Lass| Instrumental Act of the Year| |-

Bibliography

• Book: Lass, Martin . Star Traveller: A Planetary Guidebook to Your Spiritual Growth and Evolution, with Messages from the Living Planets . 1997 . M. Lass . Sydney . 978-0-646-31235-4. none.

External links

• • Lass at Discogs website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Item details for: A2562, 1969/8640 . . May 23, 2003 . January 31, 2019 .
2. News: Good time Lass fiddles for the fun of it . The Canberra Times. Good Times . 63 . 19,448 . January 5, 1989 . January 29, 2019 . 5 . .
3. News: Covell . Roger . A quiet homage to heavy metal – Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera House, August 21 . 1 February 2019 . . 25 August 1997 . 12.
4. News: McNamara . Marie . A show with thousands of Faces . 1 February 2019 . . 22 November 1984 . Melbourne, Victoria, Australia . 1, The Age Green Guide.
5. News: d'Haeye . Madeleine . On the Record – Album Winners . 1 February 2019 . . 13 November 1983 . 96.
6. Martin Lass at the Mo Awards:
   • 1984 Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20150711064519/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1981-1986/1984-2/ . 9th – 1984 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 11 July 2015 . 28 January 2019 .
   • 1985 Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160105161828/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1981-1986/1985-2/ . 10th – 1985 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 5 January 2016 . 28 January 2019 .
   • 1986 Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160105173024/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1981-1986/1986-2/ . 11th – 1986 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 5 January 2016 . 28 January 2019 .
   • 1987 Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160106065606/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1987-1993/1987-2/ . 12th – 1987 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 6 January 2016 . 28 January 2019 .
   • 1988 Instrumental Vocal Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160105155315/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1987-1993/1988-2/ . 13th – 1988 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 5 January 2016 . 28 January 2019 .
   • 1989 Instrumental/Vocal Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20150711064529/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1987-1993/1989-2/. 14th – 1989 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 11 July 2015 . 28 January 2019 .
   • 1990 Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20150711064535/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1987-1993/1990-2/. 15th – 1990 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 11 July 2015 . 28 January 2019 .
   • 1991 Instrumental Act winner: Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20150711064340/http://moawards.com/awards/award-winners/1987-1993/1991-2/. 16th – 1991 . Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards . 11 July 2015 . 28 January 2019 .
7. News: Lass back on record with a simpler sound . Johnson . Vanessa . The Canberra Times . 65 . 20,452 . 11 April 1991 . 28 January 2019 . 19 . National Library of Australia .
8. Web site: Living Now. https://archive.today/20130410021221/http://www.livingnow.com.au/cwe/showcase/145-martin-lass-martin-lass. dead. 10 April 2013. 27 October 2021.
9. Web site: Martin Lass: Sonnet – Martin Lass | Songs, Reviews, Credits . Henderson . Alex . . 29 January 2019 .
10. http://tandvpianoschool.com/inge-borg/ Theme & Variations Piano School
11. Web site: Dancing With the Stars Astrology. Dancingwiththestarsastrology.com. 27 October 2021.
12. Web site: Home Page. Carter. Digital. Sydneysymphony.com. 27 October 2021.
13. Web site: ABC Classic. Abc.net.au. 27 October 2021.
14. Web site: The Sydney Morning Herald – Google News Archive Search. News.google.com. 27 October 2021.
15. Web site: Martin Lass. Martinlass.xom. 27 October 2021.
16. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian)

    . David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 173.

17. 161.
18. News: Hoffman . W. L.. Canberra Living: Lighter Fare – Classical . 1 February 2019 . . 17,620 . 26 December 1983 . 10.
19. News: Covell . Roger . Classical – Gypsy Airs: Martin Lass and ensemble . 1 February 2019 . The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 November 1983 . 6, The Guide.
20. News: d'Haeye . Madeleine . Records . 1 February 2019 . The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 February 1986 . 116.
21. Web site: MO Award Winners. Mo Awards. 5 March 2022.