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“The songs on my albums, although they’re mostly instrumental, each carry a lot of meaning with them. I have a very vivid image in my head when I write, which I try to convey musically and melodically. My goal is to get you to feel what I’m feeling, without using words.”

~ Laurie Z.

For keyboardist, composer, arranger Laurie Z., music was about moving people to dance, to feel, to rejoice, and to laugh. “Each song has an emotional statement to make,” she often said.

Classically trained from the age of 4, Laurie’s ability to gracefully mix classical, modern jazz and contemporary instrumental styles has been called “absolutely amazing” by prominent music critics and fans alike.  Laurie’s music is played by major Satellite radio networks and has been heard over the airwaves on hundreds of radio stations around the world. 

Her titles include: Window to the World Life Between The Lines Roots, The Solo Piano Album Heart of the Holidays The Heart’s Journey

Roots was considered for eight Grammy nominations.  Roots, The Solo Piano Songbook was created after many fans requested copies of the sheet music. Life Between The Lines was named "New Age Album of the Year" by Scott Brodie of CHRW 94.7 FM, Canada. Heart of the Holidays breaks new artistic ground with creative new interpretations of holiday standards and two original compositions by Laurie Z.  Vocals on Heart of the Holidays by husband Michael Carter, Guy Tanner and The Heart Choir, are warm and uplifting and special guest, actor Jack Palance, adds a delightful playfulness to the recording which is steadily growing as a holiday favorite among many. The Heart’s Journey, a relaxation program presented by hypnotherapist Ron Stubbs, with music composed and performed by Laurie Z., was considered for seven Grammy nominations.

Laurie's love for popular music profoundly influenced her stylistic development and Laurie Z. was well-known for her masterful in-concert improvisational compositions. Laurie Z. concerts were frequently mentioned as a ‘Top Pick’ in the Los Angeles Times. Children and adults alike happily gathered around Disneyland’s stage at Tomorrowland to enjoy Laurie when she performed with the group ‘Voyager.’ Many were able to enjoy listening to Laurie Z. at Nordstrom stores where she performed regularly and her concerts with her “Z” band around the South Bay, at the South Bay Galleria, at Borders Bookstores, and as regular performers at First Night were always well attended.  Laurie also played organ for the Mighty Ducks games and Laurie Z. will always be fondly remembered by many as ‘The Peterbilt Girl,’ performing nationally for more than a decade for Peterbilt Motors Company.  Laurie Z. also played national tours for Alesis and Yamaha and represented Roland and Kawai products. She opened for top instrumentalists like Herbie Hancock, Leo Kottke and Tim Wesiburg. Dolby Labs confirmed the audiophile quality of her recordings by licensing their use and shipping them along with the Dolby Surround Sound unit used by movie theatres and studios nationwide. Laurie was featured in Keyboard magazine’s “Independent Success Stories” and her own seminars, designed to unselfishly help other Independents, were always to standing room only crowds.  And when Laurie and husband Michael Carter moved to Camano Island, Washington, to be closer to family, their strong sense of community provided another avenue for Laurie to not only share her music with the world, but to help raise funds for charities like Housing Hope.    

Composing since the age of sixteen, Laurie’s education and experience went well beyond the bounds of classical music.  With influences as diverse as Mozart, Beethoven, Elton John, Bruce Hornsby, the Beatles, and Alan Parsons, Laurie created and performed memorable melodies in her compositions.  Laurie once said, “There has to be something that you remember when you turn the radio off.”  And there is. 

Thank you, Laurie Z.  We miss you.