Ethnicity (Yanni album)

Infobox Album
Name = Ethnicity
Type = Studio album
Artist = Yanni


Background = lightsteelblue
Released = February 11, 2003
Genre = Contemporary instrumental
Easy listening
Soft adult contemporary
Length = 57:51
Label = Virgin Records
Producer = Yanni
Reviews =
*Allmusic [http://wc07.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:fpfrxqwaldse link]
Last album = "If I Could Tell You"
(2000)
This album = "Ethnicity"
(2003)
Next album = "Yanni Live! The Concert Event"
(2006)

"Ethnicity", is Yanni's 13th studio album, released in 2003, (see 2003 in music) extending his "One World, One People" philosophy. [cite web |url= http://www.yanni.com/biography.asp|title= Official biography |publisher=Yanni.com|accessdate=2006-12-21 |format= |work= ] It peaked at #27 on Billboard's "Top Internet Albums" chart and at #27 on the "Billboard 200" chart in 2003. It also peaked at #1 on the "Top New Age Albums" chart in 2004. [cite web |url=http://wm06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fpfrxqwaldse~T3
title=Chart history for "Ethnicity"|publisher=AMG|accessdate=2007-09-01 |format=|work= ] This release sparked what would become the 4th largest concert tour of 2003, ranked by Billboard Magazine.

One element distinguishing "Ethnicity" from previous albums is the extensive use of human voices, not only solo arias and group chants, but also bona fide lyrics, a rare departure for the artist. "The Promise," for example, is an adaptation of an earlier composition, "Secret Vows," featuring lyrics from longtime friend Pamela McNeill and soulfully sung by Alfreda Gerald, a member of Yanni's "Tribute" tour. The album's final track reflects his own cultural heritage with a traditional Greek island folk song, "Jivaeri".

Album

cite album-notes |title=Ethnicity|bandname=Yanni |year= 2003|format= CD liner|publisher= Virgin Records|publisherid=7-2435-81516-0-2]

Track listing

#"Rites of Passage" – 4:35
#"For All Seasons" – 5:37
#"The Promise" – 3:42
#"Rainmaker" – 5:36
#"Written on the Wind" – 3:56
#"Playing by Heart" – 4:38
#"At First Sight" – 5:14
#"Tribal Dream" – 5:35
#"Almost a Whisper" – 3:51
#"Never Too Late" – 5:01
#"Playtime" – 5:29
#"Jivaeri" (Jiva-Eri) Traditional – 4:37

Personnel

* All music composed and arranged by Yanni. (except "Jivaeri")
* Pedro Eustache – Flutes, World Reeds, Duduk, Argul, Uilleann pipes, Chanter, and Saxophone.
*Karen Briggs – Violin

Vocals

*Alfreda Gerald (also lead vocals on "The Promise", "Tribal Dream", and "Never Too Late")
*Michelle Amato (also lead vocals on "For All Seasons", "Almost a Whisper", and "Jivaeri")
*Noelani Brock (and lead vocals on "Written on the Wind")
*Regina Acuna-Williams
*Peter Lehman
*Randy Nichols
*Suzy Park
*Kurt von Schmittou

Lyrics

*Lyrics for "The Promise" and "Almost a Whisper" by Pamela McNeill.

Production

*Engineered and mixed by Yanni at his private studios.
*Assistant engineer: Anthony Stabile
*Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA.
*Recorded and mixed on a Sountracs DPC-II Digital Console
*All piano tracks were recorded on a Yamaha CFIII 5, 9' Concert Grand

The "Ethnicity" concert tour

Media Excerpts

Yanni Fall 2003 Newsletter

On March 1, 2003, after a nearly five-year absence from touring, Yanni opened his 2003/2004 "Ethnicity" Tour in Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The "Ethnicity" concerts showcased both familiar and favorite musicians and music, as well as brand-new compositions and musical talent. Some of the returning artists included Charlie Adams on drums, Karen Briggs on violin, Pedro Eustache on flute/woodwinds, Ric Fierabracci on bass guitar, Ming Freeman and Bradley Joseph on keyboards, and Alfreda Gerald on vocals. Yanni also discovered new talent from all corners of the world - Puerto Rico, Paraguay, Armenia, and the Ukraine. All of this multicultural talent blended harmoniously to enhance Yanni's musical definition of "Ethnicity". Newcomers included Samvel Yervinyan on violin, Dan Landrum on hammered dulcimer, and Victor Espinola on Paraguayan harp. The [2003] tour spanned 96 days, 60 cities, and more than 27,000 miles logged. It was seen by nearly a half million fans throughout the U.S. and Canada.cite web |url=http://www.yanni.com/fanclub/newsletters/vol8_iss2.pdf|title= Yanni Newsletter:Fall 2003; volume 8 number 2 |publisher=yanni.com|accessdate=2006-12-21 |format= PDF|work= ]

tar Tribune

(2003-05-20) Yanni, an alum of the University of Minnesota and the 1980s Twin Cities hair-rock band Chameleon, has elevated instrumental music to new heights. Equal parts showman and maestro, the keyboard icon, who has done command performances at the Taj Mahal and Acropolis, returns to his old stomping grounds with former Chameleon drummer Charlie Adams and keyboardist Bradley Joseph. Expect more singing this time from Alfreda Gerald, whose mostly wordless vocalizing is featured on the new CD "Ethnicity".cite news|last=Bream|first=Jon|title =This Week IN MUSIC|publisher= Star Tribune|date=2003-05-20|url=| accessdate=2006-12-18]

et List

Tour Dates (2004)

References

External links

* [http://www.yanni.com/ Official Website]
*