Ethnicity (album)

Ethnicity
Studio album by Yanni
Released February 11, 2003
Genre Contemporary instrumental
Easy listening
Soft adult contemporary
Length 57:51
Label Virgin Records
Producer Yanni
Yanni chronology
If I Could Tell You
(2000)		 Ethnicity
(2003)		 Yanni Live! The Concert Event
(2006)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic (?) [1]

Ethnicity, is Yanni's 13th studio album, released in 2003, (see 2003 in music) extending his "One World, One People" philosophy.[2] 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.[3] 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".

Contents

Album

[4]

Track listing

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

Personnel

Vocals

Lyrics

Production

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.[5]

Star 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.[6]

Set List

  • "On Sacred Ground"
  • "Felitsa"
  • "Keys to Imagination"
  • "If I could Tell You"
  • "Play Time"
  • "Enchantment"
  • "Rain Maker"
  • "The Promise"
  • "Within Attraction"
  • "Aria"
  • "For All Seasons"
  • "Nightingale"
  • "Dance with a Stranger"
  • "Jivaeri"
  • "Never Too Late"
  • "Nostalgia"
  • "Marching Season"
  • "Acroyali"
  • "Standing in Motion"
  • "Niki Nana"
  • "World Dance"
  • "Reflections of Passion"
  • "Santorini"

Featured tour musicians

[7]

Band

Orchestra

  • Violins: Kristen Autry, Robert Berg, Erica Walczak
  • Violas: Eugene Mechtovich, Llona Geller
  • Celli: Alexander Zhiroff, Sarah O'Brien
  • Harp: April Aoki
  • Oboe: April Cap
  • French Horns: Jim Mattos, Kristin Morrison
  • Trumpets: Kerry Hughes
  • Trombones: Wendell Kelly
  • Orchestrator: Jeffrey Silverman

Tour Production

===Tour Dates (2003)=== I saw him in London, Ontario, Canada at the Labatt's Centre but I dont see that date!

Date City Country Venue
North America
March 1, 2003 Las Vegas United States Mandalay Bay Events Center
March 3, 2003 Dallas United States American Airlines Center
March 6, 2003 Tampa United States St. Pete Times Forum
March 7, 2003 Ft. Lauderdale United States Office Depot Center
March 8, 2003 Orlando United States Centroplex
March 9, 2003 Jacksonville United States Veterans Memorial Arena
March 11, 2003 Atlanta United States Philips Arena
March 12, 2003 Nashville United States Gaylord Entertainment Center
March 14, 2003 Dayton United States Ervin J. Nutter Center
March 15, 2003 Buffalo United States HSBC Arena
March 16, 2003 Columbus, OH United States Nationwide Arena
March 18, 2003 Indianapolis United States Conseco Fieldhouse
March 20, 2003 Toronto Canada Air Canada Centre
March 21, 2003 Cleveland United States Gund Arena
March 22, 2003 Pittsburgh United States Mellon Arena
March 23, 2003 Cincinnati United States US Bank Arena
March 25, 2003 Moline United States MARK of the Quad Cities
March 27, 2003 Grand Rapids United States Van Andel Arena
March 28, 2003 Chicago United States United Center
March 29, 2003 Detroit United States The Palace
March 30, 2003 State College, PA United States Bryce Jordan Center
April 1, 2003 Rochester United States Blue Cross Arena
April 3, 2003 Boston United States Fleet Center
April 4, 2003 Montreal Canada Molson Centre
April 5, 2003 Uncasville, CT United States Mohegan Sun
April 6, 2003 Manchester, NH United States Verizon Wireless Arena
April 8, 2003 Albany United States Pepsi Arena
April 10, 2003 E. Rutherford, NJ United States Continental Airlines Arena
April 11, 2003 Washington, D.C. United States MCI Center
April 12, 2003 Philadelphia United States First Union Center
April 13, 2003 Uniondale, NY United States Nassau Coliseum
April 15, 2003 Richmond United States Richmond Coliseum
April 16, 2003 Wilkes Barre, PA United States First Union Arena
April 17, 2003 New York United States Madison Square Garden
April 25, 2003 Houston United States Compaq Center
April 26, 2003 Bossier City, LA United States CenturyTel Center
April 27, 2003 Austin United States Frank Erwin Center
April 29, 2003 Phoenix United States Dodge Theater
April 30, 2003 Phoenix United States Dodge Theater
May 2, 2003 San Diego United States Cox Arena
May 3, 2003 Anaheim United States Arrowhead Pond
May 4, 2003 Los Angeles United States Hollywood Bowl
May 6, 2003 Fresno United States Selland Arena
May 8, 2003 Sacramento United States Arco Arena
May 9, 2003 Oakland United States The Arena in Oakland
May 10, 2003 San Jose United States Compaq Center
May 11, 2003 Reno United States Lawlor Events Center
May 13, 2003 Salt Lake City United States Delta Center
May 15, 2003 Spokane United States Spokane Arena
May 16, 2003 Portland United States Rose Garden Arena
May 17, 2003 Vancouver Canada GM Place
May 18, 2003 Seattle United States KeyArena
May 21, 2003 Denver United States Pepsi Center
May 22, 2003 Colorado Springs United States World Arena
May 25, 2003 Las Vegas United States MGM Grand
May 28, 2003 Green Bay United States Resch Center
May 29, 2003 Milwaukee United States Bradley Center
May 30, 2003 St. Paul United States Xcel Energy Center
May 31, 2003 Madison, WI United States Alliant Energy Center
June 1, 2003 St. Louis United States Savvis Center
June 4, 2003 Miami United States AmericanAirlines Arena

Tour Dates (2004)

Date City Country Venue
North America
March 1, 2004 Albuquerque United States Tingley Coliseum
March 7, 2004 El Paso United States Don Haskins Center
March 9, 2004 San Antonio United States SBC Center
March 11, 2004 Oklahoma City United States Ford Center
March 12, 2004 Wichita United States Kansas Coliseum
March 13, 2004 Omaha United States Qwest Center
March 14, 2004 Kansas City United States Kemper Arena
March 16, 2004 Fort Wayne, IN United States Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
March 18, 2004 Champaign, IL United States Assembly Hall
March 19, 2004 Louisville United States Freedom Hall
March 20, 2004 Knoxville United States Thompson-Boiling Arena
March 21, 2004 Raleigh United States RBC Center
March 22, 2004 N. Charleston, SC United States North Charleston Coliseum
March 24, 2004 New Orleans United States New Orleans Arena
March 25, 2004 Pensacola United States Civic Center
March 26, 2004 Tallahassee United States Leon County Civic Center
March 27, 2004 Lakeland, FL United States Lakeland Center
March 28, 2004 Fort Myers United States TECO Arena
March 30, 2004 Columbia, SC United States Colonial Center
March 31, 2004 Charlotte, NC United States Charlotte Coliseum
April 2, 2004 Bridgeport, CT United States Arena at Harbor Yard
April 3, 2004 Providence, RI United States Dunkin' Donuts Center
April 4, 2004 Portland, ME United States Cumberland County Civic Center
April 6, 2004 Syracuse, NY United States War Memorial at Oncenter
April 7, 2004 Reading, PA United States Sovereign Center
April 8, 2004 Baltimore United States 1st Mariner Arena

References

  1. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r623642
  2. ^ "Official biography". Yanni.com. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. http://web.archive.org/web/20061220225037/http://www.yanni.com/biography.asp. Retrieved 2006-12-21. 
  3. ^ "Chart history for Ethnicity". AMG. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r623642. Retrieved 2007-09-01. 
  4. ^ (2003) Album notes for Ethnicity by Yanni [CD liner]. Virgin Records (7-2435-81516-0-2).
  5. ^ "Yanni Newsletter:Fall 2003; volume 8 number 2" (PDF). yanni.com. Archived from the original on 2006-12-19. http://web.archive.org/web/20061219021243/http://www.yanni.com/fanclub/newsletters/vol8_iss2.pdf. Retrieved 2006-12-21. 
  6. ^ Bream, Jon (2003-05-20). "This Week IN MUSIC". Star Tribune. 
  7. ^ Ethnicity World Tour 2003–2004 - Official concert program. Yanni. 2003. 

External links

Yanni
Studio albums
Live albums
and Videography
Concert tours
Compilations
Related articles