Yanni
From Minnewiki
Yanni is an internationally known New Age artist and composer who was born and raised in Kalamata, Greece. He attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a BA in Psychology.
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History
While a student, Yanni joined an up-and-coming local group called Chameleon. They earned some modest commercial success touring throughout the Midwest. Eventually, Yanni grew tired of the rock and roll lifestyle and focused solely on his instrumental career as a soloist. He moved to Los Angeles and eventually formed a small band including Charlie Adams and John Tesh.
Dare to Dream released in 1992, was Yanni’s first Grammy-nominated album and featured Aria, a song popularized by an award-winning British Airways commercial. A second Grammy-nominated album, In My Time, was released in 1993.
Yanni's breakthrough commercial success came with the release of his album and video, Yanni Live at the Acropolis, which was filmed on September 25, 1993 at the 2,000-year-old Herod Atticus Theater in Athens, Greece, and released in 1994. This was Yanni's first live album and utilized a full orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra from London, in addition to his highly-skilled core band, featuring Charlie Adams (drums), Bradley Joseph (keyboards), Ric Fierabracchi (bass), Kalani (percussion), Karen Briggs (violin), and Julie Homi (keyboards). Subsequently, the concert was broadcast in the US on PBS and quickly became one of their most popular programs ever. It has almost continuously remained on the charts since its release and is the second best-selling music video of all time selling more than 10 million copies worldwide.
In March of 1997, Yanni became the first major Western artist permitted to perform and record at the Taj Mahal in India. Later that year he performed at the Forbidden City in China. From these two events he created his next live album and video, Tribute which was released in 1997.
In 2000, after a two-year sabbatical, Yanni released his first studio album in seven years: If I Could Tell You.
Yanni again kicked off a tour in 2003/2004 with the debut of his album Ethnicity, with Minnesotan Bradley Joseph and Chameleon's Charlie Adams returning to the concert stage as featured instrumentalists among the mass of talent. Billboard Magazine ranked it the fourth largest concert tour of the year.
He kicked off his 2004/2005 tour at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, and his next live album and video, Yanni Live, The Concert Event was released in 2006.
Discography
- Optimystique (1984)
- Keys to Imagination (1986)
- Out of Silence, (1987)
- Chameleon Days, (1988)
- Niki Nana, (1989)
- Reflections of Passion, (1990)
- In Celebration of Life, (1991)
- Dare to Dream, (1992)
- In My Time, (1993)
- Yanni Live at the Acropolis, (1994)
- Tribute, (1997)
- If I Could Tell You, (2000)
- Ethnicity, (2003)
- Yanni Live, The Concert Event, (2006)
Videography
- Yanni Live at the Acropolis, (1994)
- Yanni Live at Royal Albert Hall, (1995)
- Yanni One on One, (1996)
- Tribute, (1997)
- Yanni Live, The Concert Event, (2006)
(YouTube music video samplers from "Yanni Live at the Acropolis"):
Related Web sites
Informative fan sites:
