Yianni was born on November 14, 1954, in a small coastal town in Greece, with three children at home, Yianni has an older brother and a younger sister, every nightfall in the town, there will always be people dancing happily, Yianni is precisely in such an environment interested in music. Yanni was born in a although not to talk about poor, but also not rich family, parents have to run for the family's life every day, Yanni and the same age of the same partner, in swimming, fishing and going to school, which three things mainly spend childhood life, eight years old began to play the piano, to contact this eighty-eight keys of the musical instrument, but he refused to go to the piano lessons, and his parents also agreed with him that way to play the piano, the piano. "Fine, play whenever you want, play whatever you want!" His parents said as much after Jani became famous.
Childhood Yanni to watch the movie as one of their own fun, and in each movie, he does not pay much attention to the storyline of the movie, but extremely to use his brain to write down the movie's soundtrack, and then go home to the piano to imitate the play them out, and in the future gradually enriched the melody, he named these tunes as new music, because he is always adding to each tune to make better effects to do! better and better!
Yianni's childhood in his native Greece and the atmosphere that characterized the country inspired much of his future repertoire, most notably Santorini, the soundtrack to Planet Earth.
Yianni was more than just a lover of music, as he broke the Greek national men's 50-meter freestyle record in 1969 when he was 14 years old.
In 1972, encouraged by his parents, he left Greece and headed to the University of Minnesota to begin his college career. During his years at the university, he began to be inspired by the use of electronic synthesizers and pianos to make new musical effects!
Initially, Jani had aspirations to become a clinical psychologist, and at the age of 18, he was accepted by a university in Minnesota, USA, to move to the US and major in psychology. However, after graduation Jani chose to pursue his beloved music career. "I decided to take a year to try it out. I joined a rock band called 'chameleon' and performed in some nightclubs. I immersed myself in music for a whole year, and I've never felt so happy in my life. That's how I found something worth doing with my life."
Yani focused on music and felt immense satisfaction from it, even though success seemed a long way off. "It took me a long time to achieve success, and even though many times it was hard to even make ends meet, I didn't care. Creating is a great joy. The process of creating is one of the greatest joys of my life."
Appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show with LINDA EVANS was a huge turning point in Jani's life. Yianni's career flourished after that. Starting with a show at New York's Radio City Music Hall, his concerts were televised in 65 countries, and in 1998 TRIBUTE was ranked No. 2 on the U.S. touring charts. But those unforgiving days taught Jani many things that continue to benefit him to this day. "Looking back, I learned that I learned many guidelines that allowed me to focus my will in order to make the creation work. No one will teach you this, it can only be gained by experiencing life with your heart."
Occasionally, Jani will spend weeks in the studio without writing anything. Why is it that creativity is sometimes as overwhelming as a volcanic eruption and sometimes as rock-solid? Jani is intrigued. "I learned more about this when I was working on certain compositions. I learned that creativity and judgment are opposites; when you judge while creating, you're out of your element and shut out of creativity. That is, by the time you judge, the best time to create has passed." Jani doesn't believe in the term "creativity block." "'Creativity block' is something entirely conceived. It does not exist. Creativity is entirely a state of mind, and when you do get in it, inspiration simply doesn't dry up." A common mistake people make is to mistakenly believe that creativity is out of reach, when in fact it comes from deep within. In order to get in touch with the creativity within, Jani has learned to shut out the outside world. "You have to get rid of outside distractions. Turn off the TV and the radio, don't answer the phone, and ignore the doorbell. For me, isolation from the outside world is very beneficial. In the past, it would take me weeks to get into a creative state, whereas today, six hours is enough."
Despite being born in Greece, Jani believes that location has nothing to do with inspiration. "You don't have to be on top of a mountain overlooking a landscape or sitting in a meadow for a long time. Seriously, I love the darkness the most. I do a lot of my work in the basement. There are no windows there, it's dark, and it's quiet. Inspiration always comes."
Yani ignores everything while creating. "I tell my friends not to bother me even if a nuclear bomb goes off." Jani certainly knows that isolation can be easily misunderstood by Western culture, "It seems counter-current, and I remember that when I started doing it, my friends thought I was very eccentric. But today they have come to understand that the person I am when I create is no different from the person I usually am. Although it took me a lot of effort to explain it in the beginning, they all understand me very well today."
For Jani, this faithful approach to songwriting is integral to his musical career. "I think that if you commit yourself to something and experience this inner journey, you become so immersed in it that life reveals itself to you. When I compose, I don't think about what I'm 'composing'. Music is a medium for exploring my inner world."
Yani has always had a boundless passion for music. "Music is an indescribable language - it transgresses normal logical thinking and speaks directly to the mind. That's why I don't like to include explicitly sung lyrics in my compositions. For me, the thing that must be taken into account is fidelity to the emotions. I do my best to present the facts. I want to convey how I feel about my life and the things that are very important to me."
A different environment, a different climate and a different language were all new beginnings for Jani, who after years of struggle graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. After graduation, he was determined to devote himself to music for a year. In his later memories, he has said that those were his happiest days, even though they were just going in and out of bars and concert halls and other entertainment venues to do performances to earn the basic sources of living, and even though they often lived without dependence, he was still enjoying himself to realize his dream. He later joined a band and played keyboards in the band.
Janni eventually gave up his studies in psychology to pursue a career in music and decided to spend the rest of his life in music. By this time he had become proficient on the piano and synthesizer, and in 1980 he released his first new solo album, "Optimystique," and began to single-mindedly pursue his musical path.
Since then, Jani experimented with musical arrangements using more instruments and released two consecutive solo albums before moving to Hollywood, the American movie factory. For ten years, from '86 to '96, an album was released every year until the world tour TRIBUTE was launched.
September 25, 1993, his concert at the Acropolis, Greece, is a great turn in his life, but also on the music stage of his life a brand new starting point, since then Yanni is no longer a nobody. 1996, he began a string of world tour concerts to promote his music to the world, rather than to figure the economic purpose, most of the show proceeds are donated to his hometown or local social welfare organizations. Most of the proceeds from his performances are donated to his hometown or local social welfare organizations. He was the first Western musician to perform in China's Forbidden City, where he was met at the airport by Cai Guoqing, a member of China's literary community. Nearly four years later, he and his band didn't dwell on their accomplishments, but released a new album, IF I COULD TELL YOU, in 2000. Although some people have commented that the rhythm of most of the tracks on this album is the same as that of DARE TO DREAM, this is a brand new purely electronic album, though not quite as good as the live concert version, it's not as good as the live concert version. not as good as the live concert version, but just as good.
After the release of the "IF I COULD TELL YOU" album, he has been busy picking up more new musicians and continuing to follow his own dreams forward, Yanni has released a brand new album, "ETHNICITY" this year, and is now touring the United States and Canada.
Yianni has never given up on his music career in his life, but has worked tirelessly to guide himself and his friends in their musical endeavors.
Yianni said, "You don't have to be on top of a mountain overlooking a landscape or sitting in a meadow for a long time. Seriously, I love the darkness the most. I do a lot of my work in the basement. There are no windows, it's dark, and it's quiet. Inspiration always comes." He often tells his friends not to bother him when he's composing music, even if it's an atomic bomb going off, and I think this dedication to music and his love for it is already infecting more people.
Today, Yanni has moved to California, USA, and created a private music company. I believe that his dream will be better realized, and his music will accompany him to UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT.
Album Description: Official Album:
Album Name: Optimystique
Released: 1980 (Original),1990-10-25 ( rereleased)
Album notes: 1st album
Album description:
This is Jani's first album, and it doesn't have anything particularly compelling on it.
But we can see the beginnings of Jani's style in tracks like "Farewell".
The battlements were released a long time ago, which makes them particularly memorable. ......
Album tracks:
1.The Sphynx
2.Butterfly Dance
3.Strings
4.Twilight
5. .Farewell[Farewell]
7.Turn of the Tide[Round of Waves]
8.The Magus[The Magicians]
Album name: Keys to Imagination
Released: 1986
Album notes: 2nd album
Album description:
Album name: Keys to Imagination
Released: 1986
Album notes: 2nd album
Album Description:
This is the first Jani album released by BMG, but it should actually be his 2nd album~~
Assisted by Peter Baumann, Jani's electronic music style is established here.
Santorini, Keys To Imagination and Nostalgia, three of the pieces that would later grace the Acropolis concerts, were originally included here.
Album tracks:
1. The North Shore of Matsushima
2. Looking Glass
3. Santorini
5. Port Of Mystery
6. Keys To Imagination
7. Forgotten Yesterdays
8. Forbidden Dreams
Album name: Out of Silence
Release date: 1987
Album notes: 3rd album
Album description:
Where Acroyali/Standing In Motion (medly) and Within Attraction are classics
Album tracks:
1. Sand Dance
2. After Sunrise
3. Standing In Motion][High on the Mountain]
4.The Mermaid]
5.Within Attraction]
6.Street Level[Street Level]
7.Secret Vows Vows]
8.Point Of Origin
9.Acroyali
10.Paths On Water
Album name: Chameleon Days
Release date: 1988
Album Notes: 4th album
Album Description:
Reftlections Of Passion classics, Swept Away, Marching Season and The Rain Must Fall were performed in Athens
Album Tracks:
1. Away [Clear][Clear Immediately][Delete][Separate][Separation]
2. Marching Season
3. Chasing Shadows
4. Days Of Summer]
6. Reflections Of Passion
7. Walkabout
8. Word In Private [a private word]
Album name: Niki Nana
Release date: 1989-08-24
Album notes: 5th album
Album description:
The album with the most musicians involved in Yanni's eighties albums. Electric guitar, trumpet, and vocals all made their debut, and Nightbird was later popularized with lyrics by other artists.
Album tracks:
1.Niki Nana
2.Dance With A Stranger
3.Running Time
4. Condition[Human Condition]
6.First Touch[First Contact]
7.Nightbird[Nightingale]
8.Quiet Man[Quiet Man]
Album name: Reflections of Passion
Release Date: 1990-08-24
Album Notes: Selected Albums
Album Description:
This one is Yanni's debut Selected Albums. I believe that this one has a lot of people should be a lot of people, the domestic also have to sell, very cheap, 20 dollars. The first of its kind in the 1980s. Almost A Whisper, True Nature and Flight Of Fantasy are new.
Album tracks:
1. After The Sunrise
2. The Mermaid
3. Quiet Man
4. Nostalgia
5. Almost A Whisper [几乎耳语][近乎耳语]
6. The Rain Must Fall [暴雨将到到]
7. Acroyali
8. Farewell [告别][告别]//p>
9. Swept Away [离情别绪]//p>
10. True Nature[Substance]
11. Secret Vows[Secret Vows]
12. Flight Of Fantasy[Flight Of Fantasy]
13. A Word In Private[A Private Word]
14. First Touch[First Contact
15. Reflections Of Passion
Album name: In Celebration of Life
Release date: 1991-11-12
Album notes: Selected albums
Album description:
Annie's Selected albums, including many of his best works of the eighties. Among them Song for Antarctica is a new one.
Album tracks:
1. Santorini
2. Song for Antarctica
3. Marching Season
4. Walkabout
5. Keys To Imagination
6. Looking Glass
7. Somebody
8. Within Attraction
9. Standing In Motion
10.
10. Sand Dance
Album name: Dare to Dream
Release date: 1992-03-10
Album notes: 6th album
Album description:
This is a listenable album. The addition of the violin adds color to Jani's music. From then on, all of Jani's albums were produced independently by himself. At the same time, it was the first album to be nominated for a Grammy Award, and it is one of the most monumental of all of Yanni's self-produced albums.
Yianni once said, "A person's life is in fact a continuous dreaming, dream chasing, and a continuous endeavor to make the dream come true." Chasing Dreams, is the beginning of Yani's dream come true. In "Chasing Dreams" Yani uses the clear charm of classical keyboard music coupled with the extremely fast sound effects of modern electronic music to create a magnificent, colorful musical spectacle.
Leading you to think freely in the river of sound, breathe freely, and easily travel the world. The crisp piano sound bit by bit, knocking on your heart and mine, is the Yanni in the emotional exchange with us, he used a broad free and slightly sad music style pulling people's sad and happy feelings.
Album tracks:
1. Once Upon A Time[once upon a time]
2. A Love For Life
3. Nice To Meet You[happy to see you]
4. So Long My Friend[old friend]
5. You Only Live Once[only live once]
5. Only Live Once
6. To The One Who Knows
7. Face In The Photograph
8. Felitsa
9. Desire
10. Aria [singing]
11. A Night To Remember
12. In The Mirror
Album name: In My Time
Release date: 1993-04-06
Album notes: 7th album
Album Description:
This is a recognized classic record. I remember when I first bought it, I simply loved it. What a rare all-piano album indeed! Yanni played all nine new songs and FELITSA and IN THE MIRROR from the last album, and we can feel the flavor and meaning of the album unlike any of his previous recordings.
There are many classic songs:
For example: In The Morning Light, One Man's Dream, The End Of August, In The Mirror, Felitsa, but I think the most classic is Until The Last Moment. It's the pinnacle of Yanni's lyrical output. As one fan put it, it's an album of "introspection" that you can't get enough of.
Album tracks:
1. In The Morning Light
2. One Man's Dream
3. Enchantment]
5.The End Of August
6.To Take . .To Hold
7.In The Mirror[In The Mirror]
8.Felitsa
9.Whispers In The Dark[Whispers In The Dark][Late Night Whispers]
10.Only A Memory[Only A Memory]
11. Until The Last Moment]
Album name: Live at the Acropolis
Release date: 1994-03-01
Album notes: 8th album
Album description:
I believe that there is no disagreement that this is one of the most classic YANNI albums.
I believe that there should be no disagreement that this album is YANNI's most classic. This is the album that made YANNI famous all over the world. This is the album that made me fall in love with YANNI, and this is the album that has been on the charts since it was released, as if by magic. This is a live recording of Yanni at the Acropolis of our motherland, Greece, with a huge open-air venue overlooking the Parthenon, and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra in addition to Yanni and his own group members, which is very impressive. The opening single gives you the feeling of being in another dimension, watching the vastness of Star Wars; the flexible use of 3/4 beat shows a strong Greek flavor; the recommended single from the 93 album (My Time) is also arranged in this performance, romantic and tender, which fans will love; the passionate drums make people mesmerized. Yanni's musical style is versatile, and in his vast soundscape full of fantasy space, the mind has a sense of being washed by a clear spring.
YANNI's recital in Athens can be said to be a very classic recital, opening with the famous Santorini, followed by his famous repertoire. Many of the background music of major media programs are also YANNI's Athens recital pieces. Another highlight of the recital is the large number of featured musicians in its orchestra. Violin, drums .... It's safe to say that if you've seen this recital you won't run out of images of them. So I'm here to suggest those who haven't heard YANNI or even more so don't know about YANNI to go and listen to his Athens recital!
The following review is a quote from "Yuppie":
The Taiwanese poet Yu Guangzhong has a famous poem - "The stars are very Greek". This has been criticized by some people. In fact, if you do not have a mushy head and know a little bit about ancient Greek civilization and legends, it is not difficult to understand that this is much more clever than directly praising "the starry sky is very beautiful, very mysterious, very romantic". In the poet's imagination, "Greece" is synonymous with romance, and in September 1993, Yanni, the prince of the piano from Greece, brought his dreamy works full of Greek flavor to the Acropolis, under the Parthenon, in the famous Herod Atticus Theater, and gave a grand concert. Sitting in a great building with 2,000 years of history, one can't help but think of the past, while the most modern, passionate and romantic NEW AGE echoes in one's ears; the earth and sky are unfeeling, the building is speechless, and the ghosts of the past are silently sobbing among the smoke and creeping grasses. Only Yanni, with his long wild hair and the most elegant gestures, drove his huge orchestra to make a dazzling challenge to history, or was it a tease? This is a great demonstration of Jani's audacity and imagination! After almost two years of planning, Jani joined forces with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and in front of his hometown folks, Jani fulfilled his dream. He said, "Playing in front of such a magnificent place and an enthusiastic audience was one of the best experiences of my life." Undeniably, it was also an extremely successful commercial hype - two thousand years from now, the buildings will still be there, all the great deeds will have long since vanished, and Janni's music will be the sob of a ghost in the wilderness. Growing up in an elegant and civilized country, Yanni was interested in music from an early age and came to the United States in 1973 to attend college, majoring in psychology with a minor in piano, which led to his first contact with electronic synthesized keyboards. After graduation, he devoted himself to music production, releasing albums one after another and receiving enthusiastic responses. Especially the first selection - "REFLECTIONOF PASSIONS" was released, immediately crowded on the American Billboard's NEW AGE Chart Champion for several months, and instantly became the master of the new century of music, but also for him! He became a master of the new century, and earned a reputation as the Prince of Greek Piano and Keyboard. This "Live at the Acropolis" is his tenth album. Since we can't be in the Acropolis, our eyes can't enjoy the fascinating sights, but our ears can experience this romantic musical storm with ease. The opening single "Santorini" evokes the feeling of being in another dimension, watching the vastness of Star Wars, while "Keys To Imagination" shows a strong Greek flavor with its flexible use of 8/7 beat; The elegance and tenderness revealed in "One Man's Dream" is heartwarming; the passionate drumming of "Reflections Of Passion" is mesmerizing. The romantic flavor of the song is so thick that it can't be melted! Ah, lying under the very "Greek" starry sky, listening to the wonderful sounds of Jani, the heart is floating on Byron's song "The Maid Of Athens"--
I will be chased by every Aegean wind with the loose curls of my hair.
I'll have eyes with long lashes,
Lashes that kiss the blush of your cheeks,
I'll have eyes like a deer's that swear,
You're my life, and I love you.
If you are in a heavy mood, I urge you to go and listen to Janni in silence, he will make your mind soar at once!
Biographies of some of the other members of the 1993 Acropolis Concert section:
Shardad Rohani
He was the conductor of Jani's Acropolis Concerts, and has also assisted Jani with orchestral adaptations of several works. His collaboration with Karen Briggs on Within Attraction made Within Attraction the most compelling piece of the entire concert. His related site:/
Karen Briggs
She was one of the most engaging of Jani's band, and without Karen, Jani would never have been as successful as he is today. As Jani said, Karen had great skill and stamina, and when she played, there was always a force to be reckoned with. She is the soul of Jani's band, always at the center of every concert, and has captivated audiences around the world with her virtuosic violin playing. Born in Manhattan, she has been a recognized jazz violinist since joining the Jani Band in 1992. Her personal site:/
Charlie Adams
Charlie is a musician who has endeared himself to Jani fans around the world. Several of his solos on Marching Season at the Acropolis Concert were stirring and highly virtuosic, and left a lasting impression on the audience. In fact, he was initially a member of CHAMELEON with Ya. In 1990, he joined his solo band and received a lot of applause. Unfortunately, he left Yanni's band in 1996. His solo site:/
Danny Reyes
Danny Reyes was born in New York and raised in Las Vegas and Puerto Rico. Danny's wide-ranging musical talents became apparent through his work with Cher, Sheena Easton, and Donny Osmond, as well as concerts with the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra.
Most of Danny's family members are in the entertainment industry, with his older brother Kamar, an actor best known for his role as Antonio Vega on the ABC soap opera, and the rest of the family pursuing a career in music, Danny grew up in a musical environment, with a mother who sang Latin songs, and a father who was influenced by jazz from around the world. Danny absorbed a unique blend of rhythms, which gradually shaped the style of music he plays today. He has been touring the world with YANNI since 1995.
Danny will release his debut album San Rafael 560 in the fall of 1999, on which he will be joined by his father and brother, as well as Karen Briggs and Pedro Eustache.
Ric Fierabracci
Ric was born in Quince, New York. Considered by Charlie Adams to be the most talented member of Jani's band, he graduated high school early at the age of 12 and went to Florida, accepting a scholarship to the University of Miami. After studying jazz in college, he went to Los Angeles, where he was active in television and film production and record distribution. since 1989, Ric has been performing as a Bassist at the prestigious Los Angeles Jazz Clubs, and in 1993 he began touring with YANNI.
Album tracks:
01. Santorini
02.
05.Acroyali/Standing In Motion {Medley}[Standing In Motion]
06.One Man's Dream
07.Within Attraction
08.Nostalgia[Country Feelings]
09.Swept Away[Away From Love]
10.Reflections Of Passion[Reflections Of Passion]
11.Aria[Aria]
Album name: Tribute
Release date: 1997-11-04
Album Notes: 9th album
Album Description:
This is one of the most brilliant of Jani's albums. From then on, Yanni's music completely left the period of "advertisement music". It includes nine new compositions from the Taj Mahal concerts in India and the Forbidden City concerts in China, as well as two remixes of old favorites. The album is full of passion and excitement, and each of the nine new compositions, with the exception of Waltz in 7/8, is extraordinary.
The orchestra, the singers and the soloists have never been so rich and varied as in Jani's music. In particular, the singing of Alfreda Gerald, Vann Johnson and Pedro Eustache's various flute and saxophone performances add to the richness of Jani's music as never before. The orchestra and the musicians' solos blend more naturally than in the Acropolis concerts. The melodies are not as "relatively homogenous" as before, and in some places they are very well crafted. In short, Janni's music shows its maturity here, but it is a pity that Janni's own playing is overshadowed by that of the other musicians, which is not very original. Yanni was the first Western musician to be authorized by the Chinese government to perform in the Forbidden City, and the grandiose live performances of 1997 are still fresh in our minds, as well as the release of an album titled "Tribute to the Forbidden City" in late 1997. This album is a selection of the best tracks from the May 97 live performance of Jani in the Forbidden City in China. They are so passionate that they will naturally transport the listener to the place and immerse you y. The passion, romance and charisma of this modern, twice platinum recording and Grammy-nominated musician has led many connoisseurs to believe that this album is superior to his earlier masterpiece, "Live from the Acropolis, Greece," in terms of its overall power.
1997 Forbidden City/Taj Mahal Concert
I'll give you a link to a more detailed album
This is the first time I've seen a concert by a modern musician, and I'm sure it's a good one.