Ethnicity [Audio CD, Enhanced]

Yanni | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 11, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B00007MB3F
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,721 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Rite of Passage

2. For All Seasons

3. The Promise

4. Rainmaker

5. Written on the Wind

6. Playing By Heart

7. At First Sight

8. Tribal Dream

9. Almost A Whisper

10. Never Too Late

11. Play Time

12. Jivaeri (Jiva-eri)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ethnicity finds Yanni exploring familiar thematic territory (diversity + harmony = international brotherhood) in search of fresh musical ideas. The result is career recording No. 13 (minus all those redundant compilations), which is likable though maybe a star shy of exceptional. While ethnicity is the theme, the prevailing sound is contemporary and attractively rhythmic with modest world music and classical accents. Notable are Yanni's extensive use of female voices (heard on 10 of the 12 tracks; two selections, in fact, feature straightforward lyrics) and the disc's vivid, sparkling production. Yanni offers an assortment of moods, from the celebratory, planetary-choir sound (think Adiemus) on "Rites of Passage" to pulsing, Deep Forest-like tribal chants, which sometimes click ("Tribal Dream") and sometimes seem forced, a little Yanni-come-lately ("Never Too Late"). High points are the didgeridoo-driven "Rainmaker" and the ethereal "At First Sight." Overall, the disc's sound tilts more toward the heroic than the romantic (a good trend), though some pieces (particularly his mini-operettas) seem overly polite and a little starched. Even so, Ethnicity is a compelling effort that indicates Yanni is, happily, keeping in touch with his more adventurous musical instincts. --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I still prefer his older style ., November 5, 2004

By	Stacey Arburton - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really enjoyed this cd. Yanni has kept to a similar grasp on composing, but with a different sound. Yanni, is a blessed musician in the fact that he has been very successful at keeping to his extremely vast span of creativity. I gave it 4 stars because I really do prefer his old sound, which brings me to another topic...
Others have recommended an artist named Mehdi as being similiar to Yanni. I found very little similarity but fell in love with the music. I picked up his new CD and it's awesome...Samples are at SoothingMusic.Com. Recommended !

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yanni Has a New Sound and Group, February 12, 2003

By	Robert D. Timmerman (LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I first started listening to Yanni about 12 years ago, his music was about himself and he played the music. The album, while it does have its moments, will likely go down as his least popular. The vocals need to go. Yanni is not about singing....he is about playing. Tracks 1 thru 4 seem to be filler tracks. This album starts to take shape with track #5...Written on the Wind....and seems to go in a totally different direction that the first 4 tracks. I will not even review those as I found myself wanting them to end. This is not the music Yanni fans have grown to love. While the album is technically sound, the drum machine is stale and Yanni needs to get Charlie back A.S.A.P. Now don't get me wrong, I am still a Yanni fan, but I do not see Him doing many of these tracks in concert as they seem more for his personal taste than for breaking any new ground. The DVD that comes along with the disc is a welcome site, but it is from a concert years ago, when Charlie was still drumming for him. After listening to this album it will make you long for the old days when Yanni and his drummer, Charlie, played the music.....not sing it. Judge for yourself.....its NEVER TOO LATE.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars dissapointed, April 15, 2004

By	J. C. (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This album was slightly better than "If I could tell You" but still, I find myself craving for something similar to Yanni's Live at the Acropolis. I first became a Yanni diehard fan with LATA because of the orchestration, his originality, and the contemporary feel to his songs. I had purchased many of his CDs and went to his Tribute tour so I can listen to him perform his oginial, and mesmerizing, songs. Yet, in this CD (and the last one), Yanni produced the same kind of unexceptional music throughout, where song A can easily be interchanged with song C. Then, his orchestration is plaqued with too much vocals. I don't mind a song with lyrics, but the past three albums have demonstrated that vocals and orchestration don't mix well. Given the dissapointment of these past three albums, I was not sure if I wanted to go to the ethnicity tour. I bought the tickets anyway, just to figure out what he is up to, and to decide if I want to buy more of his CDs in the future. I went there thinking I was going to be dissapointed. However, the ethnicity concert was a lot better than I thought, where orchestration, original compositions, and unique performers saved the day. The question is then, what is Yanni's next album gong to be like. I might not purchase more of his CDs if the next one turns out to be a carbon copy of "If I could tell you" or "ethnicity".