Dec 04, 2004 02:04 AM
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(Updated Dec 04, 2004 08:57 AM)
YANNI's dvd Album TRIBUTE features a dozen songs, recorded during concerts made at the Taj and in Beijing a few years ago. While all those songs are very popular, in my opinion, Niki Nana excels others.
Before the performance, Yanni explains that the world is getting smaller and we have to get along with others regardless their race, religion or skin color. His orchestra consists of players from all around the world, and the song Niki Nana, which means ''We Are One'' delivers his message.
The eight plus minutes long song was performed by many talented artists including the US singer Alfreda Gerald, the Venezualan flute player Pedro Eustache, the Taiwanese key board player Ming Freeman and David Hudson, the didgeridoo player from Australia, along with Yanni moving between his piano and the keyboards.
This is one song you will see the entire audience participation, young and old, in China and in India without really following the lyrics, but following the vibrant music created by a multitude of instruments and delivered with a passion. You will have to see it to believe it. It was pure magic created by lights, sounds and action!
Apart from creating a great score, Niki Nana also creates some humor when David Hudson, himself an aboriginal from Australia and dressed like one with a painted body, playing his didgeridoo, he was asked to get up and dance. Hudson obliged and got up pretending to be a kangaroo and performs a dance to the delight of everyone while each member of the orchestra (some fifty of them) joins in the frenzy.
The whole performance was skilfully captured by various video cameras and the images were projected to the large screens. Here you will see the close-ups of members of the orchestra playing various instruments and the audience joining them cheerfully by leaving any anxieties they may have behind for the time being and enjoying a hearty festival.
Yanni's 'new age' music can perform miracles to the mind of a man. After I reviewed his TRIBUTE video in August 2002 for the mouthshut.com , I had a chance to watch his other concerts performed in Acropolis and in London, and last week I did not miss the opportunity to attend a Yanni Concert in Edmonton, Canada at the Rexall Place and was able to watch him performing 'live'. Eventhough his latest tour omitted playing the Niki Nana score, it was worth enjoying all other songs.
