''Ethnicity'' is the eleventh studio album by

Yanni Yiannis Chryssomallis ( el, Γιάννης Χρυσομάλλης; born November 14, 1954), known professionally as Yanni ( ), is a Greek-American composer, keyboardist, pianist, and music producer. Yanni continues to use the musical shorthan ...

, released on February 11, 2003 by

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), Tom Newman. It ...

. It peaked at #27 on

Billboard's ''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music ...

"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.

Background

''Ethnicity'' features greater use of vocals, percussion, and exotic rhythms, which were influenced by Yanni's period of travel during his hiatus between 1998 and 2000. As Yanni is unable to read music, he wrote and recorded demos of the album's tracks at his home studio in Florida, after which he employed transcribers and copyists to write the individual parts for the session musicians.

Reception

Backroads Music/Heartbeats wrote that the album was musically quite diverse, stating that "Though

is widely known as one of the most popular purveyors of New-age music, there's actually quite a bit going on here."

Track listing

Personnel

Music *All music composed and arranged by

. (except "Jivaeri") *

Pedro Eustache Pedro Eustache (born August 18, 1959) is a Venezuelan-born flautist, reed player, world woodwind player, composer, and instrument maker. He has more than seven years of symphonic experience and a collection of around 600 instruments from all ...

–

Flutes The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

, World Reeds, Duduk, Argul,

Uilleann pipes The uilleann pipes ( or , ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland. Earlier known in English as "union pipes", their current name is a partial translation of the Irish language terms (literally, "pipes of the elbow"), from thei ...

, Chanter, and

Saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

. * Karen Briggs –

Violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

Vocals *

Alfreda Gerald Alfreda Gerald is an American vocalist born in Morganton, North Carolina. Upon graduating from college, Gerald sang professional opera with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and the North Carolina Symphony ...

(also lead vocals on "The Promise", "Tribal Dream", and "Never Too Late") * Michelle Amato (also lead vocals on "For All Seasons", "Almost a Whisper", and "Jivaeri") *

(also lead vocals on "Never Too Late") *Noelani Brock (also lead vocals on "Written on the Wind") *Regina Acuna-Williams *Peter Lehman *Randy Nichols *Suzy Park *Kurt von Schmittou Lyrics *Lyrics for "The Promise" and "Almost a Whisper" by Pamela McNeill. Production *Engineered and mixed by Yanni at his private studios. *Assistant engineer: Anthony Stabile *Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering,

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

. *Recorded and mixed on a Soundtracs DPC-II Digital Console *All piano tracks were recorded on a Yamaha CFIII 5, 9' Concert Grand

The ''Ethnicity'' concert tour

Set List

Featured tour musicians

Tour Production

*Personal Management: Danny O'Donovan, Danny O'Donovan Entertainment Group *Business Management: Seven Eight, Inc., Tom Paske, George Veras, Diane Kramer, Anda Allenson, Richard Allenson *Tour & Production Manager: Michael Weiss *Production Supervisor: Anthony Stabile *Personal Assistant to Yanni: Don Bath *Road Manager: Craig Yun *Stage Manager: Richard Bray *Production Coordinator: Kathleen Kronauer *Tour Accountant: Richard Allenson *Tour Security: Jason Temke *Lighting Director: Bud Horowitz *Yanni's wardrobe designed by Nolan Miller *Costume Design/Wardrobe: Jennifer Jacobs, Thomas Wells

Tour dates

Certifications and sales

References

External links

Official Website
* {{Authority control Yanni albums 2003 albums Yanni concert tours