After more than four years out of the spotlight, the musician returns with a new album, book and tour.
By KARISSA S. WANG
After years of touring and selling more than 20 million albums, Yanni was exhausted. The only musician to perform mega-concerts at manmade wonders of the world such as the Acropolis, Taj Mahal and the Forbidden City, he walked away from his career after a show July 5, 1998.
"When I gave it up, it was for real," Yanni said recently. "I stopped, walked away. I didn't play piano for a year, didn't listen to any music."
In his time off, he dealt with his breakup with his longtime girlfriend, actress Linda Evans, and recovered from depression. Last February he re- emerged on two fronts: with an autobiography, "Yanni in Words," and with his 13th album, "Ethnicity."
His book chronicles his life in Kalamata, Greece, where he was a swimming champion, and then his move to America to become a psychology student at the University of Minnesota, where he was known as John Chryssomallis and worked with rats in a lab for a psychology professor. He also tells of his years in local rock bands, such as the Minnesota group Chameleon, living the life of a rocker in the '70s and '80s, complete with rampant sex and drugs. The book concludes with his solo career, his relationship with Evans and the troubles with his former record label as well as the process of launching his grand concerts in Greece, India and China.
In a phone interview from New York, where he was on a tour that brings him to Southern California this weekend for three shows, Yanni said writing the book was part of his healing.
"The fact that I sat out and sat away from my career for a long period of time I had a chance to look back and see what really happened to me," Yanni said. "I also wanted to be honest in the book. If people enjoy my music, they have to understand that all that comes from all of my experiences in life."
In the book, he recalls Evans taking him to see an eagle that was in captivity because it had been shot in one wing and couldn't fly. The bird took to Yanni's arm and hugged him with its good wing. He saw the bird as a metaphor for his life.
"When I left that encounter with the eagle I started crying because it got to me; I got the point. Don't lose sight of who you are and don't sell out. We do sell out sometimes; we get hurt in life; life kicks us pretty hard, but just about every one of us has the ability to overcome it. I just never wanted to lose who I am."
The new album is a bit of a departure for Yanni. He introduces lyrics for the first time, as well as ethnic instruments such as the Australian didgeridoo, the hammered dulcimer and the Armenian duduk. Yanni describes the last instrument as "a type of flute, but it's a very ancient thing; it sounds like a human voice, more like a cello. It's gorgeous, a very haunting sound."
Yanni's handpicked orchestra reflects the diversity of his album. His tour, having recently crossed the Canadian border, includes members of 22 nationalities.
"There's a lot of different musicians from all over the world in the orchestra and they're so spectacular. All the musicians are virtuoso."
For the new album Yanni took one of his favorite pieces, "Secret Vows" from 1987's "Out of Silence," added lyrics and retitled it "The Promise," which is also being sung live on tour. In the CD liner notes, Yanni writes that people often suggested he add lyrics to some of his songs. He also added lyrics to "Almost a Whisper," from 1990's "Reflections of Passion," but kept the title the same for the new CD.
During his time off, Yanni said, he traveled back to some of the exotic places where he had performed in concert, but this time he took time to explore those cultures. That was the genesis of "Ethnicity," and those cultural influences are apparent. While some lyrics seem to be in a foreign language, Yanni said, some are in a language he made up.
"Sometimes I do that," he said. "In the past I've made up languages because I want the human voice but I don't want the lyric content. It's not meant to be understood. I want the whole message to be based on the melody and the rhythm rather than what I am telling you."
One surprise for concert- goers will be Yanni's own vocal work. He sings on this new album, but it's not what you think. He is the chanting voice of what sounds like an American Indian on the track "Never Too Late."
"I'm the old Indian guy. It's the funniest thing – everybody goes, 'I liked that song with the old Indian guy.' I said, 'We're not going to tell anybody, I'm just going to do it.' If I hadn't done it live, nobody would have known. It's kind of funny watching people's faces when I take the microphone and start singing."
After five years off, Yanni said, he is completely recovered and enjoys being on the road again. He started his U.S. tour in March.
"Now that I've been out for a while, I love it. That's all I've done since I was 20 years old. That's 28 years. And I gave it up long enough, apparently, to heal from it."
After his American trek wraps up in June, Yanni said, he would like to tour the world, but he wants to ensure the safety of everyone on his tour, so no decision has been made, and world events will dictate whether they continue.
"I know we're going through a difficult period at this time and I do believe peace will prevail in the end and I'm very hopeful," Yanni said. "I am encouraged with what has happened. I am encouraged that the choices that have already been made will prove to be good ones."
With all the turbulent world events, Yanni remains an optimist.
"It's from having traveled so extensively and seeing what human beings are around the planet and how they behave. I do believe the overwhelming majority of people on this planet want to come together and co-exist peacefully."
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