Yanni... music that reaches the world.

Yup, it was a cheesy title, but it's just so dang true. =)

So, I spent Saturday night glued to my seat at the Maverick Center in West Salt Lake City, UT with every sense in my body being washed over and consumed by Yanni's musically riveting performance. Really, I can remember very rare instances of being at a lack of words, but this is truly one of them.

I first remember being introduced to Yanni when I was 10 years old. It was one of the only instances in which my father actually did something that bettered my life, though doubt he saw it as anything other than bringing home a VHS he got for free from a work promotion. He brought me the Live at the Acropolis [VHS] that had just been released and I was hooked. There was no question in my mind that he was the greatest artist I had ever heard and that I wanted to hear every piece of music he had ever written. Shortly there after, I started asking my father for music lessons.. flute, piano, violin... I didn't care, I just had to be apart of music. He told me no, that it would be a waste of money and time. (yeah, my father was and still is an ass). With Yanni's music filling my soul, I taught myself to play the piano and flute at the age of 15- five years after I first saw that tape. My father was no longer in the picture, and I was able to use a friends old flute and music books to learn from. My Junior year of high school I SUCKED, being 12th out of 13 chairs (flute), but my senior year I vastly improved, moving to 5th out of 15 chairs. While I never learned enough to go anywhere with my music (outside of band and choir in high school), I can still think about it and say that I at least followed my dream to play music as I had been so deeply inspired to at such a young age.

Since then, I have seen Yanni in concert four times, and I will continue to see him with every tour he goes on. One day, I know, my next wish will come true and I will actually get to meet the man that so influenced my life so early on. It's been 17 years now, and I find his music, both new and old, no less moving (probably even more so now) and no less inspiring. I use it for many of my meditations and ritual times as it leads the perfect air of peace and calm on the edge of mystery.

Oh, I did get to meet his drummer and friend of 30 years- Charlie Adams! He is such a nice guy! Talked to me like I'd known him for years and we needed to catch up because he'd been gone on tour. Love it!

I would recommend his new CD to anyone wanting some different circle music!