New Age Music World

Chances are everyone reading my pre-release Truth Of Touch album review today is well acquainted with the man we identify simply as Yanni, and if you are like most people you can vividly recall the very first time you viewed a televised Yanni concert.  Now, can’t you just remember the exhilaration of watching this charismatic gentleman touch the lives of people of all nationalities with his music?

Truth Of Touch is truly a passionate reflection of what Yanni does best which is create a personal interaction with an audience through his extraordinary music abilities. And just like those powerful memories of yesteryear as many of you may remember, the close societal bond is shared in contemporary times by virtue of his magnificent studio version of 15 songs with an over hour long symphony of refined harmony.

Truth Of Touch is a Contemporary Instrumental & Electronic arrangement likewise creating a genuine fascination for a multitude of people by being an original composition and direct expression from Yanni himself.  This enthusiasm is not surprising since his last original arrangement Ethnicity from 2003 is an excellent and successful album.

It may explain why Truth Of Touch is highly anticipated among his enthusiastic fan base, along with a vast multitude of people who consistently search for outstanding music that greatly surpasses the everyday ordinary.

Yanni is conceivably the greatest influential musician of our time. While his exceptional abilities as a gifted composer and keyboardist by themselves are a valid testament to his universal appeal, when you factor in the remarkable musicians and vocalists by his side and personal “One World, One People“ vision, the collective inspiration pay tribute to a universal and heartfelt music experience.

Yanni Live at the Acropolis began his historic rise to stardom and likely the first time you witnessed his grand entrance onto the world stage since 500 million people from 65 countries have viewed this top fundraising program for PBS.  The album sold 7 million copies worldwide and the music video sold over 1 million copies to become a top selling music video, second only to the Thriller Video by the late Michael Jackson.

If you regularly watch the Olympic Games then you know his music scores are presented during international television broadcasts of the Olympic Games since 1988.  He has 35 platinum and gold albums and received 2 GRAMMY® Nominations in the Best New Age Album category, for In My Time and then Dare to Dream. Perhaps of greater importance to Yanni himself are his fans, since after a temporary departure Yanni made a celebrated return to concert tours and producing music due in part to the personal letters from his dedicated fan base requesting encore performances.

In fact his global presence has remained strong following the earlier days where over 2 million people in over 20 countries attended a Yanni concert, some of which were held in culturally significant locations like the Tribute Concert venues held at the Taj Mahal in India and The Forbidden City in China, where viewership reached a television audience of 250 million people.

Truth Of Touch can be defined by the contemporary instrumental, electronic and cinematic influences, but what makes this new release special like earlier albums are a wide array of influences, crossing over into popular, new age and world music domains too.  Truth Of Touch ( Title Song ) begins a memorable introduction to a lavish cascade of midrange keyboard and string sequences set in time to energetic orchestration crescendos and intense timpani drum beats, giving you your first positive affirmation this is indeed an authentic composition from Yanni.  The boldly decisive first song is satisfying to the senses by the majestic intonation, and this is true again regarding the reverberation keyboard melody united with higher octave twinkling notes heard in Echo Of A Dream.

Seasons has a lighter keyboard sequence at the onset, changing in dramatic fashion during every refrain by articulated electronics, strings and xylophone notes.  Backed by rhythmic heartbeat percussion, Seasons progresses into a heartening song of inspiration.  Voyage is a fine excursion reaching epic qualities at times where the lighter prelude is forerunner to a spectacular sound adventure created by strings and woodwind orchestration.  Suspended by steady percussion beats, the full instrumentation creates a wonderful sensation of depth.

The World ethnicity percussion rhythms and accents with ever changing intervals of harp and cello create a beautiful tribal effect in Flash Of Color, and true again by the voice of a child set in instrumental counter time during I’m So.  Pronounced orchestra and percussion rhythms are a bold source of vibrant energy presented in the upbeat melodic theme of Vertigo.  The vocal melodies on Can’t Wait and Secret are definitively two of the more serene songs on the album.  Elegant and passionate, the soprano vocalist delivers her romantic lyrics in a graceful emotive voice which is certain to be a popular collection of contemporary songs for many people.

O Luce Che Brilla Nell’Oscurita is exquisitely imaginative given the theatrical piano, light choir and opera concerto in a harmonious adaptation where the tenor vocalist proclaims his warm and moving declaration of sentiment direct from the heart.

Long Way Home has an air of sophistication yet the vigorous piano melody has a peaceful atmosphere at times too, changing from light to more dynamic expressions along the way.  Mist Of A Kiss reveals intricate percussion rhythms having a steadfast effect in the timing of piano chord phrasing, like the piano and percussion cadence heard in the song Nine.  Yanni & Arturo begins with a light trumpet and piano prelude while transitioning into exuberant poetry in motion when glorious soprano vocals and intricate percussion rhythms set the progressive tempo for an improvisational style trumpet solo during which the highest octave notes are reached then extended with astounding precision and clarity.

Truth Of Touch is a studio composition of pure refinement, giving one a beautiful impression exactly like the inspiring concert recollections of yesteryear.  The prodigious caliber of musicians Yanni enlists for his projects is boldly demonstrated on what I feel is his greatest instrumental music composition yet.  Perhaps you can tell by now his newest release made me reflect on the personal exhilaration I first felt upon my introduction to his music, and it did inspire me today.  With that said, I am certain you too will find the qualities in Truth Of Touch are genuine, unforgettable and yes, simply Yanni!

Visit Yanni.com and truthoftouch.com to sample or purchase and then read the latest news and concert tour dates for 2011. For pre-release Truth Of Touch album orders and for gift items visit the Yanni Store and read my pages dedicated to Yanni. Photo copyright – courtesy yanni.com. Big Stock Photo copyrights Acropolis – sborisov and Taj Mahal – pius99.

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