Niki Nana
Niki Nana | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by Yanni | ||||
Released | August 24, 1989 | |||
Genre | Instrumental | |||
Length | 39:41 | |||
Label | Private Music | |||
Producer | Peter Baumann Yanni | |||
Yanni chronology | ||||
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Niki Nana is the fifth studio album by Greek keyboardist and composer Yanni, released in August 1989 by Private Music.
Background
By 1989, Yanni had released four studio albums, the most of recent of which was Chameleon Days (1988). When he started work on a follow-up record, he took a musical departure as he had explored music of an orchestral nature on his first three albums, in particular using synthesised strings. For Niki Nana, Yanni incorporated more rock-oriented arrangements with rhythm dominating the music, for which he used his time playing in rock bands in his early career as inspiration.[1]
"Niki Nana (We're One)" started as an instrumental track and Yanni felt it had a celebratory feel, hearing "people singing and dancing" of a South American or African flavour. He then decided to incorporate words from the Greek, Zulu, English, and Spanish language as an attempt to present the theme of unity.[1]
Yanni dedicated the album to his parents, Sotiri and Felitsa, in the liner notes.[2]
Release
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard New Age albums chart.[4]
In 1992, lyrics in Greek were written for the track "Nightbird" by Greek lyricist Tasoula Thomaïdou. The song was called "Mia Ellada Fos" (A whole Greece of Light) and was performed by the Greek-Cypriot singer Konstantina in her personal album of the same name in 1992.
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Niki Nana (We're One)" (Sterling, Yanni) | 5:21 |
2. | "Dance with a Stranger" | 5:01 |
3. | "Running Time" | 5:59 |
4. | "Someday" | 4:36 |
5. | "Human Condition" | 5:10 |
6. | "First Touch" | 2:59 |
7. | "Nightbird" | 6:01 |
8. | "Quiet Man" | 4:34 |
Personnel
- "Niki Nana":
- Lyrics: Tom Sterling and Yanni
- Vocal Arrangement: Morgan Ames
- Choir recorded by Hank Cicalo at Alpha Studios, Los Angeles
- Lead Vocal - Carmen Twillie
- 2nd Lead Vocal - Venette Gloud
- Guitars - Joaquin Lievano
- Morgan Ames Choir - Venette Gloud, Clydene Jackson-Edwards, Angel Rogers, Carmen Twillie, Randy Crenshaw, Arnold McCuller, Josef Powell, Tim Stone, Terry Young.
- Special thanks to Bo Russell and Bonnie Fury for their help on this song.
- "Dance with a Stranger":
- Flugelhorn and Trumpet - Nolan Smith, Jr.
- Flugelhorn - Ralf Rickert
- Guitars - Joaquin Lievanno
- "Running Time":
- Trumpet - Jerry Hey
- Trumpet - Gary Grant
- Saxophone - Dan Higgins
- Trombone - Bill Reichenbach Jr.
- Guitars - Joaquin Lievanno
- Vocals - Carolyn Johnson-White
- Horns recorded at John Tesh's private studio
- "Human Condition":
- Lead Vocals - Carmen Twillie
- Additional Vocals - Venette Gloud
- "Nightbird":
- Bouzouki - Spiro Katsemeges
- Guitars - Joaquin Lievano
- Sound effect design by Larson Sound Center
- Sound effect created by Russell Brower
- Acoustic, electronic drums and percussion - Charlie Adams
Production
- All music composed and produced by Yanni
- Produced by Peter Baumann
References
- ^ a b Campbell, Mary (21 October 1989). "Rhythm is more dominant on Yanni's fourth album". The Herald. p. 20. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Niki Nana (CD liner). Yanni. Private Music. 1989. 01005-82056-2-3.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ AllMusic
- ^ "Chart history for Niki Nana". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
External links
- Official Website
- Niki Nana at AllMusic
- v
- t
- e
- Optimystique
- Keys to Imagination
- Out of Silence
- Chameleon Days
- Niki Nana
- Dare to Dream
- In My Time
- If I Could Tell You
- Ethnicity
- Yanni Voices / Yanni Voces
- Mexicanisimo / My Passion for Mexico
- Truth of Touch
- Inspirato
- Sensuous Chill
- In His Purest Form
- Reflections of Passion
- In Celebration of Life
- Romantic Moments
- A Collection of Romantic Themes
- In the Mirror
- Port of Mystery
- Devotion: The Best of Yanni
- Nightbird
- Forbidden Dreams: Encore Collection, Volume 2
- Love Songs
- Songs From the Heart
- Someday
- Winter Light
- The Private Years
- Snowfall
- The Very Best of Yanni
- Ultimate Yanni
- The Collection
- Super Hits
- Collections
- The Essential Yanni
- The Inspiring Journey
- Playlist: The Very Best of Yanni
- Live at the Acropolis
- Live at Royal Albert Hall
- Tribute
- Yanni Live! The Concert Event
- Yanni Voices
- Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico
- The Dream Concert: Live from the Great Pyramids of Egypt
- 1987 Concert Series
- 1988 Concert Series
- Reflections of Passion
- Revolution in Sound
- Dare to Dream
- Yanni Live, The Symphony Concerts 1993
- Yanni Live, The Symphony Concerts 1994
- Yanni Live, The Symphony Concerts 1995
- Tribute World Tour 1998
- Ethnicity
- Yanni Live!
- Yanni Voices
- Yanni in Concert
- Yanni: Live at El Morro
- An Evening with Yanni
- World Without Borders
- World Tour
- One Man's Dream World Tour 2015
- North American Tour 2016
- An Evening In Conversation With Yanni 2017
- 25th Anniversary 'Live At The Acropolis' Tour 2018