The St. Louis concert was intimate. Some in the audience may have seemed reserved, but I prefer to call it focused. A few couldn't dance due to malfunctioning appendages (myself included), but the desire was there. I played piano on my knees, keeping up with every note Yanni played, but I don't play piano. Someone didn't show up, so I moved up a few rows to the front for a bird's eye view. I would call it a variety show. The performers covered just about every emotion there is. Here's how each of the vocalists "felt" to me.
Nathan makes singing look easy. He smiles and almost seems to be having a conversation with the audience instead. The power of his voice was a test of Yanni's extremely high quality sound system, but it seemed the system was designed for his voice the louder he got. It's clear Nathan has practiced lol - the notes, the lyrics, the words, the languages, his technique and where to breathe. However, it seems so effortless on his part (but I know it's not) because when Nathan held his longest note of the show, from the front row I never even saw him take the breath. Amazing. He never wavered even slightly off a single note. And I know Yanni likes this perfect pitch thing. (Sorry to analyze you so much Nathan, but you're amazing!) Just when I thought Nathan was going to run out of air, he did the most amazing thing. He brought his feet together suddenly straightening out his posture, almost as if he was saluting military style, puffed his chest out and somehow belted a nuclear power of sorts into a note that was going to run dry. When he did this, there was a change in his already stunning voice. He injected a new, powerful baritone, brassy tone that I've never heard him do. The quality of Nathan's voice and his super human technique will take him well beyond his dreams.
Leslie surprised me. I really liked her soft ballads and lyrics before seeing the show, but while hearing her sing live, the quality and uniqueness of her voice ended up having the wow factor after all. I am so glad I kept an open mind. Her grace and elegance as a performer demands respect. She is light as a feather in her projections and performance, yet has the impact of a tidal wave. She's simply an angel on stage.
Chloe is well, everything. She's young and has so much to learn ahead of her, yet it's astonishing how much she's already perfected and accomplished. No turning back for her. Her voice also challenges Yanni's crisp sound setup but just when you think her voice might distort, there's a brand new high quality tone in her voice when she belts it out. It's gorgeous. And as everyone knows, her soft, sultry notes are mesmerizing. It's not easy to coordinate all those dance moves and not stray from the vocals. With this rare combo at such high quality, I think she's capable of her own show and arena in Vegas!
Ender was Ender. Wow. His voice really is an instrument. I saw something with Ender that was only prevalent with him. Other than a few gestures to the crowd, he was not really singing for an audience. He was purely singing his heart out. His vocals are unique in that they're not plotted and planned. It seems more like he's improvising along with the orchestra in private, based on how he feels. It was truly amazing to watch. Forgive me for not remembering the new name, but this was most prevalent in the song he did behind the curtain. Almost brought me to tears.
Charlie is getting even better! Ha! You might say. But he looks younger, stronger and he is the glue in all the songs. He's the heartbeat of the show! Jason on trumpet and the new guitar player (I'm so bad with names) also had me shaking my head "no" in disbelief.
I'm positive Yanni could do the entire show with his eyes closed. When you know the songs so cold, for so long, especially when you wrote 'em, you have the leeway to explore new avenues within them, adding new twists and turns in old familiar melodies and the results are beautiful. You have to listen deep within the songs to hear them, but they're like brilliant little songs within a song. Marching Season is simply a masterpiece. Throughout the show, he was so proud of the four vocalists, he was about to burst on stage. He wasn't just "playing piano for them," he was the entire reason, inside and out, that this show happened. And so was Ric (who is really fun to talk to!) I don't think Yanni is living his dream. I think he lives to crave new ones and is constantly creating them.
The orchestra was a single voice. It spoke as an entity, supporting the vocalists, exemplifying specific emotions and a collective message. They were so together, it would impress any conductor. I really enjoyed hearing the talents of the new folks and appreciated the familiar ones as if they were old friends. I smiled and mumbled out loud, "Yep, that's April. Ah, Sasha. And oh my favorite, Samvel. And yes, there's Armen, Ming, Victor and Jim. Anne Marie blows me away, not only with her ability to challenge Samvel, but her bubbly stage presence reels in the audience. I also closely watched and listened to those who didn't do solos, the are just as important!
Usually, a composer writes music for the big Disney picture. But I think Disney ought to find it's best writers and write a movie for this music! Thank you to Yanni, Ric, the vocalists and every single musician and crew member who made this show possible. Everyone in the arena was truly in the "same place." There is indeed nothing like it.
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