State College, PA

It's going to be a short update today as I am exhausted. Tonight will be our fourth show in a row with very little sleep due to long overnight trips. Our ride from Detroit, MI to State College, PA took a little over 7 hours and the roads were bumpy and sometimes snow covered.

We had over 10 thousand jubilant fans for the Detroit show. Based on the email reviews I'm getting and the way we all played it was another winner!

During sound check tonight Yanni mentioned how much the audiences are enjoying World Dance, an Irish flavored tune we play as an encore. It starts out as a hammer dulcimer solo and ends up with all the soloists taking improvisational turns.

We get a day off tomorrow in Rochester. My son, Jeremy will be there and we plan to visit Niagara falls. He's also bringing me a mountain dulcimer so I'll get to accompany David as he plays our new Takamini bus guitar we purchased.

Pedro just informed me we have only 30 minutes until show time. I was thinking we had an 8 o'clock start tonight - but it starts at 7:30!. I have some snow pictures but I'll have to wait and post them tomorrow. Gotta run - Dan ¶ 1:48 PM

Detroit, MI

I'm sitting on the bus writing and watching it snow after our daily ritual of 5:00 sound check followed by dinner. Yanni complimented everyone on last night's Chicago performance. I think his words were "You guys were great, you really won Chicago!"

Those of you who've seen the show may have noticed that all the musicians are wearing ear pieces. The old way of doing things was to have speakers on the stage so the players could hear each other. The in-ear monitors allow better microphones to be used with the acoustic instruments, which of course means better sound for the audience. The one disadvantage of the in-ear system is it makes it very difficult for the performers to hear the audience. I usually pull my monitors out a couple of times during the show to get a better feel for the audience. Last night's crowd was so loud that I quickly put the monitors back in because it actually hurt my ears!
The news is in on Charlie's toe (see Friday's post), it is broken. But don't worry, he's a pro and it won't effect his performance - it certainly didn't last night. Yanni jokingly reminded us again that no one else is allowed to get injured or sick. Someone chimed in that the common pre-show good luck phrase "Break a leg," is now also banned. Ironically and prophetically, yesterday's 'quote of the day', which is printed on our daily itinerary, was taken from our own David Hudson. It said, "Better to stumble with one's toe, than with one's mouth." Oops.

Last night's bus trip from Chicago to Detroit was long and bumpy. We arrived around 6:15, and after breakfast everyone disappeared to their rooms to try and catch up on sleep. I tried to catch up on a few email messages but kept dozing off and didn't get much done.

I'm looking forward to seeing my son in Rochester, not just because I miss him, but because he is bringing me a digital camera which will mean I won't have to borrow David's all the time. The camera belongs to my daughter so thank you missy for letting me borrow it until our Easter Break.

If you've been able to get your camera into a show and get some decent shots, please drop me an email if you're willing to send me some photos. I'll post them on this site for all to see, but please don't send any photos without emailing me first. I don't want to jam my mailbox. I'd love to get copies of pictures I've had made with fans in various cities. Same rule applies though, please email me first.

My email address is dan@danlandrum.com.

We're about 45 minutes away from showtime here in Detroit, I can see long lines of cars snaking through the parking lot outside my bus window and the sun has set. I think it is time to go get ready to play. ¶ 6:15 PM

Chicago, IL

Greetings from cold, rainy Chicago where we're just a couple of hours away from performing in front of an audience of 13 thousand plus! I'm posting this journal entry a little late because I spent the day with Angie, dodging puddles, window shopping and eating. As we pulled into town in the middle of the night last night Charlie made it clear to us that it would be absolutely un-American for us to come to Chicago without having at least a deep dish pizza. If only we had stopped there. Besides everyone being over stuffed, the only complaint I've heard from fellow musicians today has been that we had too little time to see the city.

Charlie learned a lesson last night. He's a helpful sort of chap and was giving the bellman a hand with the luggage when the bellman, thinking Charlie had a grip on a heavy case, let it drop. The hard case landed solidly on Charlie's left big toe. He's making arrangements to have an x-ray and is of course hoping nothing is broken. His limp leads me to believe it is more than just a bruise but he's hopeful and thankful that it wasn't his right foot which is the one used on the kick drum.

Ming is limping also. He injured his leg somehow on the bus but I haven't heard the story yet.

Charlie and I said goodbye to our just before we got on the buses to head to the arena. They're on their way back to Tennessee. Here's a picture taken as we were awaiting the taxi.

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Our Grand Rapids experience was, well -grand. The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Gerald Ford Museum was a pleasant surprise and I highly recommend it. We spent a couple of hours there reading and pondering our short slice of life in comparison to the timeline of the history of man that is part of the exhibit. I bought a book in the Dead Sea Scrolls gift shop called The History of God, it should be interesting reading during long bus trips. After the museum, we lingered awhile along the bank of the Grand River watching a trout fisher angling for steelhead. He wasn't catch anything but didn't seem to mind. The day went by too quickly and soon it was showtime. It was Angie's second opportunity to see the show and she was surprised that it still looks like we're all having a good time after so many performances. The truth is, we may grumble about long bus rides and sore toes but everyone on this tour gets pumped when it is time to take the stage. I don't think that will change.

The Grand Rapids audience was, how can I put this - uninhibited. They really had a good time and it was obvious Yanni enjoyed himself.

Thanks again to the hundreds of you who've offered condolences regarding the death of my friend, Gibbs. I struggled with whether I should share the experience in this public forum. If Gibbs hadn't asked me to share his letter, and he specifically mention 'on the internet', I would have just kept it private. I know now that I did the right thing. Thank you.

Those of you who've gotten used to getting quick email responses from me are probably wondering what is going on. I have just been too busy with my wife to keep up with email AND the journal. I'll catch up over the next few days.

Many of you have written about CDs. I'll write more in coming days about ways we can get together at concerts for signings and such. Thanks for responding. For those of you interested in such things this site received nearly 15 thousand hits yesterday alone. Yes, I'm pretty busy. It is also now only about 40 minutes from curtain. More tommorrow. - Dan ¶ 3:52 PM

Grand Rapids, MI

My wife joined me in Grand Rapids for our day off yesterday and she'll travel to Chicago with us on the tour bus after the show tonight. The bus is going to be really crowded as Charlie, Walter, and Victor will also have their wives with them tonight. I think all the spouses fly out of Chicago and most of us won't see our families again until our Easter break.

It has been wonderful having Angie by my side and I wish she could travel with me all the time - maybe someday. We're going to visit the Gerald Ford museum today, which is just across the Grand River from our hotel. We will get to see the travelling Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit.

Having Angie here gave us a chance to catch up on business as well. One of the subjects we talked about was my CD sales, which quite frankly are down, since I've been on the Yanni tour.

Prior to accepting this tour our primary source of income was CD sales. One of my regular gigs was playing outdoors at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, where on a daily basis people buying CDs would tell me that my music reminded them of Yanni. I didn't know if that was a compliment or not because, as I've mentioned before, I was unacquainted with Yanni's music prior to this opportunity. When I got the call to come audition I quickly familiarized my myself with Yanni's work, and then I knew what they were talking about.

It is fairly tough to make a living in the music business these days and the optimistic entrepreneur in me had visions of selling truckloads of CDs at Yanni's concerts. It turns out that Yanni's management doesn't allow the individual musicians to sell their CDs at his venues, but they did tell us they would help send people to our web sites, where we could promote our association with Yanni and market our CDs to our hearts content.

I've always been a little uncomfortable pushing my own product but I also know that people like to be asked - so I'm asking. Would you like to buy one or both of my CDs? If you'll click on the music link to the left you can hear some samples and purchase with a credit card or if you're uncomfortable using a credit card over the net, just email me and I'll we'll talk about other options. I'll can also take it out of the shrink wrap and sign it before we ship it - all you have to do is ask. Another option for those attending Yanni concerts would be to order one of my CDs, bring it with you, and I'll sign it there. We can make arrangements via email to meet after the show. Lastly, if you enjoy my music, by all means tell others about it! Now, on with the journal so I can get out and spend a few hours with my wife before the show.

Speaking of wives . . .. Ming (keyboards) and a few other musicians were sitting at the Friday's bar in Moline when Ramon (trumpet) started looking at and touching Ming's long hair. Ming threw Ramon a puzzled glance and said, "Hey man, do you miss your wife?" Ramon, paused and then responded, "No man, I miss my hair!" We're all still laughing.

The Moline show was apparently a big hit as Yanni once again had to 'shoo' the audience home after our 3 hour performance. I continue to hear story after story of people who come to the show as apprehensive guests of others, expecting to maybe even catch up on a little sleep in uncomfortable arena seating. They leave amazed and with a new opinion of Yanni's music. After 16 shows I'm still amazed at the talent and creativity of the solo work each night. Each show is different in the aspect that the solos are constantly changing, and if I've learned anything on this tour, it is the degree to which the audience is 'into it' is directly reflected in how much the soloists get 'into it.' Get ready Grand Rapids, here we come!

I have a few more pictures ready that I should be able to get posted tommorrow. ¶ 4:49 PM

Moline, IL

I wish I could respond individually to everyone who has written to offer condolences regarding the death of my friend Gibbs, but there are just too many of you. Please know that your words were appropriate, genuine and healing.

I failed to mention after the Cincinnati show that, according to my very unscientific applause meter, the audience was off the charts! You loved it and so did we. Yanni caught me in the hallway after the show and said some really nice things about my playing in general, and my solo in For All Seasons in particular. I like it when the boss is happy.

We're all rested and ready for a great show here in Moline, after which its back on the bus for the long trip to Grand Rapids, MI. My wife, Angie, is going to meet me in Grand Rapids and stay with us through Chicago. Wooo Hooo!

Sorry, I got out of control a bit there myself. I've been promising pictures for a long time now so here goes. View today's pics via the Photographs link. ¶ 4:51 PM

Moline, IL

In memory of Gibbs Johnson, my friend.

To those regular journal readers who do not know me personally, this is going to be a very personal post. One of my best friends, Gibbs Johnson, died over the weekend. This journal entry has little to do with the Yanni tour other than the fact that it is why I am not at the funeral, which is occurring right now in Chattanooga, TN.

I am sitting here on the bank of the Mississippi River in Moline, thinking about our friendship. It is a sunny day here, with temperatures in the 60's. It was a similar spring day slightly less than a year ago, when I decided to give Gibbs a call in between innings of assistant coaching my daughter's softball game. I remember wanting to tell him a quick joke I'd just heard. Before I could get to the joke, his voice broke and he told me he'd just returned from the Doctors office with the news that he had a golf ball size brain tumor. I continued to coach third base, through tears, knowing what was ahead of us. Later that week he had the first of two brain surgeries that would prove futile against the giant cell glioblastoma which would take his life in under a year.

It is fitting that I am having my private memorial service here by the river. Rivers are where Gibbs and I had some of our best experiences. He has everything to do with my love for white water kayaking. We spent hundreds of hours playing on the Occoee river over the years. Those are memories I will cherish forever.

Gibbs was a giving person in life and in death. In our visits over the past few months he often spoke of wanting to share with everyone the new perspective he was gaining on life, as the end of his drew near. To do so he wrote a letter a couple of months back, and requested I read it at his funeral. Our touring schedule made it impossible for me to be there today, so someone else is reading it for me. Another mutual friend, Briggs Smith, read the letter to me over the phone today, so I could include it in this journal entry. Here it is:

"I want to tell you about a gift I have received. I am sure you know about my brian cancer. It has returned and my life is measured in months now. I have been fighting for 7 months, and have not been depressed for more than maybe an hour total. That is a gift in itself.

The greatest gift I received is from God, and it is the ability to enjoy the moment, and to appreciate the small things in life that He has provided.

A wonderful friend in my life, Dan, has always seemed to have this ability and for this, I have envied him. He enjoys the moment, appreciates the small things in life and seems to be able to accumulate them. He always seems happy. He once told me that he hates to go to sleep at night because he feels that he will miss conscience hours of the day!


I have been too busy and too concerned about other things to enjoy the moment. This does not mean that I have not enjoyed life, for I have. How many people do you know who have trekked the Himalayas, hiked the Andes, white water kayaked the Grand Canyon 3 times, trout fished in New Zealand, sailed the Atlantic and island hopped around the Caribbean. I have had a truly blessed life. But still I have had a hard time appreciating the small things in accumulating them as joy.


My friend Dan told me about how he likes to walk near his home and sometimes just stops and looks down at the ground and sees what God has put at his feet. It may not seem like much to most, just some dirt, twigs, leaves, but he sees the beauty, enjoys and carries that with him as he continues his walk.


The other night, I envisioned him standing by a wood, staring down at the ground. He was looking at a relatively small fiery reddish/orange maple leaf, and enjoying that God put it there. He took it with him - not the leaf but the joy it brought him. Several days later I drove past a maple tree that still had all its fall colors and all its fiery red-orange leaves on it and saw Dan’s life with the cumulative multitude of the small leaves each representing joy he was able to save. The tree was joyous to see and made me think not of his life but of my live, your life, everyone's life. Each of us should be that fiery maple tree of joy.


Through my illness god has given me the ability to enjoy the moment and appreciate the small things. It is a most incredible gift. I am told I am dying, yet each day I am a happy man filled with joy - a deeper joy than I have ever known. I have thanked God for this great gift and have promised to try to pass it along to others. We are guaranteed not another minute of life, or seeing our loved ones, or enjoying this wonderful world. We need to gather our maple leaves, save them and become the fiery tree. If only I could have understood this before, my life would have been even more incredible.

Thank you Dan for so freely sharing you spirit, thank you friends and family for your support and prayers, thank you Lord for this most incredible gift."

I am relating this personal experience in this public journal as a way to follow Gibbs advice of capturing the moment. As I sit here by the river's edge in profound sadness, I'm comforted by the beauty that surrounds me. The Mississippi rolls slowly by. A Mallard with its iridescent green and blue head, white ringed neck and glowing brown breast feathers swims alongside a smaller, less splendid mate. Several Chipping Sparrows hop through the weedy grass pecking at seeds, and under the bridge which provides my shade, I hear the gentle cooing of doves.

Gibbs, this moment is for you. ¶ 4:52 PM

Cincinatti, OH

OK, if I said every show was our absolute best to date, you'd eventually stop believing me. It is time for a reality check. Last night was not our best. Someone, I think it was Wendell Kelly our trombonist, commented recently that when you feel like the band had a great show it probably really means that you just had a great show. I don't necessarily buy that, but the inverse is certainly true. If I don't feel good about my performance I tend to not notice the great work of others.

I modified the pedal system on my Dusty Strings D600 to make it easier on my back since I stand up for the entire show. The problem I'm about to describe was created by my modification, and is not the manufacturer's design. I start the very first song and it is important that the damper system on my hammer dulcimer be adjusted perfectly prior to the show. Everything checked out fine, but about half way through the song, before my solo, the string connecting my pedal to the dampers became disconnected. I had to improvise from then on. It wasn't horrible, and I'm sure no one in the audience new that anything was going wrong, but it threw me. As soon as we finished the song I got under the dulcimer and temporarily tied off the string. The way I had to tie it limited my ability to use the dampers for the rest of the first set. I took the rig off stage at intermission and repaired it but I never really got groove back. There were also a couple of noticeable mistakes made by others later in the show, but again, I'm sure most of those in the audience did not notice. It turns out that even after the show ended our bumpy night was not over.

We had a long night ahead of us, 6 hours including a scheduled gas stop. About 3 hours into the trip one of the buses had a flat tire so we had to stop and divide those people among the other two buses. We arrived in Cincinatti after sunrise and found out they had not tranferred the luggage from the broken down bus. A bunch of us decided to go to breakfast while they waited. I finally hit the sack around 7:30 am. No, I still haven't mastered sleeping on the bus.

David Hudson and I are meeting a fan this afternoon to talk about didgeridoos.

We are all looking forward to a day off tomorrow.

There are still changes coming to the web site. I just have to steal a moment here and there to work on the design.

I keep promising more pictures but run out of time before I get them posted. I'll give it another shot this afternoon. ¶ 4:54 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

There was something in the air last night! Even the pre-show dressing room jam session was top notch.

When walking off the stage for the 15 minute intermission during the show, several musicians - I remember Pedro specifically - commented on the groove. Everybody was 'on'. Yanni's audience interaction seemed more relaxed than ever. He's been on the stage for years but still gets a little nervous in front of crowds. The audience was about half the size of Toronto's, but their exhuberance was astonishing. We all felt it, and they got one of our best performances to date.

My friend Rob Charles brought in a video crew prior to the show and we wrapped up the taping of an interview seconds before the doors to the arena opened. I should be able to post some of that interview in a few days after they get a chance to edit it.

I have more pictures to post later today, but right now there are some friends waiting for me in the hotel lobby. Oh boy! I get to go do laundry.

¶ 4:55 PM

Cleveland, OH

First, a bit about the Toronto show. Wow! The audience was the largest and loudest yet. It only took a few seconds in front of that crowd to realize that this show was going to be a winner. All the solos were brilliant and at the end of the night Yanni had to come back on stage multiple times. I laughed when he finally motioned for everyone to go home on his last trip to the stage.

We boarded the bus and headed for Cleveland expecting a long delay at the border. Usually when we get on the bus the group splits into three groups: those who go to the front, where intense conversations take place well into the night; those who go to bed; and those who come to the back lounge where people generally wear headphones, watch a movie, read or work etc. Everyone chose to stay up last night so the entire buss was abuzz with conversation.

We arrived at the border around 1:30. A customs agent boarded, checked our passports, and told us to pull forward. Our driver, Harry, thought that was just the first stage of our crossing and asked the agent what we do next. The agent said "you're good to go," and we were on our way with a collective sigh of relief. We arrived in Cleveland shortly before 5am.

I have some friends attending tonight's show including Rob Charles, who's company, Breakthrough Productions, is considering producing a DVD about me and my music. Do you think perhaps I'll be trying to impress anyone tonight? He also says we can put some of the video on the web site!

David and I had hoped to continue our search for the perfect bus guitar today but it doesn't look like we'll have enough time. We're looking for something that sounds great, is not too loud and is affordable. If anyone from an upcoming tour city has suggestions about good local music stores, please email me.  

I haven't forgotten my promise to post photos of the bus. I just haven't had an opportunity to take any yet other than with my phone, and it really doesn't produce decent pictures without great lighting. I'm going to borrow someone's digital camera and get it done.   ¶ 4:56 PM

Toronto, Canada

I only have a limited amount of internet access time this afternoon so this journal entry will be short. David, Sasha, Eugene, Armen and I spent 6 hours walking the streets of Toronto yesterday afternoon. David and I split from the group at one point to go in search of a music store. We are buying an acoustic guitar to use on the bus. The results of this purchase will probably be many hours of fun for me and David, and many hours of annoyance for those trying to sleep! Just kidding. We'll be courteous.

I have dozens of email messages to return, which I can't do until we get back in the U.S. tommorrow.

I was told yesterday that tonight's show has the largest pre-ticket sales yet. I'm looking forward to seeing the reactions of a more internationally diverse audience.

Based on Canadian news reports I anticipate a lengthy wait for our border crossing tonight, which will occur in the middle of the night. ¶ 4:57 PM

Crossing The Border

We made the border crossing with no issues and only about a 20 minute wait. We've been travelling now about 30 minutes inside Canada and the ground is mostly snow covered. The terrain so far looks exactly like Southeast Missouri where I (mostly) grew up - flat, amber gray fields of winter stubble, criss-crossed by drainage ditches, power lines and the occasional radio tower. Too bad none of those towers is transmitting a sprint signal so I can connect to the net. ¶ 4:57 PM

Indianpolis, IN

Everyone I've spoken to has had a good time in Indianapolis. There's a lot to do here with hundreds of restaurants in easy walking distance, plus great shops, theatres, and museums. The streets were busy with St. Patrick's day revelers as well last night. One of the highlights of my day yesterday was listening to street performer play jigs and reels on her fiddle. It made me nostalgic for street performing at the Tennessee Aquarium, which is where this Yanni gig was born.

Hopefully everyone is fully rested and ready great show tonight at the Conseco Fieldhouse. I have a few pictures from last night when a bunch of us went out to eat, but I haven't had time to get them ready for the web site. Hopefully there will be plenty of working time tonight during our long bus ride to Toronto. I've had a few people request pictures of the inside of one of our tour buses. I'll see if I can get those posted soon as well. There's not much to report today as I've had my nose in computer manuals since sunrise. Boring stuff I know, but I'm trying to expand my skill set so that some of the fun ideas I have for this web site can become reality. ¶ 4:59 PM

Canada Bound

We're on the bus headed for the Canadian Border. Tonight's show was great and I got to meet a few serious Yanni fans. I appreciate their encouragement and it feels great to be accepted by the loyal troups.

I don't know if I'll have internet access at our hotel in Toronto. I'm sure my cellular modem won't work. If I don't post for a couple of days you'll know why. I've never been to Toronto and I definitely plan to do some sight seeing.

Strictly for the purpose of accurate journaling I want to mention the mild concern I feel about being out of the country as war breaks out in the middle east. Hopefully our border crossing will go well tommorrow morning. My thoughts and prayers tonight are with those whose lives are about to be changed forever by the inevitable reality of war. ¶ 4:59 PM

Columbus, OH

Our bus ride to Columbus ended around 5am. The overnight ride included two movies, Traffic and The Matrix, both of which could neither hold my attention nor put me to sleep. I thought surely The Matrix would knock me out because I haven't been able to stay awake through that movie yet. (Sorry Matrix fans) I spent the night catching up on email again. Once at the hotel, I caught a few winks and barely made it to the hotel restaurant before the magic moment when the breakfast bar, at $12.95 per plate, matures into a $29.95 brunch. Maybe if I wanted champagne for breakfast . . ..

I took an enjoyable stroll around the city in pleasant 50 degree sunshine. Columbus has a clean downtown with lots of shops. Our hotel is adjacent to the City Center mall. I headed back to the hotel around noon to get to work. My goal for the day was to try and complete the switchover to a blog based web site. Those of you who know what blogging is will understand, the rest don't need to worry about it. It will just make this journal easier to read and archive. Anyway, I soon found myself dog-paddling through an ocean of non-working code and decided I needed to head back over to the mall to visit a book store for a little help. So here I sit, slogging my way through blogging with little time left to update the journal.

Tomorrow we have a day off in Indianapolis. Maybe I'll catch up then. It is time to board the bus and head to the arena.
¶ 5:00 PM

Tennessean Concert Review

Review: New age icon Yanni keeps focus on the music
By MELONEE McKINNEY
Staff Writer
There are a few things one might expect at a Yanni concert — like an orchestra, maybe a decent light show and of course the requisite amount of hair flipping and posing from the Greek piano man himself.
But at Wednesday night's show at Gaylord Entertainment Center, there were also some unexpected elements that added a little spice and color to the nearly three-hour performance.
There was the introduction of the Australian tribal instrument the didgeridoo, the friendly duel between the didgeridoo player and the percussionist who came down front to show off some moves from his former job as a lead in the production of Stomp, and the point in the show where musicians put down their instruments and dance seemingly because they wanted to, not because they were asked to.
And then there was the drum solo that would make any rock drummer stand back and take note.
Nashvillian Charlie Adams, who has played with Yanni for more than 20 years, stepped away from his massive drum rig at the back of the stage and came stage front to sit behind a stripped-down basic drum kit and after a few comical exchanges with Yanni, kicked into one of live music's tightest, most impressive drum solos that brought the crowd to its feet. Twice.
This tour, in support of Yanni's Ethnicity album, lived up to its name — literally. Yanni, who took time to introduce most musicians and would then tell from what country they hailed. There were representatives from Australia, Armenia, Paraguay, Venezuela and even Chattanooga, with hammer dulcimer player Dan Landrum joining Adams to represent the Volunteer state on this tour.
The music also held true to Yanni's ''one world'' vision. At any given time one could hear the didgeridoo, operatic voices, drums, a string section, a synthesizer, a Chinese flute and a dulcimer all in one song.
One thing Yanni has mastered in years of touring is to step out of the spotlight and let his group of extremely talented musicians take their turns getting recognition. Karen Briggs, Yanni's own lady in red, actually brought a little attitude to the violin, an instrument not known for being exciting. And she held her own in friendly exchanges between fellow violinists and saxophone player Pedro Eustache.
But there were definitely two kinds of fans at the Nashville show. There were those who love his music and there were those who think Yanni is a Greek god and they are not afraid to yell it out, even when he is trying to set up the next song.
Accustomed to this, Yanni handled the shout-outs with grace and managed to turn the focus back to the music. ¶ 5:04 PM

Dayton to Buffalo

I generally like to find a place to hang out by myself prior to a show. Last night in Dayton I found I had the entire arena to myself so I climbed to the uppermost nosebleed seats. I took this photo using the camera that is built into my phone. ¶ 5:02 PM

Goodbye Friends, Hello Snow

The Nashville audience may not have been our largest, but hearing them cheer when Yanni announced the hometown boy - Charlie, and home state boy - me from Chattanooga, was by far the highlight of my trip so far. I consider myself to be rich with friends. Among those at the concert were Ken & Carla Pritchard, Brian & Madeline Green, Bryan McConkey, Brent Brumlow, Phillip Luckey, Diana Fish, Ricky & Pam Crook, Dennis & Cathy Schreiner, Rob Mottice and Nora McCarthy, Jeff & Susie Parker, Jerry Grekowicz & Mary Clor . . . I know I'm missing a bunch of other Chattanooga folks but you get the picture. It was sad to walk away from all you guys and get back on the bus.

It was also the first time Angie and Missy, wife and daughter were able to see the show. My son, who's away at college will see us in Rochester, NY in a couple of weeks.

Here are a couple of email messages I received after the Nashville show:

"Hi Dan! I can't tell you how awesome it was to see you up on that stage. It will definitely be a high point in my life experiences. (Now don't smart-off about what that might say about my life.) You shined up there. Karen, Pedro, Ming, Bradley, Samvel, Rick, Victor, Walter and Charlie were all amazing too! Seeing you all performing on stage at the same time was an incredible high. Yanni's music was energizing and thought provoking, and his ability to bring together such a high level of musicians is a true gift/talent."

---------

"My husband and I were in the 2nd row at the concert last night (directly in front of you) and it was fantastic!!! My hands are severely bruised from clapping so much, but it was worth every second. You are definitely an excellent addition to the band. I hope your wife and daughter enjoyed the concert as much as we did."

Angie and Missy said they had a great time. Missy enjoyed David's didgeridoo playing the most. I'm just glad she wasn't too embarrassed to see her dad on the stage dancing and wearing shiny clothes!

I spent most of my day off in Dayton catching up on emails and working with my friend Phillip Luckey on some changes to the web site that we'll reveal in a day or two. Several of you have asked for more pictures so that's one of the areas that will be improved. In the meantime, I'll post a family photo at the end of this journal entry.

After the Nashville show we boarded the tour bus and rode all night to Dayton Ohio. When we arrived it was raining and cold with piles of snow still in the parking lot. We have another all night trip tonight as we head toward Buffalo, NY where the temp will be in the teens. I've experienced no winter at all this year because we were in Palm Beach for January and part of February. Now I get to pay my dues. I've got to close now. It is almost 4 O'clock in the afternoon and my shuttle will be here in a few minutes to take me to the arena to tune. For those interested, my pre show, help me settle down music tonight will be Eva Cassidy, from the album Songbird. ¶ 5:05 PM

Atlanta, GA

My anticipation meter was pegged as I walked onto the stage in Atlanta last night. There were quite a few close friends in the audience including Gary Hicks, Dana Harding and Steve Philips, all members of my band, Entertaining the Fish. None of these guys had ever seen Yanni, other than on public television. What they think really matters to me so I wanted to play my best.

This tour has helped me understand with crystal clarity that in order to play my best I have to remind myself to hold back a bit. I have to guard against overplaying in the excitement of the moment. Practice may make perfect but being surrounded and reassured by such outstanding musicianship has probably helped more than anything. I am moved every night by the incredible improvisational solo work of Karen, Pedro, Ming, Bradley, Samvel, Rick, Victor, Walter and Charlie. I look around sometimes and it hits me - hey, I'm up here with these people too, and they say nice stuff about my solo work as well. It feels great - so to the question people ask the most, "Are you enjoying yourself?", the answer is yes, sometimes I can hardly believe it. Don't tell Yanni but I'd probably pay HIM for this opportunity.

The show went well. I was happy with my solos and even happier to hear that my friends and family in attendance loved it! Hopefully Gary, Dana and Steve will get inspired to get busy on our next recording project (hint, hint) which is a Christmas CD. The plan is to hit the studio as soon as I get off the road in mid-June.

I'll have an even larger cheering section for tonight's show. My wife and daughter will see the show for the first time. We plan on spending today goofing off in Nashville. ¶ 5:08 PM

Day of Atlanta Show

This is just a quick note to let you know I've been away from the tour for a couple of days, thus no updates. I continued back home to Chattanooga immediately after our overnight trip from Jacksonville to Atlanta. I've been with family and friends ever since, so there's been little time to write. I'll rejoin the group for tonight's show in Atlanta, see my family again tomorrow in Nashville, and hop on the bus as the show heads north.

The northern leg of the tour will probably keep me separated from my family until Easter, so I'm enjoying every moment I can now. Look for regular journals to continue after we leave Nashville.

On the lighter side - I talked with Yanni before the Jacksonville show and asked him if he noticed a wrong note that I struck with full gusto during the Orlando show. With a chuckle and a wink he said "So you think you're the only one who ever hits a wrong note?" He then told me that he's been watching the tapes after each show and that I've "hit my stride and should not change a thing." ¶ 5:08 PM

Orlando, FL

I'm sitting here in the back lounge of the bus talking with Brad and David. We were just discussing tonight's show and all agree that it was our best show yet. Ok, I know I've said that after every show, but it just keeps getting better. The venue was great and the packed house was the loudest yet. I had a couple of close friends in attendance so that made it more fun for me. Also, we were in Michelle Amato's hometown so she had at least 50 friends in attendance, all of whom gave her rave reviews.

Bus conversation during the two and a half hour trip to Jacksonville drifted from discussing the show, to homesickness and finally onto marketing and web design. I didn't get to finish my journal because I loaned my laptop to several others so they could check their email. My laptop is the only computer on the bus with a wireless connection to the internet, making me a fairly popular person to befriend. I don't mind though. My mobile internet service is through Sprint and is fairly reliable on most interstates.

David, Ramon and I took an in-depth look at how David's web site works and how he is going about selling CDs and his new line of Didgeridoos. They are awesome instruments and I've already purchased one. David gave me my first lesson and after a half hour of trying I was able to get 4 seconds max of drone before getting dizzy. It is much harder than it looks and I have a new respect for the magic he's able to create with his didg. Check out his website at http://www.davidhudson.com.au

I'm finishing and posting this journal entry this afternoon a few hours before the Jacksonville show. It is our 4th night in a row to perform. That is the most consecutive shows we'll do on this tour. People are a little tired and looking forward to our day off in Atlanta.

The Atlanta and Nashville shows are the most anticipated for me because I'll have a bunch of friends at both venues. I've always said it is more stressfull to play for a group of close friends than a large audience of strangers. Well, I'll find out what it's like to play for both simultaneously this week.

I'm making some great friends on this trip that I know I'll have for life. Thats nice.

In coming journals I'm going to add some short audio interviews with fellow musicians on the tour. Several people have already agreed to do them, so look for the first in about a week.

It is time to go get ready for the show. I'm a couple of days behind on responding to my own email so be patient if I haven't written you back. I spent most of today catching up on sleep. ¶ 5:09 PM

On The Bus

We are now on our way from Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale. Until today we have flown from venue to venue. Tonight we were introduced to our new homes. Welcome to the tour bus.

The musicians are divided among three buses, the crew is on several more. Our bus (I haven't seen inside the others) features two lounges, one forward, one aft. The bunks, 12 of them, are stacked three high in the center section. We have a Direct TV satelite system, DVD player and Stereo with large television sets in the front and rear lounge. There is a small kitchen area and of course a bathroom. The accouterments are first class and in good shape. If you have to live on a bus for a few months. This is the way to go.

Tonight's show felt great. The audience responded with several standing ovations and I felt my solos were solid, especially the one in Sacred Ground. I'm feeling more comfortable with each successive show, and at some point tonight I became aware that I was feeling quite relaxed on the stage. I am enjoying this, though I miss my family more each day as well. I'll get to see my wife and daughter for a couple of days next week when we head through Georgia and Tennessee. I don't even want to think about how long we'll be apart after that.

Several of you have purchased one or both of my CDs recently. I hope you'll take a little time and email me a review. I want to put together a fan review page soon. I recently posted a review that appeared in the weekend section of the Chattanooga times. Click on the Music Link to the left and check it out.

For those of you in Chattanooga you can now purchase my CDs at Cat's Records on Brainerd Road. I'm also working on getting a larger distribution going.

I'm gonna go check out my bunk now. Good Night. ¶ 5:11 PM

Concert Advice

Security is very tight at the concerts and so far, every venue has had officers doing bag inspections at the door. They're just doing their job to keep you safe, but it is slowing the flow of people into the building. Get there earlier than normal if you don't want to miss the first song. Once it begins, there is no seating until that song is over. Trust me, you don't want to miss the beginning of the concert. It is high energy and sets the pace for the rest of the night. ¶ 5:10 PM

Showtime in 45 Minutes

I'm standing next to the stage in the Forum here in Tampa. Show time is in 45 minutes, so this journal log will be brief. but I have a very important reason for wanting to get it in. The son of one of Yanni's biggest fans suffered a severe broken ankle and they are not going to be able to attend the show tonight. Here is a quote from his mom:

"I have tickets for the Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville shows but will not be able to make it because my son had an accident at school and broke his ankle in 2 places requiring surgery. I will keep the tickets as souveniers and reminder of how quickly things can change. "

The boy's name is Jonathan and I hope you'll all keep him in your prayers. The musicians, other than Yanni, don't talk during the show so I wanted to post the following to the web site before we get underway:

Jason, my solo tonight in Sacred Ground, our opening number, is for you. Hang in there and get well soon. You'll be my inspiration for laying down the best solo I've ever done on this song. Get well soon.

More tommorrow . . . ¶ 6:45 PM

Goodbye Dallas

Last night's show was a blast! The 8000 or so of you that came to the American Airlines Center were enthusiatic and inspiring. The show had one significant technical glitch when Alfreda's microphone didn't work at the beginning of The Promise.

Unexpected events like that can throw off the rhythm of a performance, but rather than put everyone on edge, Yanni handled it cooly. He stopped the song. Alfreda smiled and waved to the audience as everyone laughed and applauded with support, while she was handed a second microphone. I mention this not to point out a problem with the show, but to try and convey the family-like atmosphere that I'm already beginning to expect to be the norm at Yanni's concerts. The concerts are like a family reunion for Yanni fans, and its been five years since they've all gotten together. Anyone who comes out to see this tour expecting to have a good time won't be dissapointed.

The following is an excerpt from an email message I received from Yanni fan Christy, who attended the Las Vegas show:

"My husband (of four years) is not a huge fan of Yanni, and detests concerts to begin with. However, as a belated anniversary gift, he presented me with two tickets to the concert. I knew he would not regret it, and he didn't. Following the performance, I asked him if it was anything like he had expected. He told me it was far better than he'd anticipated, and that on a scale of 1-10, he'd give it an 8. He must have deducted two points for having had to park at the Luxor and walk to the Mandalay, because it was evident during the performance that he was thoroughly enjoying it!"

For those of you who read the Yanni message board regularly, I'd like to comment on the two reviews posted there from Dallas newspapers. One is positive, one is negative, but both praise the quality of the musicians in the show while downplaying Yanni's role. THAT is exactly the way he puts his show together. The shows are about the music. Yes, I'll give the critics their complaints about Yanni's stage antics. Some won't like them. It is his style and it is distinctive. Any thing distinctive is wide open to criticism as well as praise. The praise comes from his adoring fans. The criticism from people with pens and platforms. Is there vanity involved? Of course. He's the front man for a very successful show. Having gotten to know the man, I believeYanni is popular with his audiences because of his music, not his hair. I'm also thankful to be a part of it.

Enough of that. As I mentioned earlier, the show was fun, but the best part was getting to meet quite a few of you afterwards. I signed a few programs, books and even a t-shirt! I look forward to doing the same thing after the Tampa show Thursday night. We landed in Tampa this afternoon after a pleasant flight on a charter jet. Tommorrow is a day off and everyone has plans to get out and enjoy the area.

As always, I enjoy hearing from those of you planning to attend, as well as from those who've already seen the show. Just remember that I only have a short amount of time before the bus departs, and it is very annoying to the other musicians when the bus is held up waiting for one person. I never want to be the last person on the bus, especially as a new guy! ¶ 5:13 PM

Dallas, TX

It's about 2:30 in the afternoon here in Dallas. I'll head to the American Airlines Center in about an hour to tune and get ready for sound check. After getting one show under my belt I am really excited about tonight's performance. I hope I get a chance to meet some of you after the show. Give me a few minutes to get into some street clothes and I'll see you out front. ¶ 2:30 PM

Las Vegas, NV

My first thoughts Saturday morning were of the show which awaited Saturday evening. I believe strongly in 'living in the now', not anticipating what might happen, or dwelling on what has happened, enjoying each moment of life as it unfolds. But to tell you I was not anxious Saturday morning would be untrue.

We've been rehearsing this show since the beginning of January. There've been many days where every waking hour was spent trying to get a grasp on how I fit in the music, memorizing parts, working out unusual hammer patterns that arise from playing in key signatures which are difficult on the hammer dulcimer, and of course learning some of them in Yanni's special brand of 7/8.

I think my anticipation was reasonable. How would the audience react? Would I come down with a severe case of stage fright? I've heard stories of performers freezing before stepping onto the stage. I was fully aware that this was the largest audience before which I had ever played, and that Yanni's fans are passionate about his music.

The hours leading up to our Five O'clock sound check flowed like molasses. In talking with other musicians just before rehearsal I played it cool. No nerves here, (could they tell?) It was a relief to here some of the others, even some of the veterans, talking about similar preshow jitters. OK, I'm not alone. It was an even bigger relief to play through a few songs in the rehearsal. They sounded great! We know the music. We are ready. I'm back to living in the now.

There was about an hour to kill before getting dressed and tuned so I went back to my room and watched dusk settle in over the desert from the spectacular view granted on the 22nd floor of the Mandaly Bay Hotel. I listened to a little music (the soundtrack from Oh Brother Where Art Thou), drank some water, stared out the window, and breathed.

"Musicians on stage in five minutes!" The call came. It seemed like only a few seconds later I was standing sweaty palmed in front of my Dusty Strings hammered dulcimer basked in blue light. Applause breaks out as the familiar faces of Pedro, Karen, and Charlie make their way onto the stage. The string section does a quick tuning check and its showtime.

I don't want to reveal too much about the show, but I will say that I set the rhythm for the very first song on the hammer dulcimer and also have a solo in that song. I started, we all settled into the groove, Yanni ran onto the stage and the audience erupted. It was as if they were spilling adrenaline. It felt great!

After the show I didn't know what to do. Forgive me - I'm new at this. I wasn't sure if I should go out front and talk to people or just lay low. I chose the latter, going to my room and packing for the next morning's flight to Dallas. ¶ 5:15 PM