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Flow of Grace: Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa by Krishna Das $30 (PAN Members $27) |
Review from Amazon: This CD is truly amazing! No one can sing the Hanuman Chalesa like Krishna Das. Every variation of this song is beautiful and the additional CD of pronunciation is incredibly helpful for those of us who would like to learn how to sing along with Krishna Das' incredible voice. Every time I play this CD during one of my yoga classes, I have students asking for the name of the CD at the end of class. This CD moves me to my soul every time I listen to it. Even my five-year old tells me that listening to his CD "makes his heart happy". This is a must-have CD! |
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Door of Faith by Krishna Das $30 |
On this unusual recording, a departure from
the call-and-response (kirtan) style, the deep longing to connect with
his guru that comes through makes one feel as if you are listening in on
Krishna Das's personal puja offerings. Like Breath of the Heart, Door of Faith was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin, this time in his home studio. Known not only for his seminal rap and rock recordings, but also for his recent definitive work with Neil Diamond and the late Johnny Cash, Rubin is deservedly famous for his ability to capture the essence of an artist's expression: there is nothing extraneous on these tracks. Mostly, it's Krishna Das' weathered, sonorous voice and his harmonium, joined here and there by instrumental tracings-western strings, horns, and keyboards, and Benjy Wertheimer's eastern esraj. Other veterans of KD's previous recordings include Lili Haydn, John McDowell and Benmont Tench. A duet with daughter, Janaki on "Mere Gurudev" is a most tender invocation. Door of Faith is an enhanced CD, featuring a 7-minute film that includes footage of the recording process, a conversation with Ram Dass and commentary by Krishna Das. |
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Breath of the Heart by Krishna Das $30 |
The best of the three worlds: the passionate magic of a live kirtan with Krishna Das...recorded in the ultimate environment of Hollywood's famed Cello Studios...produced by rap/rock legend, Rick Rubin, known for his transparent, essential sound. Add in to the mix the contributions of a stellar group of supporting musicians, including Ty Burhoe (Tabla), Steve Gorn (Bansuri), Lili Haydn (Violin), John McDowell (Hammond B3, Piano, Djembe, Gorong, Tana, Shakers, Tambourine), Benmont Tench (Hammond B3, Piano) and Benjy Wertheimer (Esraj), along with the heartfull singing of the 50-strong Kosmic Kirtan Posse-the result is both transcendent and exquisitely embodied. |
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Live on Earth (for a limited time only) by Krishna Das $35 (2 CD set) |
Some people have been known to leave this CD in their car's player singing along with it daily. Here is a double CD recording of Krishna Das leading call-and-response kirtan, interspersed with several more-meditative, solo prayers (including one of his classic versions of the Hanuman Chaleesa); a rock-solid rhythm section anchored by drum and percussion maestro, John McDowell; and exquisitely understated and beautiful cello and bansuri flute support from Hans Christian (Rasa) and Steve Gorn, respectively. |
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Greatest Hits of the Kali Yurga by Krishna Das $30 |
They say that in the Kali Yuga - that period
in the vast Vedic cycle of ages at which the light of spirit is dimmest
in the world: a sort of dark night of the soul on a cosmic scale - the
most effective practice for most people is the repetition of the Divine
Names. For thousands, Krishna Das' recordings, kirtans, and workshops
have been a doorway into that practice and a compelling taste of the
sweetness of Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion. This CD/DVD set is both an overview of the journey so far and an excellent introduction to his work for those who are newly discovering it. The CD is a compilation of choice selections from his first five albums, as well as a new studio recording, "Bhajelo-ji Hanuman," and a Dub Farm remix of "Baba Hanuman," from Breath of the Heart. The DVD features Mahavir Michael Drumm's feature-length documentary, One Life at a Time, a chronicle of Krishna Das' life and journey that includes extensive live kirtan footage and in-depth interviews with KD, as well as insightful commentary from several friends and colleagues, including Ram Dass, Sharon Salzberg, John Friend and Ty Burhoe. The DVD also contains full-length videos of four of the live chants that are excerpted in the documentary, with audio playable in Dolby 5.1 or in stereo. |
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Pilgrim Heart by Krishna Das $30 |
African beats mix and mingle with finger cymbals, sarangi and khol; electronic programming; and, of course, Krishna Das' depth-charged Sanskrit namakirtan to create the signature pop-worldbeat sound of this ever-popular recording. Tracks include "Mountain Hare Krishna," with its lovely, searching melody and guest vocals by Sting; the haunting lyricism of the English-language "Mother Song;" and "Devi Puja," the cycle of prayers to the Goddess that KD often sings in his current kirtan and workshops. The album ends on a high note, with a short narrative of the Ramayana playfully set to ebullient township jive in "The Ring Song." |
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All One by Krishna Das $30 |
Kirtan can be as simple, on the one hand, as
two people alone in a room, singing the Divine Name back and forth to
each other. On the other hand, it can be a complex big band of 70
singers and 18 musicians! This 50-plus-minute, in-depth exploration of the Hare Krishna mantra starts off on the simpler side, with Krishna Das’ slow, richly-textured chanting, the drone of his harmonium, a touch of Steve Gorn’s bansuri flute and Elaine Kreston’s cello, and the responses of the Ever-Changing Kosmic Kirtan Posse. The other musicians waiting in the wings, including Steely Dan’s Walter Becker (bass) and Def Leppard’s Rick Allen (drums), then step forward, sit down, and turn up the volume, when this pensive melody spreads its wings wide and takes off. Largely recorded in single takes at New York’s Avatar Studios over three days in November, 2004, All One is a mantric suite in four movements: the simple opening instrumentation, with Ty Burhoe joining in on tabla; the second movement, a sort of Western classical section, with John McDowell’s piano grounding the increasing musical intensity; the third track, which drops back down briefly for a restful moment with David Nichtern’s guitar before opening up into a rock-and-roll ride; and the final movement, kicking in with “Radhe” to a dance party of South African township jive, trumpet and all. But the heartbeat at the center of it all isn’t, in the end, the pulse of the drums or the soaring guitars. It’s the Hare Krishna mantra itself, and the palpable devotion in their voices as Krishna Das and the posse take turns sending it back and forth—singing and listening, singing and listening to the Divine Name. 20-piece band or not, this is what it comes down to. And that’s as simple as it gets. |
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A Drop of the Ocean by Sultan Khan and Krishna Das $30 |
Many times in his workshops and interviews,
Krishna Das has emphasized that devotional chant practice is ultimately
not about the music, but rather, about the actual, continual repetition
of the Divine Names. In this case it most definitely is about the music,
or, more precisely, it's a masterful demonstration by Ustad Sultan Khan,
one of India's greatest living musicians, of music as an expression of
devotion in itself. This project was originally conceived as a recording of Ustad Khan performing traditional bhajans, solo on his signature sarangi-an intensely demanding and hauntingly beautiful classical Indian bowed instrument. But the recording took an unexpected turn in the studio, at Ustad Khan's insistence, to include a vocal call-and-response between Khan Sahib and Krishna Das. The result is an extraordinary conversation between two men coming from very different musical traditions, in the shared language of bhakti, of the heart. In a continuing spirit of collaboration, Krishna Das later added readings of devotional texts in further response to the depth and sweetness of Khan Sahib's singing and playing, as additional "windows.... into the beauty that lies within." In its final form, the recording is a profound teaching on the nature of love, as well as an unforgettable listening experience. |
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Sacred Circle by Amrit Kirtan $30 (PAN Members $27) |
Sacred Circle is
classically-trained vocalist Amrit Kirtan's musical debut. An
introspective album, Sacred Circle carries you on a gentle Meditteranean
breeze with its warm vocals, rolling instrumentals and whispering flute.
There is an intimate feel to these chants that evokes a sense of deep harmony with the self. The arrangements have a light Mediterranean influence, featuring guitar, gentle rhythms and keyboard ambience. Thomas Barquee is featured on the album as both the producer and keyboardist, accompanied by Girish on percussion and Domonic Breaux on flute. |
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Pure Ganesh by GuruGanesha Singh $30 (PAN Members $27) |
Journeying from intimate to
expansive, Pure Ganesh showcases GuruGanesha Singh’s signature guitar
work and rich chant vocals. It also features the soaring vocal
improvisations of Snatam Kaur. “Pure Ganesh is a personal expression of my relationship with God and is a way for me to connect with and express the love deep inside my heart.” - GuruGanesha Singh Khalsa Recording the new album, Pure Ganesh, has exposed GuruGanesha to new levels of musical and spiritual development. “A part of me is expressed through this album that has been dormant since 1972 when I essentially started focusing on backing up chanting with rhythm guitar instead of continuing to grow as a lead guitarist. My creativity as a guitarist has really come alive since I started playing with Snatam Kaur and has particularly come alive during the creation of this album. It’s very exciting to realize that at age 55 my best years as a guitarist and musician are still ahead of me. I am now determined to realize my full potential before I leave this physical body and I feel like the sky is the limit.” “Music is the most meaningful outlet for my creative self and it is the most heartfelt expression of my essence as a human being.” |