An eclectic mix of beats, layers, and chants.

Trevor Hall kicks things off this episode with an acoustic song from his release This is Blue. It is a story about the divine mother and father, Shiva and Shakti, and he sings about them in this context. The track is called Om Shakti Om. Next is new stuff from Chances r Good. One of the lines within the song – “so travel far, travel wide, you will always be inside the house of love”. More deep, chill sounds from him, perfect for meditating on the deeper aspects of life on a sunny afternoon at the park or the beach. The track is aptly entitled One Love. The opening set is capped off with east-meets-west fusion from DJ Drez. This is coming from his second Jahta Beat release, The Progression, with a track entitled True Self.

In 2001 Mike D of the Beastie Boys teamed up with western-born sadhu Bhagavan Das to produce the album Now. We hear one track from those recordings entitled Shri Krishna Arati. This contains the chant “Shri Krishna Govinda Hari Murari..”, names for connecting ones consciousness to the Divine through devotion. Bhagavan Das creates an ethereal, echoing space with his voice and ektara, and we also hear the sound of a bell and conch at the end of the piece. These are two items commonly used in the arati ceremony, which is a process of offering items such as incense and flowers to a form of the Divine.

Madeleine Bachan Kaur, sometimes known simply as Bachan, recently released a collection of music which she entitles Medicine Songs. These are a selection of songs used in types of sacred ceremony which originate from Central and South America. The track we hear is Aguita Que Vienes, a simple piece with guitar and voice, which explains the sacred and healing qualities of the water that flows on our Earth. Following are more Medicine Melodies from the album of the same name by Silvia Nakkach and Christopher Eickmann, with the track Shaman Journey. Singer, songwriter, and yogini, Morley is next with Keep Your Gaze Steady from her collaborative album Rhythms and Improv. “Keep your gaze steady my love, yours are the eyes that have seen God”. The track features tabla by percussionist Ehren Hanson. Capping off this set is another electronic reworking of Buddhist mantra recitation by Gary Azukx, this time with the Heart Sutra chanted by Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche.

The show ends with the Maha-Mantra set to a beautiful, mysterious tune in traditional style, and performed by Jagjit Singh & Chitra Singh. This track is coming from their album Krishna Bhajans.

Alternate MP3 Link – Mantra Radio – May 23rd 2013.mp3

An eclectic mix of beats, layers, and chants.

Today’s episode is a flow of music and exclusive interviews with musician, singer, and bhakti-yogi, Jai Uttal.

We start things off with a remix entitled Hari Om from the album Dial M for Mantra, and produced by Rara Avis of the Desert Dwellers. The track contains chants to the Divine Couple, Sita and Rama.

We move into the first part of the interview where Jai talks about his upbringing in New York, and his first trip to India in the 1970’s, where he met his beloved Guru. This is followed by a track from the album Loveland, a collaboration with Ben Leinbach, entitled Gopala Lullaby, containing chants to Krishna in his form as a young cowherd boy. Jai then talks about his time in Bengal, India, where he lived and played with various musicians from the Baul tradition. We then hear a track from Beggars and Saints entitled Lake of Exploits, an album which was inspired by that period of his life, and which was recorded with his band at that time Pagan Love Orchestra.

Jai then speaks about the place Vrindavan in India, the parikrama path which circles the town, and his experiences walking there in a mood of devotion. Vrindavan is the place where Krishna grew up, and we hear a song containing some of his Divine names “Sri Krishna Govinda Hari Murari He Natha Narayana Vasudeva”, from the album Dial M for Mantra. In the next segment Jai explains the experience of coming from such places of pilgrimage and translating that feeling into the process of recording albums, and performing in more varied environments, such as at large kirtan festivals.

Next Jai talks about the aspect of dance and kirtan, and how one can be literally moved to movement by ecstatic devotional feelings. He talks about his wife Nubia, a yogini and classical Indian dancer, and we hear a song entitled Shakya Muni Prayer, from an album she made with Jai and Ben Leinbach called Pranayama. This contains the chant “Om Muni Muni Mahamuni Shakyamuni Swaha” – a Buddhist chant to Gautama Buddha.

In the next segment Jai talks about his Kirtan Camp which happens twice a year, and also his recent Kirtan Kids album, an album featuring devotional themed stories by Jai, and enthusiastic kirtan chanted by children. We hear also the track Sita Rama-Raghupati from the live album Nectar.

Nearing the end of the show, we hear Syama Bolo from Jai and Ben Leinbach’s release Bhakti Bazaar, along with some words about Jai’s album Queen of Hearts, a collection of songs dedicated to Radha and Krishna. He talks about the role Radha plays in pure devotion, and how we can understand the mood of selfless service through her embodiment of it. We cap things off with a track called Radha Remix from the album Nectar, a track produced by Ben Leinbach.

Also featured in this show are the songs Govinda and Surya from Music for Yoga, Gopala’s Dream from Dial M for Mantra, and Distant Episode from Monkey.

Alternate MP3 Link – Mantra Radio – May 16th 2013.mp3

An eclectic mix of beats, layers, and chants.

Todays show is a flow of music and exclusive interview segments with Aykanna and the Kirtaniyas.

We kick off with some words and sounds from sacred-music duo Sukhdev and Akahdahmah Jackson. In this segment they talk about the ancient Arameic version of the Lord’s Prayer with reflections on it’s meaning, their individual and combined journeys coming to Kundalini Yoga, the experience of chanting collectively, yoga and kirtan festivals and festival culture, and their upcoming performance schedule.

The songs we hear are Bluezone and Ek Ong Kaur from the release Mother, Om Namo Gurudev Namo from Livelight, and Funky Divinity from Mantra Mala. We also hear the instrumentals Morning Ragga and Rising Oneness during interview segments, both of which can be found on their Livelight album.

Next we chat with Vijay of the Kirtaniyas, a four-piece kirtan band who have been noticeably active on the festival circuit in the past few years, and who have generated much appreciation from fellow chanters.

Vijay talks about his love for kirtan and how the group originally came to be, the adaptation of styles and moods in different venues and environments, their electronic kirtan project and collaborating with other artists, time spent in India and pilgrimage, the Mantras Beats and Bass tour, and their upcoming releases, including an album produced by world music fusion pioneer Cheb I Sabbah.

Musically in this segment we hear the tracks Govinda Jaya Jaya sung by Rasika, Radha Ramana sung by Vijay with production by DJ Drez, Braj Mahamantra also led by Vijay, and Gopi Lullaby performed by Sarasvati.

In addition we hear some excellent background sounds from Chinmaya Dunster and Eastern Sun.

(Aykanna and the Kirtaniyas will both be performing at Shaktifest in Joshua Tree, CA in mid-May)

Alternate MP3 Link – Mantra Radio – May 9th 2013.mp3

An eclectic mix of beats, layers, and chants.

This episode is a flow of music from, and exclusive interviews with, Beatfarmer, David Starfire, Govinda, and dancer Taiya Curle. It also explores the sacred space of the contemporary dancefloor, and how mantra is being used as a tool in that environment to create depth and connection.

To get things rolling, we hear a track by the Desert Dwellers entitled Sunrise at Sindhu from the release Muladhara Yoga Dub. This leads us into the first interview segment.

Adam Wood, otherwise known as Beatfarmer, is an electronic music producer from the gulf islands of British Columbia, Canada. In this interview he talks about the sacred dancefloor, connecting to something higher than ourselves, community, the voice as an instrument for expression, and our instinctive attraction to primal rhythm. We also hear a track from him entitled Native State (Tribe Mix), and in the background Until Next Morning (Cave to Sky Mix) from his latest album release, Mantra.

More music from Beatfarmer, Path to Peace, carries into the next segment with David Starfire. In this interview David talks about his journey both musically and spiritually, his initial exposure to world music, and bringing these worlds together. He shares some background on his recently started project with fellow producer Freq Nasty called Dub Kirtan All-Stars, and talks about transformation festivals and people waking up to a larger reality of connectivity. Musically, we hear the track Radhe Govinda from DKAS’s newest release entitled Subsonic Devotion. Also heard is a remix by Adham Shaikh of David’s track Flying Carpet, from the album Bollywood Bass.

Next up, Shane O’Madden, aka Govinda, tells us the story of how he came to use the name for his music project. He also talks about his collaboration with Irina Mikhailova on the track Candle Fire from his latest album Resonance, a song which features the Green Tara mantra – “Om Tare Tu Tare Tura Swaha”. And in a similar vein he elaborates on his collaboration with Mohammed Firuzi on the track Rumi Love Poem, a piece which contains Farsi poetry by the great mystic, Rumi. After hearing the song itself, Shane explains the driving force behind his work, and talks about transformation festival culture and the range of experiences potentially held therein. Shaolin Clouds by the Desert Dwellers is heard in the background, which carries us into the next part of the show.

Taiya Curle is a dancer who brings the sacred into her performance. In this segment she talks about sound as therapy, dance as ritual, prayer and intention in dance, surrendering to the moment, and her healing experiences with chanting and chakra toning. Musically we hear another song from Beatfarmer entitled Mantra, and the track Peaceful Om’s from the Desert Dwellers.

The show is capped off with a beautiful and melodic track from Rising Appalachia & The Human Experience entitled Sunu, from The Bloom Soundtrack – Volume 1.

We’d like to offer a big thank-you to Nils of Beats Without Borders for his help organizing these interviews!.

Alternate MP3 Link – Mantra Radio – May 2nd 2013.mp3

An eclectic mix of beats, layers, and chants.

We kick things off in this episode with a beautiful track by Bachan Kaur entitled We All Want Love, a collaboration with producer and yogi Mahan Kalpa Singh which features the kundalini chant “Ra Ma Da Sa Sat Say So Hung”. In the notes for the release MADA Love, from which this song is from, we find the words “.. each song springs forth from the deep spiritual experience of the soul journey here on earth and the authentic longing for truth and love.”

From the classic 1972 release Ah by Bhagavan Das comes the track Radhe, a deeply meditational piece with voice, ektara, and simple percussive sounds. He sings the words “Radhe .. Bolo .. Radhe Govinda”, chants to the divine couple Radha and Krishna. Following in the same thread School of Braja perform the hypnotic Supreme Goddess Meditations from their self-titled release. A track produced by electronic music producer and DJ, Mark Pritchard.

Next is a short piece entitled Nana Maia, or Lullaby to Illusion, from Silvia Nakkach and Christopher Eickmann, followed by a similarly short recording named Pranam (Prayer) from MC Yogi’s Pilgrimage album. We hear then from Mother Medicine with chants associated with the goddess Lalita-Tripurasundari, or Goddess of the Three Cities. This is sung by Kathryn Green to the accompaniment of Gabriel Logan Braun on Didgeridoo, and comes from a self-titled release. The set is capped-off by Mahasukha with the Buddhist chant “Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum” from his release Longing. The track is entitled Padmasambhava Mantra II and is a meditation on Guru Rinpoche, sometimes referred to as the second Buddha.

The show ends with a combination of hang drum by Masood Ali Khan, flute by Steve Gorn, and the Maha-Mantra chanted by Kayamani Devi. The song comes from the Yoga Sessions release entitled Hang with Angels.

Alternate MP3 Link – Mantra Radio – April 11th 2013.mp3