Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar are two of the teachers who are credited as popularizing [hatha] yoga in the West. Since that time there has been an explosion of interest in the culture, spirituality and teachings of India.
This week RockOm wants to introduce you to two amazing Western musical acts, both influenced by the yogic tradition. First we bring you a Featured Track of the Week by Ithaca, NY's Ayurveda. Singer Tom Burchinal's lyrics, while not afraid of the darkness, explore a more positive, spiritual reality consistent with their namesake. The band's songs "God Ain't" and "End Is Yours" will be streaming from the RockOm homepage all week long.
We also bring you an interview with Counting Crows founding member and Sahaja Yoga practitioner Matt Malley. His new album, The Goddess Within, speaks to the rising Kundalini energy and includes Beatles-esque rock tunes dealing with spirituality and deeper themes. Be sure to check out Matt's interview with RockOm, Matt Malley Awakens the Goddess. For more on Matt, watch the following video:
An Interview with Playing For Change: Peace Through Music filmmaker Jonathan Walls By Tom Crenshaw, tom@RockOm.net
“To travel the earth and to absorb its spectrum of differences and similarities became frustrating, enlightening and exhilarating all at once. To ponder our path is overwhelming, but when I simplify its core, I realize we are all still humans being and we are all one. When this understanding sank in, as it did for me while filming, the mysteries of life disappeared. And then I listened to the music.” [Jonathan Walls]
As with most revolutions Playing For Change: Peace Through Music began with the sound of one voice. That voice belonged to a street musician named Roger Ridley who was often referred to as "the voice of God" by the other street musicians on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California. That’s where Playing For Change co-director Mark Johnson came across Roger performing the song “Stand By Me.” Witnessing this performance inspired Mark to return and to film and record Ridley and his anthem-song. Four years later, and after a whirlwind journey to various continents capturing musicians on film, the world is gifted with a second award winning documentary, Playing For Change: Peace Through Music (the first being Playing For Change in 2003), a ten song CD and seven track DVD. The CD/DVD album, Playing For Change: Songs From Around the World, is a collection of songs and videos featuring over 100 musicians across the planet that have never met in person, but have been brought together through the power of music.
"Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world."
Utilizing innovative mobile audio/video techniques, Playing for Change recorded musicians outdoors in cities and townships worldwide. They've traveled from post-Katrina New Orleans to post-apartheid South Africa, from the remote beauty of the Himalayas to the religiously diverse Jerusalem. The players' talents are captured in a myriad of environments: under the sun and beneath the streetlights; in public parks, plazas and promenades; in doorways, on cobblestone streets, and amid hilly pueblos. Their performances are subsequently mixed together, allowing them to collaborate - even though they are separated by hundreds, or even thousands, of miles.
Bill Moyers calls Playing For Change a remarkable example of "the simple yet transformative power of music... to touch something in each of us." Variety acknowledges it as "a great showcase for just what incredible, thoroughly accessible popular music is being made worldwide." Playing for Change is an extraordinary effort to unite musicians and vocalists from diverse parts of the globe, while at the same time seeking to immerse audiences in a multimedia movement to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music.
RockOm recently had the opportunity to speak with Playing For Change co-director Jonathan Walls about the documentary Playing for Change: Peace Through Music, which has been airing around the country on PBS (click here for airing schedule). In October the full length documentary will be available on DVD for purchase at PlayingForChange.com.
RockOm: You wrote in April of last year in The Huffington Post that to “travel the earth and to absorb its spectrum of differences and similarities became frustrating, enlightening and exhilarating all at once.” Now that you’ve had some time to reflect on making the documentary, what has the experience taught you about music and the human condition or spirit?
Jonathan: Music is one of the most beautiful expressions we have. It has shown me and all of us who are involved that it is a language that anyone understands and there are really no limitations to how you express yourself with music. As far as bringing in the human connection, it opens you up to other people even if there's uncomfortableness because of cultural differences. On this journey, music was a path that connected both parties, both us as filmmakers and the musicians. Our best way of communicating with them in the beginning was with a video iPod showing them the rough stages of [Playing For Change's first video] "Stand By Me."
RO: Playing For Change has consumed 10 years of your life thus far, which you’ve shared with the 100 or so musicians who’ve appeared in the two documentaries. Did you and co-director Mark Johnson ever dream Playing For Change would have the impact it has produced?
Jonathan: No, we never really thought it would impact so many people. I never would have imagined that in the very beginning. We always had the hopes that it would be inspiring but it has been a little overwhelming in feeling the impact it has had.
RO: There’s a quote in the movie, “Music knows no boundaries, knows no races… it is possible for music to bring peace around the world.” How do you answer those who would say this is being naive or is simply wishful thinking?
Jonathan: I would say it's also naive to think otherwise. That is a strong statement and it's not going to bring peace ultimately but it could start to crack down the barriers, which is a step toward peace.
RO: While filming the musicians, what did you see or discover that was cause for celebration in some of the most desolate places on earth - where disease, poverty, and conflict are commonplace?
Jonathan: In the township of Gugulethu, outside of Cape Town, South Africa, is really a poor and impoverished area where a lot of people are living. We were in the back yard of a musician named Pokei Klaas in a sea of shacks and small homes. Once he assembled his band and got the music going, people starting coming out of their little homes and dancing and celebrating in the music. From what we were told, that kind of excitement and jubilation hadn't been witnessed in some time. That was a very wonderful experience in that there was celebration in music and they forgot in that moment whatever things were bringing them down.
RO: Is that the township where the Playing For Change School is now at?
Jonathan: Yes, we built that in Klaas' back yard.
RO: How did that come about?
Jonathan: We were talking to Pokei after interviewing and getting to know him and he said that a dream of his was to have a school to help all the kids in his township. So that was kind of the birth of the idea of the [Playing For Change] Foundation - to build schools around the world and give the kids a future. Yes, it was born in that moment of the performance in Pokei Klaas' back yard. [laughs] A year and a half later we were there building the school.
RO: A quote from an Indian musician in the move says, “Through music we can get enlightenment.” Do you agree with his statement and if so, what does this enlightenment look like to you?
Jonathan: I agree with that statement. I'm not a musician myself but in witnessing all sorts of music, it can be a tool for meditation. If you do get into the music and express yourself with your music, I think it can give you some enlightenment and a more pure understanding of everything.
RO: Who are some of the most memorable musicians that stand out in your mind in the documentary and on the CD?
Jonathan: Grandpa Elliot is a special soulful musician that really sticks out. He's definitely a character and he's now one of the main musicians in our band. He's also the musician I spent a lot of time with. And then the Asian musicians, Sur Sudha, one of whom gave the quote about enlightenment, really had an impression on me because I really hadn't listened to that kind of music but I just love the tablas and sitar. There's another musician who plays the veena in India named Rajhesh Vaidhya and what he does on that veena is absolutely incredible. It compares to Jimi Hendrix! [laughs] It's phenomenal.
RO: Tell us about the Playing For Change Band that was just recently featured on The Colbert Report as well as those musicians comprising the band presently on a world tour.
Jonathan: The Playing For Change Band wasn't even one of our missions when we started. It came about on its own, basically. When we were talking with Starbucks and Concord Music Group, there was a Starbucks convention in New Orleans and they suggested that we have a little concert for all the store owners who came for that convention. So we assembled the musicians that were available and whom we thought would play well together and the crowd loved it. When our CD was first coming out, the label wanted to do a promotional tour so we brought more musicians together and throughout our travels, it was a really amazing experience. We got positive feedback from all audiences. So now it has become an entity that people want and there's going to be a fall tour in I believe 30 cities.
RO: Are you and Mark Johnson doing a documentary on the tour?
Jonathan: [laughs] No, I don't think we are. We might go out on a little stretch and do some filming and we're going to have a Foundation benefit during that tour here in Los Angeles that we are going to film. You never know down the road. We have filmed a lot of the concerts; we went to Glasbury recently and shot that concert. There might be a special release some day of live performances in different venues.
RO: Is there something you're working on in the future that's centered on music or would you like to move away from musical projects?
Jonathan: Music has become a very important part of my life as a filmmaker. Playing For Change was a concept that may really live on for quite some time, so we are talking about doing other music related projects. I think right now I'm going to stay on that train of music. There are other things I'd like to do as a documentary filmmaker, but right now I'm enjoying the ride of Playing For Change.
Playing for Change: Songs Around the World is the name of the album that accompanies the documentary, Playing For Change: Peace Through Music. Playing for Change is an extraordinary effort to unite musicians and vocalists from diverse parts of the globe, while at the same time seeking to immerse audiences in a multimedia movement to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. Be sure to also check out RockOm's interview with filmmaker Jonathan Walls.
"One Love"
"While recording and filming in Dharmsala India, where we planned to add some Tibetan singers to this track we passed by a small record shop on the side of the road. The display featured about 50 Tibetan CD covers and one Bob Marley album in the middle. This song around the world is in dedication to the love inside each of us. We can achieve far more together as a human race than we ever can apart. One Love." (Playing For Change)
Acoustic-reggae rocker Trevor Hall's new self-titled album (Trevor Hall, Vanguard Records) features guest performances by Colbie Caillat, Krishna Das and Matisyahu. Over its 12 fantastic tracks, he explores themes of spiritual lightheartedness ("Internal Heights"), death and surrender ("Who You Gonna Turn To?"), unity between faiths ("Unity"), the story of Krishna ("Volume"), his accepting of all spiritual paths as one truth ("Many Roads") and more.
RockOm met up with Trevor at his CD release party in his hometown of Hilton Head Island, SC to discuss his spiritual practice, a chance encounter in India and themes from the new album.
RockOm: How does it feel to be in the Vanguard Records family now?
Trevor Hall: Vanguard is great. They’ve really been amazing. They’re much smaller than my previous label but it makes it more of a family vibe. They’ve been very helpful with promotion and hooking me up with some nice people and have been wonderful to work with. I’m really looking forward to seeing the rest of what they do with the record.
RO: One of your classic songs, “Lime Tree”, made it’s way back onto your new album. What was the decision to include that again?
TH: That’s such a popular song and it’s only on one EP from a long time ago so we wanted to formally release it and redo it – I’ve grown a lot since then. We had my friend Colbie Callait come in and sing on it which was great and it just fits the record I think. We only redid that one and “31 Flavors” but the rest of the album is all new material.
RockOm: Let’s get into some of those songs. In “Who You Gonna Turn To” you repeat “Surrender to the Most High; surrender, I say surrender.” For people who are not sure how to do that, what would you say to them? What does surrender look like or mean to you?
TH: Well, I’m trying to do that myself! [laughs] But before we jump into the songs it’s important to understand that a lot of the songs aren’t where I’m at presently. They’re all speaking to me too, you know? I’m singing what I’m hearing so they’re all lessons for me too – speaking to me, teaching me. I’m trying to surrender, too, so I don’t know what I could say to other people. But from what I’ve heard from people above me is that surrender is a very powerful thing. Especially in music - music automatically demands a state of surrender when you listen to it. Or if you’re in a live setting, you can’t dance or let yourself go unless you surrender to the sounds. Music is a very powerful instrument in helping with the process of surrendering, I think.
“Who You Gonna Turn To” is a song that is obviously about dying but it’s maybe not bodily death. Maybe it’s more of an ego death or something. Who you gonna turn to at the end of your life when all this is gone? Are you going to turn to your money or your friends? You come alone, you go alone. It’s a song about death but I think it’s a very positive song because it’s saying “I know who I’m going to turn to.” “My mama’s on her lion and papa's home in Zion” – the eternal Mother and Father, that’s who I’m going to turn to.
RO: On your previous albums, images of the divine seemed to be mostly (though not entirely) feminine - such as Durga and Shakti - but it seems like in this album there are some references to a father/masculine divine who often is referenced alongside Zion. I was curious if that's been a new development in your spiritual journey and/or if your friendship with Matisyahu had some influence in that.
TH: I don’t know, I just think that’s what was coming through. Where the Mother is, the Father is too. Where the Father is, the Mother is too. I don’t know if it was another aspect of my inner life but that was just my meditation at the time. I think I had been meditating on the “divine Family” rather than one parent. I don’t know if there’s anything “secret” there or not – I hope so! [laughs]
RO: In the song “House” you sing “far beyond what you call God.” Do you think we limit ourselves sometimes by holding an image in our head of a personification of God when in reality there could be so much broader of an understanding?
TH: I think it can. But there’s so many different ways to love God. They’re all the same goal to me. I don’t know what other people think, but to me it’s one goal. Some people worship God with form, some people worship God without form. Some people say that worshiping God with form is limiting God, but in my experience I think that all ways eventually lead there. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing as long as you love God. That’s what I think. It doesn’t matter if you’re married or not married, it only matters how much you love God. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the city or town or temple, it just matters how much you love God.
I was watching this movie the other day about one of my favorite singers and they interviewed this fruit vendor in India. She sang this devotional song and it just blew my mind. And she’s a fruit vendor – do you know what I mean? She doesn’t have a garb on; she isn’t a nun. Wherever you are, that’s it. I just think that love of God is the highest thing, so whatever helps with that and keeps you open minded is all right in my book.
RO: On “My Baba” - your tribute to Neem Karoli Baba – you have chant master Krishna Das singing on the chorus. I'm sure that was a joy and pleasure to have him agree to back you up on that song. Tell us what having him on the record means to you as well as how that came to be.
TH: That was big time! [laughs] I was very happy. I had only met Krishna Das one time and the way I had met him was kind of funny. I had talked to him on the internet and we have a mutual friend. He was going to India the same time I was and he sent me an email that said, let me know where you’re going and your dates because maybe while we’re there we can link up. I said I would let him know but I never did just because I was so busy and couldn’t remember. It was my first trip to India so I was a little antsy and so I never got around to emailing him. So one night we’re in Rishikesh, which is a little town in the Himalayas right by the Ganga, that is absolutely gorgeous. We went into this little café to eat dinner and my friend said, “Hey, there’s Krishna Das.” [laughs] I turn and over at the next table was Krishna Das and all these people were around him asking to get pictures. He looked kind of bummed out, like he wanted to get away. So I waited until everyone left and I went up to him and said, “Excuse me, Krishna Das?” and he groaned, “Yes?” I said, “I don’t mean to bother you, but my name is Trevor.” And he was like, “Trevor! Why didn’t you email me?!” [laughs] We talked for a little and found out we were going different directions but we saw each other and it was kind of like Baba’s play. It’s just so funny. It’s the only time I’ve seen him physically.
But with the album I had this song called “My Baba.” I really wanted to do a song for [Neem Karoli] Baba because he’s my biggest inspiration. As the song was coming the chorus happened to be “Hari, Hari, Mahadev.” As we were going into the studio I thought, man it would be cool to get Krishna Das to sing on that. So my manager contacted him and they talked for a while. When he heard the song he thought it was great and said “Let’s do it.” He didn’t come to LA because he was busy but we sent the track to him and he recorded it and sent it back. He’s so awesome; he didn’t ask for anything, he’s such a great guy. It was a big thing for me because I love Krishna Das and he’s part of the Neem Karoli Baba family. That’s probably one of my favorite songs on the whole record.
RO: In "Many Roads," one of the lines that resonated with me most is "Are you made from magic? Are you made from wishful thinking?" As people of faith, those questions still come up, don't they? As much of our life and lifestyle are dedicated to serving and loving God, there's still those moments that we have to ask whether it's all a figment of our imagination. What do you do when the doubt comes?
TH: It seems to come often, doesn’t it? [laughs] You just have to have faith. Baba said that many things go into one's spiritual practice but the three main ingredients are faith, devotion and patience. For me it’s hard to remember it’s not an overnight process. You have to plant the seed, you have to water the seed, you have to cultivate the land and cultivate your mind. You get impatient but that’s where you’re growing. You know, there are yogis in India who have been doing this for thousands of lives. They’re up in the caves chanting God’s name 24 hours a day and here we are – you do a mala in the morning and you’re like, “Hey, where is it [enlightenment]?” It’s just you have to be patient. Baba also says that we may forget, but God never forgets about his devotees. God never forgets about us even if we’re doubting so you just have to believe. I mean, where can you go [away from God]?
RO: In the song “Volume” you talk about the silence that can be found. How would you best tell someone to begin finding some silence amidst all of life’s noise?
TH: Oh God, you’re asking the wrong person. [laughs] My mind is like a freakin’ jukebox and I don’t even know what CDs are inside it.
RO: But you find it onstage at times?
TH: Yes, well everybody has a way of finding silence - whether you meditate, whether you sit by yourself and listen to your breath or listen to music. But for me music is very powerful and there’s a place where the sound is coming through and you’re just listening to the sound. When you’re singing you’re listening and you don’t feel like you’re doing anything. It doesn’t happen often but when it does, whew, it’s heavy. Sometimes outside it’s so loud but inside it’s just so silent. Like, I feel that in a lot of places in America, outside it’s silent but inside we’re not very relaxed. But in India it was very different for me – outside there was noise and all of this stuff but inside people have a little bit of silence. So it’s kind of a trick - Mother’s trick, an illusion. You have to be careful, she can trick you. [laughs]
But with “Volume” the chorus is “Close your eyes and hold me and no harm will befall you.” Krishna said that to the gopas, his friends in the field. “That’s what is spoken to me when I turn down the volume.” You can’t hear it until you quiet down.
RO: You’re going to have a lot of young people here at the concert tonight. Some of that is going to bleed over. They’re going to look at you and go, “This cat’s got his act together” – little do they know… [laughs]
TH: Little do they know the TV I watch [laughs] and the things I do in my off time.
RO: But if they listen to the words to that song, it gives them lots to relate to.
TH: The whole song really is about Krishna. “Rain comes down but he holds the mountain; Blue like sky, can you tell me why?” Krishna’s skin is blue and then my favorite story about Krishna is where he holds up the mountain. When he was a young cowherd boy in the fields, his village would pray to Indra, god of rain, to give them rain for their crops. One day Krishna said, “Does Indra accept your offering? Does he come down and eat it with his own mouth? There’s no need to do this. Just believe in me and everything will be fine.” So Indra has a little bit of ego and gets very mad that this little boy is taking away his worship. So he holds the rains and then one day he just lets it flood. All the people in the village are very worried. They think they’re going to drown and that Indra is going to kill them. So they go to Krishna and say, “You have to help us. Save us!” So in Vrindavan there’s a place called Govardhana Hill and you can go there today. And Krishna lifted up the mountain with his pinkie and held it above his head. There are many famous pictures of this. All the villagers come under the mountain and they have a big festival for seven days where they eat and drink and be merry. It really humbled Indra.
So that’s the opening line, but all of the references in “Volume” are about Krishna’s life.
RO: The album’s opening song is “Internal Heights.” What does it mean for you to "maintain internal heights"?
TH: That’s just it right there. That is the goal of my life. Where does your strength come from? The eternal Giver. Maintain internal heights. “To see the transcendent Being, got to keep your hands clean.” Maintain internal heights. Internal heights, always, everywhere you go. It’s hard but this song is a remembering. This is the first song and sets the theme for the whole record.
RO: In last year’s RockOm interview you said, “Everything is meditation.” Is everything still meditation for you?
TH: Yes! [laughs] Sometimes you don’t remember it’s meditation but then it gets you and you’re like. Oh! There it is again – that lesson! Too many lessons!
RockOm Round-up is a quick glance at what's going on around the world in the areas of music and spirituality...
Katy Perry: Sass, spirituality and secrets - Katy Perry says, "I'll never be really blasphemous. I kind of just straddle the line between being the sex kitten and Lolita. My faith is still important to me and I guess you could say that, spiritually, I'm still a wanderer." (TheStar.com)
A Muslim meld of punk and piety - "That's about when the cops put an end to one of the strangest cultural mash-ups in North American Muslim history." Here is a story about Taqwacore: a furious meld of punk and piety. (theglobeandmail.com)
Spirituality and Music 101 - "Music is simply a different form of prayer - or talking to/with/about the human experience of life and its transcendent dimensions, God." (examiner.com)
“I was given the gift of devotional song from birth, raised with the music of the temple, taught to sing and play beautiful instruments and dance... for love and for God,” says Gaura Vani, the heralded musician and leader of what Jai Uttal calls, “Simply the most wonderful kirtan band in the Western world.” Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits has released their second CD entitled Ten Million Moons and are in the midst of a prolific year. Not only has the band been featured at the sold-out Obama Presidential Inaugural event Chant4Change, they have also recently been heard on NPR’s All Things Considered and seen in the CBS Television Special, Faith, Music and Culture.
At the age of six Gaura Vani left the US to study sacred music in a gurukula or temple school in the timeless town of Vrindavan, India. He learned ancient prayers in Sanskrit and Bengali and to sing and play ethnic instruments like the harmonium and mrdanga. Twenty-five years later he continues to share the magic he received and performs extensively with his kirtan ensemble, As Kindred Spirits, throughout the world from Europe and Asia, to the Americas.
The kirtan sub-culture is a lotus growing from the mud of materialism. Kirtan refers to the ancient practice of gathering for musical worship in the ancient traditions of India. It’s still very alive today. Empty rooms quickly transform into a churning mass of bodies, dancing feet, eyes flashing, hands striking two headed mrdanga drums. This is the epicenter of the kirtan subculture. Gathering together in yoga studios, temples, ashrams, homes (in the basement of your seemingly average neighbor) this vibrant spiritual and musical subculture thrives.
Gaura Vani founded As Kindred Spirits in 1998 with percussionist/multi-instrumentalist, Shyam Kishore, who studied classical Indian music directly from living masters like Zakhir Hussein. Together they have created a special style. Rooted in the Indian kirtan tradition, their diverse influences span the musical spectrum from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Jai Uttal, Jagjit Singh, and Axiom of Choice to Beck, Bjork, Peter Gabriel and DJ Cheb I Sabbah. This group brings a fresh take to sacred world-music.
RockOm: What was the inspiration behind Ten Million Moons and how is it different than your past CD?
Gaura: Well my last CD was almost like it fell on my head. I've lived in Washington, DC for the past 10 years and a friend of mine called me up from California and said, "I got a hold of some recording equipment. What are the chances of you flying out to California so we can make an album together?" So we got together in a friend's bedroom in a house full of people and tried to record during the times when no one was making noise. We did basically the whole album, give or take a couple of tracks, in a week. We threw a couple more songs on, some live recordings, and that was the first album. It had a lot of raw energy and was really from the heart and was coming from the love we all share as musicians.
This album, although I tried my absolute best to maintain some of that love, energy and spirit, was from a very different place. It was a much deeper place and I was going through some very tough times in my life. I was working at a job as a filmmaker doing training films for the US government, the Department of Homeland Security. It's a very politically-charged environment, very difficult for someone who's more artistic. It's very hard to function sometimes. I put everything I had into my music whenever I could. I would come home from working a 10, 12, or 14-hour day and put in one or two hours in the studio before falling asleep at the soundboard. Myself, along with my business partner Rasa Acharya, just put everything we could into this album after hours. It was such a personal creation, an exploration, and I honestly didn't know if anyone was going to like it. First of all, I didn't even know if the musicians on the album were going to like it because they come from such a wide array of influences - everything from very classical Indian to very modern and funky Western. I just was trying to use my sensibilities to honor their contributions while at the same time trying to create something brand new. Little by little I started showing it to some of the musicians who were on it and started to get a good response from them. Then I started to show it to other friends and record labels, and people liked it. I'm just so grateful and thankful.
The two albums come from such different places - the first was just a pure joy of creation with friends and the second one was more of a yearning, a longing for a more free and innocent time to be able to create like that, which didn't exist for me during the creation of this album.
RockOm: You founded As Kindred Spirits in 1998 with your percussionist and associate Shyam Kishore, who had studied under [RockOm alum] Zakir Hussain at the Ali Akbar Khan School of Music. What was the intention of starting As Kindred Spirits?
Gaura: Shyam comes from an Indian family. I come from an American family who converted to Hinduism and Krishna worship in the 1960s. So we came from two very different places and at the same time we were meeting in the middle, trying to find a way to take an ancient tradition and live it in a real, honest modern world. I think the reason we chose an English name as opposed to a Sanskrit name or a Hindi name is that spiritual life - whatever denomination, if you're a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, Buddhist - we feel like it should be a living piece of your life, something that you don't only do on Sundays, something you can do 24-hours a day. You can live it at work, you can live it at private times and it shouldn't be something you're divided about. The idea of creating As Kindred Spirits was to take some of our influences - especially spiritual influences - and mold them and push them in a way that challenged us and that we could live by, and that our friends could live by, that could actually be the soundtrack of our lives. I feel that it is an important thing for our generation to say, "You know what? My religion is not something I'm doing for someone else. My spirituality is not something I'm doing as a social pressure. I'm doing it because this is my expression of my soul calling to the divine. And this is what I do, whether I do it at church or do it at home. It's a real expression of my heart."
RockOm: At the age of 6 you left the states to study sacred music at a temple in India. What was the catalyst for your move?
Gaura: During the tumultuous 1960s, there were people from all over the world who were away from where they had been raised, looking for something that made sense to them on their own terms spiritually. My mother and father were some of those people. I grew up in ashrams, which are like yoga schools, and temples throughout the world. There's a very traditional school in a small temple town called Vrindavan, which is where Krishna was born. It was like a boarding school that was connected to a beautiful, marble temple. Myself and a bunch of other kids from all over the world grew up there including the study of sacred music and sacred ritual. That was really an important time for me in my life. I was only there for a year or so, but that kind of experience is very formative. It changes your perspective on the world. I continued to study at ashrams until I was 10, then went to standard American schools. So those two worlds - having the ancient Indian spiritual education along with a regular old American upbringing - created a very interesting synergy in the mind and in the heart.
RockOm: Speaking of young people and changing the world, tell us about your experience and involvement in Chant4Change.
Gaura: Everyone was starting to feel enlivened by Obama's campaign. Even if you didn't feel Obama was the candidate, the idea that something like this was in the air was inspiring and exciting to everybody; that the old systems, the old boundaries, and the old ways of doing things were not necessarily how they were always going to be. And then for myself and a lot of my friends, when Obama won, it was really a sense of - wow, what will the future be? What is possible? What are we going to manifest through this opportunity?
We were in New York shortly after Obama won and after the initial fever died down, one of my friends said, "What are you going to be doing during the Inauguration, because I'm going to be in Washington?" I swear to you, it felt like a ton of bricks fell on my head and shoulders. I thought, "Oh, my Lord. There's no big chant event, no big kirtan event going on during that time. Conscious people from all over the world are either going to be in Washington or going to be focused on Washington. I just knew at that moment, standing on that street in New York City that we have to do something. So for that evening's concert and other concerts we were doing in the city, I started telling people that we are organizing an amazing event in Washington, DC that's going to be held on the Inauguration. Everyone around me just looked at me and said, "Are you sure you know what you're doing" But I just felt it, I knew it had to be done. I felt like it was an opportunity I couldn't pass.
That next week when we came back to Washington we had two months to organize this event, all the locations in Washington were sold out. There were rumors that even Oprah Winfrey and MTV couldn't find a location. We just did a lot of praying, did a lot of phone calling and seeing what was possible and we started to pull together like a coalition of friends: yoga teachers, conscious people, artists - everyone who was into it that found it realistic, possible and exciting. Chant4Change ending up being a totally sold out, star-studded event: Jai Uttal and Shiva Rea were there, very influential yoga and kirtan people, other yoga teachers and activitists, Grammy-award winner Toni Childs was there. It just became an event unto itself. We had a small church within sight of the White House on 16th street, so we were within sight of the focus of that evening's attention. [We were there] to chant, to empower and uplift the new administration, to bless ourselves and the city and the country and bless the outgoing administration. Somehow sending out blessings, we could take this energy and transform it for an even greater purpose. It was a real unification of body, mind and soul beyond the boundaries of country or race and was very, very successful. One of the Yoga Journal bloggers called it a prayer meeting meets a dance club in a church or something like that. People were singing at the top of their voices and dancing in the aisles. The video is online as well as photographs. It was truly amazing to all of us.
RockOm: Perhaps it should be an annual event now.
Gaura: We're working on a Chant4Change on the West Coast, in Los Angeles or San Francisco before the holidays. This event is going to be focused on the other ecstatic traditions, other than kirtan. So we're going to take kirtan, which is India's ecstasy chant and devotion tradition, and we're going to have it meet Sufi music, the Islamic ecstatic chant tradition, and gospel, which is the Christian ecstatic chant tradition. So at least those three traditions are going to come together for an evening of both traditional music from those faiths, as well as joining together to create a totally new unique sound. So that's very exciting.
RockOm: What are the similarities and differences as you lead kirtan in different parts of the world?
Gaura: Each place has its own flavor. Kirtan ultimately is described as like a scrubbing, a cleaning of a heart. Sri Chaitanya [Mahaprabhu] - who is the founder of kirtan as we know it and who brought kirtan to the streets 500 years ago during the first documented non-violent social reform movement in India - brought the chanting out into the streets to erase some of those boundaries like castes and creed and class. He says that the holy names of God, of the divine, have the power to clean the heart. And when the heart becomes clean, we can see. He's comparing it to a mirror, that we can see who we are in relationship to the Divine. A dirty mirror doesn't allow you to see clearly but as you clean it you can see clearly, "Who am I, who is the Lord and what is our relationship?" So the kirtan experience is unique to the individuals and it's unique to their own experience.
In some places our kirtans are very meditative. When we were touring in South Africa, we performed at the Ghandi Hall in Lenasia, near Johannesburg, and it was mostly an older Indian audience. There was not a lot of clapping, not a lot of singing, and we were sweating bullets there on stage. We thought, they don't like it; they hate it. And then afterwards, everyone came up to us and said, "It was so beautiful... you did a fantastic job... we were so touched." It was their way of appreciating, just meditating. Other places, like when we perform in New York City, people will go wild and start dancing like whirling dervishes and it's just intense with people yelling, chanting and laughing. We did a kirtan in South Carolina and I didn't have a drummer, it was just me on the harmonium. It was very, very quiet. People were just singing along very peacefully and, little by little, people started crying just from the depth of their own prayer as we chanted. It's a totally unique experience depending on the mood of our heart or the way we approach chanting.
These names have all the power that the divine Lord and divine world invested in them. Whatever tradition - if you look at the Bible, David says in the Psalms to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord." The chant tradition runs so deep. This Chant4Change that we're tyring to do around the holidays this year is based on the idea that there is one underground river that all of the traditions of the world are drinking from. They're all being fed by this raging river underground which is God's love for us.
RockOm: Let's talk about some of the songs on Ten Million Moons. What prompted you to include the song "Surrender" on an otherwise straightforward kirtan CD?
Gaura: [laughs] Well, that is a question I asked! Kirtan is an expression of the soul calling. The saints and teachers of the kirtan tradition say that we should cry like a child for his mother. Rumi, the Sufi poet from a different tradition, says that we should be like the whining dogs calling for our master. This mood of a genuine heart cry is essential to the kirtan tradition. So the song "Surrender" was my attempt to write a song that does that in a language we're familiar with in English. I really put it out there in a way that people could understand the mood that I'm trying to cultivate in my heart, which is "Lord, make me an instrument." There are so many songs by great saints like the Prayer of Saint Francis, "O Divine Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love." It's a very beautiful prayer and it really embodies what they call a bhakta, someone who's trying to cultivate devotion. And that's what kirtan is all about, bhakti or devotion, and that mood that St. Francis embodies, that was what I was trying to bring to a song.
RockOm: Another great uplifting song is "Sleeping Soul (Jiv Jago)." How did gospel find it's way into kirtan?
Gaura: Like I said, I think gospel, qawwali music, kirtan and other ecstatic music are all the same thing. Not the same in the sense that everyone's exactly the same. Everyone has their own unique differences and it's our differences that create that beautiful diversity. But in the sense that they're all being fed by the same divine source, that underground river. I've grown up my whole life, since before I can remember, doing kirtan so kirtan is in my blood. I think and feel in kirtan. But when I go to a gospel concert, that same energy reverberates in my body and I want to get up and sing and dance and chant, just like I do when I'm in my own temple. They're the same call, that call from the heart to the Lord. "O Lord, make me an instrument. O Lord, bless me and know me. O Divine Lord, let me engage in service and devotion to you." I feel like gospel music is a sister tradition and there are some amazing gospel and Shaker songs that are undeniably personal.
There's this one gospel song that goes, "If you can use anything Lord, you can use me. And if you can use anything Lord, you can use me." And the verses talk about how God inspired David to pick up that little stone and that small stone took down the giant, Goliath. And if he can use that stone, then certainly the stone can use me. Then the chorus comes in again. "If you can use anything Lord, you can use me." So that tradition is really connected to kirtan. When I did "Jiv Jago", which is based on a 100 or 200-year old composition by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, I started hearing these overtones in the background. I would hum lines and then I started hearing this gospel choir. I sat in the studio late one night and found myself singing these gospel lines. I listened to them afterwards and thought, "This is ridiculous. It's 3 o'clock in the morning and that's why I think this sounds good." And so I shut the computer down and then the next day I came back and thought, let me just mix it down and listen to it in my car and see what I think. I thought, my voice sounds ridiculous but there's something here. I started showing it to some of my friends and some of my friends laughed at me. Other friends really loved it and so I thought something has to be here if people are this divided about it. At Chant4Change, C.C. White heard our group perform, heard Acyuta Gopi, our female lead singer, and said, "This is amazing. I want to do something with you guys." And then it hit me like a lightbulb. I said, "C.C., would you be willing to record?" She agreed, came to the studio, took the tracks that I had, redid the leads, added solos and harmonies and used my old tracks to mix our voices together. Though it's only two voices it sounds like an entire gospel choir. She was so sweet and kind and comes from a Christian background. She's a professional singer who has performed with Ben Harper and some of the great musicians in the world. I told her that I didn't have a lot of money, only a tiny bit I could offer and although she took the check that I gave her, she never cashed it.
RockOm: So our diverse RockOm users should not be afraid of the word kirtan, because even sitting in the pews of a church, they are practicing a form of kirtan?
Gaura: For sure. The word kirtan means "to glorify." It just means to make glory unto the Lord. That's what we're doing in kirtan and that's what most of the traditions already do. I think this is the time for us put aside everything that we disagree on and say, "We could spend an eternity fighting or we could spend an eternity cooperating, uplifting, and empowering each other in whatever way we can." That's what I think is the essence of every "religion" of the world.
RockOm: What are As Kindred Spirits' plans for the future?
Gaura: We're about to go on tour of the left Coast, then to London, then we'll be at Bhakifest. We're touring the Northeast after that, then Australia and South Africa. We are to tie a garland around the world of God's holy names. Aside from that is Chant4Chant around the holidays. All of these things are being put on in cooperation with our brand new record label, Mantralogy. Mantra is a sanskrit word which means to transcend or deliver. It's the idea of sound as a way to uplift and deliver our hearts and minds from our bondage. So Mantralogy is the name of our new record label and the producers of Chant4Change. We're bringing new artists on to our label now starting with an amazing group from South Florida called The Mayapuris. They're a kirtan group who do hip-hop music and pop-rock music. It is a very exciting time for us and for our projects.
Whether singing the ancient Sanskrit mantras of India, the traditional folklore songs of South America, or performing his original works of divine inspiration, Shimshai's music invokes a sentiment of ancestral devotion and a dedication to higher consciousness. A self-proclaimed seeker of truth, described by many as possessing the voice of an angel, Shimshai is gifted with the innate ability to deliver his message flawlessly in several languages - most profoundly the universal language of Love and Oneness.
All this week, we're pleased to bring you Shimshai, who graciously welcomed our request for his song "Great Mystery" to be this week's RockOm Featured Track of the Week. Hear his song "Great Mystery" on the homepage all week long. Also, be sure to follow the links to his home page where you can find information on Shimshai's upcoming tour up the eastern seaboard. You can pick up his latest album, Alianza at CD Baby.
Music has magical powers. Each 'raga' of classical music has unique abilities --- to soothe the mind, to invigorate us and to bring rain, fire or storm. Music is divine, transcending boundaries it takes us to completely different world.
On the day of the performance of Tansen, the hall was packed with courtiers and royal guests. People had come from far and near to hear the concert.
Tansen was waiting with his tampura in hand and as soon as the Emperor entered and sat on the throne, the great musician began alap - the first portion of a raga. As he sang on, the surrounding air got warmer and warmer. The audience started perspiring. Leaves and flowers in the garden dried and fell to the ground. Water in the fountains began to boil. Birds flew away in fright. The unlit lamps on the walls lighted up mysteriously and flames appeared in the air. People fled the court in terror while the fire generated by the raga raged on, burning the curtains to cinder. As the emperor got up and stood listening with awe, the rose that he often held in his hand drooped and died.
Now Tansen's body was hot and feverish but, absorbed in Rag Deepak, he continued to sing vigorously. Such was the power of Rag Deepak, rightly named after 'flame' … the raga that brought fire on rendition.
Music is truly magical, every tune, every tone, every note… all sending across the right vibes to soothe the nerves. It emerges as the most powerful medicine of all, as well as the best form of entertainment.
There once existed ragas that could do miracles like Rag Deepak. History has it that the flames of the raga were supposedly doused by yet another raga, Megh Malhar. As the name suggests, Megh Malhar gathered up the clouds and it rained! While up north it is known so, in South Indian style of classical music, it is known as Amrithavarshini.
This rare talent to do magic with ragas is called 'nada siddhi' in Sanskrit. “It’s almost lost… dead with the first generation of Tansen’s disciples,” says Radhe, an ardent patriarch of music, who also owns plenty of blogs and websites of classical music downloads. “It has lost its fervour but one cannot say that it is a lost art, for it does exist in various other forms, sung in different styles,” she concludes.
Ragas can be really mysterious. There are different ragas in Indian music and each raga creates a different mood. A raga can make you so happy that you may want to dance or it can make you so sad that it brings tears to your eyes. Besides performing in the court, Tansen is believed to have often sung alone for Emperor Akbar. At night he sang ragas that would soothe and help Akbar fall asleep and in the morning Tansen sang special ragas that would gently awaken the Emperor.
“Only traces of those melodies exist in the present world of remixed and mirch-masala music. Carnatic music itself has very few followers these days,” complains S Padmavathy, a renowned musician from Chennai. Rakesh, a young singer, also feels the same. “Music is so powerful,” he says; “Unfortunately, only a few realise its potential.” Music can be such a good healer. “No intake of medicines, no side effects, no expenses… Just a leisurely day and a good old tape recorder. That’s what music therapy is all about,” says Ragini, who runs a music therapy centre. “There is a raga for every situation, every condition,” she says.
“Ragas really are therapeutic. Call them magical if you wish to, but they do have the powers to bring rain and fire. However, it is all in the singing that they manifest their true powers. All the musical exponents I’ve known believe that if properly sung, these ragas really do work wonders. The musician must really be extraordinarily brilliant and devoted to music for this to happen,” opines Archana, a singer.
The ragas are full of unexplored beauty, mystique and depth --- something utterly magical. Yet another powerful raga is Yaman. It is a veritable ocean - fathomless, horizonless, tranquil, full of dignity and repose. “What we musicians play is only the tip of its musical iceberg. Yaman is a raga for every mood, every ras, every situation. It is unmistakably the one raga that serves as a divine channel for communicating with God,” says Radhe.
Raga Darbari works its magic with the help of minutely flattened intervals recalling the harmonic ambience of the blues. It is a deeply moving, emotionally intense raga with enough detail and nuance to repay repeated listening. Raga Darbari is like, what we say, a dialect of the original raga of Tansen. Many such mystic ragas are ascribed to Tansen. Ragas like Mian ki Malhar, Mian ki Todi and Darbari Kanada are the most famous and are existent today too.
Says Rakesh, a finalist of the Superstar Global, a reality-come-musical talent hunt: “I think there exists a world which truly is unknown for a normal human being here, on earth... some call it the spiritual presence or the omnipresent force. Music promotes positive energy to that force. This is not only done by the singer but also by the listeners.”
“I think it is this positive energy that is reflected as rain or fire. Nowadays, there are not enough aspirants to sing those ragas with 100 per cent efficiency and there are no spirited listeners who appreciate great music. All these account for the absence of miracles.”
“Like fables and folklore, these musical wonders have changed through time. No one knows the ancient real McCoy but it still goes down generations with personal touches and changes. No one can bring rain or create fire anymore… It happens only in stories of the great Tansen,”concludes Shravan, a music composer.
In music, it is said that the master first learns the fundamentals, then learns to play with music, and finally surrenders to let music play through him. This adage was very much evident during Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pandit Shivkumar Sharma’s performance at the Lucas Theater on Wednesday, March 31 in Savannah, Georgia as part of the world renowned Savannah Music Festival. For more than two hours these two revered masters of their instruments- Hussain, the tabla and Sharma, the Santoor- held the audience mesmerized and in one spirit as they played their way through both Indian classical and folk songs.
The evening began with a standing ovation from the audience as both musicians took the stage. Both then sat slowly with reverence to their undertaking, crossing their legs in traditional fashion. Pandit Sharma, born in Jammu, India is the undisputed master on santoor (Sharma began his career on tabla so naturally knows how to react to what a tabla player is doing, making this is a perfect pairing with Hussain) and is one of India’s most honored film composers. Sharma then began the process of delicately tuning his instrument. The santoor is akin to a hammer dulcimer as we know it in the western world and consists of as few as 24 to more than 100 strings. Sharma’s tuning of his instrument took a few minutes. As he tapped the many strings with two thin, intricately carved wooden mallets and adjusted the pitch, the audience was silent with wonder and anticipation. Hussain sat patiently by Sharma’s side, eyes closed, occasionally stretching his fingers as he prepared his hands and mind for the performance.
The first song of the evening was a northern Indian or Hindustani classical raag. Raag is defined in the Sanskrit dictionary as "the act of coloring or dyeing". In music, this description applies to the impressions of melodic sounds on both the artists and listeners. A raag consists of both mandatory and discretionary rules governing the melodic movements of notes within a performance such as certain specific notes, order of ascending and descending, octave emphasis, pacing between notes, and even the time of day and/or season when the raag may be performed. This is all done to invoke the emotions of the raag for highest impact on the mental and emotional state of the performer and listener. Sharma’s santoor delicately sang with alternating plucks and strokes, slowly setting the mood and foundation of the raag so that later the music would have wings to fly. Once Sharma had set the tone for the raag and improvised sufficiently to establish roots he began preparing for Hussain to join him on the tabla by adjusting and increasing the rhythm.
Ustad Hussain enters the song establishing the taal. Just as the ‘note’ is the basis of the melodic component of music, the taal is established early on by setting a matching pace to the melodic performer, thus providing the rhythmic foundation for the melodic improvisation. Born in Mumbai, Hussain began playing at 12. He is a two time Grammy award winner (2009 is his most recent Grammy) and has composed for, and recorded with, some of the top names in all genres of Western music, including members of The Grateful Dead, George Harrison, Yo Yo Ma, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and John McLaughlin. He has composed for films (his is the music you hear in the soundtrack to the movie Apocalypse Now) and for the 1996 Olympic Games. His father was Ustad Alla Rakha, the tabla player who worked with sitar master Ravi Shankar for more than 20 years, including the groundbreaking performances at the Monterey Pop Festival and the Concert for Bangladesh.
What unfolded over the course of the next two hours is beyond words; I can only try and describe the wave of emotions pouring through me as the music played out onstage and into the audience. My finest written words would forever fail to do justice. Yes, hearing is the best manner of enjoying the unfolding of improvisational musical mastery but one can gain an entire new insight into the mystical and spiritual side of the music by watching the faces and hands of the performers as they play. The level of communication taking place between Hussain and Sharma through their eye contact, their smiles to each other and their hand gestures is similar to trying to describe the magic of the music. The messages and conveyances shared between the two with glances, grins, nods, and gestures while they were performing told a story of love, admiration, surprise, and illumination that one must witness to believe. The manner in which Sharma would play a pattern and then warmly smile at Hussain as he answered in rhythmic return was endearing - one that only a loving, life-long friend would offer. The comportment with which Hussain blasted his eyes wide open from a halcyon daze or mouth the rhythms his hands were pounding out at lightning fast speeds and then whip his head in accenting emphasis revealed an enthrallment beyond the confines of the stage and audience.
Maestro violinist Daniel Hope and the Savannah Music Festival’s associate artistic director joined Hussain and Sharma for two, short improvisational pieces. Never before have I heard the violin paired with santoor and tabla. The result was extraordinary. It isn’t often one hears something so astonishingly original. The experience surely was as refreshing to the musicians as it was to the audience by the smiles on their faces as they concluded the evening’s performance and bowed respectfully to one another.
To witness such an incredible concert makes for a once in a lifetime event. Never again will I be able to hear or relate to this great music and masters in the same manner as before. I have heard and seen with my own ears and eyes and have been part of an experience with others that united us, at least momentarily in a wordless understanding. Music severs all barriers of division and lifts all spirits collectively to joyous heights. From this vantage point and with such lightness to our being old notions and ways of being fall away - all things become new.
For most westerners, the names Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Zakir Hussain and even George Harrison come to mind when popular or classical Indian music is mentioned. Each of these artists are pioneers in introducing and popularizing Indian music in the west. And for each of these artists I've mentioned there are scores more who are just as popular, just as influential in bringing Hindustani music to the world and who are entirely worthy of note. Vocalist Pandit Jasraj is one such artist.
Born in Hissar, India in 1930 Pandit Jasraj inherited his father’s musical abilities and was initiated into music by his father before he was four years old. Jasraj was celebrated early in his career for his tabla abilities, but it is his vocal mastery which distinguishes him from his peers and for which he is most celebrated. Pandit Jasraj is gifted with a three and a half octave range and his unique style of vocalization called Jugalbandhi (entwined twins), which is a essentially a duet style of vocalization and singing between either another voice or a musical instrument and is styled on the ancient system of moorchanas (between a male and a female vocalist, each singing in their respective scales and different ragas at the same time). Moorchana is derived from the word moorch, referring to a fainted condition, but here relates to harmonies that lie in an unconscious or sleeping state in the subconscious until “awakened and sung, when they begin to radiate spiritual bliss.”
Pandit Jasraj has performed and collaborated with a wide array of noted musicians worldwide, received numerous awards and recognitions and has recorded many critically acclaimed albums in his illustrious career. He has even founded an institution of higher learning, the Pandit Jasraj Institute for Music Research, Artistry and Appreciation with classes in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
RockOm is pleased to offer our readers a very recent and inspiring interview with Pandit Jasraj conducted by Swati Sharma from The New Indian Express and reposted here at RockOm with express permission for your enjoyment.
“Whenever one sings a note correctly, you automatically feel the spiritual equivalent of a samãdhi. And after several such notes, you are indeed in a Samãdhi, a state of deep meditation.” Pandit Jasraj
It was raining gently outside as I sat sipping a hot cup of tea, when I heard his familiar voice, drawing closer from a distance. Aap ki seva mein haazir hoon (lyrics from "Thanda Thanda Paani," [Ice, Ice, Baby by Vanilla Ice] as recorded by the iconic Indian rapper Baba Sehgal) a smiling Pandit Jasraj, dressed in an understated cream silk dhoti kurta (traditional Indian style of dress), extended his greetings. "Thank you for coming," he said warmly as he settled comfortably in a plastic chair. Even as the smile dissolved in his serene face, the doyen (senior master) of the Mewati Gharana, closed his eyes for a brief while before opening up: “When I close my eyes, I connect with God with or without music.’’ In a voice so soft, almost like a hymn, Pandit Jasraj continued, “there has never been a moment of doubt (in God) in my life. HE plays the most important role in our lives.’’ Withdrawing into himself, he appeared to be speaking to himself: “I always invite HIM to be with me and accept my dedication. It’s not a performance, music is a form of worship. It’s all about surrendering oneself to HIM.’’ Mai swaron se ishwar ko saadhne ki chesta karta hoon (I try to reach God through my music.)
It was obvious I was sitting next to a deeply spiritual man, who believes not only in the transformational power of sound but also in its origins in the all pervading consciousness. “We do not write, do not read and do not plan music,’’ he stressed after a long pause, “we establish a relation to God through it.’’ Going down the memory lane, he correlates his experiences and realizations.
“Some power, some force has guided my whole life and actions. I know HE has blessed me with my art. If God wants to shower HIS blessings upon a person, HE makes him appreciate music. But if God is further happier with a person, HE makes him a musician,’’ he remarked deeply conscious of his own good fortune.
Talking about his inspiration, he pointed out, “there are so many things that can inspire’’ and narrated one: “Some 40 years ago, I was about to perform in Sholapur, at a small godown that passed off as a venue. Among the rather nondescript motley crowd that seemed least interested in my singing, I spotted an old man shabbily dressed coming inside most irreverently. His behaviour annoyed me and I closed my eyes and carried on. As I faltered at one point missing a matra (beat), I immediately gathered myself and made up for it, coming back to the same with such aplomb that I could not help heaving a secret sigh of relief. Just as I did so, I heard a lone voice in the audience praising my feat with a loud 'wah!' As I looked around for that solitary listener who had echoed my thoughts and communed with me so perfectly, I found it was this same old man. Thereafter, he went off leaving me distraught, for my eyes were constantly searching him. Towards the end, however, he reappeared and from then on, it seemed to me I was singing for him alone. As my concert ended, he came to me, placed his hands on my head and said, 'Aaj tumne tumhare pitaji ki yaad dilaa di (your song carries me back in my memory.)'"
Lord Krishna once said to Panditji in a dream: "Jasraj, you must sing. Sing for me. Your prayers reach me faster on the wings of your music!" Krishna can be addressed as a companion, as God, friend or even lover. Maybe that is why He is the muse of artists. He is always present in my mind.’’ A devout Krishna bhakt (devotee), Jasraj revealed that he imagines the form of Krishna while singing. “He symbolizes romanticism as well as bhakti. His name itself inspires peace. Do I need to say more? ’’
"When I was six-years-old, every night I used to get dreams frequently in which I die and my atma (self) climbs up and sits on a zarokha (big wooden frame). In my dream my family cries, but I laugh. I also see my elder brother and my guru, Pandit Maniram crying. I come down and try to tell my elder brother, 'see Bhaiyya, I’m alive.'’’ The maestro talked of his brother and guru with deep love and reverence. "Even in my dreams I can’t hurt my elder brother,’’ he said. Moving from the personal to the professional part of his life, he noted the spiritual underpinnings of Indian Music. “Bharatiya sangeet mein bhagwan ka darshan hota hai. Sangeet (doubt or suspect) and bhakti cannot be separated - one cannot exist without the other.’’ As much is evident in his music. Is he worried that classical music is fast losing support in the country? A pretty common question but one that elicited an amazing answer from Pandit Jasraj. “We are not bothered about numbers. Even one connoisseur is enough!” he shot back.
But pointed out, that youngsters are increasingly taking to classical music.“The young are getting back to the old tradition, listening to real music; be it classical, ghazal (ancient poetic form), and so on. Once they start enjoying the fragrance of music they will get involved. The effect of music is such.’’ he explained with evident optimism. He rejected the perception that the younger generation was not keen on classical music and said a good part of his audience is comprised of young boys and girls.
So, is there hope yet? "Yes," he said emphatically. "Despite the decline of the gharana system (school or house of music) and the pressure to look for better careers, there are a few brilliant young musicians who have proved themselves worthy of inheriting the mantle of the greats, even if many of them do not come from illustrious dynasties," he explained. Star progeny like Mukul Shivputra (Kumar Gandharva’s son), Ashish Khan (Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s son), Anoushka Shankar, Aman and Ayaan Ali have met more than their match in vocalists like Veena SahasrabuddheSahasrabuddhe and Shruti Shadolikar. Sitar players Shahid Parvez and Purvayan Chatterjee and sarod player Parthosarathi inspire hope that Hindustani classical music can get back its past glory.
Finally, his take on Hyderabad (capital city of th Indian state of Andhra Pradesh). “This city is my teerth sthaan (holy place) and here I come every year to perform,’’ he said.
The individual is always more important than the medium, and the music of a genius like Panditji will always be new and fresh. So, listen to him while he is here.
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar are two of the teachers who are credited as popularizing [hatha] yoga in the West. Since that time there has been an explosion of interest in the culture, spirituality and teachings of India.
As with most revolutions Playing For Change: Peace Through Music began with the sound of one voice. That voice belonged to a street musician named Roger Ridley who was often referred to as "the voice of God" by the other street musicians on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California. That’s where Playing For Change co-director Mark Johnson came across Roger performing the song “Stand By Me.” Witnessing this performance inspired Mark to return and to film and record Ridley and his anthem-song. Four years later, and after a whirlwind journey to various continents capturing musicians on film, the world is gifted with a second award winning documentary, Playing For Change: Peace Through Music (the first being Playing For Change in 2003), a ten song CD and seven track DVD. The CD/DVD album, Playing For Change: Songs From Around the World, is a collection of songs and videos featuring over 100 musicians across the planet that have never met in person, but have been brought together through the power of music.
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“I was given the gift of devotional song from birth, raised with the music of the temple, taught to sing and play beautiful instruments and dance... for love and for God,” says Gaura Vani, the heralded musician and leader of what Jai Uttal calls, “Simply the most wonderful kirtan band in the Western world.” Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits has released their second CD entitled Ten Million Moons and are in the midst of a prolific year. Not only has the band been featured at the sold-out Obama Presidential Inaugural event Chant4Change, they have also recently been heard on NPR’s All Things Considered and seen in the CBS Television Special, Faith, Music and Culture.
RockOm: You founded As Kindred Spirits in 1998 with your percussionist and associate Shyam Kishore, who had studied under [
RockOm: What are the similarities and differences as you lead kirtan in different parts of the world?
In music, it is said that the master first learns the fundamentals, then learns to play with music, and finally surrenders to let music play through him. This adage was very much evident during Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pandit Shivkumar Sharma’s performance at the Lucas Theater on Wednesday, March 31 in Savannah, Georgia as part of the world renowned Savannah Music Festival. For more than two hours these two revered masters of their instruments- Hussain, the tabla and Sharma, the Santoor- held the audience mesmerized and in one spirit as they played their way through both Indian classical and folk songs.
Maestro violinist Daniel Hope and the Savannah Music Festival’s associate artistic director joined Hussain and Sharma for two, short improvisational pieces. Never before have I heard the violin paired with santoor and tabla. The result was extraordinary. It isn’t often one hears something so astonishingly original. The experience surely was as refreshing to the musicians as it was to the audience by the smiles on their faces as they concluded the evening’s performance and bowed respectfully to one another.
Introduction by Tom Crenshaw, 
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