"The mirror of the sky Reflects my soul. Oh Baul of the road, Oh Baul my heart, What keeps me tied to the corner of the room, What keeps me tied?" - Composed by Nabani Das Baul, borrowed by me for the song, "Corner", on my album, "Shiva Station". It's kind of funny writing memoir-ish [...]
Mid-60’s…. I was exploring so many new sounds, everything from Cecil Taylor’s wildly abstract piano compositions to Olivier Messiaen’s breathtaking bird-song-imbued hymns to the divine baby Jesus. All mixed up with the outer space guitar of Jimi Hendrix and the continually mind expanding songs of The Beatles. But what took hold of me most, of [...]
Guru's Grace A tale of berries and bananas... Since time immemorial it's been the custom in India, when visiting a holy person or shrine, to bring an offering. This can be fruit, sweets, flowers, incense, even money, and it signifies an offering of one's heart and soul, of one's very being, to the great heart [...]
Hi Friends, Here is another free download, recorded last year at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, entitled "Sita Ram" with Manose on Bansuri flute. Stream via the website music player... Or here’s the download link (Right click to download). Enjoy. Happy summer to one and all! much love,
I first heard Ustad Ali Akbar Khan perform live when I was a freshman at Reed College in Portland, Oregon in the autumn of 1969. I'd listened to his music a lot by then, sometimes jamming along on the guitar, but I hadn't yet had the chance to attend a performance. So, being a good [...]
When I was a young teenager just beginning to explore the 'spiritual path' I was more than willing to believe anything anyone told me. In fact I was thirsty for any words that would take me outside of myself, away from the Jai I knew and turn me into a bigger, better, and preferably blonder [...]
A friend asked me this evening why don’t I do some kind of ceremony before leading a kirtan. I thought about this for a while and said why would I want to do a ceremony before the ceremony? For me the kirtan IS the ceremony, the invocation, the dance of feelings, the Great Cosmic Drama [...]
Most people in the United States experience a huge wave of anxiety this evening, with the dreaded tax monster demanding his dinner tomorrow. For me this day has quite a different meaning. Partially, I suppose, because I’m ALWAYS late doing my taxes, but mostly because today is the birthday of my teacher and mentor, Ustad [...]
May 2009 Issue Over the past two decades, modern kirtan (chanting) master Jai Uttal has released a series of stellar albums offering a unique mix of devotional chant, world music, folk, funk, and more. Uttal’s latest, Thunder Love, with its generous serving of irresistible Brazilian rhythms and a pinch of country blues, is his most [...]
"Kirtan is food for the spirit, a life raft of song...." This is a live kirtan recording from October 6, 2007 from Satchidananda Ashram "Yogaville" in Buckingham, VA. Embark on a journey into the multi-colored, many roomed mansions of the heart through the practice of Kirtan; or chanting the ecstatic songs of ancient India. Using [...]