Dust & Tears – A New Album from Jai Uttal
CDs and Vinyls are available! Please contact: jaiuttalmusicgroup@gmail.com for more information.
Way off in the distance, across endless desert sands and beneath an infinite starry sky, you can hear the faint cry of the mystic, weeping in love and longing, and singing a melody so profound that it can only be discerned by beings of the most incandescent light. Yet his voice is strangely human and raw, and, like a raging river descending from the Himalayas, his song rolls and churns with all the passionate emotions of a human being yearning for his God.
Men and women like this, cosmic songwriters with the ability to translate the deepest unexpressed feelings of the heart into melodies and rhythms, have lived and breathed before the advent of our modern concept of time. They sang in every language, in every land. They sang what we couldn’t speak; they interceded to uplift our souls to spirit consciousness; they gave us songs to sing so we too could reach the very heights of divine love.
The nine compositions on this album continue this ancient steam of devotion. These mystical songs, though veined with heart-wrenching sorrow, express the deepest spiritual longings of the human psyche. Yet, when sung with beauty, heartfelt intensity, and vulnerability, these primordial emotions give birth to an unspoken well of sublime joy. The lyrics, composed by Nubia and I, rest on the very breath of our mystical ancestors. The inspiration is from their passionate hearts and ardent poetry. These songwriters of Bhakti were untamed revolutionaries, proclaiming the triumph of love over hate. May we, in our small way, sing like they sang, fearlessly and with abandon, longing for darshan, praying for all beings to be free.
Each of these songs grew from a seed found in an ancient text – sometimes it was a line, sometimes just a word, and sometimes simply the sentiment – which was planted in the soil of our souls to sprout into the music you hear today.
1) Senseless Heart 8:06
2) Cover Me With Your Feathers 4:36
3) Dust & Tears 8:36
4) Love Is An Awkward Thing 6:52
5) Such Is My Fate 8:50
6) Psalm 4:43
7) Don’t Fly Away 5:55
8) Time and Again 6:08
9) Ode To The Mystics 3:19
“I was recently introduced to Jai’s music. I like how this album showcases a great range of vocal and instrumental tones. If you are an artist of any genre, this album is worth the listen.”
– Stephen Bishop, Grammy and Oscar winning singer songwriter.
“Beware – this music is not for the faint hearted. Do not expect to nap, sleep or slouch. Sit up and pay attention.For those of you who, like Deva and myself, have been wrapped in the unimaginable musical statements of Jai for years, awed by his courage, his outlandish risk taking, his unbelievable creativity… I can proclaim: yes, he’s done it again. His voice is our portal to inner peace. Dust & Tears – another peak. This is a work of genius.” ~ Deva Premal & Miten, Grammy nominated devotional singers.
