).
The Ring Song is a great new arrangement of the charming story of Hanuman finding the kidnapped Mother Sita, given a slightly less "rock and role" treatment than the one recorded on "Pilgrim Heart," but still lots of fun.
The second CD has two spoken versions of the Chalisa for those of us who aspire eventually to learn the words - one a slow complete recitation, the other - even slower -has each line repeated twice. My only small complaints are (a) I would have liked a slow version set to music, which makes memorization easier and (b) Driving would be safer if each line (or pair of lines) had been recorded as a separate track. That would have saved a lot of trouble searching through the disc while practicing.
Music, inspiration, an (optional) "workshop" in chant, and bliss all packaged into one CD. Krishna Das has truly offered us a masterpiece of grace.
Amazing!.......2007-05-24
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!
Average customer rating:
- Listening to this CD over and over and over and over...etc.
- Ram Ram Ram Ram
- moving into peace
- Beautiful!
- greatest hits krishna das
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Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga
Krishna Das
Manufacturer: Karuna
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- All One
- Door of Faith
- Kirtan: The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant
- Dakshina
- Music for Yoga and Other Joys
ASIN: B0002O06PI
Release Date: 2004-09-07 |
Tracks:
- Bhajelo-ji Hanuman
- Namah Shivayah
- Ma Durga
- Hara Hara Mahadev
- Mountain Hare Krishna
- Hanuman Baba (Dub Farm Re-Mix)
- Shri Guru Charanam
- Devi Puja
- Mere Guru Dev
- Brindavan Hare Ram
Customer Reviews:
Listening to this CD over and over and over and over...etc........2007-07-05
It's become a part of my daily routine. There was some love and passion when this CD was made!
Ram Ram Ram Ram .......2007-03-28
Another wonderful set of cd's from Krishna Das. The chanting is beautiful, the music sublime...It doesn't get any better than this. Another beautiful CD from a Master. My fiance and I have gotten addicted to Krishna Das & listen to his CD's every morning. You can't explain perfection.....you just listen and enjoy.
moving into peace.......2007-01-19
I own a yoga studio and teach several times a week. Krishna Das' music is always a favorite, but this CD in particular is perfect for a lively, upbeat yoga practice. My students connect with the beat, helping them move smoothly through the poses, connecting with their breath. As the chants become slower, more meditative, the practice also begins to slow. It is a wonderful transition for any yoga class. I highly recommend it!
Beautiful!.......2007-01-10
This is my first experience with Krishna Das. I've enjoyed listening to this CD very much. I feel calm during and after I listen to the beautiful voices.
greatest hits krishna das.......2007-01-10
A great package with the bonus dvd.The music is sublime and lets you be taken away with the chants.The bonus dvd is as equally impressive with a visually enthusiastic crowd totally involved in building some chants to spine tingling conclusions....highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- Beautiful Music
- Yoga music but not that joyful
- The title for this CD is full and true
- I feel the joy
- surreal
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Music for Yoga and Other Joys
Jai Uttal , and Ben Leinbach
Manufacturer: Gemini Sun Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
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Similar Items:
- Kirtan: The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant
- The Spirit of Yoga
- Yoga Rhythms by Shiva Rea
- Yoga Rhythm
- Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga
ASIN: B0001HK09S
Release Date: 2004-03-16 |
Tracks:
- Govinda
- Mahadeva
- Nataraja
- Gopala
- Surya
Amazon.com
Music for yoga is such a cliché that you could slap that moniker on a Barry Manilow CD and have it sold as a soundtrack for Downward Facing Dog pose. Yoga music has become a made-to-order commodity, and rarely attains the level of art. The title Music for Yoga and Other Joys doesn't bode well, but then, it has Jai Uttal, a veteran of world fusion going back 15 years and a devotee of kirtan singing teaming up with multi-instrumentalist Ben Leinbach for a series of extended improvisations. Leinbach creates a shifting back drop of chilled, Indian-derived grooves and textures like liquid mercury dipped in a fractal swirl. It's a perfect modal backdrop for Uttal, who improvises freely on an Indian stringed instrument called the dotar, electric guitar, and even banjo. Pieces like the 26-minute "Govinda" extend in a free fall until a rhythm loop drops in. Uttal swaps to a fuzzed out electric guitar solo that eventually merges into an improvised kirtan, his voice coiling in note-bending spirals like soul singing from the east. This may be music for yoga, but it's the other joys that will keep you coming back. --John Diliberto
Album Description
Jai Uttalpremier world music composer and 2003 Grammy® nomineeoffers a moving mix of melody, rhythms, and chants with Music for Yoga and Other Joys. Known for his eclectic blend of East-meets-West sound, Jai offers listeners his first album created especially for yoga practice. More than 60 minutes of sensual music featuring dotar, electric guitar, and slide tamboura, all complemented by Jai's full, golden-toned voice. Produced in collaboration with Ben Leinbach. Also an excellent choice for meditating, gardening, driving, and bodywork.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful Music.......2007-07-28
I like Jai Uttal's music since many years. This is one of his best albums.I like the way he incorporates different cultures, Yoga, bliss and spirituality. I also like Yoga Healing by the Aum Orchestra. Perfect for Yoga and meditation, or eMotive by the Non Profit Music label from Spain with the incredible song "Raghupati Raghava" by Eduardo Laguillo. My favorite Yoga Music artists are Eduardo Laguillo, The Aum Orchestra, Deva Premal, Krishna Das and Jai Uttal
Yoga music but not that joyful.......2007-05-18
I got this CD though my library based on reviews here and the sample cuts. After listening to this CD a few times, I was done. I enjoy yoga music but not this one.
The title for this CD is full and true.......2007-02-24
I love Jai Uttal's kirtan. There so much shakti that it is a great support for my asana. It supports full fucus and a joyful experience in my asana. Tears come to my eyes when I feel the bhakti expressed though this kirtan!
I feel the joy.......2007-02-09
This is a wonderfull yoga cd. Jai has a beautiful haunting voice and the five songs progress perfectly to fit your asanas. I look forward to buying more of his cds
surreal.......2007-01-10
Jai Uttal along with Krishna Das present music to balance the world.Any person remotely aligned with world peace / yoga or betterment of the world will relate to the mystical chants and attitude expressed here.This album should be compulsory for all liked minds.Wonderful !
Average customer rating:
- ***PERFECT FOR MASSAGE - BEAUTIFULLY RELAXING***
- Detaching the World Vol 1
- Promising Debut by Ambient Guitarist Emil Gagliardi
- Relaxing Music
- Boss Time
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Detaching the World Vol. 1 - Ambient Music for Massage/Relaxation/Meditation
Detaching the World
Manufacturer: Connecting The Universe Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
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Similar Items:
- Detaching The World Vol. 2 - Ambient Music For Massage/Relaxation/Meditation
- Inner Peace
- Detaching the World Vol. 3 - Ambient Music For Massage/Relaxation/Meditation/Yoga
- Detaching the World Vol. 4 - Ambient Guitar For Massage/Relaxation/Meditation/Yoga/Reiki
- Sound Medicine: Music for Healing
ASIN: B00007H1BE
Release Date: 2002-01-30 |
Tracks:
- Tranquil Sunrise
- Deep Unknown
- The Valley Beyond
- Fallen Angel
Album Description
As we explore the depths of our "self", our "souls", through massage, relaxation, and other healing modalities, we gain experience and knowingness. The music from Detaching The World Vol. 1 is a transient, which allows for this knowingness to occur in a peaceful, tranquil, and comforting environment.
This CD has been created to provide over 60 minutes in running time without the use of vocals or percussion. Emil Gagliardi has introduced a new style of guitar called "The Nuit's Effect" named after its rich soothing textures and deep earthy tones. From the opening cut of "Tranquil Sunrise", Gagliardi's swirling guitar immediately sets the perfect mood for massage and relaxation. The density of "The Valley Beyond" swallows you up in a tapestry of color similar to a warm blanket while the hauntingly beautiful "Fallen Angel" resembles a fresh new day after a storm.
Gagliardi's vision of creating the perfect massage and relaxation music sets Detaching The World (Vol. 1) apart from all others. Its purpose is to serve gentleness and ease like the inhalation and exhalation of the breath.
Customer Reviews:
***PERFECT FOR MASSAGE - BEAUTIFULLY RELAXING***.......2007-08-01
I originally discovered the music of Detaching the World at the Canyon Ranch in Tucson. After having one of the most cleansing deep tissue massages ever, I fell in love with the music of Vol. 4 and started to incorporate it into my massage practice. Needless to say, the music has been a success with myself and my clients ever since.
I was recently given Detaching the World Vol. 1 as a present by one of my regulars who happens to also love this music. I couldn't believe what I had been missing!!! I just started using it on a few clients and already people are melting away with the beautiful touch of this music. Everything about this CD is perfect for massage:
- The length (60+ mins, most of my clients are an hour long)
- The flow (a slow yet even match with my hands)
- The volume (the consistency remains throughout the disk)
- The sound (beautiful layered textures of music, apparently guitar)
- The quality (100%)
- The happiness from my clients (they look refreshed and comment positively to the music)
- My happiness as a therapist with this music (100%)
For me, this CD is a gold mine compared to my other relaxation CDs. Like Vol. 4, Vol. 1 is a keeper and will not leave you or your clients disappointed. Don't pass this one up!
Detaching the World Vol 1.......2007-06-27
I purchased this CD based on the reviews alone,In comparison to other meditation Cd's I own; this CD ranks far below.The music is in my opinion anything but relaxing.Not suitable for meditation.
Promising Debut by Ambient Guitarist Emil Gagliardi.......2007-05-23
Although guitarist Emil Gagliardi's debut CD was designed for massage, meditation, and relaxation, it is much more than that. The ambient release features soothing, New Age-style synthesizer sounds generated entirely by Emil's electric guitar. The result is not only a great therapeutic tool, but also a legitimate work of sonic art in the vein of Andy Summers' classic ambient guitar album, Mysterious Barricades. Emil Gagliardi is a guitarist to keep an eye out for. [...]
Relaxing Music.......2007-02-20
I have other "relaxing" CDs that really don't do the job. This one does. I actually bought it to listen to while I had some dental work done and it was very helpful!
Boss Time.......2007-01-10
I got this gift for my boss since he is always so stressed. He closes his door sometimes and pops in the Cd to relax. Thanks!
Average customer rating:
- Ony one world
- sublime
- Uplifting, absolutely beautiful!!
- Disappointing
- Deva Premal Embrace
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Embrace
Deva Premal
Manufacturer: White Swan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- The Essence
- Dakshina
- Love Is Space
- Songs for the Inner Lover
- Kirtan: The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant
ASIN: B000066RG4
Release Date: 2002-05-07 |
Tracks:
- Om Tare
- Om Namo Bhagavate
- Hari Om Shiva Om
- Om Ram Ramaya
- Shree Ram Jai Ram
- Shante Prashante
- Rang De
- Teyata
Amazon.com
Deva ("Deva" is a Hindu title for divine) Premal has attracted a following by framing ancient Hindu mantras within atmospheric, contemporary settings. The result on Embrace, her third release, is at times flavorful, at other times undistinguished, but it produces more intriguing moments than duds. On occasion, Premal aspires to Enya-like reverence (e.g., tracks 2 and 4), then elsewhere coos her ancient text atop gentle grooves and jazzy flutes (tracks 3 and 6) in a manner suggestive of Deep Forest. Some might describe it as "smooth chant." Highlights include "Shree Ram Jai Ram," a beautifully realized cross-pollination of East and West (highlighted by Kit Walker's free-floating piano and Premal's resonant choir of voices) that hints at what Joni Mitchell might create if she tried her hand at Eastern music. --Terry Wood
Album Description
EMBRACE, the long awaited new album from Deva Premal, finds this best-selling singer at the height of her art, expressing the ancient wisdom of mantra through a contemporary musical vision. Her radiant voice, richer and more assured than ever before, floats above a cool, sensual groove provided by some of today's finest world fusion artists and producers Miten and Kit Walker (Walela, Kitaro, Neal Schon).
Deva Premal enthralled audiences worldwide with THE ESSENCE and LOVE IS SPACE. That phenomenal success continues with EMBRACE. Its relaxed, uplifting feel and elegant sense of space can only heighten the spell already cast by this mantra enchantress.
"Majestic, deep and full of love," Deva Premal's EMBRACE is a lovely and moving next chapter from an artist whose incredible potential is only beginning to unfold.
Album Description
Deva Premal's Embrace expands on the Eastern Indian fusion and ethereal vocals of her previous work, combining timeless mantras with contemporary arrangements. Innocent, soothing and laid-back. Features 8 tracks of sensual music for yoga, packaged in a slipcase. White Swan. 2004.
Customer Reviews:
Ony one world.......2007-07-17
If I have only one world for this CD, that world would be:
GREAT
I love this woman, her voice is so perfect, strong and clear...
sublime.......2006-11-12
Being Indian I started on this CD with trepidation, expecting a western pop version of indian chants. But Deva produces an authentic bhakti experience and dissolved my fear. Her music, though somewhat different from my past Indian experience, blissfully conveys the Spirit that are the words themselves. In India it is said that if one has bhakti in the heart then the singing of and about the Names will convey the inhernt bliss, irrespective of all else.
Listen to this CD and feel the bliss.
Uplifting, absolutely beautiful!!.......2006-09-02
I think this is one of Deva's best...her voice, the music are all deeply moving and wonderful...there are solemm pieces and also joyful ones that literally make me dance! Lots of drumming and even a little jazzy at times...I could listen to this CD over and over again and I never tire of it!!
Disappointing.......2006-06-08
I found this disc disappointing compared to Deva's brilliant first CD entitled The Essence - which is a must have. What seems strange to me is that she is on the inside cover touching Buddha's chest, while the first track sounds like make-out music. Hmmmm.... For what it's worth, an Indian Brahmin confirmed that some of the mantras are concoctions, too, which does not really set a good precedent. People copy Deva's chanting in their kirtans and in this respect her work is influential. Although being innovative can be commendable, spiritual traditional chants are, in my opinion, off limits for whimsical changes. I wish she would get her mantras from reliable sources in the future.
Hard core Deva fans won't notice, of course, and will love this.
Deva Premal Embrace.......2006-03-20
I really like this choice of music for practicing yoga at home. It makes the time fly by when during my yoga workout and the music is appropriate and calming.
Average customer rating:
- soothing and wonderful
- GREAT MUSIC!
- An absolute must have
- Mystic Dreamer by Carlos Naki
- Mythic Dreamer: Music For Native American Flute
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Mythic Dreamer: Music For Native American Flute
R. Carlos Nakai
Manufacturer: Canyon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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- Canyon Trilogy: Native American Flute Music
- Earth Spirit
- Sanctuary
- Changes: Native American Flute Music
- Inner Voices
ASIN: B00000136V
Release Date: 1998-02-17 |
Tracks:
- Corn Grinding Song
- The World How Fair
- See The Rainbows
- Fox Song
- Elk Dreamer's Song
- The Great Mystery Hears Me
- Summer Solstice
- Antelope Song
- Begging Song
- Victory Song
- Eagle Flute Song
- Ealges Gathering
- Silver Salmon Bear
- Rocks And Rills
- Coyote Wind
- Swallows And Night Hawks
- Inner Voices
- Lake That Speaks
Product Description
01. Corn-Grinding Song; 02. The World How Fair; 03. See the Rainbows; 04. Fox Song; 05. Elk Dreamers Song; 06. The Great Mystery Hears Me; 07. Summer Solstice; 08. Antelope Song; 09. Begging Song; 10. Victory Song; 11. Eagle Flute Song; 12. Eagles Gathering; 13. Silver Salmon Bear; 14. Rocks and Rills; 15. Coyote Wings; 16. Swallows and Night Hawks; 17. Inner Voices; 18. Lake That Speaks
Format: CD
Amazon.com essential recording
Nakai's most recent outing finds him returning once again to the simple under-produced style that he pioneered on Changes. This program includes 10 traditional tunes from the Kiowa, Lakota, Dakota, Zuni, and Cheyenne; seven of his own compositions; and "Lake That Speaks," from the second movement of James DeMars's "Two World Concerto." On this album the Native melodies sound forceful, almost triumphant, partially due to the short, staccato bursts that Nakai often uses to begin a melodic line--sounds that bring to mind a child's laughter or the contented chirping of a dawn bird. For the Cheyenne "Victory Song" and the Dakota/Lakota melody "The Great Mystery Hears Me" Nakai uses more sustained notes than usual, and the clear, piercing tone of his flute illuminates the heart like a ray of midday sunshine. --j. poet
Customer Reviews:
soothing and wonderful.......2007-03-26
I have several Nakai CD's and this is another beautiful work. I play it at work all day long.
GREAT MUSIC!.......2007-03-12
Another wonderful addition to my cd library.
I like the sound of Carlos Nakai and the far West.
Thank you.
Highly recommended!
An absolute must have.......2006-03-28
I heard this beautiful music in the Cliff Dwelling museum in Colorado Springs (Manitou), CO and immediately had to purchase it. You can hear the history and be taken back in time with this music. It's theraputic and even the kids calm when it's played.
Mystic Dreamer by Carlos Naki.......2006-03-25
What can i say he is the master of the Native American flute
Mythic Dreamer: Music For Native American Flute.......2006-02-27
If you have any imagination at all this music will bring you back to a more peaceful time. Very relaxing.
Average customer rating:
- Solemn music for prayer and chant
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Tibetan Meditation Music
Nawang Khechog
Manufacturer: Gemini Sun Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Tibet
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Similar Items:
- Quiet Mind: The Musical Journey of a Tibetan Nomad
- Music as Medicine
- Karuna
- Moon on the Water
- Universal Love
ASIN: B000OCY6YU
Release Date: 2007-04-24 |
Tracks:
- Under The Wings Of Blessing
- The Great Prince Of Peace And Universal Compassion
- Five-Peak Wisdom Mountain
- A Daily Prayer And Practice Of The Dalai Lama
- Walking Into The Himalaya To Meditate
- Infinate Love
- The Great Arya Tara
- Wisdom And Compassion
- The Perfection Of Compassion
- Dagkar Taso Mila's cave
- For As Long As Space Endures
Amazon.com
A lot of artists evoke the spirit of Tibet, but Nawang Khechog is actually a former Tibetan monk, who took off the robes and took up the flute to travel the world 20 years ago. His albums are usually slotted in the New Age and meditation genres, and certainly his packaging and imagery inspire that. Unfortunately, it overshadows a music that is perhaps deeper, or at least more artistically profound, than that. Tibetan Meditation Music scans less like a background for contemplation and more like a tone poem to the spirit. The opening track seems like an Asian refraction of "Amazing Grace," with Tsering Khechog singing over Nawang Khechog's flute. Khechog's music draws on folk and spiritual traditions but takes them further afield. Think Arvo Pärt on the Tibetan plateau with strings droning a minor-key refrain while Tibetan bells and chimes sound in the background and Khechog chants. I do wish Khechog had brought along just a touch of the drama and shifting moods heard on some of his earlier discs, like the Kitaro-produced Karuna. Tibetan Meditation Music is unvarying in its somber tone. Khechog's chants, which are intimately spoken, whispered more than sung, don't always work on a musical level. But his performances on wood flute are deep explorations into tone and melody. --John Diliberto
Customer Reviews:
Solemn music for prayer and chant.......2007-06-21
Tibetan flautist Nawang Khechog marks 20 years as a professional musician with his new release, Tibetan Mediation Music, a collection of 11 original compositions based on traditional meditative themes. The title might suggest otherwise, but except for sounds used to mark passages in services - such as gongs, bells, and trumpets - music is not a part of Buddhist mediation. It is employed here as the aural background to some of the more commonly used chants and prayers in the Tibetan tradition.
Nawang Khechog knows a bit about those, having in his youth been an ordained monk for 11 years. Among the pieces for which he has chosen to compose are chants to the Buddha, Manju Shri (the god of wisdom), Avalokiteshrava (the god of compassion), and Tara (a female goddess of compassion). There are also two songs based on classic Tibetan poetry, as well as a piece commissioned for the opening ceremony of a 2006 address from ten Nobel Peace Laureates.
Given its purpose, it's hardly surprising to find the music for this project is solemn and staid, built around Nawang's exceptional flute playing and his subdued, often whispered, chanting of the ancient invocations. Except for the marimba on The Great Prince of Peace, the music is played without rhythmic accompaniment and is adorned with bells, gongs and occasional sound effects, such as rolling thunder in The Perfection of Wisdom, or cowbells in Walking Into the Himalayas. These tonal explorations are enriched by the sound of violin, cello, and oud.
This is a lovely album of quiet music suitable for prayer, relaxation, yoga, or massage. It is can also be used to create a relaxing ambience for your work space.
#
Average customer rating:
- Mystical journey into the desert
- World music - folk rock from the middle east
- Pure and captivating.
- Wonderful
- Mystic, Mesmerizing, and Beautiful
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Elysium for the Brave
Azam Ali
Manufacturer: Six Degrees
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- Portals of Grace
- Niyaz
- Feast of Silence
- In the Garden of Souls
- Sunyata
ASIN: B000FTBK9G
Release Date: 2006-07-25 |
Tracks:
- Endless Reverie
- Spring Arrives
- In Other Worlds
- Abode
- Forty One Ways
- The Tryst
- From Heaven To Dust
- I Am A Stranger In This World
- In This Divide
Amazon.com
For this, her second solo album, Azam Ali, lead vocalist of Vas and Niyaz, takes her patented polycultural blend of ancient and contemporary influences even farther beyond the stratosphere. That she is now a veteran of numerous film scores, including Children of Dune, Earthsea, and Matrix Revolutions, perhaps explains her present more cinematic direction. Born in Iran, reared in India and the US, and gifted with a voice of improbable tonal breadth, flexibility, and beauty, she is backed by collaborators like Trey Gunn (King Crimson), Chris Venna (Nine Inch Nails), Turkish DJ/composer Mercan Dede, the Japanese ensemble Kodo, and Grateful Dead drummer/world percussion enthusiast Mickey Hart. One of the more interesting conundrums inherent in Ali's work is that no matter how much electronic technology she employs, her immersion in her heritage unfailingly comes across loud and clear. Whether she is singing in English, which predominates on these sessions, Farsi, or another language, a prayerful sensuality informs every note. It's as though a sexy Tanagra temple figurine or silk-clad court lady from an antique parchment were to suddenly turn her lovely head and step daintily into the modern world, unfurling precisely the kind of voice one expected but never could have imagined. --Christina Roden
Album Description
"Elysium For The Brave", Azam's second solo album, signals a new turn in her musical evolution. The album, her most ambitious work to date, brings together musicians from varied musical backgrounds performing in diverse permutations. The result is a highly coherent body of work that seamlessly weaves together all of Azam's cultural and musical influences into a haunting tapestry of atmospheric rock, electronic, and global sounds. Singing predominantly in English for the first time, the songs are based on lyrics written by Azam herself and reveal a poetic lyricism heard only in glimpses in her previous work.
Customer Reviews:
Mystical journey into the desert.......2007-06-07
Azam Ali is an amazing New Age diva. She's more soulful than Enya, and her lyrics show a depth and mysticism not often found in relaxing New Age music. It's also not surprising that Azam Ali contributed the electrifying "Inama Nushif" to the "Children of Dune" soundtrack.
The opening track,"Endless Reverie",evokes vast desert spaces. It seduces the listener into a spiritual journey. "Spring Arrives" is a musical oasis. "Abode" sounds ancient and modern at once,in which Azam Ali sings of longing for her homeland of Iran. "Forty One Ways" has an urgency driving it forward, with its haunting opening "forty one ways to die,one strong will to live. " "The Tryst" is at once spiritual and erotic; Azam Ali sings of her own sin&being unworthy to enter her lover's garden (which almost sounds like Christian rock-yet it's not)."I am a stranger in this world" is unearthly,expressing desire for union with the eternal.
Azam Ali's spirituality shines in her songs. She does not resort to hoary,sappy cliches. It's as if Teresa of Avila's "The Interior Castle" or John of the Cross' "Ascent of Mount Carmel" were given sonic life. Azam Ali has had an amazing career so far;she headed Vas,now she fronts Niyaz.The best is yet to come.
World music - folk rock from the middle east.......2007-05-12
If you are looking for music similar to "Dead can dance" with real words this album is it, but the more traditional instrumented tracks are more moving.
Pure and captivating........2007-04-24
Azam Ali was born in Iran, raised in India, and currently resides in the USA and she blends her polycultural influences beyond what the human mind can imagine. Known for her collaborations with a vast array of musicians, including members from Nine Inch Nails, the guitar virtuoso Buckethead, the Turkish world music composer Mercan Dede, and the Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, she also fronts two amazing bands: Vas and Niyaz. Elysium for the Brave is her second solo statement, which she has co-produced with Carmen Rizzo (Niyaz) and sees her taking her already amazing style several steps further.
This time around, she is supported by King Crimson's Pat Mastelotto whose amazing percussion work on the opening song "Endless Reverie", blended with Ali's impossibly beautiful vocals, is like the perfect combination of tribal beats and electronics, something we've never heard from Ali before. Another Crimson member, Trey Gunn, also appears on the album, and even co-wrote the mood-intensive piece "The Tryst", employing minimal guitar effects that underlie Ali's vocal lament. Her velvet vocals convey sensuality and heartfelt emotion, and are carefully placed atop an ethereal guitar theme. It is amazing to hear Ali sing in English -- her older fans know how moving she can get when she sings in Persian and Indian, but to see that she is actually capable of applying her talents to more "straightforward" pieces is nothing short of astounding. Unlike her works with Vas and Niyaz, there are a few non-Eastern songs on this album, such as the album opener and this one, where you'll get lost in the beauty of forlornly ringing guitar notes and dark mysticism.
That said, while the titles are in English, not all of them are sung in this language. Ali still uses lots of Persian and Indian lyrics in her songs. Her artistic strength mostly lies in crafting unique Middle Eastern pieces highlighting her vocals and it is hard to capture the intensity without using the region's language and instruments (as on the Indian dirge "Abode"). Her voice is so vulnerable and beautiful I don't even know how to describe it. Having discovered her on Mercan Dede's Breath album where she does her unique Persian-styled vocal melodies mostly going for wordless harmonies, I felt compelled to seek everything she participated in and was absolutely thrilled she experiments with the same style on songs like "I Am a Stranger in This World", which she co-wrote with Loga Roman Torkian, her partner in Niyaz; and the mesmerizing "From Heaven to Dust", an atmospheric elegy drenched in western beats and Indian percussion. "In Other Worlds" is one of the darkest songs on the CD -- it contains strummed acoustic guitars that slowly disappear under a wall-of-sound keyboards that blanket everything but Ali's wonderful voice. Though there is a vague Persian sadness incorporated into the song, this is yet another attempt to branch out and explore new territories.
The production and sonic quality of the album are mindblowing. An incredible amount of nuance and coherent body of work serve to heighten the unmatched emotional power of Ali's voice and compositional skills to a higher level. She has now proved that she is so much more than just a singer with a great voice; her understanding of melody, rhythm, and vocal arrangement leaves me speechless. Check this disc out even if you're remotely interested in world music that is unafraid to infuse electronics and minimalism into its tapestry.
Wonderful.......2007-03-14
This is like listening to a movie soundtrack, only you get to make the movie up in your own mind. If you like Natacha Atlas, world music, middle eastern music, heck, if you just like music, get this albumn.
Mystic, Mesmerizing, and Beautiful.......2007-03-11
If you are a fan of last year's "Niyaz" album, then you'll swear that "Elysium for the Brave" sounds like its sequel. It's no surprise since "Niyaz" musicians Logan Ramin Torkian and Carmen Rizzo accompany Azam Ali for the second time on this new album. "Elysium for the Brave" features a diverse cast of artists to give the album a very global and diverse sound. Classical Persian violinist Kiavash Nourai makes an appearance to add rich ethnic depth, while film composers Tyler Bates and Jeff Rona contribute to create atmospheric and cinematic soundscapes. As mentioned on Azam Ali's website, it's very interesting to learn that Jeff Rona is well known for his collaborations with Dead Can Dance.
What makes "Elysium from the Brave" stand out from Azam Ali's previous work is that she sings 6 out of 9 tracks in English (the remaining three are in Farsi). The mystical lyricism, which was written by Azam Ali herself, is hauntingly beautiful and reminds us about our personal quests for Elysium. Some of the lyrics however, are difficult to make out, but this didn't bother me at all because it's not so much about digging up words, but LISTENING and EXPERIENCING the MUSIC. Those who are familiar with the band "Cocteau Twins" (one of my favorite bands) and the lead singer, Elizabeth Fraiser, shouldn't be bothered by not being able to hear the lyrics since the "Cocteau Twins" are known for their indecipherable lyrics.
Everyone wants to escape their sorrows and hardships, everyone wants to feel Loved, everyone wants to be happy; these universally shared human longings are what unite us as a species. Unlike the hoards of hip-hop and pop music out there that exploit our animalistic nature, Azam Ali's voice is cry for a return to the human spirit. It would not be inaccurate to say that many humans are out of touch with their spiritual nature, and I am not sure who the blame goes to, but I believe attracting the population through an appealing form of art, such as music, is a powerful way to help promote and encourage spirituality. "Elysium for the Brave" features powerful and thought-provoking lyrics voiced by a divinely gifted woman who sings over stimulating modern day beats and rhythms, which make this album a unique blend of the ancient and the new.
My favorite tracks are:
1. Endless Reverie, 3. In Other Worlds, 5. Forty One Ways, 7. From Heaven to Dust (a nice BASS track) 8. I am a Stranger in this World, 9. In This Divide (the instrumentation is amazing)
Pop Music:
- Yearning for the Bell, Vol. 1 [Live]
- 20' to 2000
- Acts
- After the Rain
- Again & Again
- Ancient Power
- Angel's Songs
- Apokalypsis Explicata
- Art of Life
- Art of Peace
Pop Music
pop music
Recommended Music:
Green Grass and High Tides: Best of the Outlaws [Original recording remastered] [Import]
Novak: Quintet in Am; Songs Op30
Of Near & Distant Lands
Music: Kyu-Box [Import]
Welcome Back My Friends [Original recording remastered] [Import]
La Grande...
Play [Live]
Lebendige Vergangenheit: Paul Franz
Satan Is Real
Modern Jazz
Nara [Import]
Love Animal
Parismatic [Import]
Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms/Symphony in 3 Movements
Mighty to Save