Nectar: Live Kirtan & Pagan Remixes [Live]

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Kirtan is the communal call-and-response chanting and singing, over and over, of the many names of the Hindu gods and goddesses. The practice is intended to invoke these deities, and by so doing, make the participants become one with them. It is an offering of spirit and feeling, a prayer; a devotional practice set to music. Unlike Krishna Das's excellent Live on Earth (For a Limited Time Only), a live recording of kirtan sessions that's easy to chant along with at home, Jai Uttal's Nectar: Live Kirtan & Pagan Remixes is headier--more of a listening experience. Interspersing street recordings from India and electronica-infused remixes, along with live kirtan recordings, Uttal offers a devotional and intense musical experience. The 25-minute trance-inducing "Om Namah Shivaya" alone is worth the price of the CD for the inner journey it will take you on. Another highlight, Ben Leinbach's "Radha (Remix)," samples vocal elements of the Radha mantra and beautifully places them in a hypnotic and pulsating electronic world-music bed. "Big Wheel (Remix)" masterfully reworks more of the Radha chant in a surprising dub-heavy arrangement. With the exception of the wailing vocal supplication, "Opening the Gates," which will probably appeal to mostly hardcore chant fans, Nectar is accessible and moving. Uttal, who has been leading kirtan sessions for 30 years, likens kirtan to "an oil well digging deeper and deeper into the heart. A power tool of love and longing." While some devote hours, years, or a lifetime to the practice of kirtan, the sweet spot, or nectar, of this CD is that it can give a glimpse of the union with spirit--and what a sweet spot that is. --Kevin Cole

Tracks:

Radha (Remix)
Opening The Gates
Sita Ram/Raghupati
Radha Ramana Hari Bol
Om Namah Shivaya
Big Wheel (Remix)
Bajrangi
Hanuman Mantra
Namah Om (Remix)

Amazon.com

Kirtan is the communal call-and-response chanting and singing, over and over, of the many names of the Hindu gods and goddesses. The practice is intended to invoke these deities, and by so doing, make the participants become one with them. It is an offering of spirit and feeling, a prayer; a devotional practice set to music. Unlike Krishna Das's excellent Live on Earth (For a Limited Time Only), a live recording of kirtan sessions that's easy to chant along with at home, Jai Uttal's Nectar: Live Kirtan & Pagan Remixes is headier--more of a listening experience. Interspersing street recordings from India and electronica-infused remixes, along with live kirtan recordings, Uttal offers a devotional and intense musical experience. The 25-minute trance-inducing "Om Namah Shivaya" alone is worth the price of the CD for the inner journey it will take you on. Another highlight, Ben Leinbach's "Radha (Remix)," samples vocal elements of the Radha mantra and beautifully places them in a hypnotic and pulsating electronic world-music bed. "Big Wheel (Remix)" masterfully reworks more of the Radha chant in a surprising dub-heavy arrangement. With the exception of the wailing vocal supplication, "Opening the Gates," which will probably appeal to mostly hardcore chant fans, Nectar is accessible and moving. Uttal, who has been leading kirtan sessions for 30 years, likens kirtan to "an oil well digging deeper and deeper into the heart. A power tool of love and longing." While some devote hours, years, or a lifetime to the practice of kirtan, the sweet spot, or nectar, of this CD is that it can give a glimpse of the union with spirit--and what a sweet spot that is. --Kevin Cole

Customer Reviews:

It's growing on me.......2002-05-20

There are some strong kirtans here with a lot of emotion that really involves the listener. I enjoy singing along with some, while others are more complex but flow and are interesting and easy to listen to. I prefer the 'traditional' arrangements and think the remixes distracted from an otherwise excellent CD. However, the more I listen to the CD the more I'm begining to tolerate the remixes. Overall I'm glad that I purchased the CD.

Delight In The Divine Names.......2002-03-21

Inspiring CD of live kirtan and studio kirtan remixes. The feeling of being in a group of people chanting to God is one of the most amazing feelings on earth. I was fortunate to of been present at one of the live kirtans on the CD and I can still feel the magic that was created when I listen to it. Some of the CD is particularly raw compared with the earlier multi-track Pagan releases, but this is very personal side of Jai that he is sharing.
Yet he does go into the studio and play with remixing some of the live tracks. The "Radha Remix" and the "Big Wheel Remix" are groovy.
A beautiful rendition of the song to Shri Hanuman on "Bajarangi".
A taste of Psycedelia on the "Namah Om Remix" that sends me into the sea aboard the Yellow Submarine.
Thanks Jai.

Boring!.......2002-02-20

I echo the reviewers below in saying that if Jai went back to more interesting music and blending east with west, he would be better off. I don't need to buy a cd with an american singing kirtans when i have more beautifully produced cds of authentic kirtans from india (without the american accent). The chanting on this cd is leaning towards a repetitive "hare krishna" type sound and i dont need images of bald hare krishnas dancing around in my mind as i hear this....sorry but his earlier albums are better...it seems as if he put this cd out cause he HAD to and probably took all of maybe a couple of weeks. These are all traditional bhajans so he didn't have to write any lyrics of his own so...then...what's the point?

At long last..........2001-07-11

Jai, we really love you and the Pagans, but also desperately need your incredible, unique, pure Kirtan. Thanks for sharing your heart practice with us in this way. More please!!! Radha Ramana Hari Bol, Om Namah Shivaya and Bhajarangi defy description. Worth owning just for the artwork. Also awaiting your new Pagan album with great anticipation.

A Beautiful, Inspiring Work of Art.......2001-05-28

For anyone who has actually participated in a Kirtan or for those who just love the beauty and joy of music, then "Nectar" will be a deeply moving experience. The call and response of Kirtan is such that even those listening at home will find themselves singing along and joining in- the remixes are quite fine and use the Kirtan chants in a creative fashion. As noted above, the center of the CD is "Om Namah Shivaya" which mere words can not even begin to explain. All in all this is an album not only to listen to, but to grow with.

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