Yoga Music Blog

I was watching Living in the Material World, the Martin Scorsese HBO documentary on George Harrison the other night, and it reminded me how strongly I responded to the sitar when I first heard it on the early Beatles tune, Norwegian Wood. (And George Harrison didn't even really know how to play the sitar at that point) There was an instant knowingness that there was something special about this instrument, and also something that seemed to resonate out of a deep inner recognition. It was new to me, yet there was something timeless there as well.

If I was given the opportunity to choose my musical path over again, the sitar would be my first instrument of choice, followed by the sarod.

I recently became aware of someone who was able to change musical paths, and take up the sitar, after starting as a singer songwriter and guitarist. His name is Prosad (pronounded pro-sahd), and we talked recently about his musical journey and the passion he brings to both classical and what he calls trance sitar music.

Prosad has recorded classical sitar ragas on his 2006 album Mystical Sitar, but it's the Trance Sitar world fusion album that got my attention. Prosad's sitar on this album is downright tasty, melodic and heartful. I appreciate artists who are confident enough realize that it's not how many notes they play, or how fast, but that playing the right notes in the right timing are what makes for music that can speak to the soul. (Prosad's musical sensibilities remind me a lot of the Yoga music created by Chinmaya Dunster, a long time favorite of the Yoga Music Blog.)

Tance Sitar is full of great music for Yoga, dance, movement and just listening to as you go about your day. It ranges from the downtempo (but lively) Byron Bay to more danceable, tracks such as my favorites, Om Namah Shivaya and Jungle Sitar, but all the tracks maintain a coherant musicality and heart.

Prosad was a guitarist in high school and college rock bands that toured Canada. Little did he know when he was given a sitar in 2001 that it would alter his musical direction in such a huge way.

He was instantly attracted to the hypnotic sound of the sitar and began to study faithfully. At first he believed it would remain a hobby, but as time went on it became clear that he had an affinity for sitar and people began to take notice when he played.

Prosad’s first sitar teacher was Shambhu Das, a life long student of Ravi Shankar. "It was an amazing experience to study with Mr. Das as he had taught sitar to George Harrison while the Beatles were in India in the late 1960’s," he said. Prosad later went on to study classical sitar with the great sitarist Ustad Irshad Khan.

Currently Prosad is studying Indian music with Alam Khan, son of the legendary Ali Akbar Khan Sahib. He is also studying how music can affect consciousness and aid in meditation with his spiritual teacher, Maestro Tulshi Sen. He is now seeking to create music that will not be only for the purpose of entertainment, but will also uplift and raise the consciousness of the listener.

I spoke to Prosad recently from his studio in Toronto, Canada.

Bram: Thanks for taking the time to speak to the Yoga Music Blog. Tell us a little about the upcoming album. (release date is December 2011)

Prosad: I'm really excited about the new album. It will be more upbeat, more dancy, with a world music/reggae influence... a lot more vocals and a lot more song driven.

I think the difference between my music and some electronic artists is that I play almost all of the instruments myself. So the only things that are electronic are the samples and some of the beats. Real tamboura, real sitar, real didgeridoo, and vocals.

Bram: What do you mean by song driven?

Prosad: If I have a theme, or a motif, or some feeling in my heart that I'm trying to express, and instead of grabbing some random samples that repeat and sound good together, I'm actually writing melodies and choosing instruments based on getting across a message or a theme… it's a feeling that I have in my heart rather than just trying to be clever putting cool samples together.

Bram: How will this differ from say, your Trance Sitar release?

Prosad: This will take everything I've been studying for the last 15 years of my life and make it into one unique sound.

I think with this album I've captured the sound that I've wanted to find. I think every musician throughout their life is always searching for their [unique] sound. And I feel like that with this album I've found it.

Bram: You mentioned earlier that the study of the Sitar is spiritual for you, are you able to put that into words?

Prosad: Indian music is an incredibly spiritual pursuit. One of the quotes on your Homore page, I loved it, you say that music itself is a form of Yoga for Indian musicians, and it's a form of Sahdana where they try to become one with the vibration of music. Doing the sahdana of music is completely and totally a form of Yoga. They say nada brahma… sound is God, sound is the creator.

The purpose of meditation is a way to quiet the thoughts of the mind, and Nirvana actually means "no wave," so there's no wave in your mind.

When you're studying these ancient ragas that have been passed down for hundreds of years, and really the origin of the music is three thousand years old, from Vedic times… and it's been passed from master to master to master for three thousand years, you're not only playing the music, but you're actually, in a way, tuning into the thoughts of all of those masters.

Because the tradition is oral/aural they never wrote it down. So each master had to memorize the music, internalize it, make it part of his being, and then transfer that music to his disciples, who would then internalize it, become a master and transfer it to the next generation.

So when your'e playing these compositions that are sometimes 500 years old, and the actual music itself is three thousand years old, you're inheriting not only the music, but the vibration of the master that held that music. Every master that held it and passed it on is passing some of his essence along to you through those melodies. And if you practice long enough and hard enough, you can imbibe that spiritual aspect into your own being.

Ultimately, they say that you can't have music without silence, and if you follow the note as it fades into the drone you actually follow it into the silence, and when you go deep enough into music you reach silence, and silence is God. It's the same place that you can reach when you meditate. So the fact that Indian music is a spiritual path, a sahdana is absolutely true.

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Give a listen to Prosad's music, including his newest release, Infinite Ocean, which is more of an ambient, meditative kind of experience with Prosad on bansuri. It's excellent World Fusion that would find a welcome place in anyone's Yoga Music collection.

More info on Prosad can be found at: BeyondBordersMusic.com

Recommended Tracks: Jungle Sitar and Om Namah Shivaya

This video came my way recently and it's very impressive endeavor from one of my favorite World Fusion live bands, and great source of Yoga Music. I first became aware of them at EarthDance a while back, and they rocked the house when they played in Ashland, OR a few months back.

Since the group’s inception from the eclectic underground of San Francisco’s performance art scene, Beats Antique has been notorious for making it nearly impossible to sit still. They meld their mediums as attentively as they fuse the cultures that inspire their sound. All self produced and composed, the trio creates a unique collage: an animalistic, raw musical event that blurs the lines between the provocative, the spiritual, and the artistic, while still maintaining an allegiance to the muses of class and beauty.

David Satori and Tommy Cappel both trained classically before venturing to locations such as Bali, West Africa, Serbia and beyond. With extensive backgrounds in multicultural music production, and the passports to prove it, Satori and Cappel command the spectrum of live and digital instrumentation, born from Hip Hop and old school jazz.

Zoe Jakes adds a third dimension as the multi –cultural and –disciplinary dance counterpart to Beats Antique’s sound. Jakes has worked with 2 major dance troupes, Miles Copeland’s Bellydance Superstars and Rachel Brice’s Indigo Belly Dance Company, a student of ballet and contemporary techniques. Jake’s additional history with Cappel in the Extra Action Marching Band and the Yard Dogs Road Show grants some insight into the caliber of performance that is Beats Antique’s standard.

All of this sets the scene for Beats Antique’s overtly ambitious stage show, a sensory overload conquest of the festival circuit’s most riotous events, such as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits festival, and Outside Lands, as well as a catalog of proper tours that include Bassnectar and a recent run with Les Claypool of PRIMUS in early 2010. According to Satori, the trio is excited by their ability to create a huge sound from their relatively small setup. “It gives us this whole new world of musical opportunities that we’re just starting to scratch the surface of.”

Director | Ivan Landau
Music | Beats Antique - "REVIVAL"
Director of Photography | Austin Rhodes
Illustrator | Leighton Kelly

One of my favorite local DJs, Stephen (Ujjayi) Brown, is also a musician and producer. He is raising funds on Kickstarter.com to produce an ambitious album of world fusion music using electronica, as well as the sounds of physical instruments played by himself and some of the world's finest musicians. In addition to pledging a cash contribution, I wanted to let the you all to know how you can support this project. (Pledges of $10 or more receive a digital download of the album prior to the release of the CD)

For those of you who don't know, Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative projects.

They believe that:

• A good idea, communicated well, can spread fast and wide.
• A large group of people can be a tremendous source of money and encouragement.

Kickstarter is powered by a unique all-or-nothing funding method where projects must be fully-funded or no money changes hands.

Now that we live in a world where major labels don't control everything we hear, it's our responsibility to support independent artists when we can.

I think Stephen describes the project best himself in the description found on Kickstarter.com

* * *

Ujjayi Soundsystem means: “victorious breathing sound system” and is a vast and textured sound-scape I’ve woven together using a blend of electronic music I’ve composed and live instruments played by amazing talents and finished off with stellar vocals.

My name is Stephen Brown:

I have a rich background in electronic music production as well as percussion and live dj work and love what I do! You might see me in a town or city near you soon dj’n under the name Dj Ujjayi or find me with another passion, teaching a Yoga workshop. I’m so excited have found Kickstarter! This will be my first album under Ujjayi Soundsystem!!!

I have been working with many world-class musicians from multi cultural backgrounds including such talents as: Riffat Sultana Ali Khan, MC Rai (singer featured in the soundtrack to “Babel”), Deva Priyo (guitarist and sarodist from the band “Lost at Last”), and Lev Polyakin (violinist from The Cleveland Orchestra) to name a few.

To finish the album I will need to pay artists, mix in a studio, master the music, higher a graphic designer, pay for copyright, legal fees, and finish with production/duplication. To achieve this goal and put out this amazing album it will cost an additional $8,000 and with your help this dream can finally come true!

I have a dream of sharing the positive vibes of music with the world, please help me achieve my dream.

“this album will live longer than I will, I want it to be amazing!”

* * *

We trust that this album will be amazing too.

To find out more about this project, and to watch a compelling, short video about it click here.

I went to see Tina Malia and GuruGanesha Singh on their Song of the Soul tour last night, and upon entering the venue, I was thrilled to see the stage filled with a fine collection of exotic world instruments.

Through a number of synchronicities, before the concert I found myself conversing with Hans Christian, the reason for many of them. You are already familiar with Hans' work if you've ever seen Rasa in concert or listened to any of their many recordings.

The reason I found this chance meeting so interesting, (other than the fact that Hans is an engaging guy) is that, lately, I've been playing along with a number of Rasa tracks in order to practice scales and sound techniques on my EWI.

Hari Haraye, from Rasa in Concert is my current favorite practice track, and it's a daunting challenge to emulate the haunting, emotional texture of Hans' Indian Sarangi. (pic below)

The concert was exceptional (and deserves a separate review) and because our seats were in the second row, right in front of where Hans was set up, we were able to watch him perform his prodigious instrumental magic.

Another benefit of our conversation, is that I discovered that Hans is a prolific producer and performer on many projects other than Rasa. In addition to a number of recent projects of his own (Undefined Heart - Meditative compositions with solo cello, loops and delays, recorded Live July 5-10, 2010 in Chartres, France.) he has worked with a diverse list of artists such as Dave Stringer, Krishna Das, Vas, and many others.

Most of Hans' early musical life was spent in recording studios from first recordings at age 16 with a local flamenco group called Duo Flamenco in his home town Hannover, Germany; to recordings in Hamburg at the famous Deutsche Gramophon studios and a local facility called Studio Hafenklang.

From there he went to Hollywood to pursue a life as bassist and cellist, performing and recording first with local underground bands and later with popular artists (Robbie Robertson, Sparks, Toni Childs, Gene Clark, and others). Picking up clues from recognized producers T-Bone Burnett, Chad Blake, Daniel Lanois, Mitchel Froom (all of whom he met during sessions) and others, Hans developed a foundation for his work as a composer, producer, and engineer.

His first instrument being the cello, Hans' musicality evolved around Western classical music. Technique and discipline were the building blocks for his musical education, although these were quickly augmented with his choice of the bass guitar as a second instrument (and leading to the subsequent immersion in rock music). The foundation for a rich musical career was thus prepared.

His interest in World Music, especially from India, led him to pick up the Indian sarangi and sitara (a small customized sitar) and the Scandinavian nyckelharpa. (pic left) Hans has played on countless albums, given hundreds of concerts, and produced many projects, including his collaborations with Kim Waters under the name RASA and several recent solo recordings.

If you're looking for some evocative yoga music for your practice or are simply wanting to expand your world music library, check out any of Hans' fine recordings.

Visit Hans' recording studio Web site, called STUDIO 330, at www.recordingstudio330.com for lots of info about his professional work.

Tal Maya, (Sanskrit for "Beat Illusion") draws inspiration from musicians and traditions from around the world, and combines the tones and rhythms of India, Asia, and the Middle East with the more American styles of Funk and Jazz...thus creating an eclectic blend of exciting instrumental music that challenges your mind, stirs your heart, and moves your body.

Originally founded in Minneapolis, MN in the early 90s, Tal Maya has recently been reborn on the West Coast (currently in Seattle) and continues to explore uncharted musical territories and create all original compositions.

The players and instruments listed below should provide some insight into the tapestry of sounds created by Tal Maya.

• Jason Everett: Basses, Piccolo Bass
• Tao Zhidao: Violin, Sitar, Tanpura
• Miss Stick: Flutes, Oboe
• Shiv Anataraja:Tabla, Mridungum, Percussion
• Gaye Nesh: French Horn, Trumpet
• Mr. E: Vocals, Keyboards

For the most part, this is energized and energizing music. I can't quite define it in words accurately, but it's different from much of the world fusion music I listen to. Perhaps there's a bit more of a world/jazz influence, and as a result, at times, the melodies and rhythms feel like they're about to burst from the confines of the arrangement and take off into those "uncharted territories". I like it because it's challenges me as a listener.

If you're looking for some yoga music to  add a little lift to your practice, or if you just want to check out something a little out of the ordinary in world fusion genre, give a listen to Tal Maya - Beat Illusion.

For more information: http://facebook.com/Tal.Maya.World.Music

Asudha, is translated as Bliss, and the title is more than appropriate for this musical yogic journey.

Temple rhythms, trip hop and downtempo beats, angelic melodies and open, trance-based arrangements provide an excellent bed for yoga and other wellness practices, or for just simply chilling out to as a soundtrack to your daily existence.

Everything on this release is great, but track highlights for me are:

Bhodi Tree Dub (Visions Mix) by Desert Dwellers - evocative flutes, tanpura, tabla, chanting voices and electronica create an exotic aural tapestry for yoga or movement.

Temple Gateway by Shaman's Dream - rich pads, tasty percussion, sensuous flutes, perfectly placed electronica and female voices echoing throughout the mix.

Waves of Reflection by Desert Dwellers - this is classic Desert Dwellers with slow hypnotic arpeggios weaving in and around percussion, flutes and synth motifs.

In Asudha, music producer Amani Friend (Desert Dwellers) has woven together a yantric tapestry of pranic elements, along with fellow Yogitunes collaborators Craig Kohland (Shaman's Dream) and Rara Avis (Desert Dwellers). Cave Dwellings, a track by Liquid Bloom is also included.

Prem Joshua is a Westerner, who spent many years in India studying sitar with masters, before returning to the West.

The last time I checked, Prem Joshua was the number one bestselling World Music artist in India, and the favorite artist on MTV India. The daily newspaper "The Times of India" anointed him the new "Guru of Fusion."

I first became aware of Prem Joshua (and band) in 2001 when they played a small venue in our area in support of Dance of Shakti. (The exquisite and entrancing Hina Sarojini provided indian fusion dances to some songs, but that's a whole other story.) They rocked the place and I became an instant fan.

I caught them again a year later when they came through supporting their new release Water Down the Ganges (with Manish Vyas), and sat in, transfixed, during a classical Indian dance lesson that Hina gave for the women in attendance at the concert who demanded it.

Prem and Hina haven't been back to our area since then, but I have followed the respective arcs of their careers through iTunes, Facebook and their websites.

It is expected, and appreciated by many of us, that Prem Joshua's music veered more towards electronic influences with Ahir and some of the fine remixes that have been done such as Dakini Lounge.

The return to more acoustic based arrangements on Yatri and Taranga have reassured those who feared losing that style to the chilled downtempo and dance oriented grooves.

I couldn't pick a single release to recommend here as I love them all, though, I play different albums at different times depending on my mood.

Give a listen to any of the fine albums by Prem Joshua and friends. If you're a world fusion and yoga music fan, you'll find a lot to like.

If you have a Mac and you are musically adventurous, you owe it to yourself to try out Radio Gaga, from Gaga Factory. ($29.99 with a free trial)

This is one very slick application, the interface is amazing. Some of the features are listed below