Deva Premal & Miten, Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Snatam Kaur and other leading lights in contemporary kirtan and mantra music are showcased in this 2-CD set of recordings captured during a spring weekend of inspiring musical prayer recorded at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY.
Known in India as kirtan (Sanskrit for “devotional chanting”), the call-and-response, rhythmic quality of these prayers kindles a joyful mood and can lead to profound states of deep meditation. The variety of chants found on this specially-priced 2-CD set, rendered in an array of traditional and contemporary styles, reveals why kirtan is considered one of the surest paths to enlightenment.
During the weekend, fans and devotees of chant gather to sing a variety of traditional and new chants, led by the acknowledged contemporary masters of the form and accompanied by an array of instruments old and new, including the harmonium and tabla—standards in Indian classical music. The weekend also includes an extraordinary late-night Saturday session featuring rare collaborations between these gifted chant singers.
The performances on Omega Ecstatic Chant were recorded in May 2010 at the spring edition of Omega’s Labor Day Ecstatic Chant weekend, a twice-annual event which continues to enthrall sold-out audiences.
