Hello & Namaste, All!
Per discussion in a recent thread in the Self-Pacing section, Christi requested a list of my “Top Ten” Kirtan artists - so here they are!
Please Note that many times, “#1” is understandably the artist that I am listening to / chanting with at the moment, and that I enjoy them all enough that they are genuinely hard to rank (actually, come to think of it — I won’t! ) - I’ll just list the artists I’ve found most enjoyable and helpful to my practice “in no particular” order.
Also, please note that the kirtan community is fairly small - so I’ve met almost all of the artists listed below, and know some of them at least a little bit – so if anyone has “follow-on” questions about any of them - I may well be able to answer them.
Enjoy – and please feel free to let me know what you think, if/when you listen to, and/or practice with, any of them (via CD, presumably - but they all tour, as well).
And, it turns out - you get a couple of “Bonus Listings” - the Top Ten “somehow” morphed into the … Durga Dozen!
KIRTANMAN’S FAVORITE KIRTAN ARTISTS
Krishna Das
www.krishnadas.com
www.myspace.com/krishnasdas
Recommended songs to check out on MySpace
“Namah Shivayah” and “Rock in a Heart Place”
To get an idea of the deep, traditional formality (you know - kinda like how I’m always deeply, traditionally formal) of kirtan – check this video clip out:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rOVyHyewW-k&mode=related&search=
(Krishna Das with Donna Delory and Wah! <— the ! is part of her name - like Yahoo!)
7 minute clip goes like this:
1st part - deeply formal intro (or not).
2nd part - cool but complex-sounding Sanskrit, likely designed to scare people off (or not).
3rd part - cool “Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram” chant, which nicely highlights KD’s style, but is only a minute or so of the total clip.
And this clip notwithstanding (meaning: no evidence of ultra-packed house) - KD is the U2 of Western kirtan, and regularly sells out venues of a thousand people or more – which, as you can imagine, generate “nuclear bhakti” - big time!)
Recommended Starter Album: Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga
(Contains great live CD, and cool inspirational DVD).
“THIS JUST IN!!”
YouTube is freakin’ amazing (in a VERY good way) - just found this live clip of Krishna Das and a thousand or so of his closest friends chanting “Namah Shivayah” from the November 8th kirtan at the Mission Basilica, in San Francisco, CA — I was there – and it was rockin’ beyond belief; the video was shot from the first ten-ish rows - there were several hundred people, at least beind the videographer).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMluNbYKk5w&mode=related&search=
Jai Uttal
www.jaiuttal.com
http://www.myspace.com/musicbyjai
Check out “Ganesha Sharanam” (give it at least a minute; it’ll grow on you! 
).
Also “Tomorrow Never Knows” - amazing song; helped me to be present with my mother, as she dropped her body, last year, in a way that nothing else did (helps you get a feel for what really happens when one “dies”) - it’s a combination of “Tomorrow Never Knows” by the Beatles (lyrics taken from John Lennon’s interpretation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, lyrics written while he was tripping on LSD, combined with a deeply heartfelt Shankara (Shiva) chant - from the grammy-nominated Mondo Rama.
Recommended Starter Album: Mondo Rama or Kirtan: The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant
Donna Delory
www.donnadelory.com
Donna is one of Madonna’s (yes - that Madonna) back-up singer-dancers, and schedules kirtans around the world in connection with touring with Madonna.
Donna Delory MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/donnadelory
Check out “He Ma Durga”, and “In The Sun” (I normally steer clear of Enlglish when it comes to kirtan, but this is simply one of the most inspirational and beautiful songs I have ever heard - in any language).
Donna Delory YouTube Clip - Ganapati Om
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZJr-BAX3go
(understandably nothing like the studio version, but still cool to view, to get an idea of what a “donnakirtana” is like.)
Recommended Starter Album: The Lover and the Beloved are One
NOTE: Her version of Namah Shivaya (on the album noted above) is just … amazing. If 20th-21st century pop-rock music had been around in Vedic India, this song would have been a #1 hit. For centuries.
Dave Stringer
www.davestringer.com
http://www.myspace.com/davestringer
Dave introduced Donna to kirtan. Thanks, Dave! He also managed to list my four favorite songs of his, as his myspace selections.
He and I have had conversations about how “Bhagavati” is the song that caused of both to foresee that kirtan can (and will) fill and completely rock ten-thousand seat venues.
Recommended Starter Album: Japa “by a nose”, Mala works 99% as well - and Brink has Shivo’ham.
Dave ROCKS. And he’s a GOOD musician – but I don’t expect you to believe me ---- treat yourself to 30 seconds (more is okay …) of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocONu2G3tSQ
Girish
www.girishmusic.com
Girish played tabla for (literally) almost everyone else on this list before doing his own CDs.
http://www.myspace.com/girishmusic
Check out his version of the Gayatri!
He and his family are some of the coolest people I’ve ever met; his daughter Tara is the star of every Girish kirtan (and she won’t even be a year old for another couple of months).
David Newman / Durga Das
(Same guy, two names)
http://www.myspace.com/davidnewmandurgadas
This guy puts the “heart” in k-i-r-t-a-n
Check out “Bajarang Bali” (way cool song-chant to Hanuman, and Sita-Ram).
He and his partner Mira are sweet and bhakti-ful beyond belief!
Recommend Starter Album: Lotus Feet - A Kirtan Revolution.
(“As Featured” on NPR - National Public Radio -
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5498912 )
Wah!
Ahh, Wah!
http://www.myspace.com/wahmusic
I’m gettin’ tired, folks — but Wah! is no less awesome because she’s farther down the list!
Recommended Starter Album: Jai Jai Jai
Jaya Lakshmi
http://www.myspace.com/jlakshmi
Ditto — she’s amazing, on every level!
Check out “Pancha Tattvit”
Bhagavan Das
“The Jimi Hendrix of Kirtan”
http://www.myspace.com/bhagavandas
And please note: IT’S ALL HIS FAULT!!
Many people have a very long list under that header - I have just one:
He introduced Ram Dass (then Richard Alpert) to his guru, Sri Neem Karoli Baba - and thus, very directly, created the Western kirtan movement – Bhagavan Das, Krishna Das, Ram Dass (known, for obvious reasons as the “Das Brothers”) and Jai Uttal all recorded kirtan albums based on guidance from their guru - who felt that chant was a key gateway to unleasing the bhakti needed for Realization.
(You may find this tough to believe, but ---- “I concur”!)
Check out “Raghupati” and “Ode to Ganesha”
Recommended Starter Album: NOW
(produced with Mike D of the Beastie Boys - both songs shown above are on this album.)
Mantra Girl
www.mantragirl.com
Kundalini Yoga instructor who makes beautiful music with folks like her husband, known film music composer Adam Smalley, and the New York Philarmonic Orchestra.
Recommended Starter Album: Truth
The song “Adi Shakti”, which prompted Christi to request this list, can be heard on her site.
Wynne Paris
http://www.myspace.com/wynneparis
Check out Saraswati and Bum (Boom) Shiva!
Bum Shiva is one of my favorite “fun” kirtan songs; Bhagavan Das does the lead vocals - and if you’re guessing the production of the song may have been “herbally augmented” - I’m guessin’ you’re right!
Recommended Starter Album: Emptiness and Ecstasy
(Feutures Saraswati, Bum Shiva and Hey Hanuman (cool duet-ish song featuring Krishna Das and his daughter, Janaki).
Last (for now) but certainly not least –
Ragani
www.raganiworld.com
She leads the largest ongoing kirtan in the U.S. - a thousand people or more, the first Friday of every month - in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, no less!
Hear tracks from her new album at:
http://www.raganiworld.com/cds.html
In terms of sheer, yogically-beneficial kirtan-for-practice selections, I’d recommend Krishna Das and Ragani, respectively!
Hope this is helpful, in terms of introducing those of you who are interested to some of the most awesome and spiritually uplifting music that the world (for the most part) has never heard (so far …).
A friend of a friend recently heard some of the artists listed above, and commented, “Oh My God, I never knew music like this existed!”
Well … “Now ya know!”
Enjoy!
Peace & Namaste,
Kirtanman
Thanks Kirtanman,
I’ll check them out!
Christi
Thanks Kirtanman
Glad to see Krishna Das as your number one. I say this because of his association with Ram Das whose books I have read and empathise with greatly.
You have spurred me on to go ahead and get one of his CD’s or DVDs. Can you recommend a favourite?
Hey Sparkle – cool! Glad you’re feeling “spurred”!
I’d recommend “Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga” – it does contain some of his “greatest hits” - including a rousing version of “Om Namah Shivaya” - and it’s a two-disc set, the second disc being a DVD documentary – which has some really cool footage of Krishna Das and Ram Dass, together – as well as being quite interesting, and inspirational in all other ways (in my experience, anyway – and in the experience of at least a couple of other people I’ve shared it with).
Alternately (if you’re only up for a single CD to start - or whatever – I’d recommend “Breath of the Heart” - it has a really cool version of Hare Krishna, titled Kainchi Hare Krishna (Kainchi was the closest town to Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram, in northern India), as well as Ma Durga and Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya – all together, three of my “big time faves” of his.
Here’s a link to all his albums, for interested parties to peruse:
http://www.google.com/musica?aid=7kz_1juCWRG&sa=X&oi=music&ct=result
Enjoy!
Peace & Namaste,
Kirtanman
Hi Kirtanman:
Thanks much for this marvelous contribution to the knowledge base.
May the dance continue!
The guru is in you.
You’re very welcome — I hope some AYPers get some of the same enjoyment (and joy) that I gratefully experience daily, due to these musical artists / sadhakas, and their uplifting and spiritually / yogically powerful (and simply good and enjoyable!) music.
Peace & Namaste,
Kirtanman
Thanks for the list and links Kirtanman.
I have to say, Krishna Das really touches my soul with his songs.
Esp. this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxXfI6lbXPU
I guess it has a special place in my heart since it is a song to Ma… and for the few mins he sings this song, I close my eyes and I can feel Ma awake in me.
Thanks again.
If you’re a kirtan fan you probably already know about this, but in case anyone’s interested (and in the area):
This is at the Integral Yoga Institute here in Manhattan. Their website is www.iyiny.org
Special Weekend Program with Jai Uttal
The Art and Practice of Kirtan
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Oct. 19, 20, and 21
Jai Uttal and Daniel Paul
For those who aspire to lead Kirtan, those who wish to enhance their Yoga teaching with chanting, and those who simply wish to immerse themselves in the path of devotion, known as bhakti, Jai and Daniel will share some of the methods they use in their Kirtan practice. You will gain a basic understanding of Indian music and rhythm and gain confidence that you too can lead and sing and share your heart with others. The practice of chanting, over and over, the many names of God and the Goddess-the multicolored manifestations of the One-plumbs the heart’s profoundest depths so that one may touch and be touched by the Divine Presence. Let the practice itself be the teacher, guiding you home to your self.
Schedule for weekend participants:
- Friday, Oct. 19: 1:30-4:30 p.m.
7:30-10 p.m. An Evening with Jai Uttal (open to the public) - Saturday, Oct. 20: 1:30-4:30 p.m., 7-9:30 p.m
- Sunday, Oct. 21: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Price for the full weekend: $225 (includes Friday- evening Kirtan)
Two Evenings with Jai Uttal Special Kirtan Events
Friday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. $20 in advance / $25 day of event
Saturday, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m. $20 in advance / $25 day of event
Spend an evening chanting with other seekers on the spiritual path and experience the joys of music and devotion. Beloved Kirtanist and recording artist Jai Uttal returns to IYI’s Main Room to inspire and engage you in practicing timeless spiritual music to stir your soul.
Jai Uttal, a sacred-music composer, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and ecstatic vocalist, combines influences from India with influences from rock, folk, hip-hop, and jazz. Mondo Rama , Jai’s latest album with his band the Pagan Love Orchestra, was nominated for a 2003 Grammy award as Best New Age Album. www.jaiuttal.com
Tabla drummer Daniel Paul, Jai Uttal’s principal accompanist in Kirtan workshops and concerts, earned his degree in the classical music of India from the Ali Akbar College of Music in 1984. His solo CDs are Rhythms of Paradise and Between Two Worlds. www.tabladaniel.com
again just opening up one of them beautiful topics of yours brother kirtanman.
deep from within the heart a big Thank you
Thanks for this list, Kirtanman…I’m slowly getting into Kirtan, started with mantra girl and have now moved on to snatam kaur and others…I’m having a hard time warming to Krishna Das’ voice, but I’m gonna keep at it
Eventhough this post is old thanks a lot Kirtanman. I am really enjoying Krishna das and jai uttal’s kirtans. I have been looking for good kirtans for a long time but thanks to your post found them.