INN

Last night Prahlad and I attended Svetadvipa's 40th birthday in Sydney.

It was a fancy dress party, and guests came dressed as something starting with "S". I went as "starring Sitapati as Himself", and Prahlad went as "Soap McTavish" from Call of Duty Modern Warfare.

Check out some photos here and here.

Prahlad and I drove down from Brisbane, leaving on Thursday and arriving on Saturday an hour or two before the party. After the party concluded with a wonderful kirtan by Sri Prahlada and his Bhakti Band, of which Sveta is the guitarist, we turned around and drove back to Brisbane.

We left Sydney at 11:30pm, Saturday night. The road was empty - all the truck drivers head home early for their one day a week off. It was straight through an empty night on cruise control, with Prahlad asleep beside me, a can of Rockstar (you are what you drink) in the cup holder, and the opportunity to spend some quality time with some albums that I've really wanted to give attention to.

I'm going to give you the night as it unfolded, because that affected my state of consciousness, and is going to colour my review.

First up I wanted to listen to some Aindra. I was feeling enlivened by the kirtan association at Sveta's birthday and wanted to go back to my roots. My iPod didn't have any live Aindra recordings loaded, just all of his "studio" albums. I started with Cintamani Nam. After listening to three of the four parts (you can download them here), I thought: "This is a collection of tunes. I'd like to hear some transitions." But of course I had no live Aindra to listen to. The Vraja Vilasa albums have the later development of Aindra's kirtan style, where in addition to melodies using ragas he showcased complex rhythmic arrangements.

Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits - Live in Australia 2011 (unreleased)

Instead of going for Vraja Vilasa I listened to an as-yet unreleased Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits "Live in Australia 2011" album, featuring Gaura Vani, Jahnavi Harrison (violin), Shree Shyam (bass), Visvambhar (mrdanga) and Krishna Kishore (flute) of the Mayapuris, and Clayton Frick from Sri Prahlada's Bhakti Band on electric guitar.

As the mystical interweaving of Jahnavi's violin and Krishna Kishore's flute played out over Shree Shyam's funky bass line, a quarter moon rose over the horizon to the north. 1:30am.

I listened to Gaura Vani lead the group through a collection of heartfelt original renditions of traditional devotional songs. The musicianship was astounding in its virtuosity. The improvised nature of the arrangement was apparent - startlingly fresh and invigorating; exciting in its risk, thrilling in its successful execution

Gaura Vani is able to bring a fresh perspective to songs that I know well, such as Visvanath Chakravarti's "Guruvastakam", as well as introduce devotional gems from other traditions, such as Guru Nanak's "Koye Bole Ram".

The ecumenical nature of Gaura Vani's approach to devotional traditions extends to the nature of the group and its arrangements. Musicians spontaneously burst into a joyful solo, or are urged by Gaura Vani to do so, such as when he is heard telling Clayton to "go for it".

With such a rich palette of instruments - there is bass guitar, electric guitar, harmonium, flute, mrdanga, and violin - there is a beautiful spareness to the arrangements as musicians drop in and out. There is no overkill that leads to desensitization as a musician solos non-stop, or just plays so much that you wish they'd stop. It's organic and its wholesome. The maturity of the individuals' musicianship and their interaction as a group is apparent.

The only caveat to the experience comes from the testimony of an attendee at the show where this album was recorded. Some months later I met her at another kirtan, where she told me: "Gaura Vani's kirtan was terrible. It was too complicated, and there were no words." This is not interactive kirtan for first-timers. The chants are complex and change over the course of the arrangement, sometimes returning to an earlier chorus, but often introducing newer and newer variations of an evolving theme. This is kirtan that is best appreciated by those with a grounding in the tradition, who want mind- and heart-expanding exposure to a deep well of kirtan rasa. Drink at your own peril.

Verdict: Get the album when it's available. You wouldn't be reading this review if you weren't into kirtan, would you?

Disclaimer: I was at the kirtan where this album was recorded and saw it live.

Govinda das and The Krishna Balarama Mandir 24 Hour Kirtan Mandali - Akhanda Nam 2 (import)

Mist rose up and reduced the visibility. The Bhagavatam describes the mist that endangers travellers as the discarded body of Lord Brahma, who gave it up in shame at having lustily approached his daughter. The blazing torchlight of Holden Commodore halogen lenses took care of the mist, and with no other cars on the road there were no others to worry about.

My next listening project is the spiritual successor to Aindra - the continuation of his albums showcasing the development of kirtan at the Krishna Balarama Mandir 24 hour kirtan that has been at the heart of ISKCON kirtan culture for over 25 years now.

Krishnapada had imported this hard-to-acquire followup to the underground cult classic "Akhanda Nam" (available here), and given it to me to listen to.

Govinda das is the pretender to Aindra's throne. Not in any kind of scheming way - that's just the way that it's shaken out. Aindra released tapes that circulated in the underground, stretching and redefining the kirtan paradigm. Govinda das is doing the same thing.

If Gaura Vani's kirtan could be said to be "not tailored for kirtan first timers", Akhanda Nam could be said to be unequivocally rejecting them, and squarely aiming at hardcore kirtan heads, with no apologies.

The first Akhanda Nam album is an advanced study in Aindra's style of kirtan. It only makes sense if you have internalised Aindra's kirtan - its ragas, its rhythms, and its movements. Even then it is a stretch. It presents a further development of the style in a particular direction, one that is not going to be to the taste of everyone.

Akhanda Nam 2 is esoteric kirtan geekery levelled up. It asks the question: "...and then what?", and makes several attempts to answer it.

Mark my words: this album will define the future of kirtan. Going back to listen to Cintamani Nam now evokes a thought of "Oh, this is a collection of tunes". They are now mostly well-known tunes, popularised and spread even to the point that their origin on Cintamani Nam might be obscured. At the time of original publishing however, those tunes were revolutionary and unprecedented. In the same way, the elements of Akhanda Nam 2 will come to be so widespread that in the future a retro-reviewer will say: "Ho Hum, everything you already know, notable only for the fact that it was the first time it was recorded and popularised".

That day, however, is far away; and today if you know what's on this album, and you pull it out in a kirtan, people are going to look at you like you just dropped in from Mars.

Here are a few highlights:

• Slow is the new fast.
• Slowing down is the new speeding up.
• Rupak taal (7/8) is the new kem taal (6/8)

Study this album. Notable features include the mrdanga sound. To me it sounds like a single mrdanga player, but there is something interesting going on with the top end - a stereo effect that gives it a characteristic and unmistakable sound. A bounce delay perhaps?

On the third track the mrdanga signals kem taal (6/8), but the clapping comes in at double time for kairava taal (4/4). There is a 13 second period of absolute polyrhythmic chaos before a beautiful resolution occurs. Either a stroke of mad genius, or two different recordings put on top of each other - which is a stroke of mad genius... do those guys do that kind of stuff live?

Some of the ideas seem unfinished or partially developed. The second track kicks off in 7/8, introducing the public to a new rhythmic structure (roopak taal). However, it doesn't go anywhere, instead dissolving into a slow 4/4.

The production seems a little rushed, or else the guys were dipping into acid while making the album. It starts strong, then starts to lose its way. A violin creeps in and swells to wash everything out in a huge reverb. Someone discovers a surmandal sample and then starts hitting it once or twice every mantra. A country western / blues twanging creates a surreal atmospheric effect at first, and then goes on to a level that begins to parody itself.

I thought the violin was a MIDI keyboard with someone one-finger tapping the vocal melody on it. Especially after hearing Jahnavi's otherworldy expressiveness on the instrument, this comes across as crude, and overbearing. However, the album cover has a photo of a violin player, so the lack of subtlety in the mixing may be more the issue. The same may be for the twanging instrument. A lower mix level for these two (and a tighter reverb for the violin) would have created a subtle undertone, rather than a distracting overtone. But then maybe that's all part of the production - a nod to the unintentional/unavoidable technological limitations that gave Vrndavan Mellows its characteristic sound: the analog compression, the muddying of the mixdown on tape, the cacophony of sounds that created a swirling aural canvas that disoriented the listener and transported them to an otherworldly place, with an otherworldly soundtrack.

Or it could just be a rushed mix that sounded ok on the monitors it was played on and doesn't translate well to a car stereo. It happens, especially when you are in a rush to publish, because whoever publishes first gets first stake in describing the future direction of kirtan. Whether or not being first to publish an influential description of the future sound of kirtan was the intention of this album, it is the effect.

Akhanda Nam 2 comes across as a reference CD for ideas on further development of Aindra's paradigm, and while it presents some possible answers to the question "..and then what?", it raises and leaves us with some further intriguing questions:

What does the future hold? A gradual and progressive return to something as complex as Narottama das Thakura's kirtan style with 108 different taals? Akhanda Nam 2 builds on the work that has gone before, and presumably the Akhanda Nam 3 will do the same. If Aindra's kirtan was sufficiently exotic to alienate the casual kirtan listener (imagine first timers trying to sing along and follow the rhythms), Akhanda Nam 2 levels up to alienate everyone who finally managed to master kem taal. Esoteric kirtan geekery just levelled up, and it's awesome.

Verdict: Buy it and learn to play everything on it, just like you did with Vrndavan Mellows.

Disclaimer: I don't know Govinda or the other musicians on the album, and my review of it is based on listening to it and speculating. As Krishna Kishore from the Mayapuris said to me when we met in person for the first time: "We read your review of Ten Million Moons and thought: 'Who is this a**hole?'" Lol. We can sort it out in the dham, mano-a-mano.

Krpamoya - Chakram



You can listen to clips from Krpamoya's album Chakram on Soundcloud

In 2000 I was washing dishes in a kitchen in Wellington, New Zealand, listening to one of my favorite kirtan tapes. A visiting devotee from the UK said to me: "Who is that you're listening to?", so I told him: "Dude, that is like Krpamoya", because in New Zealand we speak like we're in Los Angeles.

He gave me a puzzled look. "Why are you listening to him?" Now it was my turn to give him a puzzled look: "Because he's like, awesome". Now his look turned pensive. "Hmm, I never thought people around the world would listen to his kirtan on tape. To us he's just this guy who leads kirtan at the Manor."

In millenial New Zealand Krpamoya was the name of a guy who lead an awesome Janmastami kirtan on a highly sought-after tape that was copied and passed around kirtan afficianado circles. The energy of the kirtan was palpable - it was massive, with a powerful bottom end provided by a lot of mrdangas, and Krpamoya effortlessly moved between melodies with a fluid grace and a voice that was liquid gold.

It was awesome.

Now fast-forward to 2011, and Krpamoya has released a studio album "Chakram".

All I can say is: "What happened?"

No, I'm kidding.

But while I'm kidding around... there's a famous scene in the mockumentary This is Spinal Tap where the band are being presented with historical reviews of their albums and asked for their reaction to them. The reviews become increasing brusque until they reach the point of a single, dimissive sentence. Here's my Spinal Tap review of Chakram: "Can't wait for the movie to come out, can't listen to the album without it".

The album opens epic. It's not a stretch to imagine the opening track as the extended mix of the opening credits to a BBC program. The dramatic drums and the sound of swords being drawn evokes the ITV series "Robin of Sherwood", and Clannad's album Legend, the sound track of the same.

Now I have a confession to make: Legend was the first record I ever bought, and I wore that thing out listening to it.

There are no sleeve notes for Chakram, no credits or musician listings. For some reason I imagine Krpamoya and Jayadeva (was he involved?) locked in a studio somewhere, and discovering a movie sound effects library, and just going nuts.

I couldn't find the right context to listen to the album. But driving back from Sydney overnight (a 900km drive), I discovered the missing piece - a quest epic enough to warrant the soundtrack of Chakram.

Chakram, like Gaura Vani's music, and like Akhanda Nam, is an interpretation of kirtan. Where Gaura Vani draws from a diverse base of traditional Indian and contemporary Western musical forms to create a familiar yet fresh pop experience, and Akhanda Nam draws on the esoteric with the idea that the more alien it is the more authentic it must be (or is that "the more authentic it is, the more alien it must be"?), Chakram draws on a different cultural base to find its unique take - the Indian movie soundtrack.

This is a kirtan album produced by the spirit of AR Rahman.

In the correct space to process the whole thing, as I drove through the Celtic Country of Northern New South Wales on an epic quest, I was able to fully savour the flavours of Chakram.

The opening track has all the hallmarks of an epic movie soundtrack, and a contemporary one at that, with the right kind of processing applied to the female vocal (Krpamoya's daughter Tulasi?). That track is begging for a techno / dubstep remix. I'm serious. Listen to it.

Although there are no liner notes, I know that Chakrini provides vocals on the album, because Krpamoya was giving me a guided tour of the Manor when we ran into her, and she talked about it.

The second track on the album is a version of Narottama das Thakura's Sri Rupa Manjari Pada flawlessly executed by Krpamoya and Chakrini as a harmonised duet. Each of their voices are gold, and together they are priceless. Harmony (disparagingly referred to as "Horror-mony") is frowned upon by purists. However, Western music is based on harmony, and Western ears and minds are developed to appreciate, and even require it; and western ears will find much to be pleased with here.

The song is carefully scripted and has a pretty standard arrangement. Many times interpretations of traditional songs founder on the fact that the structure is plain. It's the same thing repeated several times. If you don't speak Sanskrit, then it all sounds like gibberish, so the only thing you have to appreciate is the melody. And if that is just repeating, well then it's boring.

The titles of the songs on the album are all in English, but the songs are all in non-English languages.

However, a careful listening reveals several very interesting and emotionally provoking tweaks in this version of Sri Rupa Manjari Pada. There are points where the harmonies diverge in an interesting fashion, creating and resolving tension in interesting ways. You may not understand the words, but you can feel the rasa. One of the verses has a 6/8 phrasing that gives it a staccato feel that sets it apart from the rest. Small tweaks like this combine to create a very subtle yet powerful effect.

It's slick in its sound, and slick in its production.

Krpamoya has an interesting interpretation of the song "Ajna Tal" following this, which he titles "Dancing in the Streets". The opening to this song uses space and reverb, with a woman's voice, to paint an aural picture with a palette of raga. Moving through the Northern New South Wales countryside at sunrise, it makes a perfect sound track.

Krpamoya has eschewed the traditional instruments associated with the musical tradition that he is reinterpreting for a contemporary audience - for example the mrdanga drums, and instead uses the sound effects that he found in the movie sound track library. I'm kidding again. The Song "Ajnal Tal" (Dancing in the Streets) is traditionally performed with a 6/8 feel. This is hinted at by a drum - is a darbuka or similar goblet drum, or a bodhran, or both? Here's where liner notes would provide a clue. Whatever the drum being used, it is skillfully woven into the background, and doesn't at all sound out of place while driving through Celtic Country. Nor does it produce the "wtf?" experience that western audiences, conditioned to 4/4 pop music or 3/4 ballads, typically have when a hardcore head-wobbling Indian 6/8 rhythm kicks in. It remains true to its roots while remaining subtle and non-confrontational.

Another track that deserves a special mention here is "Let the Bee of My Mind Fly to the Eternal Lotus", traditionally known as "Krishna Deva Bhavantam Vande".

This track begins with another soundscape painted with a female vocal (this time I believe Krpamoya's daughter Jahnavi), and an innovative use of space, reverb, and ambient effects. Whoever produced this has some serious mad skills and sensibilities. The colours of the raga are intriguing also. The meaning of the mantras is obscure (liner notes!), but the music conveys the emotional message without the necessity of rationality. When Krpamoya begins to sing the song, it is the perfect resolution for the tension created by the opening scene.

The next track - "Father, what is Spirit?" - is the only English track on the album and is a spoken word piece where Krpamoya gets a little preachy, but in a delightfully English way. It's kind of "Hinduism as presented by C.S. Lewis". And I think Krpamoya, aside from his musical contribution, is kind of like the C.S. Lewis of ISKCON. Maybe the movie that goes with this album is kind of like a Narnia movie, but I digress.

The album, once I got past the epicness of the opening track and found the right space to experience it in, was a very rewarding experience. The guest vocalists are superb. The production is impeccable and the arrangements are reinterpretations into contemporary western musical vocabularies that remain faithful to the originals.

Verdict: Get the album, go on an epic quest and play it as your personal sound track. Alternatively, add it to your existing collection of movie sound tracks and C.S. Lewis spoken-word records.

Disclaimer: In the interim between hearing the Janmastami kirtan and listening to Chakram, I visited the UK and met Krpamoya, staying with him and his family at their home in a quiet cul-de-sac in the English countryside. They all have red hair, and one of them is Jahnavi, the violinist in As Kindred Spirits. Musical ability runs in the family as much as devotion does.

Update: Apparently the CD comes with a 16-page booklet. I should have downloaded the *other* torrent. ;-) (Actually, I got a complementary copy, which didn't include the liner notes.)

You can check out the musicians, the producer, the engineering, and all the technical specs here.

enCHANTED: Live at Purna

The other album that I had on my list to give some serious time to was enCHANTED "Live at Purna". By destiny, it didn't make it on to my iPod for this trip, so I wasn't able to listen to it in the depth it deserves. I'm going to NZ on December 14, so I'll get a chance to listen to it outside of my normal environment, where I can reflect on it more, and I'll get back to you with my review.

The Mayapuris in Brisbane, at Atma Yoga - Monday 24 October 6pm. Tickets $20 pre / $30 on the night. Dinner included!

This Saturday, the Appearance of Radha Kunda. Sherwood Scout Hall, 14 Young St, Graceville, 5pm - 7pm. Entry free, all welcome.

Simple Harmonium:

Complex Harmonium:

Guitar:

Cartals:

Mrdanga:

Word!

Damodarastakam in Sanskrit with English rendition by Krishna Dharma prabhu.

• Download Krishna Dharma's Damodarastakam (English rendition) 11MB, 24 minutes, .mp3
• Kindle version of the words
• PDF version of the words

We are singing it this Saturday at the Damodara program, so I'll try to get you a more up-to-date recording. This one is from 2009 - but the Kindle and pdf versions of the words are fresh.

(1)
namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrstam atyantato drutya gopya

I bow down to Damodara, the form of full joy,
eternity and wisdom, within Vrindavan.
Whose shining earrings swung as he so swiftly ran
from mother Yashoda who caught that naughty boy.

(2)
rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham

Captured by Yashoda, crying repeatedly,
he rubs his reddish eyes with his trembling hands.
On his conchlike neck his necklace shakes as he pants.
I bow down to Damodara, bound but by bhakti

(3)
itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavrtti vande

Thus bathing Gokula in a great lake of bliss;
he shows love defeats him, devoid of reverence.
Conquered only by those in complete confidence,
I offer him unlimited loving praises.

(4)
varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va
na canyam vrne ‘ham varesad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

I beg not from you Lord, who can grant any boon,
even liberation or life in your abode.
Let memories of Gopala be ever bestowed,
for what other favour offers such great fortune?

(5)
idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih

Your dark, crimson hued curls encircle your face,
lovely like a lotus, with lips of ruby red;
kissed by Yashoda; within my mind be seated.
A billion other boons could not grant such grace

(6)
namo deva damodarananta visno
prasida prabho duhkha-jalabdhi-magnam
krpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu
grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah

O Damodara, Ananta, O almighty Vishnu,
I fall down prostrate, pray be pleased upon me.
Blinded and sinking in a sea of misery,
grace me with your glance that I shall ever see you.

(7)
kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokse graho me ’sti damodareha

Dear Damodara, the sons of Kuvera you saved,
while a baby, by breaking the trees they became.
As you granted them prema, pray grant me the same,
I want not salvation, your love alone I crave.

(8)
namas te ’stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo ‘nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam

I bow down to the bright rope that binds your belly,
within which the cosmos is completely contained.
To your beloved Radha I bow yet again,
and to you the hero who plays wonderfully.

Check it out on Youtube.

This Saturday at the Sherwood Scout Hall, 14 Young St, Graceville. 5pm start!

First day at Crossfit King. I got a six weeks for $20 deal from Grabone.com.au.

Warmup

• 1500m row 10min
• 800m run

Deadlift technique coaching
5 sets of 5 reps - 30kg

Cindy workout
5 sets for time of:

• 5x pullups
• 10x pushups
• 15x air squats

Time: 5m14s

Today is the appearance day of Srila Jiva Goswami, and also of Vamanadeva, an avatar of Vishnu. In honour of the occasion: "The Jiva Goswami Tribute Workout"

No Rest Superset

1. 1500m row (5m58s)
2. 20x kettlebell swings 20kg (good technique video)
3. 20x deadlift 40kg
4. 50 myotatic crunches
5. 25x medicine ball high wall bounce 12kg
6. 1500m row (6m23s)

Tabata sets
Tabata sets last 4 minutes and are composed of 8 cycles of 20 seconds effort followed by 10 seconds rest.

1. Crossfit Barbell Thrusters 20kg
2. Tacfit Commando Lunges (Recruit variation)
3. Air squats
4. Upright row 20kg
5. Vince Gironda dumb bell bench press 15kg
6. Leg press 100kg

All performed while reciting Jiva Goswami's Gopal Campu.