Listeners will find themselves transported to a realm of celestial beauty, making occasional stops along the way at a dance club whose turntables spin ragas and electronica with equal grace - an ultra-eclectic mix.
Cheb i Sabbah's latest tribute to the Gods, Krishna Lila (The Divine Pastimes of Krishna), is an album of bhajans sung in praise of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and traces the evolutionary arc of this gifted and spiritual artist to a new high. A bhajan is a simple song sung in praise of God that conveys complex truths, and Krishna Lila presents this devotional style of classical Indian music in a modern context that is easily accessible, soulful and liberating. Most bhajans were written in India between the 14th and 17th century and cover a spectrum of musical styles that range from chants (dhun) to the more sophisticated thumri, a light classical style of singing practiced in North India. The best traditional bhajans are distinguished by their poetic content and were made famous by the great saint-musicians like Mirabai, Surdas and Kabir.
An attempt to reinvent an ancient and evolved art form that celebrates the Gods would be a daunting task even for a trained local musician. For an "outsider" to succeed in this project would be unlikely at best. Yet, Cheb i Sabbah has crafted a classic that is deceptively simple at first blush but underneath its skin has the skill and complexity characteristic of a true work of art. Krishna Lila has a fragile, fragrant beauty that lingers long after the disc has stopped playing. Like all his projects, Cheb i Sabbah has approached this one with reverence for the culture it represents and has taken no shortcuts. The album has been in production for two years. Most of the musicians were recorded in Madras, Bombay and New Delhi, India, and others in New York and San Francisco. Sung in five different languages, it is strewn together like acoustic jewelry, the common thread being bhakti yoga (devotion) to Krishna. Lustrous, new gems are interspersed with uncut traditional pieces that echo timelessness not often heard on a CD. Krishna Lila is organized in two parts. The first five tracks recorded in South India are evocative of Krishna's pastimes in the garden of Vrindavan. Dressed in garments of gold, and with an orange flower tucked behind his ear, he wanders through the garden playing his magic flute. The gopis (cowgirls) are entranced by the sweetness of the music. Some are bathing in the nearby pond. They emerge, still wet and askew. Others are breastfeeding their babies but cannot wait to set their eyes upon Krishna. They trip through the cool grass. Drunk on the melody of the flute they sway through the trees until they finally feast their eyes upon him and fall to the ground to kiss his feet. The next four tracks are recorded in North India and include vocals and some instrumentation in the distinctive thumri style.
During the making of Krishna Lila, as with his earlier Shri Durga, Cheb i Sabbah embarked on a two year odyssey. The results more than justify his considerable efforts as Krishna Lila's reverential ambience is immediate and unforgettable, being nothing less than the timeless sound of India itself. A complex blend of cultural, technological and religious components informs Krishna Lila. Listeners will find themselves transported to a realm of celestial beauty, making occasional stops along the way at a dance club whose turntables spin ragas and electronica with equal grace. A singular imagination is responsible for this ultra-eclectic mix, one that could only belong to dj Cheb i Sabbah.
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