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REVIEWS cm RG modern, ambient feel. A unique, uplifting C D Ss and inspiring album. Reviewed by Richard Giles SHIVA MACHINE ONE WORLD, MANY CULTURES by Girish by various artists Ajna Music, USA 2005 (55mins) Putumayo, USA, 2006 (46mins) Distributors: USA—Spirit Voyage Distributors: Aust—MRA, tel (07) 3849 Music, tel 1888 735 4800, website 6020; UK—Putumayo, tel 07759 http://www.spiritvoyage.com 600495; USA—Putumayo World Music, Gis is a popular musician in the sacred tel 800 955 9588, www.putumayo.com song circuit, having played with Pues latest album brings together Krishna Das, Rasa, Snatam Kaur and Dave some of the world's leading musicians to Stringer. His background is in jazz percus- give a feel for what it's like when the greats _ sion, but he spent five years as a monk sing in harmony. Ziggy Marley works with — before moving on to play the tabla. He has Cheb Mami, Youssou N'Dour with Alan revolutionised the Sanskrit mantra chant by Stivell, Taj Mahal with Toumani Diabaté, creating his own funky pop/jazz style and Baka Beyond with EtE, Susheela Raman transposing 1,000-year-old verse into mod- with Tama, and more. There's a host of ern sounds accessible to younger listeners. combined creative talent here, and "When you chant," he says, "the mantra acts Putumayo deserves credit for the idea. as a portal to the presence of the deity Enjoy this range of top artists collaborating whose name you're chanting." The original on what is a legendary CD. meaning of the mantra is intact, but the pre- sentation is popular funky. He even uses WORLD CIRCUIT PRESENTS rap-style lyrics in the song to Hanuman, the by various artists son of the wind, achieving a nice groove. World Circuit, 2006 (2CDs, 138mins) Up-tempo chanting with an ambient feel. Distributors: Aust—MRA, tel (07) 3849 6020; UK—World Circuit Ltd, tel BEHOLDING THE ONE IN ALL (0)1689 870 622, website by Paramahansa Yogananda http:/www.worldcircuit.co.uk SRF, USA, 2006 (33mins) Wai music now looms large on the Distributor: USA—Self-Realization planet's music charts, and one strong Fellowship, tel (818) 549 5151, website promoter is the World Circuit label. Here it http://www.yogananda-srf.org has assembled a double CD of some of the any NEXUS readers will be familiar label's greats to celebrate its 20-year Mar the teachings of Yogananda. He anniversary: Buena Vista Social Club, Ali was born in India in 1893 and arrived in the Farka Touré, Anga Diaz, Toumani Diabaté, Ysa in 1920 to teach his message: that Orchestra Baobab, Cheikh L6, Afro Cuban there is one goal shared by all—union with All Stars, Ibrahim Ferrer and more. World God—and that happiness is to be found Circuit has won four Grammy awards over from within. He established the Self- the years. This compilation features the best Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles in of the best and is a collector's special if you 1925, and his book Autobiography of a Yogi are a world music fan. remains a classic spiritual text. This talk on the One was recorded in January 1949 and STATE OF GRACE III is part of a series. An inspiring recording. by Paul Schwartz Koch Entertainment, USA 2006 (50mins) Distributors: USA—Koch Records, tel (516) 484 1000, website http:/Awww.kochrecords.com P“ Schwartz is one of the world's lead- ing creators in the field of spiritually elo- quent music and modernist classical styles. This album is the third in a series of State of Grace albums with singers Lisbeth Ascott and Rebecca Luker. In fact, the series so captivated Carlos Santana that he played on the second album. Schwartz has assembled folk tunes to go with older hymns, with a modern musical arrangement, piano and violin plus lush orchestration. The album captures the choral and orchestral with a WORLD CIRCUIT PRESENTS by various artists World Circuit, 2006 (2CDs, 138mins) Distributors: Aust—MRA, tel (07) 3849 6020; UK—World Circuit Ltd, tel (0)1689 870 622, website http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk Wai music now looms large on the planet's music charts, and one strong promoter is the World Circuit label. Here it has assembled a double CD of some of the label's greats to celebrate its 20-year anniversary: Buena Vista Social Club, Ali Farka Touré, Anga Diaz, Toumani Diabaté, Orchestra Baobab, Cheikh L6, Afro Cuban All Stars, Ibrahim Ferrer and more. World Circuit has won four Grammy awards over the years. This compilation features the best of the best and is a collector's special if you are a world music fan. STATE OF GRACE Ill by Paul Schwartz Koch Entertainment, USA 2006 (50mins) Distributors: USA—Koch Records, tel (516) 484 1000, website http://www.kochrecords.com P™ Schwartz is one of the world's lead- ing creators in the field of spiritually elo- quent music and modernist classical styles. This album is the third in a series of State of Grace albums with singers Lisbeth Ascott and Rebecca Luker. In fact, the series so captivated Carlos Santana that he played on the second album. Schwartz has assembled folk tunes to go with older hymns, with a modern musical arrangement, piano and violin plus lush orchestration. The album captures the choral and orchestral with a NEXUS 75 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2007 www.nexusmagazine.com