NASHVILLE |DT: SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
CELEBRATES
NATIONAL YOGA MONTH
WITH THE RELEASE OF THREE NEW OFFERINGS INCLUDING:
‘A COLLECTION OF KIRTAN CHANT’
COMPILATION AVAILABLE NOW
IN WHOLE FOODS STORES NATIONWIDE
NUTONE MUSIC has partnered with Whole Foods for the release of A Collection of Kirtan Chant–a collection of music for health and wellness which creates peace of mind through the ancient practice of Kirtan and Sanskrit mantras. Designed for those who desire to achieve wellness through meditation, health and yoga in today’s busy lifestyle, A Collection of Kirtan Chant exclusively features the best new musical offerings from an array of NUTONE recording artists: Krishna Das, Wah!, Jai Uttal, Donna De Lory, David Newman, Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band, Wade Imre Morissette, Bhagavan Das and Reema Datta. The compilation features the top musicians from the worlds of chant and yoga and is now available in Whole Foods stores nationwide.
“This is a well-balanced compilation from some of the top artists in the music genre most often heard in Yoga classes,” explains NUTONE MUSIC founder and Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride. “It’s a blend of Eastern chants with Western melodies that is relaxing and conducive to the flow of Yoga. Whole Foods is an amazing Wellness retailer and that aligns really well with the theme of the music on this compilation. It simply makes sense for us to join forces.”
Bhagavan Das–a living cultural icon of the 60's who ushered in the New Age Spiritual Movement as the first Kirtan artist in America–has released The Howler at Dawn. He has toured with Allen Ginsberg, opened for the Grateful Dead and sung with Bob Dylan. Bhagavan Das has recorded a number of albums including Now, which was produced by Mike D. of The Beastie Boys. On The Howler at Dawn, Bhagavan Das expands the sound of his signature deep tonal chanting, merging a worldly musical landscape with ektara, cymbals, tablas and keyboard alongside a rare and sacred offering of ancient Indian Sanksrit mantras.
Hailing from New Orleans, Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band is a critically acclaimed Kirtan trio renowned for their spiritual depth and the dynamic musicality of their sound. The group–founder Sean Johnson (vocals, harmonium), Alvin Young (guitar, bass) and Gwendolyn Colman (percussion, vocals)–transcend genres with their fusion of rock, jazz, funk, choral, Indian, Irish, Middle Eastern, and folk styles which merge effortlessly with the magic of the mantras. Devaloka–their first offering on NUTONE–features ancient chants, passionate vocals, funky grooves, and dreamy melodies blended to create an evocative potion for the spirit.
NUTONE MUSIC is the brainchild of music industry innovator Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group (artist management and record label) and a dedicated yoga enthusiast. The label, launched in the fall of 2008, is dedicated to releasing inspirational music, encompassing the musical realm of devotional chant, world beat and beyond. “Nutone's mission is to seek out what we feel is the best music that fits into the modern-day Yoga studio, various wellness practices and everyday enjoyment of music,” McBride explains. “From World music to Chant to New Age and Mantra music, Nutone demystifies for listeners a brand that is consistent in delivering quality albums from the top artists in the world.” All NUTONE MUSIC releases are created with eco-friendly packaging utilizing 100% recycled content with recycled plastic trays and vegetable-based inks. NUTONE MUSIC continues to build one of the most impressive rosters of musicians for the yoga lifestyle in music today. NUTONE’s offerings are uniquely created to enhance the experience of meditation and yoga by offering a path to wellness and health in the modern world.
Krishna Das
The best selling chant artist of all time, Krishna Das has sold more than 300,000 records and engages enthusiastic audiences worldwide. Renowned for making kirtan chant more accessible to Westerners, he has headlined venues from major concert halls to yoga studios for sold out crowds in cities across America, throughout Europe and most recently in South America. Since 1996, Krishna Das has been recording his popular and beloved CDs of devotional Indian chants as a part of his lifetime spiritual journey. Krishna is known for performing the practices of Bhakti Yoga–the yoga of devotion–and kirtan–call-and-response chanting of the divine names. In his most recent release Heart Full of Soul, it was Krishna Das’s desire to create a record that would allow people to immerse themselves and experience a night of Kirtan. www.krishnadas.com
Bhagavan Das
Bhagavan Das is a living cultural icon of the 60's having ushered in the New Age Spiritual Movement as the first Kirtan Artist in America. He gained worldwide fame as the subject of the beloved book Be Here Now, by renowned spiritual teacher Ram Dass, the well-known “DIY guide to enlightenment.” His groundbreaking album Ah (1971) produced by Jimi Hendrix's manager Michael Jeffrey's was the first World Music album from Electric Ladyland. Bhagavan Das has toured with Allen Ginsberg, opened for the Grateful Dead and sung with Bob Dylan. Bhagavan Das went on to record a number of albums that are considered classics including Now, which was produced by Mike D. of the Beastie Boys and fuses traditional Indian chants with contemporary beats and loops. “…Bhagavan Das is mesmerizing…” Billboard noted. “He’s a marvelous, versatile singer…the depth and spiritual resonance of Bhagavan Das’ vocals is very moving…” Bhagavan Das will release THE HOWLER AT DAWN, his second album for NUTONE MUSIC September 1. www.bhagavandas.com
Jai Uttal
Jai Uttal is a pioneer in the world music community. His eclectic east meets-west sound has put his music at the forefront of the world fusion movement. His latest album Thunder Love is his first release since his Grammy nominated Mondo Rama in 2002. Alan di Perna of Yoga Journal noted, "I'd put this disc in a class with Byrne and Eno's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts or Paul Simon's Graceland. It's like you've got the whole universe onto one CD… you've found a way to subsume the vast ocean of N. Indian devotional music into the equally vast continent of Brazilian rhythms." www.jaiuttal.com
Donna De Lory
Donna De Lory is a singer, dancer and songwriter. After touring as a backing singer and dancer with Madonna on every concert from 1987 up to 2006, Donna decided to strike out and follow her own inspiration. The brand new album from Donna De Lory Sanctuary is a meditative blend of Sanskrit chanting inspired by Indian devotional music mixed with diverse dance beats from around the globe as well as western pop. Billboard Magazine has noted, “Lory breathes immeasurable depth into lyrics that read like romantic poems and heartfelt confessionals. With influences that range from Kate Bush to Peter Gabriel and Jonathan Brooke, De Lory has created an ethereal roots-rooted soundscape.” www.donnadelory.com
Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band
Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band–a critically acclaimed kirtan trio renowned for their spiritual depth and the dynamic musicality of their sound–will release DEVALOKA September 1 via NUTONE MUSIC. Hailing from New Orleans, the group–founder SEAN JOHNSON (vocals, harmonium), ALVIN YOUNG (guitar, bass) and GWENDOLYN COLMAN (percussion, vocals)–transcend genres with their fusion of rock, jazz, funk, choral, Indian, Irish, Middle Eastern, and folk styles which merge effortlessly with the magic of the mantras. DEVALOKA–their first offering on NUTONE–features ancient chants, passionate vocals, funky grooves, and dreamy melodies blended to create an evocative potion for the spirit. www.seanjohnsonkirtan.com
Wah!
Wah! re-invents the genre of kirtan chant through a modern synthesis of Sanskrit mantras infused with pop, reggae and folk melodies. Wah!’s most recent release Love Holding Love showcases the danceable vibes her fans are repeatedly drawn to and ventures into a new territory of sound through dance track remixes. Wah!’s indisputably unique and sultry voice creates a bridge from the ancient, meditative tones to the contemporary, ecstatic sound of western culture. www.wahmusic.com
Wade Imre Morrissette
Wade Imre Morrissette's Maha Moha: The Great Delusion is the result of a unique collaboration with the award-winning producer David Nichtern. His original mix of indie-pop music with Sanskrit mantra chants and English lyrics has created his own original blend of indie rock-pop. Maha Moha: The Great Delusion takes listeners on a journey to humanness, spirituality hope and faith, through the darker elements of suffering. Wade is currently opening on tour in select cities for his sister, Alanis Morissette. www.wadeimremorissette.com
David Newman
David Newman is a Kirtan chant artist; he travels extensively singing Kirtan and sharing the spiritual, devotional, meditative and musical aspects of yoga. David’s new album Love, Peace, Chant is emotionally evocative and spiritually transcendent. From ecstatic Kirtan chanting to intimate sacred songs fused with hypnotic trance jams, Love, Peace, Chant emanates a transcendent quality. NPR’s popular “All Things Considered” program recently hailed David as, “a rising star in the international sub-genre of chant artist/mantric musician.” www.davidnewmanmusic.com
Reema Datta
A classically trained musician and yogi, Reema Datta evokes the ancient sounds of India blending the Bansuri flute, tabla and sitar with her unique voice. Reema’s debut album Truth Love Creation is a unique collection of relaxing and meditative songs full of love for the Sacred and a desire to share the purity, beauty and relaxation that comes when uniting with the divine. Reema is also widely-known as co-author of the book: Sacred Sanskrit Words: For Yoga, Chant and Meditation. www.reemadatta.com
For more information on NUTONE MUSIC or for publicity requests contact MSO:
Libby Coffey
818-380-0400 x224
LCoffey@msopr.com
Sarah Luery/x241
SLuery@msopr.com
Dhyana Tse/Nettwerk Music Group, Nutone Music
323.301.4200 ext. 177
Dhyana@nettwerk.com
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NUTONE MUSIC CELEBRATES NATIONAL YOGA MONTH WITH THE RELEASE OF THREE NEW OFFERINGS INCLUDING: ‘A COLLECTION OF KIRTAN CHANT’ COMPILATION AVAILABLE NOW IN WHOLE FOODS STORES NATIONWIDE
