press & reviews» Maitri releases CD of Indian yoga mantras on Telluride Inside …and Out
“Having heard a number of fine western musicians interpreting eastern mantras, including the excellent Deva Premal and Yoko, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Maitri have created an original set of interpretations that stand with the very best I have heard from other artists.
Whereas the Deva Premal duo have a fairly standard, recognizable sound from track to track and from album to album, based around one female voice, Maitri capitalize on the interweaving of two female voices and a much bolder and varied choice of musical arrangements, especially in their use of guitar.
The album begins strongly with (Track One) and maintains the quality and creativity throughout, including tight, rich harmonies on tracks such as Track Three, the almost Philip Glass-like hypnotic repetition of Track Four and the equally compelling quasi-Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush World feel of Track Seven.
The Indo-Jazz/World backing tracks are second to none and the musicianship, likewise. These are extremely refreshing interpretations of many classic mantras, and the ever-shifting yet complementary styles make for an album that never grows stale. There is so much depth here that I found myself being reminded of everything from high-end Sixties psychedelia, especially Jefferson Airplane’s finest work, such as on Track Two and Track Five, to Philip Glass and the mighty John McLaughlin’s Shakti.
Being a major fan of Sheila Chandra and Susheela Raman, it takes a lot to impress me, but Maitri have managed to do that and then some. These are brilliantly nuanced performances from a band that would be sheer dynamite ‘live’. More, please.”
Steven Cain, author/screenwriter, One Star Awake and Sirius Moonlight.
From: The Whole Music Experience
Global MusicConsciousness
Taking it to the Yogic Mat
Yoga chants, sung in Sanskrit have risen in popularity during recent years with the yoga craze in North America. I have heard kirtan chants or mantras sung in Hebrew, YofiYah’s Kabbalah Kirtan (Sounds True), authentic Indian devotional chants and an array of new age recordings. Fusing slide guitar and music genres of the West with yoga mantras though is new to my ears. A musical ensemble under the guise of Maitri, have done just that, created a mix of chants from the Subcontinent with bluegrass tinged harmonies (vande gurunham), slide guitar and other western instruments, …
Moonchild
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