Search - Girish :: Reveal

Popular percussionist Girish is blasting through the defining boundaries of the chant music genre, bringing a fresh, exciting, and yet deeply spiritual interpretation that is sure to change the way that audiences and performers think of chant music. You may readily recognize the familiar sound of Girish's tabla playing, which has consistently graced popular chant recordings for the last decade. Now Girish is revolutionizing the world of chants with his funky, stirring style. On his new CD, Reveal, he intelligently incorporates pop, jazz, and folk nuances into ancient Sanskrit mantras. His voice is well trained through years of studying Sanskrit and chanting for hours a day, year after year. "I took mantras that are ten thousand years old and combined them with a musical style that makes the benefit of the mantras accessible and appealing to modern listeners," says Girish. But rather than translating the mantras, he kept the integrity of the Sanskrit sounds intact for a reason. "When you chant, the mantra acts as a portal to the presence of the deity whose name you're chanting. There's this whole energy field built up around a mantra that has been used for thousands of years and has this vortex of spiritual power built around it," he explains. A remarkable cast of performers participated in and supported the making of Reveal. These include top female vocalists Donna De Lory, Wah!, CC White and Snatam Kaur. Saxophone, keyboards, electric sitar and cello add tremendous texture and flavor. But most impressive is Girish's effort in conceptualizing, writing for, singing on, and performing multiple instruments throughout the recording. Though it is deeply rooted in the wisdom and spiritual knowledge of the Vedas, listening to Reveal is fun and light-hearted