Customer Reviews

Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've already got everything that Krishna Das has put out, so I debated whether I should purchase this 2 disc set. There is a new 13 minute track to start the collection off and it is ended with a DVD about KD's spiritual path, about one hour long. The pot is further sweetened with additional video of uncut live kirtans. The DVD is worth the price of admission alone.

This is a great package for introducing someone to either Krishna Das or devotional chant. I find my life increasingly enriched through kirtan and would recommend this set to anyone interested in learning more.

A few months ago I started getting interested in Sanskrit Mantra after a friend told me about Thomas Ashley-Farrand. I had no idea there was singing and chanting in the Vedic spiritual practices as well, and by chance came across Krishna Das, and something made me buy "Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga". Imagine my joy when I realised just how lucky I was with this package!

The audio CD & DVD reeks of humility, compassion, feeling & surrender. The live Kirtan recordings are a masterful display of how 'sound' can be used to energise ourselves, open the heart, and alter our consciousness. The candid interviews with Krishna Das and dialogues with others close to him add to the integrity and quality of his work, and that of his guru Neeb Karori Baba.

We are so fortunate to have someone of Krishna Das's devotion and experience in the West, bringing authentic Eastern knowledge in a forum many can relate to, building on his musical strengths and insights. In this modern age we are blessed to be able to 'plug into' this advanced and beautiful spiritual practice without having to travel half way around the world.

This audio CD and DVD set is excellent value for money. Since purchasing it my curiousity has been aroused in Bhakti Yoga, and I've not found anything else yet, that incorporates a blend of Bhakti Yoga (devotion) with pictures! As a first introduction to Krishna Das, chanting, and Bhakti Yoga, "Greatest Hits" is the greatest you can get. You can't lose.

Regards,
Daniel John Hancock

Ram Dass introduced me to chanting in the mid 80's...now I am completely immersed in the way Kirtan opens me to the sacred light within. I suppose it's no coincidence that all my most beloved teachers are connected through KD's Guru, Neem Karoli Baba (Ram Dass, Hilda Charlton)

You can feel the love and devotion pouring out of Krishna Das throughout this CD! The DVD documentary is a jewel as well...and then when you think it can't get any better, the live Kirtan gives your soul wings. I feel the Divine Mother flow through me more powerfully each time I play the Kirtan DVD...I use it as part of my daily spiritual practice, sometimes dancing in bliss.

Whether you are new to Krishna Das or a longtime fan, this CD and DVD are worth the money ten times over.

There are several feelings that arise in one's mind when listening to Krishna Das, this album including. Coming from India and having been exposed to a variety of Indian music ranging from traditional, pure Indian classical music (South-Indian "Carnatic" music and North-Indian "Hindustani" music)to devotional singing (Kirtans or Bhajans), all I can say in few simple words is "Krishna Das sings with a timeless resonance like how the walls of an ancient Indian temple would echo with devotional chanting within its holy precincts"

In the last few decades, there have been many messengers of Indian music to the west...like Pandit Ravishankar (Sitar), L.Subramaniam (Violin), L.Shankar (remember the great Fusion group "Shakthi"?), Zakir Hussain (Tabla) and a host of others. But if there was one person from the West that humbly carries Indian music to the hearts and souls of many Westerners, I think it must be Krishna Das through the medium of Devotional Singing (Kirtans). Simply put, "Kirtans" are chanting the name of the Lord with melody, rhythm and devotion. There are numerous devotional singers from India and the rest of the world. But Krishna Das is different. Using haunting new-age music and beats, Krishna Das has the unique ability to transport the listener to a different plane of existence altogether. He is blessed with an AMAZING baritone voice and sings with ABSOLUTE devotion and feeling - A MUST for any devotional singer. The beauty of anything is measured as a sum of the parts and Krishna Das uses everything in an equal measure to create that sublime effect. Of particular mention is the melodic instrument "Harmonium" that is used throughout his albums...people from India are familiar with this instrument which is widely used in devotional singing and ghazals...it creates a sound with soul-stirring depth matched with another spectacular percussion instrument - the Tabla which has found its way into new-age music.

Now for the album. Anyone observed how beautifully the title of the CD "Greatest hits of the Kali Yuga" has been arrived at? Though I am not sure how appropriate the title is for the album, it does create the mood and the setting to listen to the album straightaway. Track number 2 "Om Nama Shivaya" has a trance like effect. My favorite is track number 3 praising Mata Durga...the Divine Mother...simply astounding.

My only criticism is....While Krishna Das is phenomenal, in some songs, each line of his chanting is repeated by a group of people that don't sound as effective as he is. That is a little distracting, but not definitely a show-stopper. If it had been a 100% solo singing of Krishna Das with his great music, this album would be even more effective.

For fellow-travellers on the path of Devotion (Bhakthi Yoga), this album is a great blessing. Using ancient Indian chants with new-age music, Krishna Das alongwith his powerful voice has only created a fantastic album...something that I am going to treasure for a lifetime!

I own a yoga studio and teach several times a week. Krishna Das' music is always a favorite, but this CD in particular is perfect for a lively, upbeat yoga practice. My students connect with the beat, helping them move smoothly through the poses, connecting with their breath. As the chants become slower, more meditative, the practice also begins to slow. It is a wonderful transition for any yoga class. I highly recommend it!

I have bought several chant/mantra CDs in the last few weeks searching for something that resonated with me but have been disappointed until Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga arrived in my mailbox. Krishna Das' rich voice and beautiful melodies immediately struck a cord in my heart. These recordings aren't the tinny, twangy, hollow oriental offerings that are so prevelant in this genre, but instead deep, gorgeous chants. I could listen to this CD and Krishna Das' voice all day long. This is just what I was looking for!

I learned about Krishna Das "by happenstance," after discovering his "Om Namah Shivaya" track on my ex's computer. It was one of a few pieces of his my friend had, and after hearing "Om" I couldn't get enough!! I couldn't decide whether I wanted to dance, cry from sheer awe of its power and beauty, or meditate more. ..No, seriously... His music is THAT touching and poweful. Even if you don't understand a word he's saying, the meaning resonates with one's spirit and transends words! The power in his and his singer's vocals, his wonderful instrumentation and exotic music will give you chills- and you'll be inspired to sing, dance, and chant right alongside them!! If you sit w/your eyes closed and give these an open ear as well as an open mind, I've -no doubt- you'll find out just like I did how much these kirtans can touch you!!!

After a long time and serious searching about, I could not BELIEVE my luck when I had the chance to go see him at a local center and participate in his amazing kirtans! The experience was.. the only word I can think of is "phenominal," but it was so much more!! His voice, his sincerity, the rhythms, the spirit.. it all resonated just as much (if not more) in his performances as it does in his recordings, and it was an unbelievable experience!!!

Unfortunately for me, at the time I was too poor to take home any of his CDs that night, but after long waiting I -finally- got this album for Christmas, and was just ENCHANTED! I pulled the wrapper right off and listened to it straightaway, and I was most definitely NOT disappointed. Soon I quickly came to discover the "Mountain Hare Krishna" piece as my favorite (w/STING in the background!!!), and fell in love with some of my favorites from the performance I had attended all over again- in their new mastering as well as updated versions & mixes. Not only is the CD spiritually uplifting, it's also expertly and artfully mixed, composed, and performed- something which I -heartily- appreciate.

Although the magnetism of chanting w/Krishna Das and so many other kindred spirits was no longer present, this music still speaks VOLUMES. This music stays with me in so many ways and touches me on so many levels, and I know it will do the same for others out there, too. This CD is just great for yoga, meditation, listening to during your day, or for waking up peacefully during a quiet morning. It's incredibly inspiring for me as an artist, and is just magical to sit and listen to evenings when it's still and dark, and a fire or candles flicker in the dark, illuminating my spirit as well as my imagination.

I hope that others enjoy this album, and that they find peace, trancendance, rejuvination, healing, renewed energy of mind, body & spirit, and tranquil ascendance in this man's simple, smoky, heartfelt & powerful vocals, the beautiful compositions, resonating performances & callbacks, the opulent rhythms, & the excellent mastering.

Many Thanks, KD!!

This is my first experience with Krishna Das. I've enjoyed listening to this CD very much. I feel calm during and after I listen to the beautiful voices.

A great package with the bonus dvd.The music is sublime and lets you be taken away with the chants.The bonus dvd is as equally impressive with a visually enthusiastic crowd totally involved in building some chants to spine tingling conclusions....highly recommended.

A lot of the first CD has some very nice material on it. I was hoping that the liner notes would give us the Sanskrit lyrics so we could sing along but alas, I'm not finding those. I'll keep looking. It took me awhile to figure out that the second disk was a DVD, not a CD, and I haven't watched it yet. The last cuts on the CD were all kind of downbeat--I like the more energetic stuff. And for some reason I didn't enjoy his mixing in the lyrics of "Amazing Grace" in with one of these kirtans--for me it made it seem to new-agey and distracting--like hearing English mixed in with the Latin mass. I dunno. I'm going to get another CD and hope to like it better.