Customer Reviews

Spirit Room

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

 

 

If you like Sting's single entitled "Desert Rose", then you will enjoy this CD. In fact, Jai Uttal has been blending Indian instruments and percussion with western rock music for quite a long time.

The first song on the CD is as strong as "Desert Rose". In fact, I like it better. There are several songs in English on the CD. The majority are traditional Hindu chants set to the creative arrangements of Jai Uttal and his Love Pagan Orchestra. Some sound very tradionally Indian while others almost have a India/Smooth Jazz feel to them.

Jai Uttal is a master at fusing two musical genres thus creating an exciting, exotic and haunting new sound--but without damaging the integrity of either musical genre. This album is a retrospective of his four previous albums.

I like it a bunch and highly recommend it.

... If you are a fan of Jai Uttal's, you'll really like this record. Then again if you are a fan of his, it is likely that you already have everything on this record. If on the other hand, you only kinda like him, or if you (like me) find the "concept" of Jai Uttal kinda cool (a concept that seems to me to consist of jazzy, rockin', westernized versions of "hindu" music - that is bhajans and kirtans), but feel that he has been a bit inconsistent in the fulfillment of that concept over the years - than I reckon you'd also like this record, as it pretty much takes the most successful pieces from his previous records and puts them on a single disc. That is a long winded way of saying: if you like Jai Uttal, and you ain't got his other records, get this one. Otherwise, forget it.

This cd is a complilation of fav songs from Jai's earlier cd's. This is probably my 3rd favorite cd by Jai Uttal. My first favorite is Kirtan (the cd with the monkey on the cover), my 2nd fav. is Music for Yoga and Other Joys with Ben Leinbach(?). Jai's voice is, as usual, beautiful. I think this music is good for relaxation or chilling out. Might be good for a restorative yoga class.

I met Jai Uttal and Geoffroy Gordon three years ago in Santa Fe during a Holotropic Breathwork retreat where we did kirtan singing and breathwork over a five day period. To me, Jai has the voice of an angle! Whenever I'm facilitating a breathwork or participating, their music touches a place in my soul that reminds me of my deepest parts of myself. I find their music mesmerizing and have been blessed to hear them up close and in a sacred setting. I love the music on Spirit Room and find that it rekindles the energy and sacred space so vital to my healing and daily practice of living life!

Infusing a modern take into many wonderful classical indian bhajans and songs is in itself a major task. Doing it competently, and venturing sucessfully into a jazz fusion style is a great acomplishment. I did not know of the artist, until a friend told me to listen to this cd. It was a transforming experience. If you can, take an evening stroll in the closest sandy beach, and enjoy this music for a few hours. It changes your mind. Amazing experience !

For people new to Jai Uttal, Spirit Room would be a good cd to acquaint you to his wonderful world fusion style and soaring vocals. However, if you already have Shiva Station and Beggars & Saints, (as I do) you have 90% of the songs on this cd. I was under the mistaken impression Spirit Room was a collection of new music by this great artist, and I was sorely disappointed to find out this was not the case. (Next time I'll be sure to click on the sound samples before buying.)

My wife and I met Jai Uttal and Jeffrey Gordon in Costa Rica a few weeks ago. They were there to provide live music at a retreat called Ram Dass and Friends. During the seven days, Jai and Jeffrey played a couple hours each day. Ever since returning to the U.S., we have hummed, whistled, chanted or listened to the music. I have never before been so totally enthralled by a musical style. Some will not like it, some will. I love it, but then again, turn on a radio and listen to me complain. If more stations played music like Jai Uttal, I would listen. For now I will stick to Jai's CDs and the jukebox in my head.