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Aradhna : Deep Jalé (IND,2000)***°
This is a very strong, well recorded debut of this duo Chris Hale and Peter Hicks with the help of Indian bhajan singers, Anil Dev, Samson Manwatkar, Peter John, and the late, Mumtaz Masih. The music is made according to the principles of the Bhakti tradition. The path of Bhakti is expression by complete devotion. During the last few centuries some of these poet-singers became followers of Christ and began to compose bhajans to Yeshu Krist. This duo continue this tradition with “aradhna” or worship, blending east and west ideas and instruments (acoustic guitar, sitar, tabla, violin, singing, drums, electric bass).
Chris Hale was raised in Nepal and attended Woodstock School in India, and music college at Berklee, Boston where he formed Olio with some Indian friends. In India he had studied music too where he earned the visharad degree in sitar, and continues to study the sitar with his teacher. Peter Hicks was born in India but moved to the USA soon after. After having picked up the guitar and some rock compositions he returned to India with the Olio group of Chris Dale. At some stage later the duo started writing bhajans together. This was the birth of Aradhna. Recently he began studying the sarod under a disciple of Pandit Ravi Shanka
r.
What I noticed immediately was the benefit to the music of pure devotion. When I was in India I asked a local Christian student why they adapted Christian belief and what it meant to them. I don’t remember all details of his answer, but I remembered that he said there were a few values in Christianity which were not known in Hindu religion which benefited them adapting these in their lives. Perhaps it was also to do with some kind of social compassion, I'm not sure. Hindu religion was a perfect example of making Indian daily life into something transcendent, but for ordinary Castes that was also the best it could offer. The real devotional aspect was especially for the Brahmans to develop, also because they had their traditions and education to give it a certain development.
The devotional aspect of Aradhna can be heard especially in the perfect control of the feelings inside the album, and the colourful, beautiful voice of the singer.
Most songs are a perfect blend between east and west from an independent Indian-flavoured song orientation (guitar, sitar, voice, some tabla, bass, violin) : ("Subha Shaam Lun", "Deep Jale", "Bhaj Pawan, "Bin Yeshu") while "He Logo", "Mohe Lagaa Do Paar" with different singer ? as the songs sound more specifically Indian styled, but accompanied by a rock band (bass, organ, electric guitar, drums, some violin) which gives this something very special, and a very swinging rock drive. Form the sweet "Na Socha" I can imagine this has some traditional orginal. The songs sound really very nice in all aspects of the word (just listen to the wonderful "Bhajtaa Kyun", with beautiful violin, guitar and some sitar & tabla). Conluding song “Chosen” is a kind of compromise between both styles, Indian Fusion & Fusion (pop)rock.
Very good !!
