If you are like me, it's always exciting when you get to hear some good new music. My musical tastes have varied over the years as my environment changes and I change. I remember back in my boarding school days in India listening to all kinds of different music.  I used to listen to Heavy Metal, Rock, Techno, House, Pop, and sneakily listen to "radio music" which was some pop music like Michael Jackson (since people would make fun of me if they knew what I was listening to it) .... but nowadays I listen to quite a different style of music. My range of music is a bit more narrow these days since outside influence of music by friends isn't so important. 

I would say that I tend to listen mostly to a few categories of music. Gurbani Kirtan being the top and then 3HO/Spiritual/Mantra music. I also like listening to music that incorporates Indian instruments and styles which is a fusion of eastern and western (like the Buddha Bar CD series, Prem Joshua, etc).

My wife Arjan loves 80's music so from time to time we get a little wild listening to some fun 80's dance mixes. Sometimes people tease me and my wife...but we are too old to care about that anymore...but we love listening to "Singers/Standards" music which is basically like old time vocal singer music from America. I think this music was most popular in the 1940's-60's.  Musicians like Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald. When I listen to it It feels so innocent and brings me to a happy relaxed place of "another time". Gives me a feeling of a more "innocent" time than today. I don't even know most of the musician's names since I mostly listen to it on Pandora. If you use Pandora you can listen to some singer/standards style music.

Some of the music these days is so empty and "low vibration" (sexual, angry, empty, violent, etc). One of my son's friends is into music called "Death Metal" which is SO INTENSE. When I heard my son singing along with a death metal song I was a bit disturbed. Though some friends tell me that it's probably better in some ways than him listening to some rap music, because in death metal you can't really understand the words because it is so fast. Some rap music is quite vulgar and low level energy (though I know there is some great positive rap out there...it just isn't the norm). I'm sure my son will go through his own journey of musical tastes over the years. I just hope to steer him quickly past some music! I suppose there is not much I can do anyways with him in boarding school thousands of miles away in India!

New Album by Satkirin Kaur: Sacred Kiss

One thing I do like is conscious spiritual music. Music that is uplifting and has a deeper meaning. When I listen to music, I like it to raise me up and be a support to me. I know many of you have heard music by Snatam Kaur which is one of my favorites, but another of my favorites just so happens to be by my mother Satkirin Kaur. She has released over 15 beautiful CDs in the past ten years and just came out with another beautiful new CD Album called "Sacred Kiss". It is another unique album which is very different from some of the music my mother has done in the past. I love that she is always exploring new creative things with her music! Take a journey while listening to this CD....

I particularly love the variety of song styles and the large number of varied instruments from India as well as Western world... Sarod, Bansuri, Santoor, Shanai,Woodwinds, Cello, Sarangi, Sitara, Tabla, Harmonium, Tanpura, Guitar, Keyboard.

1.  The first track "All Things Come from God" is from an English translation of the 33 pauri of Japji Sahib which is something different from her normal tracks because it is all in English. It has a groovy reggae type rhythm with some beautiful vocals and Indian instruments.This is a great affirmation track that can help you eliminate fear.
2. "Hargobinda" is an up-beat recitation of chant that I remember from my early days as a kid. It has deep chorus vocals and cool sounding Indian instruments. A dash of snake charmer, bollywood, and fun! I have seen this in recent years done with fun hand motions.
3. Beautiful Soul - This is a beautiful song with inspirational english affirmations of self strength, inter-twined with the mantra "Sat Siri, Siri Akal, Siri Akal, Maha Akal, Maha Akal, Sat Nam, Akal Murat, Waheguru"
4. App Gavaa-ee-ai - This track starts with some very soulful and heart wrenching Indian instruments and is from the Shabad by Guru Nanak Dev ji.The lyrics are based on the English translation of Guru Nanaks writings from this shabad.
5. Guru Ram Das Guru - This is sure to be another classic that I'll be playing on repeat in my home. When I listen to this I just want to start singing it out loud! It's full of joy and happiness. A great track for meditation and one of my favorites.
6. Listen to your Words - God and Me Are One (aka: All for you) - This is another one of my favorite tracks which is very different from my mother's normal style. It is a sweet soft vocal track with subtle instrumentals of Guitar & Cello. It is a sweet poem singing of longing for God. I love the "God and Me are one" chorus. Love it.
7. Sopurkh Niranjan - This is a beautiful recitation of the So Purkh which is by the fourth Guru: Guru Ram Das ji. It opens with the relaxing sound of the Indian bansuri flute and then goes into the recitation which is repeated. I was lucky to be a part of this track. You can hear me reciting along with my mother. I think our joined voices together gives it a very meditative vibration. Reciting this bani every day helps develop a saintly nature. The bani is part of the daily prayer of Rehiras.
8. Jis Neech Ko Ko-ay Na Na Jaanai - Mean Mean Man - This song is from the Shabad by Guru Arjan Dev ji . This version of the song is one of the old songs that we used to sing in the old days (70's/80's) in a very up beat way and was a very lively fun song.  Sing it out load and shed all your "meanness":  ijsu nIc kau koeI n jwnY ]  nwmu jpq auhu chu kuMt mwnY ]1] Jis neech ko koee na jaanai naam, japath ouhu chahu kuntt maanai |1| | That wretched being, whom no one knows | chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he is honored in the four directions. 

The First 10 people who make a donation of $25 or more to SikhNet.com will get a free copy of this new CD in MP3 format! So don't wait....Donate to SikhNet. This gift offer only applies to donations made through the special donation link on this page. I'll email you within a few days with the link to download the album

You can also purchase this album as digital MP3 downloads (cheapest & fastest way to get it) as well as on CD from Spirit Voyage - Order the CD/MP3 Downloads

Interview with Satkirin Kaur

Satkirin recently sat down for an interview with Ramdesh Kaur of Spirit Voyage.  Listen in on some of their conversation!

Ramdesh: Tell us about your new album, Sacred Kiss.

Satkirin: I love how this CD has been such a group project. I wanted to share spiritual songs that we sang back in the 70s that impacted my life & were in English. Siri Ved Singh dug out old versions of my chosen songs. Then I put out the call to my 'fans, friends, listeners' for support from them. Next came the studio where Thomas and I open up the sacred space to receive the transmission of music which is meditative, healing and a window to Infinity. This part requires tremendous surrender of the self and the ego to the sounds and flow that the Universe wants or needs. We hired a new designer, Raj Naik for the photos and graphics recommended by Ashana. So many people were involved in every aspect.

Ramdesh: Why do you call it SACRED KISS?

Satkirin: I call it 'Sacred Kiss' because a kiss is an intimate expression of love.  This kiss is for awakening the spirit nestled deeply inside each one of us. When this core is activated you become more alive, more in touch with yourself, more joyful in the truest sense of your existence. As a kiss is a gesture of appreciation each track was a gift to me and is a gift to feed the souls of the listeners..

Ramdesh: How would you describe the CD?

Satkirin: The core is Gurmukhi but also sung in English. It is bright, happy with something for everybody; contentment in marriage, a children's song, mean man, Sopurkh, celebration track. Characteristic are mantras richly adorned by the Indian classical players from Calcutta the Latin rhythms, dance filled, soulful cello, violin, santoor, shennai, bansuri, Esraj, Sarod, sarangi and more. Thomas Barquee and Hans Christian's join their expertise for a beautiful musical Thanksgiving feast.

Ramdesh: By the way...I LOVE the song "All for you".  Your chorus "God and me, Me and God are One"  is simply divine.

Satkirin: The SACRED KISS is just in time for expressing gratitude on Thanksgiving in USA. I express my gratitude to all of you. You are all in my prayers, love forever in Divine.

Blessings,

Visit www.satkirin.com for a free download of one track from SACRED KISS CD.