Kundalini Surjhee - GuruGanesha Singh CD

If you have ever sat in the audience at one of GuruGanesha Singh’s concerts, you know the gravitational pull of his guitar play, carrying you deep into the soul of the music. On Guru Ganesha’s CD Kundalini Surjhee, he crystallizes that experience with the signature virtuosity of his savory guitar style. GuruGanesha leads you from traditional raag to rock to blues and beyond. His guitar wizardry and soulful vocals alone could carry this album, but GuruGanesha Singh brought in several other major world sacred music artists that break it through to another realm.

The opening track of Kundalini Surjhee is the emotionally rich Bhaja Man Mere, a kirtan lullaby with GuruGanesha`s deeply soothing vocals and sweet guitar melodies gently carrying you to the introduction of Tina Malia`s voice, whose purity and crystalline clarity distill the very meaning of devotional music. The musical chemistry between GuruGanesha and Tina continues to be highlighted on the track Bright Star, which has become a break-out hit.

As the album moves forward, the energy rises, much like its title, which translates to Kundalini Rising. The title track, Kundalini Surjhee, and the fourth track, Aval Allah, both sophisticated Gurbani Kirtan compositions, incorporate lively tabla, traditional kirtan call-response vocals, and the incredible presentation of raga on guitar. These tracks build to irresistible crescendos, the musical representation of awakened kundalini energy. With guest appearances from Jai-Jadgeesh, Mata Mandir Kaur, Tina Malia and Michelle Hurtado, these tracks have flavors ranging from the plains of Amritsar in India to the deserts of the Middle East.

GuruGanesha Singh recorded some audience favorites including the devotional song Walk with the Lord and One God, whose musical sensibilities touch the core of GuruGanesha as an artist. Blending blues, jazz, rock, a bit of bluegrass and and the deepest experience of devotion, these songs overflow with exuberant joy. GuruGanesha is also joined by the big bluesy vocals of Jessica Cauffiel, who is seamlessly integrating gospel music with Gurmukhi mantra.

Thomas Barquee’s piano playing makes a few lightful appearances, most notably on Mul Mantra II, a gentle evocative track, and on One God, a perfect finale to this eclectic album with a foot-stompingly joyful shout out to the blues. Masterfully produced by Krishan, this album is filled with pulsating energy. Blending acoustic and electric guitars, piano, tablas, cajon, udu, keyboards, bass and the divine voices of an amazing line-up including GuruGanesha Singh, Tina Malia, Jai-Jagdeesh, Mata Mandir Kaur, Jessica Cauffiel, Michelle Hurtado and Krishan, the diversity of styles creates an experience that is truly a surge of Kundalni energy!

Artists on this album:
GuruGanesha Singh - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Tina Malia - Vocals
Jai-Jagdeesh - Vocals
Sat Siri Jyotika (Jessica Cauffiel) - Vocals
Michelle Hurtado - Vocals
Mata Mandir Kaur - Vocals
Ramesh Kannan - Tabla, Cajon, Udu
Ian Walker - Bass
Thomas Barquee - Vocals, Keyboards
Krishan Khalsa - Vocals, Tabla, Percussion

Tracks:

• Bhaja Man Mere (9:16)
• Kundalini Surjhee (08:07)
• Bright Star (07:42)
• Aval Allah (11:43)
• Walk with the Lord (07:29)
• Mul Mantra II (05:30)
• You Can Make the Sun Shine (04:39)
• One God (04:05)