Trust In The Heart

On Trust in the Heart, his 15th and newest full-length cd release, Krishna Das invokes the presence of Maharajji on the track Namoh. In his now ultra- familiar, deep, sincere and rich baritone, he chants slowly and steadily, "Om Namoh Gurudev Neem Karoli Baabaaya Namah" over and over again. The groove is restrained, sparse and super deep, while Krishna Das s voice, stronger than it has ever sounded, establishes the perfect space for that mysterious and elusive divine presence to manifest. The effect is striking. In "Trust in the Heart," Krishna Das, who produced this album along with longtime friend Jay Messina, has woven together what is perhaps his most stripped-down, elegantly uncompromising collection of s since "Door of Faith" was released in 2003, and the carefully crafted simplicity of its delivery is powerful. On this album, all music was recorded in a live studio setting with KD's leading vocals accompanied by all musicians at once. It is a return to the roots of kirtan, a collection of prayers and chants that would feel equally at home being sung in a temple as being cranked up on a car stereo on a cross country sojourn, with melodies that recall both American rock as well as traditional Indian influences. In addition to "Namoh", there are long-form prayers to the Guru ("Guru Puja") and the Divine Mother ("Devi Chant"), as well as 2 new Hanuman Chalisas and a supercharged Mahamantra that features Krishna Das's daughter, Janaki, on vocals alongside him. It is an album rich with beautifully understated performances and stunning moments. KD is joined by the usual suspects- Arjun Bruggeman on tabla, Mark Egen on bass, Genevieve Walker on violin, David Nichtern on guitar, John McDowell on percussion and keyboards, Nina Rao on kartals and Noah Hoffeld on cello. With "Trust in the Heart," Krishna Das offers the bare essence of kirtan, a calling out to the divine presence within our selves. And his authenticity and humility in this offering allows us an rtunity to easily tune into that presence as well.

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