Category: Music (Page 12 of 15)

I have been on the move recently and will continue like this until December. On October 18 and 19 I gave concerts at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and then at the Unitarian Church in Greensboro. Following the programs in North Carolina I returned to my base in Urbana, IL but then went to Carbonale, IL for a meditation seminar and another concert.

In Carbondale I had the good fortune to meet Madhulika, who at age 95 is the oldest member of the Ananda Marga Society in North America. Back in 1969 an Indian yogi came to Carbondale (home of Southern Illinois University) and started the first chapter of the society. Madhulika remembers the details of that visit better than her younger contemporaries and it was a pleasure to meet her.
In Carbondale I gave a concert at the Interfaith Center (which had a nice atmosphere and chairs that gave the feel of a house concert in someone’s living room. The next day I held a three hour meditation seminar that included a brief session of yoga postures and deep relaxation. Some of the participants told me that they could really feel the peace of meditation during the seminar.

After Carbondale I returned to Urbana and gave a concert at the Red Herring Coffee House (which is located on the University of Illinois campus).

After the concert at the Red Herring I went to Tuscaloosa, Alabama and gave two meditation-lecture workshops at the University of Alabama. The attendance was not large at these events but those who came were very much interested and we enjoyed nice evenings.
I returned to Urbana and gave a concert at the Champaign County Nursing Home. I enjoyed all the concerts and programs this month, but I am not done. On Monday I will give another musical performance at the Swann School in Champaign, IL (this school serves children and youth with severe disabilities. I have been there before and the children like the music.)

In the middle of this week I will be headed for Wisconsin where I will give a concert in Wausau and a class on Tantra in Madison. In the middle of November I head to New York City, and during the first week of December I will be in Nicaragua! Wow, that is a lot of traveling but I enjoy it and enjoy meeting everyone along the way.
I haven’t added much to the blog recently. The reason for this is that I am updating friends and fans via my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/dadavedamusic

A new review of the CD Love is the Best

Spiritually inspired, Globally-tinged Folk and Americana music is what you’ll find on “Love Is The Best,” Dada’s second album overall. He seamlessly melds the rhythms of rock, country and Americana folk with the ancient wisdom of Yoga, bringing together such disparate strains to create a remarkable, eclectic music collection. There’s even a Bill Haley and the Comets-1950s style doo-wop song ~ which honestly is a bit of a surprise coming from an orange turban and robe wearing Yogic monk, but he performed this style of music flawlessly.

Overall “Love Is The Best” moves with a deeper spirit. Dada, much like Bob Dylan, U2, Johnny Cash or Bruce Springsteen, musically tackles topics that dominate our daily news, such as war and world peace, racism, economic and ecological issues as well as the need for open-minded spiritual discourse and real universal tolerance. Songs such as “From Zero To Hero,” “A Better Deal” and “Liberate Your Mind” bring these subjects into perspective. Also included on the album are two kirtan meditative tracks that feature mantra chanting. These songs were specifically written to assist the listener with their meditative focus.

This record and Dada’s music overall is a subtle work of simplistic beauty. I highly recommend “Love Is The Best.” But I would also suggest his first CD, “Brighter Than The Sun” – recorded in 2003 in Albania. With its acoustic, country-folk melodies and spiritual sensibilities, it makes for an excellent accompaniment to “Love Is The Best.” The radiant song “In The Stillness of the Morning” is worth the price alone.

Dada Veda’s website is www.dadaveda.com

reviewed by Michael Lohr (from New Renaissance Magazine, www.ru.org)