Raga Poems by Gordon Korstange & Joel Veena
The embellished notes of a raga and the shimmering words of a poem spring from intuition, both often composed on the spot, both often surprising the maker who accepts such surprises as gifts, one from the “raga-deity,” the other from the muse.
When a musician plays or sings a fresh pattern of notes from a raga, the knowledgeable audience responds with voice and gesture. When a poet strings together words in a musical cadence the minds and hearts of listeners too will quicken:
How suddenly the somber comes undone
ravished by radiance from the suspended sun
In our raga poems we strive to evoke the elemental emotions or moods which cannot be described but can be experienced as aesthetic phenomenon, in the reactions and anticipations of our own bodies and minds.
Tracklist
| 1. | Mango (Raga Mohanam) | 4:02 |
| 2. | The House in the Woods (Raga Charukesi) | 4:03 |
| 3. | We Are Controlled (Raga Malkauns) | 6:37 |
| 4. | Mosquito (Raga Madhuvanti) | 5:52 |
| 5. | In the Yard (Raga Megh) | 5:46 |
Credits
Flute, recitation and poems by Gordon Korstange
Indian slide guitar by Joel 'Veena' Eisenkramer
Produced by Joel Eisenkramer & Vidhi Salla Root Cellar Sound 2023
Recorded 11 November 2022 by Vidhi Salla and Joel Eisenkramer at Root Cellar Sound, Guilford, Vermont USA with one AEA R88 stereo ribbon and a Peluso 2247 for the voice.
Mastered by Tom Hutten, Bionic Mastering, Vermont USA
Special thanks to Vidhi Salla, Matthew Hall, Jeanne Korstange, Wendy Redlinger, Antti Vahteri, Stu Fuchs, Ongtupqa
License
All rights reserved.Tags
A chance encounter with the 20-stringed Indian slide guitar more than a decade ago in Delhi turned into a life-changing event for Joel. He has since immersed himself in the oral tradition of North Indian classical music, studying with some of the great musicians of India.
A prayer and a process, Joel’s music aims to heal, calm and strengthen.