ASANA

ASANA: SOUL PRACTICE

  1/  Mantra                                     (Shankar,Caroline,Laswell)    15.43
        Material
  2/  Black Lotus                                (Laswell)                     9.20
        Sacred System
  3/  Om Namah Shiva                             (Wobble,Aktar,Adams)          14.10
      (Transformation of the Heart Mix)  
        Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart
  4/  Devabandha                                 (Fazio)                       15.26
        Makyo
  5/  Hear No Evil                               (Laswell)                     14.48
        Bill Laswell
  6/  Aum                                        (Laswell)                     4.02
        Divination

          Track 1 recorded in Madras, India and Greenpoint Studios, Brooklyn, NY
          Track 2 and 6 recorded at Orange Music, West Orange, New Jersey
          Track 3 recorded at Greenhouse, Sonica and 30 Hertz Studios
          Track 5 recorded at Greenpoint Studios, Brooklyn, New York
          Engineering and programming (3): Robert Musso
          Track 1 engineered by Oz Fritz
          Tracks 1,2,5 and 6 produced by Bill Laswell
          Track 3 produced by Jah Wobble and Justin Adams
          Track 4 produced by A. Ikeda and G. Fazio
          Additional production on track 1 by the Orb - Dr. Alex Paterson and
            Kris Weston
          Mix translation and additional production on tracks 3 and 4 by Bill Laswell
          Remaster artwork by Yoko Yamabe @ Randesign
          Bandcamp version remastered by James Dellatacoma

(1) Bill Laswell: bass, beats; Zakir Hussain: tablas; Vikku Vinayakram: ghatam; Nadhaswara arrangement by Shankar; (2) Gulam Mohamed Khan: harmonium, voice; Susan Deyhim: voice; Dave Liebman: soprano saxophone; Nicky Skopelitis: guitar; Bernie Worrell: organ; Bill Laswell: bass, percussion; Zakir Hussain: tabla; Bill Buchen: percussion; Aiyb Dieng: percussion; (3) Najma Akhtar: vocals; Inder 'Goldfinger' Matharu: tablas; Justin Adams: guitar, backing vocals; Mark Ferda: backing vocals, drum programming; Jah Wobble: bass, percussion, keyboards; Robert Musso: programming; (4) Gio and Ikeda: sounds; Bill Laswell: bass, beats, sounds; (5) Bill Laswell: basses; Nicky Skopelitis: guitars; Shankar: violin; Zakir Hussain: tablas; Aiyb Dieng: percussion; (6) Bill Laswell: all sounds.

          1997 - Douglas Music (USA), ADC7 (CD)
          1999 - Meta Records (USA), MT003 (CD)
          2021 - Bill Laswell Bandcamp (digital)

Note: The Douglas version contains only tracks 1,3,4 and 5, in a slightly different order.

REVIEWS :

This collection has the hypnitic quality that is attractive in eastern music combined with the energy of rock and the mellowing influence of jazz, which make it the perfect background for tasks that require concentration at work or home.

The layout of this approximately 75-minute CD is especially effective for yoga practice. The first track, Mantra, has the right pace and length (15:43) for a good set of Sun Salutations. The second, Black Lotus, has a more flowing sound and brings added energy to move into full practice. This energy is sustained through the following tracks up to the final medatative "Aum" (which is unfortunately a bit short, just over 4 minutes).

An excellent melding of eastern music to western tastes.

Lynn Del Sol (courtesy of Amazon.com)