[.ca] Ocean of Mercy

Not Just For A Devotee:
I would like to think that if something similar to this was first chanted thousands of years ago, it was done with the same soul-filled passion that Jaya Lakshmi does it with. Her beautiful voice and spiritual fervor blend together for a truly unique musical and mystical experience. The music is performed flawlessly, as English mixes with what I think is Sanskrit, in this lovely and moving piece. Your sweet face is like a million suns flooding my mind Oh You have captured me with your beauty now this heart is no longer mine ~from Ocean Of Mercy Fans of music from India are sure to love this. The often upbeat melody, that at times seems almost modern, will also appeal to anyone that is interested in hearing well played music from another culture. The sublime voice of Jaya Lakshmi becomes almost ethereal as she reminds me of a beautiful gopi dancing the Rasa.

beautiful, purely beautiful:
I love this album. I take a lot of yoga classes all over the country, and I hear Krishna das' and Jai Uttal's very popular Cd's being played often during classes, and I think that they have just as many "krishna" chants as this Cd. It seems like lots of people have forgotten or have never known about the Hare Krsna's in the airports; their image in this country seems to be changing for the better, obviously, with the rise of the kirtan movement. I think the mood and the music of this CD is the most important thing. Jaya Lakshmi expresses something in her voice and melodies that so many of us want to express. Her singing comes from a place of great purity and depth that is rare to find in this day and age. And the music is just awesome, Deva Priyo is truly a master on the sarod and guitar. I hope that this Cd and her following Cd's become as popular as they should be in the new age/ yoga market, for this market could be signifigantly enriched with such a strong but pure female singer who is so divinely inspired to share her passionate affair with God with the public.

Pales in Comparison:
This effort pales in comparison to the works of Deva Premal, who has a superior voice, at least to my ear.

Beautiful...but...:
As a yoga teacher I am always looking for new music to play for my classes. All the tracks on this album are beautiful, as the other reviewers stated. However, I give it 3 stars because so many tracks contain a "krishna, krishna" chant. I think it is distracting for my new-to-yoga or I-am-just-here-for-exercise fitness-oriented students as they tend to think of the Hari Krishnas that used to dance around airports, and I don't want to scare them away. Getting them to try yoga in the first place is a big step. So, for my purposes, this album, while very beautiful, turned out to be less useful than I had hoped.

A Gem of Kirtan -- "Ocean of Mercy":
Kirtan chanting -- or bakhti yoga -- is an exhilarating blend of music, harmony, joyous dancing, group ecstasy, and the unselfconsciousness of singing along with your favorite songs at the top of your voice. The words are unfamiliar and at times you think you'll never quite decide if something is spelled with a "d" or a "t," but pretty soon the light melodies and smiling words begin to gently cycle in your brain and it does something unexpected: it makes you happy. One of the secrets of this music is that it cannot be explained in its entirety by words; even recordings can't capture the total interaction between the musicians and the audience/participants... but like a reading primer that gives access to the world of literature, the recordings do a credible job of presenting the magical creations. One of the most magical and warm artists of this mystic genre is Jaya Lakshmi. Her clarity, her perfect pitch, her consistency and flow all combine with her elfin personal charm to present a delicate, gossamer ride to realms of higher awareness. It simply feels good. It makes you smile -- for a long time. It gives you leave to express yourself vocally in harmony at full projection and allow your energies to rise upward in joy. It's great for driving in traffic! I had the good fortune to see Jaya Lakshmi and companions in person as my first exposure to her music. If you are not this lucky, the two CDs she has released (a third is due to be released soon) will give you a wonderful sample of her vocal skill and the delicious resonance of her accompanists. My personal favorite is "Ocean of Mercy," but "Jewel of Hari" is a close second. The title song on "Ocean of Mercy" is Jaya's own, and it appeals partly because it expresses in English the idea of what the genre is all about. She says, essentially, that the practice of kirtan has freed her soul, and that is, for this music, the bottom line. Perhaps a consumer must be at a certain point of awareness for the seed of kirtan to take root, but if you are anywhere close, Jaya Lakshmi's appeal may well draw you to a higher and happier place than you ever anticipated. Namaste :-) -- ChristmasCarla@aol.com mother, grandmother, artist, entrepreneur, age 60

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