Yoga music?

[Steven]

Bendy's post reminded me of a question I've been wanting to ask. Does anyone have any recommendations for good yoga music? By that I mean inspiring, upbeat but not obnoxious, eastern-sounding music. I've heard the name Krisha Das in this context. Sometimes I'll hear some inspiring music in class and wonder what it is...

[Bendy]

I'm sure there are others who know eastern-sounding better than I do, but there's Anoushka (Shankar---Ravi's daughter)---nice Sitar music.

I felt like I needed some energy tonight, so I put on a mix of things like Souad Massi, Ry Cooder (from Mambo Sinuendo), Natacha Atlas---energetic sounds without English words to mess with my mind.

[Kirsten]

I'll second Bendy's Souad Massi suggestion and add these: Vas (now defunct, but their music is still available) and Niyaz (Vas's singer plus two others).

Another group I like to practice to is Sigur Ros, but depending on your tastes they might qualify as obnoxious. And they're from Iceland, so the "eastern" quotient might not be high enough.

[Graceful Yoga]

I love Vas, too bad they are no longer together. The singer, Azam Ali, also has a solo album out.

[Anamika]

karsh kale and nitin sawhney do good indian 'fusion' with western beats. not spiritually oriented as such though, as in not chants. but good to do yoga to/run to etc.

i struggle with krishna das as his sanskrit pronunciation is very often off but ... i'm in the minority here - he's very soothing if you can manage to tune that aspect out.

[Bendy]

I recently got a Niyaz cd (thanks to Kirsten's recommendation) and I'm loving it---it's great for that mid-energy level---not too slow, not too fast. Now I'll have to check out Vas. :)

Oh, here's another nice one (all instrumental): In the Heart of the Moon by Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabeté.

Anamika's suggestions sound interesting. Personally, Krishna Das is not that exciting to me, but not because his pronunciation is off (I wouldn't know), it just all sounds the same. Nice, but not too enticing. Just my opinion; I'm sure it's a matter of personal taste.

I hope you find something that suits you, Steven.

[YogaDawg]

Dave Stringer is the only 'yoga music' I can listen to. He is about the only one that is doing anything original with it. Otherwise, it would be suggested to explore classic Indian music forms performed by the best performers within that art form to discover the same trancendental qualities that I find in the best of American jazz. You may have to pop outside the mainstream but it will be well worth the effort.

[jennifer davis]

Shiva Rea has some great mixes. If you are looking for something mellow, I love Wah! savasana and Deva Premal. What are your thoughts on hearing popular or should I say mainstream music, Rap, Hip Hop, Regae, Opera, Older Rock, Metal? Oh I also like Tulku a universe to come, amazing. Great Discussion, I am always looking for new music to play.

[Sisina]

I'll practice to anything! One of the most moving moments I've had in a yoga class was when Joss Stone's "The Choking Kind" (soul/blues, for those unfamiliar) began to play as the class was winding down, the rawness of emotion in the song triggered an enormous sense of vulnerability and openness in me, which I had *not* expected, being quite surprised when I first recognized the song! Another of my teachers was a fan of Moby and other ambient/techno artists - great for an early morning practice to ramp up your energy. It's all a matter of taste, of course, my musical taste is pretty random, so I'm easy to please as long as it speaks to me.

[lisa hill]

ravi shankar is a safe bet-killer beautiful & non-obtrusive. vishwa mohan bhatt is also pretty kick ass. i used to enjoy singing bowls, too.

[Hari Datti]

Jaya Lakshmi - http://www.jayalakshmi.net/cds.html is one of my favorites. She also sings in a techno band that is not necessarily aimed at yoga music. My favorite is Ocean of Mercy (2003). It is quite inspiring and not at all obnoxious - but rather trancelike even while it is upbeat. The nicest aspect of that CD is the use of Spanish guitar, an instrument not normally heard on yogic CDs.

Jai Uttal has numerous CDs that are quite beautiful with wonderful instrumentation. His voice is deep and resonant, reminiscent of Krishna Das but his music is so much more interesting. If you go to the SpiritVoyage website, they have samples of everything they sell, and his CDs are all there. Many of them are pretty laid back and may not meet you upbeat requirement, but some are much more energetic.

[Parthena]

Steven I have found several sites (can't remember them now! and would have to do a search to get back to them...) that let you listen to samples of spiritual, new age, Eastern, alternative, etc. music. Do some surfing to see if you can find them. If I run across any again, I'll let you know.
I also live not too far from a spiritually based book/music store that plays samples of the CD's upon request. I think everyone is so different in the music department of things. This CD is one of my favorites when I really need reved up.
MANTRA MIX
Various Artists
Enhanced CD with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
50294 Narada World

[Steven]

At the east side yoga studio yesterday they had some really great music going. I tried to find out what it was, but apparently it was someone's playlist on a mix CD, so I couldn't get any more info. It was Indian instruments and melodies with a trip-hop beat, I liked it a lot, kind of what I was looking for. I've been sampling stuff on Amazon. I might just have to create my own playlist.