Hear music from a world of Buddhism, from Laurie Anderson with Tenzin Choegyal and Jesse Paris Smith (New York and Tibet), Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo via upstate New York, Japanese composer Yu Kuwabara working with the style of Buddhist chant called Shomyo; and classic work from Bhutan-born Tibetan Buddhist monk Lama Gyurme with French keyboardist Jean-Philippe Rykiel (France).
Listen to chant from the Gyuto Monks of Tibet accompanied by both short and long trumpets and percussion. Also, hear a piece by Philip Glass which incorporates the voices of the Gyuto Monks from the score to the film, “Kundun.” Their voices generate overtones and rumbling subharmonics with as many as three pitches at once.
Hear work from New York-based composer, artist, and collaborator Laurie Anderson with Tibetan multi-instrumentalist Tenzin Choegyal and composer and activist Jesse Paris Smith, from their album Songs from the Bardo. It's an enveloping combination of sound, flow, and words, which becomes a guided and grounded journey through the text of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. With flute, lute and Tibetan singing bowls from Tenzin Choegyal, piano and crystal bowls as drone by Jesse Paris Smith, Laurie Anderson’s even and calm speaking voice (and her violin), (plus guest cellist Rubin Kodheli and guest percussionist Shahad Ismaily), the record invites someone who may or may no longer have a body to pay attention and to celebrate being awake.
There’s also music by Bhutan-born Tibetan Buddhist monk of the ancient Kagyupa School, Lama Gyurme in collaboration with French producer and keyboardist Jean-Philippe Rykiel. Plus, music from Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo, who combines songs, prayers, and mantras dedicated to spiritual awakening, love, and compassion on her latest, One Drop of Kindness. And more. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4997, A World of Buddhism (First aired 4/16/2025)
ARTIST: Public Service Broadcasting
WORK: The Other Side [2:29]
RECORDING: The Race for Space
SOURCE: Test Card Recordings
INFO: musicglue.com
ARTIST: Shomyo no Kai
WORK: Yu Kuwabara: Spiral Mandala [1:00]
RECORDING: Recorded live at Spiral Garden, Tokyo, Japan, on January 9 and 10, 2016
SOURCE: https://3shimai.com/yu/
INFO: https://soundcloud.com/yupipipipipi/spiral-mandala-excerpt
ARTIST: Laurie Anderson, Tenzin Choegyal, Jesse Paris Smith
WORK: Lotus Born No Need to Fear [7:08]
RECORDING: Songs from the Bardo
SOURCE: Smithsonian Folkways
INFO: folkways.si.edu/songs-from-the-bardo
ARTIST: Lama Gyurme & Jean-Philippe Rykiel
WORK: Hope For Enlightenment [7:17]
RECORDING: Hope For Enlightenment
SOURCE: Last Call 3060072
INFO: Out of print, but try Amazon.com
ARTIST: Yungchen Lhamo
WORK: Nin Dop (Being Courageous) [6:52]
RECORDING: One Drop of Kindness
SOURCE: Real World Records
INFO: https://lnk.to/RW252
ARTIST: Shomyo no Kair
WORK: Yu Kuwabara: Spiral Mandala [2:57]
RECORDING: Recorded live at Spiral Garden, Tokyo, Japan, on January 9 and 10, 2016
SOURCE: https://3shimai.com/yu/
INFO: https://soundcloud.com/yupipipipipi/spiral-mandala-excerpt
ARTIST: Gyuto Monks Tantric Choir
WORK: Praising Chakrasamvara [7:44]
RECORDING: Tibetan Chants for World Peace
SOURCE: White Swan Records
INFO: whiteswanrecords.com
ARTIST: Philip Glass, Gyuto Monks
WORK: Escape to India (from Kundun) [8:43]
RECORDING: Philip On Film
SOURCE: Nonesuch
INFO: https://www.discogs.com/release/17424523-Philip-Glass-Philip-On-Film-Filmworks-By-Philip-Glass