Rasa (contemporary devotional music)
Encyclopedia
Rasa is a musical duo composed of Hans Christian
(German-born cellist and multi-instrumentalist
, also known for his solo career and collaborations with Robert Rich
, Amoeba
, Krishna Das, Vas
, etc.) and Kim Waters (U.S. vocalist, also a devotee of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
). The band draws heavily on Indian devotional music (such as Bhajan
) and Western classical music
.
Rasa was formed in 1998 in San Francisco, California, by Christian and Waters. Including their debut album Devotion (2000, released by the prestigious Hearts of Space Records
), they have released six full-length albums focusing on various themes in classical Hindu
religion and mythology. Their album Temple of Love (2006, New Earth Records
) is a tribute to the temples at Khajuraho
, India.
Hans Christian
Hans Christian is a German-born musician and producer now based in the U.S. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Christian is a multi-instrumentalist usually associated with Indian world music, ethnic fusion, chamber jazz, and sometimes New Age music, but who also plays classical music...
(German-born cellist and multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, also known for his solo career and collaborations with Robert Rich
Robert Rich
Robert Rich may refer to:*Robert Rich , American ambient musician*Dalton Trumbo, American screenwriter and novelist, used pen name Robert Rich because of blacklisting*Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick...
, Amoeba
Amoeba (band)
Amoeba is an experimental music group that fuses the pop and ambient music genres. They formed in California, USA in 1992. The core members of the group are ambient musician Robert Rich and guitarist/bassist Rick Davies....
, Krishna Das, Vas
Vas (band)
Vas was an alternative world musical group composed of Persian vocalist Azam Ali and American percussionist Greg Ellis. Vas is frequently compared to the Australian band Dead Can Dance. The band released four full-length albums, and both artists have released a few solo albums and participated in...
, etc.) and Kim Waters (U.S. vocalist, also a devotee of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was a Gaudiya Vaishnava teacher and the founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as the "Hare Krishna Movement"...
). The band draws heavily on Indian devotional music (such as Bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
) and Western classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
.
Rasa was formed in 1998 in San Francisco, California, by Christian and Waters. Including their debut album Devotion (2000, released by the prestigious Hearts of Space Records
Hearts of Space Records
Hearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
), they have released six full-length albums focusing on various themes in classical Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
religion and mythology. Their album Temple of Love (2006, New Earth Records
New Earth Records
New Earth Records is an independent record label focusing primarily on New Age Music and World Music. It was founded in 1990 in Munich, Germany, by European entrepreneurs Bhikkhu Schober and Waduda Paradiso under the auspices of the spiritual teacher known as Osho...
) is a tribute to the temples at Khajuraho
Khajuraho
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Khajuraho , a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about southeast of New Delhi, are one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for...
, India.
Discography
- 2000: Devotion (on Hearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
) - 2001: Union (on Hearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
) - 2002: Rasa in Concert (live, on Hearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
) - 2003: Shelter (on New Earth RecordsNew Earth RecordsNew Earth Records is an independent record label focusing primarily on New Age Music and World Music. It was founded in 1990 in Munich, Germany, by European entrepreneurs Bhikkhu Schober and Waduda Paradiso under the auspices of the spiritual teacher known as Osho...
) - 2006: Temple of Love (on New Earth RecordsNew Earth RecordsNew Earth Records is an independent record label focusing primarily on New Age Music and World Music. It was founded in 1990 in Munich, Germany, by European entrepreneurs Bhikkhu Schober and Waduda Paradiso under the auspices of the spiritual teacher known as Osho...
) - 2007: Saffron Blue (on New Earth RecordsNew Earth RecordsNew Earth Records is an independent record label focusing primarily on New Age Music and World Music. It was founded in 1990 in Munich, Germany, by European entrepreneurs Bhikkhu Schober and Waduda Paradiso under the auspices of the spiritual teacher known as Osho...
)
External links
- Rasa-Music.com – official website
- Valley-Entertainment.com – Rasa Hearts of Space Records artist page