Music for Yoga
The Purpose of Music in a Yoga Class
Music in the form of chanting, or kirtan, has been part of yoga practice for millenia, but music in the form of background tunes is a recent addition. Some yoga teachers still hold classes in silence, but the majority of classes now involve some form of musical accompaniment. It serves many purposes, from masking sounds from neighboring businesses or the nearby weight room, to provide a boost of energy when the class gets intense, to helping the bodymind relax and open in relaxation.
Our first teacher, Tom Gillette, made masterful use of music. He had a mixing board and several CD players set up in the front of the studio, so he could manipulate the music very precisely. For example, he could line up the point of greatest challenge with the climactic moment in Krishna Das' "Kainchi Hare Krisha". The synchrony of maximum effort and musical energy combined to create moments of peak experience. We attempt to use music with the same effect: to catalyze moments of joy, intensity and release.
Our main criteria for music is no English lyrics. We intend our classes to be meditative and absorbing - if you're singing along with the music, it means you're not focused on your breath or body. We shy away from really intrusive beats, cheesy synthesizers and gratuitous guitar soloing as well.
Our Playlist
The "learn more" links below point to Wikipedia articles on the musicians, or artist websites when they're too obscure for Wikipedia. Click on the "listen" links below to listen to a track for free via the on-line music site Napster. You will have to register once with Napster. Click on the image to view album information on Amazon.com.
African
- Ali Farka Toure
Cyclic, delicate, hypnotic Malian guitar and vocals.
[learn more] [listen:
Debe (Album Version)]- Habib Koite
Another Malian guitarist/singer. Upbeat, polyrhythmic, lovely.
[learn more] [listen:Habib Koite & Bamada]- Ayub Ogada
Stunning vocals and strings from a Kenyan artist.
[learn more] [listen:Kothbiro]
Indian / Middle Eastern
- Ry Cooder and V.M. Bhatt
A guitar conversation between two masters. Mellow and rhythmic.
[learn more about Ry Cooder, V.M. Bhatt]- Ravi Shankar
Not only a master of the sitar, but partly responsible for bringing America's attention to the great treasures of Indian culture.
[learn more] [listen:Ragas In Minor Scale]- Hariprasad Chaurasia
We picked up a few discs in India and were very pleased with what we found. Lovely flute with tabla backing.
[learn more] [listen:Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia]- Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
Another Indian disc, with a hammered-dulcimer type instrument and tabla backing.
[learn more]- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
The Ravi Shankar of qawwali, the devotional music of the Sufis. Passionate, energetic singing with a clearly divine inspiration.
[learn more] [listen:Mustt Mustt (Lost In His Work)]
Kirtan / Vocal Artists
- Krishna Das
Just like many couples have a certain song that evokes their courtship, Krishna Das does that for me. I imagine this is true for many other Western yoga students. He's the godfather of American kirtan. I've been to a live performance, and it is a incredible, holy experience. A humble, funny guy. His guru is Neem Karoli Baba, who also taught Ram Das. I especially recommend "Pilgrim Heart".
[learn more] [listen:Namah Shivayah]- David Stringer
- Part of the American kirtan movement, he brings an original, blues-inspired perspective to the ancient words.
[learn more] - Jai Uttal
More of a world musician than strictly a kirtan singer, he does have a few great yoga tracks. Particularly, "Nataraja" - a staple of American yoga classes.
[learn more] [listen:Nataraja]- Sheila Chandra
A British-Indian woman exploring the possibilities of sound, the meaning of words, the vocal traditions of India and a little bit of everything else. Especially good for yoga is her "ABoneCroneDrone" album, which is 6 tracks of layered voice and sound that move the body quickly into a deep savasana.
[learn more] [listen:ABoneCroneDrone 5]
New Age
- Ranga
Cyclic melodies and rhythms combine in radiant soundscapes that provide just the right "kick" to sun salutations.
[learn more] [listen:Anand Prabat]- Anugama
An ambient, tribal sound that builds and fades away, just in time for relaxation.
[learn more]- Todd Norian
A yoga teacher, originally trained in Kripalu Yoga, who has produced a few albums of mellow, ambient music. "Bija" is a perfect savasana album.
[learn more]- Benjy Wertheimer
Multi-instrumental world musician and vocalist. "Night of Esraj" is haunting.
[learn more]- Prem Joshua
Similar to Benjy Wertheimer. A fusion of Indian instrumentation and Western beats. "Sky Meets Earth" has one eponymous track that has been sampled frequently and just sounds so familiar...
[learn more] [listen:Sky Kisses Earth]- Klause Weise
His album "El Hadra" is one melodic theme repeated over and over, with subtle variations. Relaxing and trance inducing.
[learn more]
Instrumental
- Kevin Nathaniel
- African thumb pianos play delicate, cyclic melodies. Good for sunny days.
[learn more] [amazon link: Mbira Sanctuary]
- Jon Dichter
- Bowed and plucked guitar designed for a mellow, introspective yoga class.
[learn more] [amazon link: Bowed Guitar for Yoga]
- Liz Cifani
- A Chicago-based harpist who plays British folk melodies and Irish tunes.
- Benjamin Iobst
"Seven Metals" is an hour of exquisite tones from Tibetan singing bowls of various sizes and compositions. It will definitely get your prana vibrating.
[learn more]- Nawang Khechog
A Tibetan flautist who evokes the austere beauty of the Himalayas.
[learn more] [listen:Year Of Tibet]- Riley Lee
Atmospheric flute music, very serene.
[listen:As The Water Flows]- Yo Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor and Edgar Meyer
Their first album together, "Appalachia Waltz" is one of the great works of the 20th century. A few of the pieces are heart-breakingly beautiful, others are virtuosically energetic.
[learn more] [listen:Appalachia Waltz]- Anja Lechner And Vassilis Tsabropoulos
Haunting cello and piano pieces written by the enigmatic mystic Gurdjieff, as well as a few by one of the performers. Melancholy, hopeful, elegant.
[learn more about Gurdjieff]- R. Carlos Nakai
The godfather of Native American flute. Contemplative, spacious, evocative of deserts and mountains.
[learn more] [listen:Children's Dance]
Electronic / Ambient
- Jesse Hozney
- A Chicago native who mixes beats and tones in pleasing, non-intrusive ways.
[learn more] [amazon link: Vol. 1-2-Niyama]
- Tortoise
Part electronic, part free jazz. A unique sound, at times hard to listen to, but other times very pleasing.
[learn more]- St. Germain
House music played live on real instruments - there's something more human about this music, even though it sounds like it could be straight from a beat machine.
[learn more] [listen:Rose Rogue]- Afro Celt Sound System
Fusion of Celtic, African, and a little bit of everything else. High energy.
[learn more] [listen:Eireann]- Thievery Corporation
Lounge-ish, chill, international.
[learn more] [listen:Tomorrow]
