From the BBC News:
"A phoneline with a nine-minute recording of mantra chanting has become a surprise hit with stressed out workers in the City.
"The chanting by musicians Deva Premal and Miten was put on a phoneline as a promotion for their concert tour.
"But the number appears to have gone around the City like wildfire and it seems workers are calling from their offices to take in the soothing chant.
"Promoters took 3,000 calls in the first 24 hours, many from top banks.
"The number is linked to an answer machine and many callers can be heard on it pretending to be on the phone to a legitimate caller.
"You can hear people saying things like 'Yes, I can do that' and 'I'll get back to you on that'. It's clear they want anyone listening to think they're on a business call," said Benjamin Webb, whose PR firm set up the phoneline." Full story here.
A MESSAGE FROM MITEN
Hi friends,
Spring rode in on a wave of creativity.
In March we began work in London on Deva's new CD, Homage (Dakshina), with Martyn Phillips recording. Producing the album with us is Praful, composer of Om Namo Bhagavate, Om Tare Tuttare and Om Ram Ramaya from Embrace. The album contains some great new pieces, with a different slant on the musical landscape - we even have a 45 piece orchestra on one track! Deva's wish for the Hare Krishna mantra was fulfilled, and we have also included a beautiful Tibetan mantra, Guru Rinpoche. Release date is planned for Spring 2005.Praful not only composed many of the new melodies for the mantras, but he also finds himself at the top of the Contemporary Jazz Charts in the USA with his own album, One Day Deep. He's an inspiring musician and a dear friend.
While we're on the subject of musical friends, I'd like to recommend a beautiful new album by Sudha, called Planet Love. Produced by Maneesh de Moor, who did such great work on Songs for the Inner Lover, it is a real feast for the senses. Sudha has a voice that seems to contain the essence of purity. Buy at DevaMusic.com (Formerly Prabhumusic.com, home of some great music, and hosted by our long time tour assistant and great friend, Paritosho)
And Ravi has released his masterpiece, The Afro-Brasilian Project. Check it out
Meanwhile the Gayatri Mantra continues to spread its blessings across the planet: We were invited to sing it on CNBC News recently. A first for us, and certainly for them! Apparently 80,000,000 viewers saw the programme!!
Our European tour began in May this year, where we had the pleasure to join Eckhart Tolle for a concert at his weekend retreat in Denmark. Later in the tour we met again for a magical evening in Glastonbury, England. He is such a special, extra-ordinary soul who has touched us both with his wisdom and wonderful sense of humour. If you haven't read his book, 'The Power of Now', please do.
In June we invited our friends from America, Benjy Wertheimer (esraj, tabla, frame drum) and Manose (bansuri) to join us for some special concerts in Europe. We hope to bring them over again sometime, basically because we can't get enough of these guys. Those of you who attended the concerts will understand why! It was a pure delight to play with them. Adding to the enjoyment was Benjy's wife, Heather, who is a fine singer and who joined us on vocals.
Silenzio, the main European CD distributor for New Age Music, lists 4 of our albums in their top 5 best sellers: Songs for the Inner Lover (1), The Essence (2), Embrace (4) and Love is Space (5).
In America, our distributors, White Swan have us occupying the top 4 positions: EmbraceThe Essence (1), (2), Songs for the Inner Lover (3), and Love is Space (4). Deva and I would just like to thank them for doing such a great job in getting the music 'out there', but most important, we thank you all for going out and buying them. In these days of downloads and MP3's, we don't take that lightly.
For USA chanters, we'll be at Omega for Labour Day Weekend (Sept 3/4/5), for a weekend of bliss, along with Krishna Das and Robert Gass. Hope to see you there.
Phew... so, that's it for now. Personally, I've been enjoying some great soccer these past two weeks, watching the Euro 2004 Championship. I played as a kid, and I love the game.
Soccer was my first glimpse into meditation. No joke!
- It taught me to keep my head and not panic in times of stress.
- It taught me how to accept loss when it happens, and that life goes on, regardless.
- It taught me how to go forward and to be single pointed and decisive when I'm going for a goal.
- It taught me about the necessity to share with others - to give and take.
- And it taught me that just because somebody's ‘bigger’ than me, doesn't make them better! (I was a little guy!)
Yep, soccer is a great equaliser!
Deva and I look forward to seeing you all again, somewhere down the road. Meanwhile - Keep singing!
With love from us both,
Miten
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