New Sounds

#4997, A World of Buddhism

Episode Summary

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 BroadcastingWORK: The Other Side [2:29]RECORDING: The Race for SpaceSOURCE: Test Card RecordingsINFO: musicglue.com ARTIST: Shomyo no KaiWORK: Yu Kuwabara: Spiral Mandala [1:00]RECORDING: Recorded live at Spiral Garden, Tokyo, Japan, on January 9 and 10, 2016SOURCE: 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 KairWORK: Yu Kuwabara: Spiral Mandala [2:57]RECORDING: Recorded live at Spiral Garden, Tokyo, Japan, on January 9 and 10, 2016SOURCE: 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 MonksWORK: Escape to India (from Kundun) [8:43]RECORDING: Philip On FilmSOURCE: NonesuchINFO: https://www.discogs.com/release/17424523-Philip-Glass-Philip-On-Film-Filmworks-By-Philip-Glass

Episode Notes

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 RykielPlus, 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 BroadcastingWORK: The Other Side [2:29]RECORDING: The Race for SpaceSOURCE: Test Card RecordingsINFO: musicglue.com

ARTIST: Shomyo no KaiWORK: Yu Kuwabara: Spiral Mandala [1:00]RECORDING: Recorded live at Spiral Garden, Tokyo, Japan, on January 9 and 10, 2016SOURCE: 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 KairWORK: Yu Kuwabara: Spiral Mandala [2:57]RECORDING: Recorded live at Spiral Garden, Tokyo, Japan, on January 9 and 10, 2016SOURCE: 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 MonksWORK: Escape to India (from Kundun) [8:43]RECORDING: Philip On FilmSOURCE: NonesuchINFO: https://www.discogs.com/release/17424523-Philip-Glass-Philip-On-Film-Filmworks-By-Philip-Glass