Choying Drolma & Steve Tibbetts - Cho

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Free Music Notes for Cho

Free Music Review: BEATIFUL AND TRANSPORTING -- SIMPLY STUNNING
Hit: 5 Stars

The voices on the recording are mostly those of Choying Drolma and her 'fellow' nuns from the Nagi Gompa Buddhist nunnery in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Multi-instrumentalist Tibbetts delicately underscores the natural beauty of their songs and chants with grace and imagination -- all the while remaining in a respectfully supportive role. Too many Western artists, attempting this same project, might have overstepped -- hats off to Steve for not doing so.

I would gently offer that I have a small 'bone to pick' with a review below, which mentioned that Steve did this recording as 'a favor to the nuns', never intending it to be released to the public, the reviewer also questioning if the album 'works'. Respectfully, I would say that the album 'works' immensely well -- but I would agree that it's not something for general popular consumption. The tastes of too many listeners in the West have been numbed by the LCD (lowest common denominator) music shoved down our throats for years by commercial radio. This recording offers something far above that, creativity and cooperation by differing cultures on a whole other level. I would also like to state that I agree with the reviewer's assessment of some of Steve's work being a little jarring -- my tastes run more toward the gentler, subtler works in his catalogue, but to each his or her own.

The album shows that East and West can meet and co-exist, with respect and dignity felt and shown on both sides. There are translations supplied for four of the pieces in the booklet, as well as some very interesting and relevant background information on both the music and the school of Tibetan Buddhism from which it springs. This is one of those priceless recordings that can be enjoyed with rapt attention or in an ambient setting -- it's equally rewarding either way.

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