Chant: Spirit in Sound the Best of World Chant
You might think that Robert Gass's collectionChant: Spirit in Soundwould be monotonous and annoying, but in fact this two-CD set is anything but. Gathering together all forms of chant--from Hawaiian ensemble the Brothers Kanilau to the Armenian Haissmavourk Choir, along with more obvious but no less poignant selections of Islamic and Native American music--Gass produces an outstanding meditative tool. As he says, "Chant is the worship and celebration of the sacred through vocalization." If approached with this in mind, this collection lifts spirits and centers the soul. The diversity is so rich on the "Ecstasy" disc that highlights are difficult to single out: the Hindu chant of "Om Namah Shivaya" over modern dance beats is worth note as well as "Allah, Allah, Allah," an ominous Sufi devotional song. The second disc, titled "The Journey Within," is more reserved and slowly paced but nevertheless heavenly.--Karen Karleski