Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/147095
World, is great fun) and I'm about. I enjoyed it, but sometimes even a hint of it's not who I am, any more country. anyway." So clear did this "I like almost all music," become that his next CD is he admitted, but, "When I crowdfunding through Kickirst heard country blues, starter, rather than a record Mississippi Delta Blues, company. I was completely blown In talking about an earaway. When I heard Roblier detour from his path, KD ert Johnson I lost my mind. said, "Desires for fame, monMississippi John Hurt, Skip ey, sex, power… there was no James… this was real music, possibility of my doing this With Ram Dass, background photo Neem Karoli Baba people singing about their chanting the right way, I was lives. You can feel the ground, the dirt, the earth, the sky, going to misuse all this power that was coming to me." Gethunger, sadness… it was so real it killed me. So I really got ting nominated for a Grammy might have kicked up some of into the blues for a long time. Essentially I'm still a blues that old energy, but, "Nah, I've been through that, ya know, singer, as far as I can tell, but it's kinda cosmic blues." how many times do you have to get drunk? he chanting Asked what legendary musician he'd like to bring back itself is so rewarding," he said, "it just brings so much love, so to jam with if he could, he didn't hesitate. "I'd have to say Ray much peace, so much inner strength that you can't even be Charles. he man is unbelievbothered with that other shit. able. I remember when I heard "he practice of chanting him sing country and western. is really about dissolving your It's one of the most amazing separateness into this vast things you'll ever hear in your space where you recognize life, called Modern Sounds in yourself in a diferent way," Country and Western Music. It he explained. "he name is is sooo cool, so great." the name of that space within, Don't, however, expect any of these styles on KD's next the sky of the heart within, which really encompasses evCD. "Musically I found a groove I like to chant and a way I erything. All we know of the universe is what we perceive feel the chants really communicate, so I try to keep it sim- through our senses and interpret with our minds, but that's ple," he said, "not get too involved with the musical shape of a very small part of the story. hrough these practices we bethings. hat's not really what I'm about." gin to get our sight back. It's as if we've been walking around It's so much not what he's about that he was surprised in the dark and we think this is the way it is, but we don't when the Grammy committee nominated him for an award. think it's dark, this is just life, right? When the sun starts to It was an odd choice of category—his music isn't new age— rise we're completely surprised. All of a sudden we're seeing but for KD, "It was an interesting situation, cause I don't everything diferently. Wow, it's not all black, the trees are think about what I do as music. I think about what I do more green, the sky is blue, and you can see far distances! Everyas meditative chanting. Entering into that loving presence. thing looks diferent when the sun rises, and this is what And the CD they picked to nominate (Live Ananda)… you'd happens with spiritual practice. It's very liberating." have thought it would have been the one before, right? But it In One Track Heart KD said, "I could probably say the was a very simply done chant whole thing again and make it record. I was honored and sound really mystical but who pleased that the simple chant gives a shit? his is the way it record would get that kind really is." What else would you of recognition. And it also expect from a down-to-earth made me recognize that I'm cosmic blues man? his is the not really a part of the music way he really is. business, it's so far from what august / september 2013 Top photo: Kathleen Murphy Bottom photo: Kailas "You can feel the ground, the dirt, the earth, the sky, hunger, sadness… it was so real it killed me." 33