Krishna Das | |
|---|---|
 Krishna Das in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jeffrey Kagel |
| Also known as | Krishna Das |
| Born | (1947-05-31)May 31, 1947 (age 78) Long Island,New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Kirtan |
| Occupation(s) | Singer,songwriter,record producer |
| Instrument(s) | Harmonium, vocals |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | Krishna Das Music, Nutone Music, End Hits |
| Website | www |
Krishna Das (IAST:Kṛṣṇa dāsa; bornJeffrey Kagel; May 31, 1947) is an American vocalist known for his performances of Hindu devotional music known askirtan (chanting the names of God). He has released seventeen albums since 1996. He performed at the 2013 Grammy Awards, where his albumLive Ananda (2012) was nominated for the2013Grammy Award for Best New Age Album. He's been described by the New York Times as "the chant master of American yoga".[1]
In June 1967, a small group of high school and college students on Long Island formed a rock band, Soft White Underbelly, that would eventually becomeBlue Öyster Cult. For a brief time, Jeff Kagel, then a student atState University of New York at Stony Brook, was the group's lead singer, but he quit even before the band had a name.[2]
In August 1970 he traveled to India,[3] where, asRam Dass had done, he became a devotee of theHinduguruNeem Karoli Baba (Maharaj-ji). He consequently began to use the name Krishna Das, given to him by the guru.
He was referred to as the "Rockstar of Yoga" by the Grammys, when he was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award.[4]
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Krishna Das has been associated with many other artists. Two of his albums have featuredHans Christian as a multi-instrumentalist, andSting appears on the albumPilgrim Heart. He has also appeared on an album with Baird Hersey & Prana, a group combining Western music andovertone singing, entitledGathering in the Light.Walter Becker ofSteely Dan plays bass guitar on, and co-produced,All One (2010), which also featuresRick Allen ofDef Leppard on drums andSteve Gorn on flute.Ty Burhoe playstabla on several albums.Rick Rubin producedBreath of the Heart.[5]
His albumLive Ananda (2012) was nominated for the2013Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.[6] He performed at the Grammy Awards ceremony as well.
In April 2014 his albumKirtan Wallah was released under his own label Krishna Das Music.[7]
In 2014, Krishna Das helped to form the Kirtan Wallah Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit, dedicated to spreading the teachings of his spiritual teacher, Neem Karoli Baba.[8]
Krishna Das composed the melody for anAnusara Yoga invocation,Om Nama Shivaya Gurave, at the request ofJohn Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga. Friend describes this composition as having been written during a summer night at a secluded mountain retreat center in Utah, in 1998.[9]
In the early 2000s,Bernie Glassman, founder ofZen Peacemakers, asked Krishna Das to compose a melody for the chant "Gates of Sweet Nectar", a traditional Japanesebuddhist chant that had been translated to English by Glassman.[10] After composing a melody, Krishna Das realised it would work well with theHanuman Chalisa both melodically and lyrically, since the former is a desire to offer one's heart and the latter gives one strength to follow through on a task.[11]
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In 2011 and 2012, a documentary was made about Krishna Das calledOne Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das.[21] It was directed by filmmaker Jeremy Frindel, and features interviews with Krishna Das and others, commenting on his life and spiritual quest. In late 2012, the documentary was picked up by distributorZeitgeist Films for US distribution,[22] and it came out in the US in May 2013. The soundtrack includes tracks by Krishna Das, and the film score was byJ Mascis and Devadas.
In 2002, Krishna Das pled guilty to a federal charge ofmoney laundering and was sentenced to three years' probation and six months' house arrest.[23] In a 2013 interview, the singer recounted how he had introduced some old friends who importedhashish to a banker, and many years later was contacted by the USFederal Bureau of Investigation regarding the matter.[24] Krishna Das has described the experience as "one of the most liberating experiences of my life... I don't have to keep any secrets anymore".[24]