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Baird Hersey & Prana

Baird Hersey

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Profile

Hometown:
Woodstock New York USA
Overtones Since:
1988
Members:
The singers of PRANA are:
Peter Buettner
Amy Fradon
Kirsti Gholson
Julie Last
Julian Lines
Bruce Milner
Leslie Ritter
Joe Veillette

They are all recognized performers in their own right who join together in PRANA to sing this remarkable music.
Influences:
John Coltrane, Igor Stravinski, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Djivan Gasparyan, Steve Reich, Hamlet Gonashvili, Weather Report, Jon Hassell
Record Label:
Satsang Music
Type of Label:
Indie
About me:
Baird Hersey is probably best know as a composer and guitarist. In the '70s and '80s he wrote for and played with his big band "The Year Of The Ear". The group's performances and recordings were highly regarded for their blend of rhythmic percussion and innovative horn arrangements.

Hersey's is a National Endowment for the Arts Composition Fellow. His diverse career has encompassed; commissions from the Harvard University, New Mexico Council for the Arts, The Brooklyn Bridge Centennial Sound and Light Spectacular, The HVP Symphony Orchestra, and performances throughout the US and Europe in such different setting as the Berlin Jazz Festival and MTV. He has also composed extensively for television.

He has been a student of yoga and overtone singing for 20 years. In 1997 He began the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. The result was a change in his life, his music and his career. "Gathering in the Light" is his 11th album Hersey has recorded for Arista, Buddha, Bent Records and Satsang Music.. He has studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore India and with The Gyuto Monks.
Homepage:
http://www.pranasound.com
Prana is a Sanskrit word meaning: breath, vital energy, life force. It is also an overtone singing choir comprised of professional singers. PRANA, was formed by Baird Hersey in 2000 to breathe life into the music from his »Waking the Cobra« CD.
Over the last three years Prana has performed regularly with Krishna Das. The evenings began with the group performing. Then KD joined them to sing several of his chants over Baird's a cappella arrangements for the voices of Prana. This collaboration was the starting point for their new CD »Gathering In The Light«, which features Krishna Das singing seven of his most beloved chants supported by Prana.

Baird and PRANA have performed at a Benefit for The Dalai Lama Foundation, and Omega Institute's »Ecstatic Chant Retreat«. They have opened for Philip Glass and performed as a part of the »Gatherings«, »Tibet House«, »Menla«, »One Voice«, »Woodstock Cycle« concerts series, »The CSO Tsunami Relief Benefit« and many local benefits as well Yoga studios an colleges across the country. Prana has had the honor of giving a personal performance for Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and four pieces from »Waking the Cobra« were used as part of »Live! Light on Life« a performance for BKS Iyengar at City Center in New York City. In 2005 Prana's »The Eternal Embrace« was featured in its entirety for the whole hour of »Hearts of Space«, which airs on more than 230 NPR stations.



As individuals, the members of PRANA have recorded and performed with James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, The Talking Heads, Dr. John, Todd Rundgren, John Sebastian, Krishna Das, Steve Smith (Journey), Doane Perry (Jethro Tull), Graham Parker, Aine Minogue, Maria Muldaur, Barrie Maguire (the Wall flowers), Wah!, David Hykes, Every Mother's Son, Livingston Taylor, The Fugs, Orleans, Peter Yarrow, Tiny Tim, Rick Danko, Leon Russell, and Jorma Kaukonen.

To buy "Gathering In The Light" go to:

iTunes Store

Amazon

Prana's Website

Krishna Das' Website



Baird Hersey's Blog

Om For Peace

It's a simple idea: gather people together and sing a continuous OM as a meditation for peace. On Easter Sunday March 23rd, 2008 at 6:00 PM EDT, US, people, all over the world, who want to give expression to their wish for peace will gather in groups to join in the sound of many voices singing as one in an extended OM. Each person, as a meditation on peace, sings their own note at their own rate guided by their breath. Within the group this builds an exquisitely beautiful, rising and falling, s… Continue

Posted on 19th March 2008 at 5:00am — No Comments (Add)

The Story of Our CD with Krishna Das

Gathering in the Light In October of 2004 Krishna Das attended a release party for PRANA's first CD, "The Eternal Embrace". After Prana had sung, Krishna Das said to Baird, "Let's make a record together or something". Over the next year the "or something" was Krishna Das inviting Prana to sing at his larger benefit Kirtans in the New York area. As a part of those evenings KD would join Prana to sing Baird's arrangement of his chant "Puja". The combination of the ethereal sound of overtone sing… Continue

Posted on 21st October 2007 at 7:30am — No Comments (Add)

Comment Wall (33 comments)

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At 6:26pm on 16th August 2008, Jens Mügge said…
Dear Baird,
I am reading your message again and again. I am only like a punk and my practise isn't the best at the moment. If we can help let us know how we can help. Thanks that you let me know what happened to you and your friend Jonji. We are not only a virtual community I hope so. You can add some informations on your blog if you want or send a short message to all your friends here on OMN. Stay well and take care,


Yours Jens
At 8:22pm on 15th July 2008, Tineke Kleij-van den Boomen said…
Hi Baird, I love your music. It is touching all my senses. I will add you as my friend. I would be hounered if you say yes. Tineke
At 1:40am on 28th May 2008, Gayatri said…
Thanks for the Friendship! :)

Are you all really 'terrestrials' ??? You sound like Angels. So celestial and lovely! :)

Haribol

Gayatri
At 4:49pm on 27th May 2008, Sw. Deva Sakshi said…
Thanks for your invitation! Great page, look forward to hear all this Live in Bavaria, sometimes!
Blessings
Sakshi
At 7:36pm on 16th May 2008, Marco Tonini said…
... Invocation ...
At 6:41pm on 16th May 2008, Marco Tonini said…
Wow!!

I love the first video in your page. It's very hypnotic for me!
At 2:33pm on 29th April 2008, Stuart Hinds said…
Absolutely! Sh
At 12:35pm on 18th April 2008, Raphael De Cock said…
Thanks for your invitation.
Nice to hear what other people do with overtone singing.
warm greetings from Belgium
Raphael
At 8:58pm on 17th April 2008, Bernard Kleikamp said…
Hi Baird.
wonderful music, thanks for your invitation. It would be interesting to meet you in real life. From 15-20 October approx. I am in the Rhinebeck/Annandale region for a conference on Chinese music at Bard College, keep me posted if there's a Prana concert then somewhere in the region.
Best, Bernard Kleikamp
At 6:06am on 17th April 2008, Pedro ESPI-SANCHIS said…
Sorry Baird about the Jay bit...
 
 

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