Paul Avgerinos - Bhakti (2014)

Bhakti – a celebration of love and devotion. Avgerinos offers a joyful and uplifting feast for the ears in this East meets West and Christian meets Hindu riot of sound. A must have for energizing any yoga practice!

Perhaps the most joyful and uplifting Avgerinos project to date, Bhakti, is a Sanskrit word meaning love and devotion. It differs from his previous 18 albums in its Indian centric celebration of sound that also brings the Avgerinos voice front and center. Not since the 2005 album Phos Hilaron have we had the pleasure. This latest album combines Indian sitar, sarod, bansuri flute and violin with EWI, nylon guitar, groovy Bollywood beats and Christian Sanskrit mantras. Avgerinos combines devotion and joy perfectly to create a kirtan-lite new sound that is accessible to a wide audience.

Although I was brought up in the Greek Orthodox Church, I became a student of a Bhakti yoga guru from India when I was 16. All my life I have practiced yoga, meditation, chanting and devotional singing. For the last 20 years I have also been very active in a small Christian church near my home, singing and praying there. Increasingly I have been drawn to blend the most personally meaningful aspects of Bhakti yoga and Christianity together in a harmony of pure divine love. With devotion, gratitude and joy I offer you this album, BHAKTI . – Paul

Veteran New Age composer, Paul Avgerinos, blends his consummate skills, not just musically, but also spiritually, to produce “Bhakti”. His connection to Christianity and Yoga shine together in a way that neither tradition outshines the other in his devotion, setting a model for the inter-spiritual future we may all embrace one day. — Russill Paul, musician, author of The Yoga of Sound & Jesus In The Lotus

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” and Paul Avgerinos said I will. On his latest exemplary recording, “Bhakti,” Paul offers up his internal compass and in doing so manifests the glory of pure and simple joyfulness. He marries the many thoughtful practices of his faith and music into a stunning celebration of “devotion and gratitude.” The spirit of these melodies, uplifted by an ensemble of talented musicians, brings a lighter step and a smile of recollection to your day. Here is a work that helps us remember and appraise with full clarity the pure and absolute joy of our mutual existence. Here is a recording that calms and soars simultaneously. Within “Bhakti” is found a musical regard for humanity and love of all things within the universe. Absolutely original and engineered with minute detail, this is a work of art that brings out the best in each listener – by virtue of offering us the same. Beautiful!! — Anne Trenning, recording artist.

Tracklist:

01. Invocation
02. Shanti Om
03. Love and Devotion
04. Om Namah Christaya
05. A Path with Heart
06. Hare Jesu
07. Joy of Being
08. We Are Love
09. Forgiveness and Healing
10. Bhakti Bliss Paul Avgerinos
11. Peaceful Contentment