‘One Thousand Petals’ is Adrian Freedman’s 15th studio album. It features collaborations with Ayla Schafer, Deva Premal, Geshe Lama Ahbay Rinpoche, Chandra Lacombe, Helen Bøksle, Sanju Sahai, and over 30 other singers and musicians from around the world. Recorded in multiple locations over the past five years, it represents a culmination of Adrian’s love of cross-cultural musical collaborations, as well as the beginning of a new project to record his medicine mantra songs.
The songs on the ‘One Thousand Petals’ album are taken from Adrian’s medicine songbook ‘Lotus Rising’. These songs arise as messages of transformational healing, of the longing for peace and understanding, the purification of shadows into light, and a connection with ancestral spirits and the natural beauties of nature.
Adrian is an Englishman, a classically trained musician, who lived for many years in both Asia and South America, deeply immersed in musical studies, spiritual practice, and creative projects with musicians across a broad range of musical genres. He is a master of the Japanese Zen shakuhachi flute, as well as an initiate into the medicine music traditions of the Brazilian Rainforest.
The mantra songs of the ‘One Thousand Petals’ album present a boundary-crossing fusion of medicine ceremony teachings seamlessly interwoven with Oriental chants and the inspirational imagery of Adrian’s original English lyrics.
The tracks have a gently pulsing, dreamy quality, evoking a heart-opening, uplifting mood of tranquillity and peace. Each song features different vocal soloists, while the layers of subtle instrumental textures include bandolin, string quartet, kora, kalimba, handpan, piano, guitars and tabla, with Adrian’s shakuhachi flute as a unifying thread flowing through the whole.
These songs contain a message for our times. A space for healing, peace and reclaiming the stillness of the heart.
“The lotus flower is a poignant reminder that we can flourish in spite of, or maybe even because of, darkness and struggle. Just like the lotus we too have the ability to rise from the mud, bloom out of the darkness and radiate into the world.” - Thich Nhat Hang
Listen, Stream & Download:
Album tracklisting
1. Kokuzo
2. Deep Night of The Soul
3. Jizo
4. Bhaisajyaguru
5. Om Mani Padme Hum
6. Vasudevaya
7. Gayatri
8. Oxum Tara
9. Heart Sutra
10. Temple Shakuhachi Mantra
Album track by track breakdown
1. Kokūzō - Space Treasury
‘Kokūzō - Space Treasury’ combines a Japanese mantra with English lyrics that describe the expansive qualities of Kokūzō Bosatsu, one of the five great wisdom Bodhisattvas of esoteric Buddhism.
The track features the singer Ayla Schafer, and brings together musicians from the UK, Italy and Brazil. Michael Stanton, octave guitar; George Fogel, keyboards; Txai Fernando, percussion; Antonio Moscato, bass; Susie Ro, backing vocals. Adrian plays guitar and shakuhachi flute.
2. Deep Night of The Soul
“This song was received in special circumstances. I was passing through the ‘dark night of the soul’ in my life, and in the deep stillness of a lonely winter night I received this song, words and music, in one unbroken flow. It was a moment of great personal healing, although I came to feel the song has a universal appeal” - Adrian Freedman
The track was produced in multiple locations around the world and features Ayla Schafer and Susie Ro on vocals, alongside Renato Anesi from Brazil, Sanju Sahai from India, Antonio Moscato and Ilaria Gianfagna from Italy, and George Fogle from the UK. Adrian plays shakuhachi, harmonium and percussion.
3. Jizō - Heart Of Gold
Jizō is another of the great wisdom Bodhisattvas. As the counterpart of Kokūzō, he represents Supreme Compassion, and is the protector of lost souls. In this song Adrian combines the Japanese mantra of Jizō with original lyrics that describe Jizō’s journey into the hell realms to offer comfort to those without hope.
'Jizō - Heart Of Gold’ features Ayla Schafer on vocals, together with Giovanna Gemma, Antonio Moscato and the Glorious Chorus from Devon. Michael Stanton plays octave guitar and Ilaria Gianfagna, violin. Adrian plays guitar, shakuhachi and harmonium.
4. Bhaisajyaguru - Medicine Buddha
This song is a collaboration with Lua Maria, with whom Adrian has previously collaborated on the beautiful album Phoenix Tree. Bhaisajyaguru is the Medicine Buddha. The Blue Buddha. The Lord of healing. His mantra is a profound prayer for the release of suffering in all sentient beings. On this track Adrian combines a fresh melodic interpretation of the Tibetan mantra of Medicine Buddha, together with original lyrics that give added depth to the mantra’s healing intentions.
The crystalline purity of Lua Maria’s voice is accompanied by Adrian’s gently rolling piano playing and the evocative tones of his shakuhachi flute. There is also a gorgeous string quartet arrangement composed by Misha Mullov-Abbado, complimented by the silky tones of Antonio Moscato’s bass playing.
5. Om Mani Padme Hum
A collaboration with pioneering Brazilian medicine musician Chandra Lacombe, another artist dedicated to the healing power of sound and the impact of music upon life.
Om Mani Padme Hum is the quintessential Buddhist mantra. Some monks spend their entire lives chanting it. In essence it is a simple homage to the miraculous beauty of the lotus flower, that rises from the mud of the dark depths to reach the light, as a symbol for our own journey from darkness to light.
The track features the Brazilian musicians Carlos Gomes, Antonio Arvind and Txai Fernando, as well as Indian tabla player Sanju Sahai, English musicians Elahn Keshava, Michael Stanton, George Fogle and Ravi Freeman, Misha Mullov-Abbado on bass, and backing vocals from Lua Maria, Charlotte Mabon and the Glorious Chorus.
6. Vasudevaya - Thousand Petals
“I received this song seated by a lotus pond under the full moon at the beautiful Sachamama forest sanctuary in Byron Bay, Australia. The Vasudevaya mantra is sung in praise of Lord Krishna. It is a liberation mantra, and in this song the image of Krishna and his Universal Divine Light is interwoven with images of flowing water and lotus petals of purple, pink and gold - the 1000 Petals from which this album takes its name.”
Adrian Freedman
The track features the beautiful voices of four ‘English roses’ - Lua Maria, Ayla Schafer, Susie Ro and Charlotte Mabon. The other musicians are Chandra Lacombe, kalimba; Ravi Freeman, steel-string guitar; Michael Stanton, octave guitar; Carlos Gomes, electric guitar; Txai Fernando, viola caipira, Antonio Arvind, pantam handpan; Misha Mullov-Abbado, bass; Elahn Keshava, harmonium; George Fogle, keyboards; and Sanju Sahai, tabla. Adrian plays shakuhachi guitar and percussion.
7. Gayatri - Source Of Love
This recording brings together singers and musicians from Norway, Australia, Brazil, Italy and the UK. ‘Gayatri - Source of Love’ combines a Vedic mantra more than 3000 years old with original lyrics by Adrian that were inspired by the poetry of Dylan Thomas. They tell the story of a soul that is guided through a nocturnal journey to overcome doubt and hesitation, and to find unity with the shimmering, radiant source of love.
Musically the song is a collaboration with the renowned Norwegian singer Helene Bøksle, and with the Australian singer and sound healer Darpan. The other musicians on the track include Txai Fernando, Carlos Gomes and Renato Anesi from Brazil (guitars and percussion); Bridget O’Donell, Ben Michaels and Misha Mullo-Abbado (strings); and the Glorious Chorus led by Helen Yeomans. Adrian plays piano.
8. Oxum Tara - White Moon
This song brings together female deities from two different parts of the world where Adrian has lived, deeply immersed in music and spiritual practice - Brazil and Japan. Oxum is the Afro-Brazilian Goddess of the sweet waters - the rivers, lakes and waterfalls. She represents love, beauty, and fertility. Tara is the Buddhist Goddess of Universal Compassion. She is a guide and protector for all beings in search of peace and liberation from suffering.
The track features the voices of Susie Ro and Charlotte Mabon, together with the delicately interwoven guitar parts of Carlos Gomes, Michael Stanton, and Ravi Freeman. Misha Mullov-Abbado plays the bass, Arjuun Magee the double-headed mridangam drum and Adrian the piano.
9. Heart Sutra - Prajnaparamita
The lead vocal on this track is sung by Deva Premal, who is known around the world for the enchanting
quality of her devotional singing, and for her own beautiful musical arrangements of traditional mantras.
The Heart Sutra mantra is an ancient Buddhist teaching about the ‘Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom’ (Prajnaparamita). In this teaching the Supreme Bodhisattva of Compassion reveals that ‘Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form’, and the mantra Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate is given as the ideal expression of this ‘perfection of wisdom’ which removes all suffering.
Adrian plays the shakuhachi and harmonium, and the other musicians are Michael Stanton, octave guitar; Ravi Freeman, steel-string guitar; Antonio Moscato, bass; Sanju Sahai tabla; and George Fogle, keyboards.
10. Temple Shakuhachi Mantra
This track is a unique combination of the Tibetan mantra for Medicine Buddha interwoven with Zen shakuhachi flute.
Adrian was blessed to host the Tibetan Lama Geshe Ahbay Tulku Rinpoche in his home for a few days in September 2023. They spent time together in Adrian’s studio, and from this meeting came the beautiful duet which closes out the One Thousand Petals album.
Lama Tulku Ahbay Rinpoche is recognised by the Dalai Lama as a reincarnation of the legendary Lama Lobsang Tenzin.
“This encounter I had with Ahbay Rinpoche, and the time we spent together in my studio chanting and recording Tibetan mantras was such a precious time. The recording of my shakuhachi with Rinpoche’s voice came as the final wish-fulfilling jewel in the long process of creating this album.”- Adrian Freedman
———————
Adrian Freedman Bio
Adrian Freedman plays the shakuhachi flute - a Zen instrument with ancient roots. It creates a unique and powerful sound that draws the listener into a place of intense stillness and of pure musical beauty. Adrian lived in Kyoto, Japan for 8 years, where he studied the shakuhachi with renowned master Yokoyama Katsuya. He has performed for H.H. The Dalai Lama, and collaborated in concerts with musicians around the world, always with the focus on music for meditation and healing. Adrian also lived for several years in Brazil where he encountered the medicine music of the forest. Arising from his musical and spiritual immersion into this world of shamanic healing rituals he has received a collection of over 180 original songs and chants, which he is now starting to record and release in a series of themed albums.
For more media information please contact: kim@visionfutura.earth
All Nixi Music releases: www.niximusic.com
Comments