Q&A: Is Kirtan Religious?

Since the coronavirus quarantine went into effect here in New York City on March 14th, we’ve been offering morning chanting from the altar in our living room here in Brooklyn. While I’m still admittedly working through a bit of awkwardness around singing with a group through the eyes and ears of an iphone, I’ve found...

Our Lady of Aparecida

When I was 20 years old, I wrote a song entitled “Miss Fine Mix,” inspired by a Belle Waring poem called “When A Beautiful Woman Gets On The Jutiapa Bus.”  At the time, I had aspirations of becoming a great and famous singer songwriter, and had recently quit college, moved to Boston with my cousin,...

The Grand Street Sessions

There is a Stan Lee post coming.  Given the sorry state of my computer, currently transitioning through its death throes and its replacement on its way, the post will likely be up in a couple days. For now, I thought I'd take a moment to share some kirtan dates with you, as well as this...

On Kirtan

We left Brooklyn early Saturday morning for Martha's Vineyard, where the seasonal tourists have disappeared, the foliage has turned to brilliant shades of orange, red and gold, and the mid-October temperatures have dropped suddenly and precipitously.  This is all familiar to me, having grown up near Portland, Maine.  Autumn in New England always stirs a...