Release Date: August 22, 2025
Label: Independent
Part 1: Review
Shayan’s meaning, derived from the Sanskrit word for deep sleep
or rest, perfectly encapsulates the pure beauty and complexities of this
recording. It’s a journey that will transport you to places beyond this earth,
a unique blend of new age, world, and classical elements that will leave you
intrigued.
There is no track under 4 minutes, and the longest is 8 minutes
and 44 seconds.
With Charu on piano and composition, and a diverse range of
additional elements including violin, ukulele, guitar, harp, and vocals, the
album promises an engaging and immersive listening experience. The Venezuelan
Strings Recording Ensemble adds a unique touch, ensuring there’s always
something new to discover in each composition.
The title track “Shayan” begins. The sound of a harp is ethereal
and magical, as the piano keys add their ambiance and orchestral qualities. A
wordless vocal is heard in the background, which is quite beautiful. The vocals
come back as part of the ongoing composition. This piece is lovely and could
serve as a meditation, thanks to its rich textures, atmospheric quality, and
angelic, wordless vocals. Does this set the tone for the future? We shall see.
“Mohanam Hymn” brings the flute into the picture as the piano
gently adds its soft notes, enhancing the flute’s dreamy layer. The violin
arrives, then a chant begins. This is a hymn, and all the pieces that come
together make it so. With over seven minutes of musical transitions and a tempo
that sounds classical, it takes off from that foundation and morphs into a
new-age world journey. It is a certainty at this point that not only can the
music be used for relaxation and reflection, but also for meditation, inviting
you to a calm and introspective state.
“Inner Peace” lives up to its name right away. It begins with a
flute and gently introduced piano, and then a cello adds depth, accompanied by
a violin. The flute carries a melody as the vocals arrive like a guided
meditation. As the flute calls out, the other instruments respond with their
own grace and eloquence, each tailored to its unique tone and timbre. It is an
exercise in instruments and vocals arranged in different places to create the
peace you seek and shall find within the music.
“Raga Jog” sounds like a sitar once it begins, and to say it’s a
guitar wouldn’t be too far off base (because of effects, etc). This is Max ZT on dulcimer at work here. Then the deep cello arrives
for the effect it can only provide. Its deep resonance is both moving and
dramatic in comparison to other stringed instruments. As the piece builds, the
cello becomes more prominent, but not aggressive in this context—a complex
arrangement with a wide array of textures and sounds.
“Nightingale” starts quite differently from all the previous
tracks in terms of style. This is an acoustic guitar and piano duet. It sounds
slightly removed from the recording because of the change from a complex to a
simpler composition. This does not detract from its beauty, though; it is
lovely and serves the same purpose as all the other tracks.
“Raga Durga” continues with the inviting and dreamlike
soundscapes. It’s designed to help you relax into the music and find spiritual
renewal. The sounds you hear are the piano and flute demonstrating their
exceptional beauty and hypnotic effect. Thus, the ability to encourage or help
with meditation. Towards the end, a violin adds a small section.
“Shayan Reprise” brings the meaning of this project full circle,
serving as a reminder of what the word “Shayan” means. The cello returns to
lend its substantial essence to the piece, as the violin enters, sounding classical
and orchestral. It’s very colorful and emotional. This is an excellent way to
close out this recording, marked by such musical excellence and passion.
Shayan lives up to its title meaning in every way and then some. What you get is a comprehensive package featuring a multitude of instrumental excellence, spanning new age, world, and classical genres, and often all of these in one track. The length of the tracks is inconsequential if it is a consideration for a listener, given their ability to transition several times. There is so much to appreciate musically and symbolically.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder
September 19, 2025
Credits:
Charu Suri, piano/composer
Premik Russell Tubbs, flute
Anita Lerche, vocals
Jim Kimo West, guitar
Ravichandra Kulur, flute
Ron Korb, flute
Mary Dawood Catlin, vocals
Peter Sterling, Harp
Philip Vaiman, violin
Ramya Shankar, ukulele
Siyer, vocals
Raniero Palm, violin
Venezuela Strings Recording Ensemble
What were the influences and driving forces behind your most recent recording?
Shayan is a complete departure from the type of "raga jazz" style that I usually do, in that if started out with a more New Age mindset (I was chronically sleep deprived after touring, and also saw my mother struggle with sleep issues after my dad died). Plus, there's a sleep epidemic happening now in the country and most people I know are not getting their rest: that was how the need for SHAYAN was born. I also felt frenzied and not centered enough after touring constantly. I just needed to write something that would calm MYSELF down first and foremost. Hence the sweet melodies, and wholesome chords. You can't really call SHAYAN jazz, although there are some jazz inspirations. I turned to the beauty and tranquility of evening ragas from India (as is my style), but I chose to slow down and savor and not rush helter skelter into the world of jazz.
The result I think is exactly what I wanted: an album that truly helps people slow down and heal and sleep better, while appreciating the beauty of Indian ragas.
What is the recording process like with adding all the instrumentation and orchestral parts, and how long did it take?
Because SHAYAN sounds so simple, but has a lot of instruments, it was actually the hardest album I have made to date. I used several flute players (on four different tracks) because each flutist brought out a different sound and many were too busy to commit to more than one track, a master cellist, harp, violin, vocals and strings. It is by far the most orchestral album I have released to date, which is why I submitted it to the contemporary instrumental category of the GRAMMYs this year.
For the recording, initially, I did all the piano parts with Premik Russell Tubbs and Haruna Fukazawa (the flute players who were local) in the recording studio (I use a great studio run by Chris Sullit in Paramus called Trading 8. He has a fantastic Steinway). Then Tess recorded her part on cello in Oklahoma, and Peter Sterling recorded his harp in Arizona, and Jim Kimo West his guitar while on tour with Weird Al Yankovic. Ravichandra Kulur, the amazing flute player who did the part for Inner Peace, recorded it in Bangalore, India, and the vocalist Anita Lerche did her vocals in Indiana. There were also vocalists Siyer from Melbourne, and Mary Dawood Catlin from the South. So, the recording pieces were done from all over the map, really. And for the final track, SHAYAN (reprise), the Venezuela String Recording Ensemble under Raniero Palm, recorded there. They did such an incredible job learning the raga and staying true to what I had composed.
The mixing of all of these was done by co-producer Siddhant Bhatia in India, and Lonnie Park, whom I have worked with for years, did the mastering.
The entire process took over 3 months, but we had to have everything ready for our Carnegie Hall premiere on July 25. We started recording in March.
Do you have time to sit and listen to different artists, or are you always recording and touring?
I
make time. When I am not doing shows, I support other artists by going to their
concerts. I am listening to various artists day in and day out (and especially
now with FYC season). I think listening is such an important part of growth and
community building, and it inspires me to do better!
What would you consider your main musical and spiritual influences?
Musically, I am influenced by a lot of the classical composers like Debussy (who knew how to really create a mood with music, much like the way ragas do with an energy or visual of the hypermoment), Bach (for counterpoint and phrasing), the jazz touch of Bill Evans, the virtuosity of Oscar Peterson (and his swing!), and the sweet mellow music of Lionel Hampton. My musical influences constantly change, though, and people from Duke Ellington to Keith Jarrett are all strong influences, depending on my mood. Spiritually, I am deeply influenced by Buddhism and its principles, and also by some of the broad tenets of Hinduism and also Christianity. My overarching mantra is one of kindness, love and compassion for other human beings.
What are some of the go-to technologies you use when putting together a recording?
A great studio with a strong engineer is non-negotiable (it doesn't matter if the engineer uses ProTools or Logic Pro): I rely on quality recordings that I can later refine if I need to with the mixing process. And I love a great sounding piano because that is so hard to edit the sound of in post production---you have to get it right at the beginning. Shure microphones for vocalists (SM7B for quality vocals and noise reduction), and great headphones for listening. I often listen to the mixes in my car stereo.
Based on your own personal experiences, do you think artists today have more opportunities to reach an audience and receive a fair share of the profits from their work?
I
think these are two separate questions: yes,
there are more opportunities to reach an audience, but much thinner profits. Streaming platforms from Spotify to TIDAL have helped artists reach various audiences (when done properly) but many of these platforms are not compensating the artists fairly, and that's a huge issue.
I understand you have been touring recently. How long do you stay on the road before returning home to recuperate, and when you are not at home, can you make time for some of your daily practices for health and spirituality?
Because of my family (my husband and 13 year old daughter), I try not to stay away from home for too long. If there are longer tours to far away places like India (which happens once or twice a year), I'll go for 3 weeks max before coming home and then touring again. Most of my concerts are one off dates, except for festivals and residencies (e.g. last year I had a 5 day residency at Cliff Bell's in Detroit). So I tend to tour for about a week or so, and return, then a week or so, and return etc.
When I am home, I meditate, do some cooking, gardening or go swimming and connect to Nature to rest and recharge.
Could you tell me what plans are in place regarding recording your next project? Will it be entirely different than the last release or along the same path?
The next record I am working on (or at least brainstorming), is something I've wanted to do for a long time: to combine the music of Brazil and Indian ragas. BOSSA RAGA is the working title, and I have been talking to a brilliant Brazilian guitarist, Nanny Assis, and a few other Brazilian giants. I think the bossa nova and samba would go very well with ragas.
I'm
particularly excited about this one and I will perform a few songs from this at
DIZZY'S COCA COLA CLUB in February with Nanny Assis and the great Ron Carter.
So think of it more on the lines of my previous album, RAGS & RAGAS.
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