Considering how most wars, in very recent or ancient memory, were and still are fought over resources and religion, the 'r' word is clearly highly divisive. That counters its original meaning of re-ligio: to reconnect. For today's purposes, perhaps we can agree. Behind the specifics of all religious beliefs, imagery and customs, there lies something far more universal and formless. For lack of a better word, call it spiritual: about spirit. Now religious music is simply about reconnecting with spirit. Voilà, we segue fluidly into a musical form actually called Spiritual and its cousin, Gospel. This spans the gamut from Mahalia Jackson to the get-down revivalist preacher and his wailing soloist backed by a funky Halleluja chorus who rock down not the casbah but church. Jewish synagogues have celebrated lyrical tenors to lead their congregations. Muslim mosques are known the world over for their calls to prayer as amplified from the minarets. In Pakistan, we encounter Qawwali whose perhaps most famous export to the West, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, astonished many of our Pop singers who called him the greatest vocalist they ever heard. That's despite the fact that his most accessible popular albums in the West were actually more crossover vignettes than pure Sabri Brothers style full-on Qawwali sessions. Those go on far longer and often have the audience who understand the sacred lyrics dance ecstatically. This is our cue to acknowledge ecstatic music per se, be it African trance drumming; Haitian Vodoun where select participants hope to become temporary vessels for descending Orisha deities; or the Sufi zikr of whirling dervishes. It's cue also to mention that whilst understanding lyrics invariably adds another musical dimension, not understanding the words can shield us from mental conflictedness, over imagery or beliefs as the very particulars which lead to so much violence and war. This points at music's great power to transcend language. It speaks to something more universal inside us. If we can appreciate the music per se—and the sign of truly great music is its nearly universal appeal—it speaks to our spirit beyond language, creed and culture. Western Classical music has Händel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem and most of Bruckner's symphonic Adagios as a few easy examples of music that either ties to very specific religious beliefs or expresses a more formless but very powerful longing for transcendence.


To start this feature, I'll mention a solid four-square of contemporary albums which, for how the happy stork wired me up in this body, bridge that chasm and stir those deep long strings in their own unique ways. There's Lebanese singer Wael Jassar's Fi Hadrat al Mahboub. I needn't understand a word to feel stirred and tickled beyond this mortal shell. How about Amr Diab's Mn Asmaa Allah al hosna, an album of twenty short vignettes of Muslim prayers, on various names of God like "Al-Ghani" The All-Sufficient, "As Saboor" The Patient, "Ar Razzaq" The Sustainer or "Al Haqq" The Embodiment of Truth? With it, this Arabian Pop singer with the honeyed jubilant voice steps out of Egyptian shaabi or mediterrano styles to point directly at the beyond. This concept of Divine names also exists in other religions. Just think of the 1008 names of Lord Shiva. It points at the myriad ways, qualities or powers in which the All(ah) can manifest itself in the physical plane. Then there's Sœur Marie Keyrouz who, on Psalms for the 3rd Millenium, is joined by the Orchestra de la Paix to take us through some Coptic liturgical songs of astonishing Otherness.


Speaking of Otherness, taking me truly far out into a vast very quiet space way above the skull is Indian violinist L. Subramaniam, specifically on the tracks "Weeping Soul" and "Wandering Saint" from the justly called Beyond album. Which is an important reminder. 'Spiritual music', like the 1008 names of God or 108 beads of the mala, comes in many different flavours. Not all of them may speak to you. No matter. Try something else. If the chanting of mantras triggers you, try kirtan prince Jai Uttal or Deva Premal. What we're looking for is being stimulated not in the lower chakras for a change—not that there's anything wrong with music that makes you feel sexual, tap the feet, bop the head or sway the hips—but to feel expanded in the heart; or higher. Being overwhelmed by tears without reason is a possible sign. Feeling the tacit presence of something sacred or vast is another. Just think re-ligio; linking back up with what the various 12-step programs call the Higher Power. Which gets us to my open invitation. Readers duly inspired are asked to submit their own votes for albums which fit the concept of this feature. Email me with preferably a link to the albums you want considered. I'll listen to them. If they fit this group, I'll add them here to hopefully grow this into a special little list. The aim is to not make people squirm over the 'r' word but to present musical options that bypass all of the crap and momentarily get us there without struggle - to elsewhere...