Chris Spheeris - Maya (2013)

Tracklist

01. Sadoor
02. Lanilei
03. Narabi
04. Kradeesh
05. Bata
06. Soulana
07. Ghali
08. Shasti


In 2003, I was hired by my dear friend and longtime collaborator Chip Duncan (duncanentertainment.com) to create a score for documentary he was working on called 'in a just world'. The film dealt with women's rights to choose abortion and contraception in various cultures around the world. It called for a score that reflected cultures in the Middle East, Central Africa, South America, and the USA. In the original score, I featured several women's voices including the ethereal and evocative voices of two of my beloved acquaintances- sacred chant chanteuse Deva Premal (devapremalmiten.com) and R&B singer Martha Redbone (martharedbone.com). In 2004, I was awarded an Emmy for the score. In 2006, I decided to elaborate on several of the themes and create full compositions of them. I enlisted another dear friend, Eric Zang, who added percussion, chant, and flutes to the growing arrangements. At that point life took me in many directions and I shelved the project for the time. In 2010, I was cleaning off a hard drive in my studio, and I discovered the songs that I'd all but forgotten about. Upon listening to them, I felt inspired to develop them further. I composed three new pieces for the project, and for Christmas of 2011, 'Maya (and of the eight illusions)' was complete. I invented words for the titles to these pieces based on how they felt to me. Hopefully, the 'words' are as non-literal as the compositions. Any meaning in any language is purely incidental. Yes, some of the chants are devotional, but I see every act of creation as devotional. The Characters are Chris Spheeris as sound designer & visual designer; Eric Zang as Middle-Eastern Percussion, male vocal chants and flutes; Deva Premal with the most beautiful of 'ahhs' on 'Lanilei' and 'sadoor'; Martha Redbone with soulful voice on 'soulana'; Steven James with Sarod & violin on 'Ghali'; Alan Ames on violin on 'Narabi'; Courtney Yeates on cello on 'Narabi' and John Running for his original portrait of Chris from which cover was designed.

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