Jitendra Abhisheki, Harihar Rao - Vedic Chants - Hymns From the Vedas and Upanishads (1979)

Here is music from the depths of the soul. Born into a family of priests in Goa, India, Abhisheki's father was the "pujari" (chief priest) at the Mangeshi temple, a position now held by Abhisheki's brother. The contrast of the devotional songs and the traditional Vedic rhythmic punctuations with the Upanishad poetry and romantic emotion in more fluid raga-style singing, show Abhisheki to be a singer of great gifts and psychological understanding. The combined rhythmic delivery, with high emotion in the mixed ragas of the "Hymn on the Greatness of Shiva" is direct and masterful. The combination of beauty and philosophy in the "Peace Chants" is also remarkable ("Om. That is full, this is full, From the full the full has been taken, Having taken the full from the full, the full alone remains. Om. Peace, peace, peace").