Rain of Blessings: Varja Chants

1	Rain of Blessings
2	Offering Chant
3	Medicine Buddha Mantra
4	Sacred Words of Liberatio
5	Prayer to Sangye Menla
6	Chenrezi Pure Land Prayer
7	The Six Syllable Mantra o
8	Refuge and Sevenfold Offe
9	Offering Chant
Rain of Blessings: Varja Chants
1.	Rain of Blessings 7:15
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
2.	Offering Chant 6:04
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
3.	Medicine Buddha Mantra 7:31
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
4.	Sacred Words of Liberation 3:43
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
5.	Prayer to Sangye Menla 4:07
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
6.	Chenrezi Pure Land Prayer 6:11
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
7.	The Six Syllable Mantra of the Whit Lotus Lord 7:17
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
8.	Refuge and Sevenfold Offering 7:01
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
9.	Offering Chant 5:15
	Performed by Lama Gyurme
	Additional Notes: Unplugged Version

Barnes & Noble

In 1994, Tibetan Buddhist Lama Gyurme and French keyboard artist Jean-Philippe Rykiel released THE LAMA'S CHANT, an album that "went gold" in Spain. On RAIN OF BLESSINGS, the unlikely duo reunites to present eight Tibetan chants, blessings, mantras, and prayers. The Lama -- originally from the kingdom of Bhutan, but now residing in France -- is a master singer whose deep resonant baritone doesn't have those discordant multiple overtones so typical of the Tibetan chanting tradition. Here, he sings lovingly with Rykiel's melodically simple or droning accompaniments. The chants are Tibetan, but Rykiel uses many melodic patterns that will be familiar to Westerners. Tibetan cymbals, bells, and drums create exotic colors, while the keyboard creates shimmers of heaven. The steadfast richness of the Lama's prayers provides ballast for the album, and the overall effect is of beatitude. Choose from prayers for blessing, healing, purification, prayer, liberation, compassion, and protection. I found the album even more ethereal with headphones -- and I found myself pushing the repeat button as soon as it ended. Carol Wright

All Music Guide

The trend in the late '90s or so among new age musicians has been to adapt the devotional music of non-European cultures to make it more accessible, more palatable, if you will, to Western ears. For better or worse, this trend continues. The chants of Tibetan monasteries are admittedly a challenge for many Western listeners. While they have a stark beauty in their simple, repetitive, sub-basslines, most people don't pop them in the CD player for casual listening. This release is an apparent attempt to change that tendency. New age keyboardist Rykiel has added electronic arrangements to nine chants sung by Lama Gyurme. Unfortunately, the turgid washes of electronic sound, synth twinkles, and facile harmonies only serve to emphasize the disparity between the world of the Tibetan monk and that of the European synthesizer whiz. The unaffectedly folky melody of "Offering Chant" is all but drowned out by Rykiel's rumbly background sounds. The electric guitar-sounding solo and easy listening rhythm track do nothing to enhance the chant. "Medicine Buddha Mantra" doesn't fare much better. The plinky accompaniment smacks of the outdated stereotypical way Western composers used to interpret Asian music. While the accompaniment on some of the other tracks is subtler and a little less intrusive, most of Rykiel's attempts at "prettying up" these chants are misguided at best. ~ Peggy Latkovich, All Music Guide