Sean Johnson and The Wild Lotus Band’s third release, Unity features red-hot jams with uplifting mantras, and messages straight out of their hometown of New Orleans. Each of the 10 tracks holds a unique space. The combination of talent, with singer/percussionist Gwendolyn Colman and bassist/guitarist Alvin Young, is synergistic. The first track, “Ganesha’s Belly Dance,” is a hypnotic invocation to remove obstacles. It wouldn’t be out of place in a film noir, filmed in a faraway place. The Sufi-esque “Nur Allah Nur” begins with Gwendolyn’s sublime voice chanting in Arabic, then Sanskrit. Sean joins her with some Hebrew, and the magic is made. “Remember” is bass heavy pop with a mix of Sanskrit and English. “The Man in Blue,” which is a play on Krishna’s blue skin, uses one of my fave instruments—the triangle! I can’t help but smile listening to this piece.
There is a delicate balance of light and dark on this record—that’s how my life is too. Hearing this group bust out the songs “Unity” and “Fly Away Home” at Bhakti Fest Midwest was quite a moving experience. There are only three of them in the band! Gwendolyn, how do you play your percussion and drums, while you sing so sweetly and strong? There is so much beauty in their finely crafted music; “Unity” will penetrate your body, mind, and soul. – Debi Buzil Read original article here.
