BLOOM

Singer: Ravenna Michalsen
Production Year: 2007
Price : RM40.80 inclusive of GST

"Bloom" is an album of dharma songs written and performed by Ravenna Michalsen.  She says "I am trying to start people in the direction of writing/making good  dharmic music that is singable and pretty (and in English)."
 
She has succeeded. The music is pure and simple. Ravenna has a haunting and evocative voice and the  arrangements are just right. The devotional nature of Ravenna's music comes through clearly. When Ravenna began to write songs about dharma (the teachings of Buddhism), what she wanted above all was to have the music of the songs be as  important as the words; to write melodies people would find themselves singing  unexpectedly.

'Bloom' is a collection of devotional songs to figures from the  pantheon of Tibetan and Indian Buddhism: Guru Rinpoche; Machig Labdronma; Yeshe Tsogyal; Milarepa; Dolma (Tara) and others. Ravenna has a haunting voice to  match the longing expressed in the lyrics to experience the awakening those  great practitioners accomplished. An unusual, yet joyful album, 'Bloom' is well  worth a listen! Her music is informed by her experience of the teachings of  Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. "Sing me of all the many ways to tame this wild mind"

Track Listing

_Track 1 My King 1:47
Track 2 Machig 4:38
Track 3 May My Mind Turn to Others 3:29
Track 4 Guru Father Repa 3:12
Track 5 Dolma 3:52
Track 6 Just a Seed Waiting to Grow 2:51
Track 7 Princess 1:26
Track 8 Prince 4:54
Track 9 Sleep/Wake 1:56
Track 10 Guru Rinpoche 8:01
 

About Ravenna Michalsen

Ravenna Michalsen trained as a classical cellist for 14 years until developing arthritis and turning to singing and songwriting. She studied as a child at Neighborhood Music School and continued her music studies at Yale as an undergraduate. After struggling with arthritis and the inability to continue with cello, Ravenna turned to singing and song-writing, releasing her first album of original dharma songs, entitled 'Bloom', in January of 2006. After the release of 'Bloom', Ravenna performed relentlessly and continued to hone her songwriting.

'Dharmasong', Ravenna's second album (released December 2007), has been glowingly reviewed by various websites. Wildmind.org called it "...gutsy, powerful, colorful and as deeply devotional singing as you'll ever hear." The New Haven Advocate wrote: "The adjective 'meditative' might seem too appropriate for an album of Buddhist-inspired songs, but there's really no better way to describe this effortless, enchanting music. With an absolutely impeccable sense of phrasing and pure, confident vocals, Michalsen inhabits her sometimes a cappella music with integrity and grace..."