New Age-World Review: Samir Bodhi-Stairway to Nirvana

Release Date: January 15, 2021

Label: Rishov Music

Website

Samir Bodhi (AKA Samir Chatterjee) has lent his talents as a guitarist, composer, producer, and recording engineer to a multitude of projects involving legendary Indian musicians – including several for his wife, Madhumita Chatterjee, a renowned Bollywood singer. Now he is ready to release his own music to the world early next year. Stairway To Nirvana will be officially released on January 15, 2021 however the album is available for preorder currently.

There are five tracks that comprise the recording and all are named for a specific reason. It can be your own personal path and your Stairway To Nirvana.

Contributors are: Guitarist/arranger Sanjoy Das (Bapi) is a leading session and live guitarist in Bollywood. Flutist Rakesh Chaurasia, the nephew of flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, has toured with legendary Tabla virtuoso Ustad Zakir Hussain. Sarod master and composer Rajeeb Chakraborty is a renowned musician, educationist, and composer. These talented individuals are key factors with the blending of all the instruments with Samir’s guitar lines.

The recording combines the old with the new giving it a distinct world flavor with a new age essence and meaning. “Tranquility” is a beautiful opening track with mystical qualities and a mesmerizing rhythm and effect. It does exactly what the title says, it gives the listener tranquil moments.

“OM” is for focus and meditation. The track title lets you know that and it surely fulfills that purpose. The flute is the main instrument to lead the way then some gorgeous acoustic guitar comes in to accompany the wordless vocals. Then you get vocals in Hindi and even if you cannot translate it, the emotion and meaning are felt.

“Harmony” starts off with a very today beginning like a hip-hop song may start then that backdrop continues and a very beautiful guitar comes in and the whooshing sound of the wind. Other instruments arrive to make it all complete, percussion then some great bass lines enter for everything else to follow. This music seems like it's floating over you like a billowing cloud over a blue sky on a bright clear day. It is magical from beginning to end.

“Peace” brings into the project some very beautiful vocals from Samir’s wife Madhumita while Samir plays some excellent acoustic guitar to finish off the track. The lyrics in “Peace” (in Hindi) is a call for unity for humankind. This is a very focused and meditative piece and the vocals are very concise and perfectly pitched to meet the music and complete it.

“Nirvana” completes the cycle to the Stairway To Nirvana. You just may reach that blessed state as the previous tracks prepared you for this journey. I really appreciated the electric guitar presented here, when you first hear it you wonder what is going to come next. The previous tracks did provide a glimpse into the next however when you hear that guitar it would never give you any indication that next is some beautifully performed world new age music like this.

When the music stopped playing, I realized that it did feel like I was on a Stairway To Nirvana. This is beautiful spiritual music for difficult times and what we all need to have access to. I hope it has the same effect on everyone and gives you all time for relaxation, hope, and healing.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
November 15, 2020

Track List:
1. Tranquility
2. OM
3. Harmony
4. Peace
5. Nirvana