At long last.
Alice Coltrane’s Turiya Sings was originally offered by Avatar Book Institute in 1982 as a cassette-only release, featuring synths and strings along with Alice’s vocals and Wurlitzer organ. And the only place to get it was to make a pilgrimage to the Vedantic Center in Agoura, California.
Of course pilgrimage days are long gone, and anyone with electricity can find a digital copy of that (bootleg) recording. I found mine many years ago and Turiya Sings is a mecca of spiritual jazz. I think we should lock up the entire US Congress in a soundproof room, muzzled, with nothing to do but listen to Turiya Sings. For months. I am certain the world will become a better place.
Thanks to IMPULSE! and Alice’s son Ravi Coltrane, we will soon have access to the original recording, featuring just Alice Coltrane’s vocals and organ accompaniment.
Here’s Ravi on discovering these pared down recordings:
In this setting I felt the greatest sense of her passion, devotion and exaltation in singing these songs in praise of the Supreme. In that moment, I knew people needed to hear Turiya Sings in this context.
I could not agree more. I ordered the double LP Kirtan: Turiya Sings from Amazon but you can find it anywhere breathtaking beauty is sold.
Here’s a taste:
