supersonic
Artist Information
Biography
Kirtan Rabbi is an artist who is at the epicenter of a new musical expression. This expression is practiced via the age-old Yogic chanting style called 'Kirtan; which according to the New York Times is' the tuneful route to spiritual bliss and is surging in popularity. Organized chanting sessions, called Kirtans, happen weekly throughout New York.' When intertwined with the lyrical language of the Torah and Kabbalah, the result is musical ecstasy. Rabbi Andrew Hahn is an ordained rabbi who has forged two ancient traditions into a timely and universal message of the sacred. His studies include Ph.D. in Jewish Thought from The Jewish Theological Seminary, New York (Conservative) and rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, New York (Reform).
Andrew has been involved in music and song his entire life. His family breathed music and loved to sing together. To this day, he enjoys singing niggunim (wordless melodies), zemirot (songs) and engages the next generation; his nieces and nephews. As much as he loves facilitating public Kirtans and synagogue prayer with music, his favorite venue will always remain, the Shabbat table.
Starting at an early age, Hahn learned to play piano. He sang and acted in many school productions in his native Pittsburgh. During the curtain bows of Tosca, young Andrew asked the man playing Mario Cavaradossi how it felt to go out there all alone and take a bow. The next thing he knew, the future Kirtan Rabbi was whisked away to find himself before the cheering audience. Needless to say, the crowd's hearts melted as they saw the little boy with the Star of David. For Hahn, this initiated many future evenings in front of audiences.
Andrew took to the guitar as many in his generation, played in rock bands, and eventually studied classical guitar. He began college at the music conservatory at Carnegie-Mellon University. When his famed teacher, Carlos Barbosa-Lima left CMU, Hahn traveled to Montevideo to study with the fabled Uruguayan maestro, Abel Carlevaro. Eventually, Hahn decided not to continue as a professional musician; his love of literature, philosophy and, religion propelled him in a new direction. He maintained his interest in music throughout his years of academic and rabbinic study and ultimately began to attend Sanskrit Kirtans led by Krishna Das, Wah!, Deval Premal and Miten, among others. Under the influence of these Kirtan yogis, Hahn turned back to the keyboard of his youth and learned to play harmonium.
He uses the harmonium primarily as a deep background sound – a moving drone which, when played with gentle shading, is barely noticeable as instrumental accompaniment. He has developed his Kirtan practice to include mystical background for Jewish prayer services including the High Holy Days.
Hahn has taken Abraham Joshua Heschel's saying as his professional motto: First we sing, then we believe! He believes that God is discovered in what we do together – and, often, to sound our inner musical landscape. Kirtan is more about chant than singing; an internal intonation directed outwards. His main goal in facilitating Hebrew Kirtan is to find ways to inspire the participants to let go and release themselves into the Group Voice. Leader and “audience” disappear into one another as a group meditation, which you have to experience to believe. Or...sing to believe.
Instrumentation
RABBI ANDREW HAHN (vocals/harmonium)
(1) VOCAL MICROPHONE - Shure SM7B (provided)
(2) STAGE MONITORS (or in-ear)
(1) FLOOR LEVEL MIKE STAND
(1) MICROPHONE for HARMONIUM (with clip; provided) Requires Phantom Power
(1) 6-8” RISER TO SIT ABOVE FLOOR
(1) COMFORTABLE YOGA PILLOW
ARIEL ROSEN, JOSH WOTMAN (backup vocals) (2) VOCAL MICROPHONES (2) FLOOR LEVEL MIKE STANDS (2) STAGE MONITORS (1) 6-8” RISER TO SIT ABOVE FLOOR (could share with RAH) (2) COMFORTABLE YOGA PILLOWS
5-10 POSSE MEMBERS (vocal response choir) (2-4) VOCAL MICROPHONES (2-4) FLOOR LEVEL MIKE STANDS (5-10) COMFORTABLE YOGA PILLOWS (2-3) FLOOR MONITORS
SHOSHANA JEDWAB (percussion)
SUNDRY AFRICAN DRUMS (two djembes, one tubla (a call-to-prayer drum), a Native American drum, Zulu leg shakers or Mozambican morashas, leg shakers and Indian ankle bells; and variety of small percussion)
(1) VOCAL MICROPHONE
(2) STAGE MONITORS (2) MICROPHONES 57SHUR (floor- and stand-based)
(1) COMFORTABLE CHAIR OR CAJON - with mike - TO SIT ON OR:
ELIJAH TUCKER (drum kit) SIX (6) Piece drum Kit, exact make-up to be determined (1) Yamaha or Gibralter low bass drum stool. pearl, yamaha or DW double pedall (2) STAGE MONITORS
TAYLOR BERGREN-CHRISMAN (bass)
(1) SWR or TRACE ELIOT BASS AMPLIFIER
(1) SWR BASS CABINET 4X10
(1) SWR BASS CABINET 1X18
(1) STAGE MONITORS
(1) COMFORTABLE CHAIR
RIMA FAND (viola)
(1) D.I. Box
(1) STAGE MONITOR
1) Comfortable Chair
(1) Microphone for natural sound
(1) COMFORTABLE CHAIR
AVI FOX-ROSEN (guitar)
(1) FENDER TWIN REVERB AMPLIFIER
(1) VOCAL MICROPHONE
(1) COMFORTABLE CHAIR
(1) STAGE MONITOR
FOR SMALL VENUES:
RABBI ANDREW HAHN (vocals/harmonium)
(1) VOCAL MICROPHONE - Shure SM7B (provided)
(2) STAGE MONITORS (or in-ear)
(1) FLOOR LEVEL MIKE STAND
(1) MICROPHONE for HARMONIUM (with clip; provided)
(1) 6-8” RISER TO SIT ABOVE FLOOR
(1) COMFORTABLE YOGA PILLOW
SHOSHANA JEDWAB (percussion)
SUNDRY AFRICAN DRUMS (two djembes, one tubla (a call-to-prayer drum), a Native American drum, Zulu leg shakers or Mozambican morashas, leg shakers and Indian ankle bells; plus a variety of small percussion)
(1) VOCAL MICROPHONE
(1) COMFORTABLE CHAIR OR CAJON TO SIT ON
ANGELA BABIN (bass)
(1) SWR or TRACE ELIOT BASS AMPLIFIER (1) FEED into the HOUSE
(1) COMFORTABLE CHAIR
(1) BOSE L1 PORTABLE LINE ARRAY, and/or:
(1) HOUSE SOUND SYSTEM (PA)
(1) SOUND BOARD WITH PHANTOM POWER
Discography
LP
Kirtan Rabbi: Live!
Achat Sha'alti (one thing I seek)
Official Website
Video
Press
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SoulDish.com
Your CD is lovely and inspirational.
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Integral Yoga Magazine
[This CD] completely blew my mind!
Setlist
ONE SET
SET IS APPROX. 45 min - 2 1/2 HOURS
SONGS IN SET:
Shema
Forming Light, Making Peace
Om Shalom
Lecha Dodi
Kaddish
Love Thy Neighbor
Moses Down the Mountain
Yahweh Yahweh
Yah Ribon Olam