Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution CD with David Newman

Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution was born out of a vision to express the healing power of Indian devotional chanting, known as Kirtan, in a contemporary western musical context. The goal was to both respect the chanting tradition while staying true to the sensibilities of the western singer songwriter idiom. On Lotus Feet, ancient chants are rich with catchy hooks, evocative melodies, and passionate chord changes. Pop song structures are laced with Sanskrit mantras accented by English lyrics. Acoustic guitars are propelled by world rhythms, hip hop loops, dance grooves and ambient textures. The mantras are the message and the music the messenger. The chants embody a universal language of peace and love while the musical presentation strikes a familiar chord in the western ear and psyche. Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution offers a gift from the heart of the east on the wings of the west straight to you, the listener, as cosmic sonic nourishment for the Body and Soul.

David Newman "Durga Das" is a Kirtan Chant Artist, a singer songwriter and a practicing Yogi. David's chanting brings forth the ancient Yogic tradition of sound as a healing path toward Self Discovery. His song writing flows from his devotion and mystical revelations and communicates a message of Universal Love. It is both the spiritual intention and the unique merging of Song and Mantra that elevate the impact of David's music. His lyrics carry a poetic grace that resonates with a timeless truth of Spiritual Oneness. David's music is both celebratory and transformational, maintaining the essence of Eastern tradition and wisdom while appealing to the sensibilities of the Western listener. David spreads the light of his musical and spiritual inspiration through his recordings (Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution, Soul Freedom and Leap of Grace: The Hanuman Chalisa) and by performing and teaching at an array of diverse venues including Yoga schools and spiritual centers throughout the world.

David is also the creator of Inner Fire Yoga, a style of yoga that emphasizes spiritual discovery, mantra, meditation, breath, movement, and the application of Yogic principles in daily life. In 1992 he founded Yoga On Main in Philadelphia and since then has taught in a wide variety of contexts including to the elderly and cancer patients and has trained yoga teachers for over ten years. David resides in Philadelphia when not traveling.

Quotes and Reviews

"David Newman's music is a river of Love".
Bhagavan Das, Legendary Devotional Singer

"David's music especially his voice elevates the ear and then allows one to drive deep into the sweetness of the heart".
Sharon Gannon, Founder Jivamukti Yoga

"Lotus Feet has become one of my favorite albums these days, which is no small thing given how much music in the sacred world genre I listen to daily."
Leanne Wood, Co-Founder - Sacred Sounds Radio

"David Newman's Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution is awesome! David or Durga Das channels his love energy into sound.Once David starts chanting Sita Ram it's all over; the heart opens, the soul finds bliss."
Yoga Chicago: Reviewed by Debi Winston Buzil

"David's music transforms space into a tangible and palpable experience of divine love. He is a Bhakti in the truest sense - his music inspires ecstatic love."
Betheyla, Vedic Astrologer, Ayurveda and Yoga Teacher

"David's natural ability to maintain the sweetness of devotion whether singing in Sanskrit or English is exceptional. The words to his songs are simple while at the same time so deeply profound. David's music touches my heart and inspires me to be a better me."
Swamini Brahmanishtananda

"In addition to the Mantra, David has written his own lyrics that help the uninitiated listener identify the living quality of these Mantras, giving them a reference that is very personal, yet universal in appeal. These very revealing and, at times, intimate words that draw us into the song are what make this CD different from all the other well-produced Mantra CDs I've heard."
Enlightened Practice Magazine: Reviewed by Richard Brookens

"David Newman has blessed our ground with bhajans many times and his devotion to his guru Sri Neem Karoli Baba (Maharajji) has been an inspiration to Bhakti devotees for many years. On Lotus Feet he succeeds in creating a very sweet, honest and skillful production. His tracks are nicely produced and the instrumentations are very simple and authentic. Newman's strengths lie in his ear for melody and his abilities as a musician."
La Yoga Magazine: Reviewed by Michael R. Mollura