Laraaji  

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-'''''Ambient 1: A Brief History of Ambient''''' is a 1993 compilation album released on the [[Virgin Records]] label, as part of their [[Virgin Ambient series|''Ambient'' series]]. The album was issued as a double CD, and was compiled by Simon Hopkins.  
-==Track listing==+'''Laraaji''' (born 1943) is an [[American musician]] specializing in piano, [[zither]] and [[mbira]] known for such songs as "[[All of a Sudden]]" (1984).
-===CD 1===+ 
-# [[Harold Budd]]: "Flowered Knife Shadows"+==Early life and career==
-# [[Tangerine Dream]]: "Thru Metamorphic Rock (Edit)"+Born '''Edward Larry Gordon''' in [[Philadelphia]], he studied violin, piano, trombone and voice in his early years in New Jersey. He attended [[Howard University]], a [[historically black university]] in Washington, D.C. on a scholarship to study composition and piano. After studying at [[Howard University|Howard]], he spent time in New York City pursuing a career as a stand-up comedian and actor.
-# [[Robert Fripp]] & [[Brian Eno]]: "Evening Star"+ 
-# [[Amorphous Androgynous]]: "Mountain Goat"+In the early 1970s, he began to study Eastern [[mysticism]] and believed he'd found a new path for his music and his life. It was also at this time he bought his first [[zither]] from a local [[pawn shop]]. Converting it to an [[electronic instrument]], he began to experiment using the instrument like a piano. By 1978, he developed enough skill to begin [[busking]] in the parks and on the sidewalks of New York.
-# [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]]: "Sea Of Vapours"+ 
-# [[Hawkwind]]: "The Forge Of Vulcan"+The following year he was "discovered" by [[Brian Eno]] while playing in [[Washington Square Park]]. The result was his most widely-recognized release, [[Day of Radiance|Ambient 3: Day of Radiance]], the third installment of [[Brian Eno| Brian Eno's]] Ambient series. This was his first album released under the name of Laraaji.
-# [[Killing Joke]]: "Requiem (A Floating Leaf Always Reaches The Sea Dub Mix)"+ 
-# [[Brian Eno]]: "An Ending (Ascent)" (co-produced by [[Daniel Lanois]])+This international exposure led to requests for longer versions of his compositions which he supplied to meditation groups on cassette tapes. It also resulted in an expansion of his mystic studies with such gurus as [[Swami Satchidananda]] and [[Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati]], founder of the Ananda Ashram in Monroe, New York.
-# [[Richard Horowitz]]: "Marnia's Tent"+ 
-# [[Irmin Schmidt]] & [[Bruno Spoerri]]: "Rapido De Noir"+Laraaji's also started the Laughter Meditation Workshops which he still presents around the globe.
-# [[Ashra]]: "Kazoo"+ 
-# [[Harold Budd]] & [[Brian Eno]]: "Their Memories"+==Releases==
-# [[The Grid]]: "Leave Your Body"+*''Celestial Vibration'' (Swan – 1978)
-# [[Christopher Franke]]: "Electric Becomes Eclectic"+*''Lotus-Collage'' (Laraaji – 1979)
-===CD 2===+*''[[Day of Radiance|Ambient 3: Day of Radiance]]'' (Editions EG – 1980), produced by [[Brian Eno]]
-# [[Tangerine Dream]]: "Phaedra (Edit)"+*''I Am Ocean'' (Celestial Vibration – 1981)
-# [[Jon Hassell]] & [[Brian Eno]]: "Delta Rain Dream"+*''Unicorns in Paradise'' (Laraaji – 1981)
-# [[William Orbit]]: "The Monkey King"+*''Rhythm N' Bliss'' (Third Ear – 1982)
-# [[Gong (band)|Gong]]: "Castle In The Clouds"+*''Om Namah Shivaya'' (Celestial Vibration – 1984)
-# [[Hawkwind]]: "Lifeform"+*''Sun Zither'' (Laraaji – 1984)
-# [[Laraaji]]: "The Dance #2"+*''Vision Songs #1'' (Laraaji – 1984)
-# [[Sheila Chandra]]: "Sacred Stones"+*''Open Sky'' (Celestial Vibration – 1985)(w. Brother Ah)
-# [[Michael Brook]]: "Earth Floor"+*''Live at WNYC'' (Laraaji – 1985)
-# [[Faust (band)|Faust]]: "Läuft...Heisst Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft"+*''One – All Loving One'' (Laraaji – 1985)
-# [[Jon Hassell]]: "Gift Of Fire"+*''Celestial Realms'' (Spirit Music – 1986) (w. Lyghte a.k.a. [[Jonathan Goldman]])
-# [[Material (band)|Material]]: "The End Of Words"+*''Once Upon a Zither'' (Laraaji – 1986)
-# [[Edgar Froese]]: "Panorphelia"+*''Essence/Universe'' (Jem – 1987)
-# [[Roger Eno]]: "Voices"+*''Music for Films III'' (Opal – 1988) (various artists)
-# [[Holger Czukay]]: "Träum Mal Wieder"+*''Zither Bliss'' (Laraaji – 1987)
-# [[David Sylvian]]: "Home"+*''White Light Music'' (Laraaji – 1987)
 +*''Urban Saint'' (Laraaji – 1987)
 +*''Sol'' (Laraaji – 1987) (w. Mark Kramer)
 +*''Freeflow – I'm in Heaven'' (Celestial Vibration – 1980s)
 +*''I Am Healing'' (Celestial Vibration – 1980s) (w. Shree Vena)
 +*''I Am Loved'' (Laraaji – 1980s)
 +*''I Am Sky'' (Laraaji – 1980s)
 +*''Bring Forth'' (Your Highest Vision) (Laraaji – 1980s)
 +*''Selected New Music III'' (Clear Music – 1991) (various artists)
 +*''Flow Goes the Universe'' ([[All Saints Records]] – 1992, produced by [[Michael Brook]])
 +*''Automatic'' (Gyroscope – 1994) (as part of [[Channel Light Vessel]])
 +*''The Way Out Is the Way In'' (All Saints Records- 1995) (with [[Audio Active]])
 +*''Islands'' (Sine – 1995) (w. [[Roger Eno]])
 +*''Excellent Spirits'' (All Saints Records – 1996) (as part of [[Channel Light Vessel]])
 +*''Cascade'' (a.k.a. Enlighten) (Relaxation Co. – 1997)
 +*''Divination/Sacrifice'' (Meta 1998) (w. [[Bill Laswell]])
 +*''Celestial Reiki'' (Etherean – 2000) (w. [[Jonathan Goldman]])
 +*''Shiva Shakti Groove'' (Collective – 2000)
 +*''Celestial Zone'' (Laraaji – 2002)
 +*''My Orangeness'' (VelNet – 2002)
 +*''Celestial Reiki II'' (Etherean – 2002) (w. [[Jonathan Goldman]] & Sarah Benson)
 +*''Water & Soft Zither'' (Laraaji – 2004)
 +*''Laughter: The Best Medicine'' (Laraaji – 2004)
 +*''Chakra Balancing Music'' (Laraaji – 2004)
 +*''In a Celestial Water Garden'' (Laraaji – 2005)
 +*''Sonic Sketches'' (w. Nadi Burton – 2006)
 +*''Song of Indra'' (w. Phil Gruber – 2006)
 +*''Ambient Zither in G Pentatonic'' (Laraaji – 2007)
 +*''Mountain Creek Water'' (Laraaji – 2007)
 +*''Sonic Portals'' (Laraaji – 2008)
 +*''FRKWYS Vol. 8'' ([[Blues Control]] & Laraaji – 2011)
 +*''Two Sides of Laraaji'' (Laraaji - 2013)
 +*''Sun Gong'' (Laraaji - 2017)
 +*''Bring On The Sun'' (Laraaji - 2017)
 + 
 +== See also ==
 +*[[List of ambient music artists]]
 + 
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Laraaji (born 1943) is an American musician specializing in piano, zither and mbira known for such songs as "All of a Sudden" (1984).

Early life and career

Born Edward Larry Gordon in Philadelphia, he studied violin, piano, trombone and voice in his early years in New Jersey. He attended Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C. on a scholarship to study composition and piano. After studying at Howard, he spent time in New York City pursuing a career as a stand-up comedian and actor.

In the early 1970s, he began to study Eastern mysticism and believed he'd found a new path for his music and his life. It was also at this time he bought his first zither from a local pawn shop. Converting it to an electronic instrument, he began to experiment using the instrument like a piano. By 1978, he developed enough skill to begin busking in the parks and on the sidewalks of New York.

The following year he was "discovered" by Brian Eno while playing in Washington Square Park. The result was his most widely-recognized release, Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, the third installment of Brian Eno's Ambient series. This was his first album released under the name of Laraaji.

This international exposure led to requests for longer versions of his compositions which he supplied to meditation groups on cassette tapes. It also resulted in an expansion of his mystic studies with such gurus as Swami Satchidananda and Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, founder of the Ananda Ashram in Monroe, New York.

Laraaji's also started the Laughter Meditation Workshops which he still presents around the globe.

Releases

  • Celestial Vibration (Swan – 1978)
  • Lotus-Collage (Laraaji – 1979)
  • Ambient 3: Day of Radiance (Editions EG – 1980), produced by Brian Eno
  • I Am Ocean (Celestial Vibration – 1981)
  • Unicorns in Paradise (Laraaji – 1981)
  • Rhythm N' Bliss (Third Ear – 1982)
  • Om Namah Shivaya (Celestial Vibration – 1984)
  • Sun Zither (Laraaji – 1984)
  • Vision Songs #1 (Laraaji – 1984)
  • Open Sky (Celestial Vibration – 1985)(w. Brother Ah)
  • Live at WNYC (Laraaji – 1985)
  • One – All Loving One (Laraaji – 1985)
  • Celestial Realms (Spirit Music – 1986) (w. Lyghte a.k.a. Jonathan Goldman)
  • Once Upon a Zither (Laraaji – 1986)
  • Essence/Universe (Jem – 1987)
  • Music for Films III (Opal – 1988) (various artists)
  • Zither Bliss (Laraaji – 1987)
  • White Light Music (Laraaji – 1987)
  • Urban Saint (Laraaji – 1987)
  • Sol (Laraaji – 1987) (w. Mark Kramer)
  • Freeflow – I'm in Heaven (Celestial Vibration – 1980s)
  • I Am Healing (Celestial Vibration – 1980s) (w. Shree Vena)
  • I Am Loved (Laraaji – 1980s)
  • I Am Sky (Laraaji – 1980s)
  • Bring Forth (Your Highest Vision) (Laraaji – 1980s)
  • Selected New Music III (Clear Music – 1991) (various artists)
  • Flow Goes the Universe (All Saints Records – 1992, produced by Michael Brook)
  • Automatic (Gyroscope – 1994) (as part of Channel Light Vessel)
  • The Way Out Is the Way In (All Saints Records- 1995) (with Audio Active)
  • Islands (Sine – 1995) (w. Roger Eno)
  • Excellent Spirits (All Saints Records – 1996) (as part of Channel Light Vessel)
  • Cascade (a.k.a. Enlighten) (Relaxation Co. – 1997)
  • Divination/Sacrifice (Meta 1998) (w. Bill Laswell)
  • Celestial Reiki (Etherean – 2000) (w. Jonathan Goldman)
  • Shiva Shakti Groove (Collective – 2000)
  • Celestial Zone (Laraaji – 2002)
  • My Orangeness (VelNet – 2002)
  • Celestial Reiki II (Etherean – 2002) (w. Jonathan Goldman & Sarah Benson)
  • Water & Soft Zither (Laraaji – 2004)
  • Laughter: The Best Medicine (Laraaji – 2004)
  • Chakra Balancing Music (Laraaji – 2004)
  • In a Celestial Water Garden (Laraaji – 2005)
  • Sonic Sketches (w. Nadi Burton – 2006)
  • Song of Indra (w. Phil Gruber – 2006)
  • Ambient Zither in G Pentatonic (Laraaji – 2007)
  • Mountain Creek Water (Laraaji – 2007)
  • Sonic Portals (Laraaji – 2008)
  • FRKWYS Vol. 8 (Blues Control & Laraaji – 2011)
  • Two Sides of Laraaji (Laraaji - 2013)
  • Sun Gong (Laraaji - 2017)
  • Bring On The Sun (Laraaji - 2017)

See also




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Laraaji" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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