And the Lord Did Grin: San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble and "Dixit Dominus"

The San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble (SAVAE) brings us today's random tune, called Dixit Dominus. SAVAE is a unique ancient vocal music ensemble that is accompanied by early and traditional instrumentation. They made their debut in 1989 presenting Latin music from the colonial period. Its artistic director, Christopher Moroney, has penned arrangements and new compositions for the group by delving into ancient history and cultures. The group has been featured on national radio shows and has toured the United States and around the world. Dixit Dominus can be found on their 2004 album El Milagro de Guadalupe.

Greek Yoga is Thicker: Simrit Kaur and "Sat Narayan"

Simrit Kaur, who sings our random tune for today, is a Grecian-born artist adopted into a Greek family in the South Carolina. She later learned that her biological mother is a well-known singer in Greece, and that her great-grandmother is the Greek singer Tula Demetriou. As a child, her adopted family encouraged her with music lessons and she sang in her Greek Orthodox church choir. She is also trained in percussion and piano. With a haunting voice, she has topped world music charts many times and is the CEO of her own recording label. She is also a student, practitioner and teacher of both Kundalini and Naad yoga. Among her fans, she counts Belinda Carlisle of the 80s band The Go Gos. This song, Sat Narayan, can be found on her 2016 album Songs of Resilience.

The Cup of Life: Richard Souther and "The Chalice (O Vas Nobile)"

The beautiful sound for today's random tune is from Richard Souther with help from vocalists Emily van Evera and Sr. Germaine Fritz, OSB. Richard Souther is a composer, producer, arranger, sound designer and multi-keyboardist working in the areas of New Age, smooth jazz and contemporary Christian music. A child prodigy who studied piano from the age of three, he eventually became an in-demand session musician until his career was almost derailed by a near-fatal bout of botulism. During his four year recovery, he began to delve into electronic music. In 1994, he recorded his groundbreaking album Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen with van Evera and Fritz. Von Bingen was a German 12th century writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath who created one of the largest repertoires of any mediaeval composer and who stretched the boundaries of traditional monastic chant. Her music frequently had themes centering around the Virgin Mary, the heavenly in earthly life, and a desire to know the divine. This song, The Chalice (O Vas Nobile), can be found on Souther's 1994 album Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen.

Seeking the Heavenly: Richard Souther with Hildegard von Bingen's "Divine Love (Karitas Habundat)"

Today's random tune is by Richard Souther reinterpreting the work of Hildegard von Bingen. Richard Souther is a composer, producer, arranger, sound designer and multi-keyboardist working in the areas of New Age, smooth jazz and contemporary Christian music. A child prodigy who studied piano from the age of three, he eventuall became an in-demand session musician until his career was almost derailed by a near-fatal bout of botulism. During his four year recovery, he began to delve into electronic music. In 1994, he recorded his groundbreaking album Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen with vocalists Emily van Evera and Sr. Germaine Fritz, OSB. Von Bingen was a German 12th century writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath who created one of the largest repertoires of any mediaeval composer and who stretched the boundaries of traditional monastic chant. Her music frequently had themes centering around the Virgin Mary, the heavenly in earthly life, and a desire to know the divine. This song, Divine Love (Karias Habundat), can be found on Souther's 1994 album Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen.

In the Name of Love: Hapa and "Mele A Paku`i/Ho`okumu"

We go to Hawaii for today's random tune by Hapa. The name Hapa means "half," and indeed one of the members, Barry Flanagan, is a white guy from New Jersey who is currently paired up with native Hawaiian Ron Kuala'au. Flanagan has been with Hapa for 30 years, though his partnership has changed. Hapa started as a duo consisting of Flanagan and Keli'i Ho'omalu Kaneali'i. Flanagan later joined Nathan Aweau who eventually left for a solo career. Flanagan then partnered with Hawaiian chanter Charles Ka'upu, and Hapa's goal was described by Ka'upu as helping revive the Polynesian language and to totally change the way the world perceives Hawaiian music. Unfortunately, Ka'upu died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2011 in his early 50s. However, in its new incarnation Hapa continues to draw from jazz, folk, blues, bluegrass, Latin, flamenco, rock, Irish music and slam poetry as well as traditional Hawaiian music. Hapa's debut CD in 1995 became the biggest selling album ever by a Hawaiian group, and they have since released eight albums. Mele A Paku`i/Ho`okumu can be found on their 2002 album In the Name of Love.

Ancestral Trance: Christine Salem and "Komor Blues"

The random song for today is Komor Blues by Christine Salem. Salem is from the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, a French territory about 120 miles southeast of Mauritius. Her music centers around "maloya," the traditional music made up of work songs and chants of the former African slaves of the island. These songs are percussion driven and of the call and response type and are often used to induce a trance where one communes with their ancestors in a musical gathering called "servis kabaré". The music was illegal on the island until 1981, as it was considered by the Catholic Church to be "devil's music" and by the authorities as a political threat. In fact, a woman singing this type of music upset some of the older generation, because it was also generally seen as "men's music." Salem came upon the music while attending a servis kabaré, and she became hooked. She has received international acclaim for this music, and has performed at WOMAD. Komor Blues can be found on her 2013 release Salem Tradition.