Sri Chinmoy plays Hawaiian guitar

Gary Anwyl · Post by **Gary Anwyl** » 20 Nov 2006 9:23 pm

Here's an oddity I ran across. It's Sri Chinmoy playing a guitar Hawaiian style.
http://www.veoh.com/videoDetails.html?v=e1245205BdmHpNk

Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin were followers of Sri Chinmoy in the 70's (back when they were my guitar heros). There's a Santana album from that period, "Love, Devotion and Surrender", with the three of them on the back cover.

As a lap steel player, it's cool to see a "spiritual leader" who chooses to play Hawaiian guitar. He has a pretty "unschooled" approach to playing it.

Anwyway, I'm not trying to ridicule him or to get people to dump on him (please don't). I just thought that people who know of him through the Santana/McLaughlin connection might find the clip interesting.
[This message was edited by Gary Anwyl on 20 November 2006 at 09:33 PM.]

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 21 Nov 2006 6:17 am

He's a good example of "more, is not better" when it comes to how many instruments one play's. Last time he came through town, he had a big advertising push before he got here that was pretty impressive. The place that he played at was packed to over flowing with curious people. However, he didn't sound connected on this night and half the place emptied out after a handful of different jams on different instruments? He sounded like someone who knew how to finger 40 different instruments but was just making stuff up that wasn't what I'd call connected to the collective. He sure knew how to get people to come to his show who didn't really know him, kind of amazing really.

Michael Breid · Post by **Michael Breid** » 21 Nov 2006 6:52 am

This is a joke right? I remember we used to have people sit in who were supposedly "super hot" guitar players, and they got lost on "Wildwood Flower". Wonder if Mel Bay has got a book out on this cat? Sorry,I just don't see the talent(?). "'Splain it to me Lucy".

Alan Kirk · Post by **Alan Kirk** » 21 Nov 2006 8:02 am

Gary,

Anyone who doesn't wish to be criticized should not allow lame videos of himself posing as a musician to be posted on the internet. Posting a video clip of steel guitar lameness on a steel guitar forum, then asking people not to criticize it? What were you thinking?

If I were high on drugs, or high on whatever vibe Sri is selling, maybe I would find something of interest in that video. Lacking such assistance, though, I hear nothing of merit. Back where I come from we don't let 'em out of the garage until they are much better than Sri C! Shameful. But P.T. Barnum would be proud.[This message was edited by Alan Kirk on 21 November 2006 at 09:06 AM.]

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 21 Nov 2006 8:42 am

I have always found Sri Chinmoy a total waste of my time, not to mention mildly insulting.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 21 Nov 2006 8:55 am

What's next, Guru Maharaji plays "A way to survive"?

Jack Mansfield · Post by **Jack Mansfield** » 21 Nov 2006 9:26 am

That's the way i sounded the first time i put the steel to the strings. All i was doing is to see what sound i could make. Much like him nothing but noise!

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 21 Nov 2006 10:54 am

That Sri Chinmoy is pretty darn funny! Besides his forays into music, he was also on this "Feats of Strength" kick that showed him to be the strongest man in the universe, much like he can play 74 pianos at once.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 21 Nov 2006 11:20 am

I wonder if he ever gets nervous with sweaty hands or fingers and allows the bar to slip off his finger?

I think that I could teach him something now after watching him. How to oscillate his finger. It produces better tone.

Aloha,

Don

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 21 Nov 2006 12:17 pm

I sound better than I thought after listening to that.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 21 Nov 2006 1:11 pm

He should keep his day job.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 21 Nov 2006 1:46 pm

I have an LP of his from back in the 80's it's called "Sri Chinmoy - A Tribute To The Music Of Bob Wills".

------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

Gary Anwyl · Post by **Gary Anwyl** » 21 Nov 2006 2:37 pm

Apropos Gerald's comment, the Country Music Television website has a page for Sri Chinmoy: http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/chinmoy_sri/albums.jhtml

Dave Boothroyd · Post by **Dave Boothroyd** » 21 Nov 2006 2:59 pm

Some very obscure corner of Hawaii obviously!
Surely that is one of the Veena/guitar crossbreeds. I can hear and see the sympathetic strings.
What I can't make out is what Rag he is playing, or how he is developing the "theme". I don't think it is fair to criticise his tone,since no one has any idea of what that paricular instrument is supposed to sound like in the culture to which it belongs.
I do think it's fair to say that Debashish Battarcharya gets a more agreeable sound out of his version of the Veena though.
Cheers
Dave

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 21 Nov 2006 3:51 pm

I did not care for his playing, but I dug the guitar and the stand that it is on. Wouldn't mind having one!!

Are these availiable? How much?

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 21 Nov 2006 5:01 pm

Hope no one in Hawaii see's this. We don't want people jumping into that volcano.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 21 Nov 2006 5:41 pm

Don't rate him by European standards. He's not a Country steeler. You should be happy to see the lap steel played in other cultures.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 21 Nov 2006 9:37 pm

After seeing Debashish Bhattacharya, all I can say about Sri Chinmoy is that he is pathetic. 'nuf said !

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 21 Nov 2006 9:37 pm

The guy got a bunch of westerners' panties in a bunch. Sounds good to me.

Herman Visser · Post by **Herman Visser** » 21 Nov 2006 11:23 pm

I vote to put this one in the humor section.
Best laugh Ive had all day. If thats what it takes to make a vidoe will then I quess im ready too, time to brake out my 3 string 1 edow lever paddle lap steel guitar.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 21 Nov 2006 11:51 pm

I have an LP of his from back in the 80's it's called "Sri Chinmoy - A Tribute To The Music Of Bob Wills".

Don't you think Bob Wills might roll over in his grave in protest if he knew this?

I believe Jeff has a great deal of musical tolerance.

Aloha,

Don

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 22 Nov 2006 10:22 am

The guy sucks. It's that plain and simple.

He's got a major league scam going because he somehow got a group of highly visible musicians to believe in him - to nod their heads in agreement and believe that they were hip enough to understand his spirituality.

And I'm sorry Jeff, it's not my unsophisticated inferior "Western" ears that can't comprehend the beauty and implied ethereal quality of his tone.

------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 22 November 2006 at 10:45 AM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 22 Nov 2006 10:34 am

Don't rate him by European standards. He's not a Country steeler. You should be happy to see the lap steel played in other cultures.

I am, of course, happy to see steel guitar in other cultures. I have some wonderful Indian music in my collection, including some excellent Indian steel guitar music. This guy simply can't play the steel guitar! His technique is pathetic. He needs to take some lessons or something.

Proficiency is not a "European standard" - it's universally recognized. There are great musicians in all cultures and all styles of music. It's not hard to recognize proficiency or the lack of it, independent of the style of music being played.

------------------
<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6) My Blog 
<div style="display:none">

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 22 Nov 2006 10:45 am

Well said Bobby Lee and Gerald.

This guy is a sham in more ways than one.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 22 Nov 2006 1:16 pm

Classical Indian musicians practice scales and basic techniques all day for years and years before they are allowed to perform their music in public, their discipline and dedication is beyond what most of us will ever bother (or get a chance) to get into.

Sri Chinmoy is nothing but an insult and a disgrace to that tradition.

Steinar

------------------
"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights