BINDI SOCIETY
Upcoming Release
June 6, 2025
Falling in Light
by
Bindi Society
Bindi Society is three talented women musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area. At the core of the music is the beauty of the harp and the unique, guitar-like style of harpist Barbara Imhoff.
An exotic fusion of timbres and disciplines, Bindi Society's music is inspired by an array of global traditions. Haunting vocals draw from Sanskrit chants, a Hebrew prayer, ‘hybrid’ Gaelic, and English. Along with classically-tinged groove harp, Indian harmonium, world percussion, santur & marimba, this beautiful and unique collection of original songs highlights the musical talents of Barbara Imhoff, Cait McWhir (Haunted by Waters, Samsara’s Edge) and Tina 'bean' Blaine (Haunted by Waters). Guest musicians include Alex Stahl on electric bass and Stephen Schultz on Baroque flute and Hümmelchen (renaissance pipes).
Barbara Imhoff passed away not long after the completion of this album. We dedicate the song 'Mourners Kaddish' to her. She is greatly missed.
Album Details:
Falling In light
Style/Genre: Power harp, Other-Worldly Vocals - Global Percussion
Instrumentation: World Ambient Chants, Global Influences Harp, Indian Harmonium, Percussion, Strings, Vocals, Harmony Vocals
Tracks:
1. Dayala (4:45)
2. Mourner's Kaddish (5:22)
3. Storm Pond Bird (5:10)
4. Narayan (5:55)
5. Sundari (4:38)
6. Sharanam (5:18)
7. Bela (4:16)
Item # 1074
Barbara Imhoff: Pedal Harp, Whirly Toy
Cait McWhir: Lead Vocals, Harmonium
Tina Blaine * bean *: Djembe, Dumbek, Marimba, Santur, Percussion, Vocals
Recorded and engineered by Alex Stahl at Ethereal Donkey Studios, Emeryville, CA
Special guests:
Stephen Schultz: Baroque Flute on Storm Pond Bird, Hümmelchen (German Pipes) on Sundari
Alex Stahl: Electric Bass on Dayala
Jeff Obee: Eletric Bass on Storm Pond Bird
Special thanks to Jeff Obee (bindi photo), Vince Caro and Nancy Kaspar. Also huge thanks to Alex Stahl & Ethereal Donkey Productions for his unending dedication and talents in making this album a reality.
About the music...
Dayala, Sharanam and Narayana are personalized interpretations of Vedic and Sanskrit chants from India.
The Mourner’s Kaddish is a reimagining of the Hebrew prayer.
Bela is influenced by traditional Eastern European folk music and named in honor of composer Béla Bartok.
Several of the tracks began with guitar-like harp arrangements with effects processing influenced greatly by bands such as Pink Floyd and Zeppelin.
Storm Pond Bird was originally written by Diana Trimble and Kalonica McQuesten (Elbows Akimbo). The song title and the harp parts remain the same in this version.
Credits
DAYALA:
Barbara Imhoff - Pedal Harp
Cait McWhir - Lead Vocals
Tina Blaine - Percussion & Vocals
Alex Stahl - Electric Bass
MOURNER’S KADDISH:
Barbara Imhoff - Pedal Harp
Tina Blaine - Santur, Vocals, Percussion
Cait McWhir - Vocals
STORM POND BIRD:
Barbara Imhoff - Pedal Harp
Cait McWhir - Vocals
Tina Blaine - Percussion, Vocals
Jeff Obee - Electric Bass
Stephen Schultz - Baroque Flute
NARAYAN:
Barbara Imhoff - Pedal Harp
Cait McWhir - Vocals & Harmonium
Tina Blaine - Percussion, Vocals
SUNDARI:
Barbara Imhoff - Pedal Harp
Cait McWhir - Vocals & Harmonium
Tina Blaine - Percussion, Vocals
Stephen Schultz - Hümmelchen (Renaissance Pipes)
SHARANAM:
Barbara Imhoff - Pedal Harp
Cait McWhir - Vocals & Harmonium
Tina Blaine - Marimba, Percussion & Vocals
BELA:
Barbara Imhoff - Pedal Harp & Whirly Toy
Tina Blaine - Whirly Toy
Lyrics
DAYALA
Sanskrit: Compassion, The Essence of Mercy
Jaya Jaya Devi Dayala Hari
Jnani Saraswati Palayamam
Amale Kamala Sana Sahite
Albutha Sahite Palayamam
Chatthur Mukha Bali Mampahi
Mani Saraswati Vagdevi
Amale Kamala Sana Sahite
Albutha Chariteh Palayamam
Jaya Devi Jaya Saraswati
THE MOURNER’S KADDISH (Hebrew)
The Mourner’s Kaddish is a Hebrew prayer traditionally recited in memory of the dead, although it makes no mention of death. Only a few phrases of the Mourner’s Kaddish are sung in this version which is intended to focus on themes of peace, harmony, community and hope amid loss.
Yis'ga'dal v'yis'kadash sh'may ra'bbo, b'alma dee'vra chir'usay v'yamlich malchu'say,
Yisbarach v'yishtabach v'yispoar v'yisromam v'yismasay
Y'hay shlama rabba min sh'maya,
Oseh shalom bimromov, hu ya'aseh shalom olaynu
(May there be abundant peace from Heaven and life, upon us.
May the One who creates harmony on high, bring peace to us.
May the harmony we experience as we gaze toward heaven be reflected in a harmony between all who dwell on the planet)
STORM POND BIRD
Inside water
Waterwheel turning
Stars circling the moon
Those who live in the shadow of nightfall
Those who ride upon the wind
Watch you circle around and around
A thousand secrets in your flight
With eyes that see the enormity of things
Sound shadows falling in light
Storm Pond Bird
Flying high and far
Your strong wings carry you
Through the turning night of stars
Fly as the earth turns
Resting on a song
Prayer riding on your wings
Flying higher up into the light
Disappearing in the air
You are the silence
Thought and the form
Turning night into day
Your wings enfold all the branches of the tree
You are the lift and the falling away
NARAYAN
Sanskrit/Hinduism: Prayer to the cosmic emanation of Vishnu, preserver of the universe
Narayana, Narayana
Shri Vasudeva Narayana
Narayana, Narayana
Shri Vasudeva Narayana
Murahara Nagadhara Narayani
Shridhara Giridhara Narayani
Naradurga Sharidha Narayani
Narada Samhutha Narayani
SUNDARI (Mo Chridhe)
Sanskrit: “Beautiful” or “Beautiful Woman” in Sanskrit
Gaelic: “My Heart”
Lyrics sung in a hybrid ‘language of the heart’
SHARANAM
Sanskrit: Refuge, Seeking Divine Protection from the Goddess
Sharanam, Sharanam
Jaya Ambe, Jay Ma
Sharanam, Sharanam
Kripa Karu
Devi Ma’Kala
Devi Dhara Karini
Vinha Vathini
Gauri Karini
Sharinam Ma
Sharanam, Sharanam
Jaya Ambe,
Kripa Karu
Devi Ma’Kala
Daya Devi Ma Kali
Shakti Rupina
Swarga Purusha
Jai Radhini
Jay Dayini
Jay Ambe
Jay Ambe Ma