Jetsunma Trilogy CD

Singer, songwriter and realized Tibetan Buddhist master, Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo, releases Trilogy. Accompanied by John Lennon’s former (post-Beatles) lead guitarist, Wayne “Tex” Gabriel (http://waynegabriel.com), Jimmy Mac, former bass player for Sly and the Family Stone, and drummer Lewis Winfield, three new songs are now available for download at www.jetsunmamusic.com. Trilogy is a taste of Jetsunma’s latest CD, A Lineage of Queens, to be released in late Summer 2009. Jetsunma’s soulful, earthy musical style and to-the-bone lyrics, layered with ancient Buddhist mantra chants could be described as inspired World Music. Her ultimate hope through music, song and sacred mantra is to uplift the women of the world—too long suffering their diminished status. Jetsunma said, “A Lineage of Queens is, for me, a work of love for the spirit and heart of women, and men who are progressive. It speaks to the lack of empowerment and quality of life that one half of the world’s population experiences. In many places, and for a long time, women have been considered property, servants, unequal. Yet the Buddha teaches, and I believe, that all sentient beings--ALL without exception--are equal in their nature and potential. It is my dream and prayer to tell them so. How odd that the very women who are the mothers of nations and their leaders are not allowed, in many places, to have a voice. Here is my offering. Call it view, if you will. A different view of our mothers, daughters, grandmothers, sisters, friends, lovers, wives. It is the way of women to think as tribal leaders. We don't climb on top of anybody to get power. We are mothers of the World Tribe. We care for the way of LIFE. And all must benefit equally. My great hope is that we will rise together, see our true nature, and offer our love and wisdom to all.” “Music City,” Nashville was the gathering place where Trilogy was produced. All those present experienced something beyond a typical studio session. “At first I thought it was just going to be another run-through… but then we became captured by it. It was an incredible feeling… transcendent… hypnotic… like an altered state of consciousness,” said Gabriel who has also performed and/or recorded with Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder. On the third cut, “Phowa,” Jimmy Mac described it like this: “When Tex, Lewis and I did the first run-through, everything jelled perfectly, and we only did one more take for the final version. I was so moved by what was happening that I had to leave the studio to re-focus before playing some more.” A Lineage of Queens, in production now, celebrates the heroine, the divine feminine, and the embodiment of wisdom and compassion—the dakini or female wisdom being. Jetsunma’s lyrics are filled with the promise, vows and resolve of fearless compassion for the benefit of all beings. Jetsunma, a Brooklyn-born Western woman and the first to be recognized as a Tibetan Buddhist master, has turned to music to connect and share her vision of a better world. From her spontaneous sung prayer, Invocation, 17 years ago, to her current activity as singer-songwriter and producer of three CDs, Jetsunma’s songs of longing and compassion fuse ancient Buddhist mantra with uplifting offerings that travel the spectrum of contemporary music.