Laraaji

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Laraaji

| image = Laraaji.jpg

| caption = Laraaji in 2019

| background = person

| birth_name = Edward Larry Gordon

| alias = Laraaji Venus Nadabrahmananda{{cite web |url=http://dwij.org/rising_stars/laraaji.html |title=Laraaji Nadananda |accessdate=2015-09-14 |year=2008 |website=Dwij.org}}

| birth_place = Philadelphia, United States

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1943|05|03}}

| instrument = Zither, hammered dulcimer, piano, violin, music sequencer, keyboards

| occupation = Musician

| genre = {{flat list|

}}

| years_active = 1979–present

| website = {{URL|laraaji.blogspot.com}}

}}

Laraaji (born Edward Larry Gordon, 3 May 1943) is an American multi-instrumentalist specializing in piano, zither and mbira. His albums include the 1980 release Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, produced by Brian Eno as part of his Ambient series.

Early life and career

Born Edward Larry Gordon in Philadelphia,{{Cite magazine |last=Petrusich |first=Amanda |date=March 2, 2023 |orig-date=February 27, 2023 |title=The Transcendence of Laraaji |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/03/06/the-transcendence-of-laraaji |magazine=The New Yorker |volume=99 |issue=3 |pages=64–66 |issn=0028-792X |access-date=March 5, 2023}} he studied violin, piano, trombone and voice in his early years in New Jersey.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/1520945/laraaji/biography |title=Laraaji - Biography |publisher=Billboard |date= |accessdate=2017-03-11}} He attended Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C., where he studied composition and piano.{{Cite news|title=Ambient laughter|last=Aref|first=Omar|date=21 June 2009|work=New Straits Times|id={{ProQuest|272173874}}}} After studying at Howard, he spent time in New York City pursuing a career as a stand-up comedian and actor, as well as playing Fender Rhodes electric piano in a jazz-rock band ‘Winds of Change’.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/zither-maestro-laraaji-continues-exploring-musical-paths-no-one-else-can-see/Content?oid=50952825|title=Zither maestro Laraaji continues exploring musical paths no one else can see|last=Galil|first=Leor|website=Chicago Reader|date=June 21, 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-31}}

In the early 1970s, he began to study Eastern mysticism and believed he had 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. He favored the northeast corner of Washington Square Park, where he would improvise for hours on end with his eyes closed.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/from-stand-up-comic-to-master-of-trance-music-1440192031|title=From Stand-Up Comic to Master of Trance Music|last=Beta|first=Andy|date=2015-08-21|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2020-01-31|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}

The following year he was encountered by Brian Eno while playing in Washington Square Park,{{cite web|author=Mark Richardson |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20839-all-in-one-peace/ |title=Laraaji: All In One Peace Album Review |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2015-08-07 |accessdate=2017-03-11}} who went on to produce his most widely recognized release, Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, the third installment of Brian Eno's Ambient series.{{Cite news|title=Ambient 3: Day Of Radiance|last=Pattison|first=Louis|date=November 2015|work=Uncut|id={{ProQuest|1737438785}}}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Legendary Musician Of Mysticism And Harlem Resident Laraaji (Video) – Harlem World Magazine |date=August 5, 2020 |url=https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/legendary-musician-of-mysticism-and-harlem-resident-laraaji-video/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |language=en-US}}

In 2022, Laraaji joined with Medicine Singers—a group of Native American ritual performance artists in partnership with other artists—to play on their self-titled album.{{Cite web |title=Medicine Singers announce debut LP, share "Daybreak" |url=https://www.thefader.com/2022/04/08/medicine-singers-debut-album-daybreak |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=The FADER |language=en}}

Laraaji started the Laughter Meditation Workshops, which he still presents around the globe.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jul/08/laraaji-brian-eno-of-laughter |title=Laraaji: the Brian Eno of laughter | Music |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2015-02-20 |accessdate=2017-03-11}}{{When|date=August 2022}}

Critical reception

In 2023, Pitchfork awarded Segue To Infinity "Best New Reissue" and declared that the album "should definitively put a nail in the coffin of the narrative of Laraaji as a street busker who was simply “discovered” by (Brian) Eno, instead cementing him as an preeminent figure in ambient and new-age music’s history."{{Cite web |last=Bromfield |first=Daniel |date=February 11, 2023 |title=Laraaji: Segue to Infinity |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/laraaji-segue-to-infinity/ |access-date=August 21, 2023 |website=Pitchfork}}

Discography

Celestial Vibration (Swan, 1978) – under the name Edward Larry Gordon
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 – Vol .1 (self release , 1984)
Reissued in 2018 by The Numero Group{{Cite web |title=Laraaji: Vision Songs, Vol. 1 |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/laraaji-vision-songs-vol-1/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
Open Sky (Celestial Vibration, 1985) – with Brother Ah
Live at WNYC (Laraaji – 1985)
One – All Loving One (Laraaji – 1985)
Celestial Realms (Spirit Music, 1986) – with Lyghte a.k.a. Jonathan Goldman
Once Upon a Zither (Laraaji – 1986)
Essence/Universe (Audion, 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) – with Mark Kramer
Freeflow – I'm in Heaven (Celestial Vibration, 1980s)
I Am Healing (Celestial Vibration, 1980s) – with 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
The Way Out Is the Way In (All Saints Records, 1995) – with Audio Active
Islands (Sine – 1995) – with Roger Eno
Cascade(a.k.a. Enlighten) (Relaxation Co. – 1997)
Divination/Sacrifice (Meta 1998) – with Bill Laswell
Celestial Reiki (Etherean – 2000) – with Jonathan Goldman
Shiva Shakti Groove (Collective – 2000)
Celestial Zone (Laraaji – 2002)
My Orangeness (VelNet – 2002)
Celestial Reiki II (Etherean – 2002) – with Jonathan Goldman and Sarah Benson
Water & Soft Zither (Laraaji – 2004)
Laughter: The Best Medicine (Laraaji – 2004)
Chakra Balancing Music (Laraaji – 2004)
In a Celestial Water Garden (self release, 2005)
Sonic Sketches (with Nadi Burton – 2006)
Song of Indra (with Phil Gruber – 2006)
Ambient Zither in G Pentatonic (Laraaji – 2007)
Mountain Creek Water (Laraaji – 2007)
Sonic Portals (Laraaji – 2008)
FRKWYS Vol. 8 (Blues Control and Laraaji – 2011){{cite web|accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Blues Control / Laraaji: FRKWYS Vol. 8|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16056-frkwys-vol-8/|website=Pitchfork}}
Two Sides of Laraaji (Laraaji - 2013)
Sun Gong (Laraaji - 2017)

{{cite web|accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Laraaji:Sun Gong and Bring on the Sun|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/laraaji-sun-gong-bring-on-the-sun/|website=Pitchfork}}{{cite web|accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Laraaji:Sun Gong and Bring on the Sun review – shimmering sonic explorations|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/sep/14/laraaji-sun-gongbring-on-the-sun-review-shimmering-sonic-explorations|date=14 September 2017|website=The Guardian}}

Bring On The Sun (Laraaji - 2017)

name="theguardian-lewis"/>

Arrive Without Leaving (Flying Moonlight, 2018) (with Arji OceAnanda & Dallas Acid){{cite web|accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Laraaji / Arji OceAnanda /Dallas Acid: Arrive Without Leaving|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/laraaji-arji-oceananda-dallas-acid-arrive-without-leaving/|website=Pitchfork}}
Dreams of Sleep and Wakes of Sound (Laraaji, Merz, Shahzad Ismaily - 2019){{cite web|date=5 July 2019|accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Laraaji, Merz and Shahzad Ismaily: Dreams of Sleep and Wakes of Sound — an experimental odyssey|url=https://www.ft.com/content/c4f0c960-9ccf-11e9-b8ce-8b459ed04726 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/oNvKr |archive-date=December 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription|

website=www.ft.com}}{{cite news|first1=John|last1=Lewis|accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Merz/Laraaji/Ismaily: Dreams of Sleep and Wakes of Sound review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jun/21/merzlaraajiismaily-dreams-of-sleep-and-wakes-of-sound-review|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 June 2019|issn=0261-3077}}

Sun Piano (Laraaji - 2020){{cite web|accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Laraaji: Sun Piano| url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/laraaji-sun-piano/|website=Pitchfork}}{{cite news|first1=John|last1=Lewis|

accessdate=2020-11-12|title=Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Carlos Niño: Chicago Waves review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/10/miguel-atwood-ferguson-and-carlos-nino-chicago-waves-review|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 July 2020|issn=0261-3077}}

Moon Piano (Laraaji - 2020)
Through Luminous Eyes (All Saints Records, 2020) cassette only, available as triple cassette boxset with Sun Piano and Moon Piano.
Circle of Celebration (NOUS with Laraaji and Arji OceAnanda - 2021)
Segue To Infinity (Numero Group, 2023) – includes Celestial Vibration (1978) "with three discs of early, unreleased material, all produced around the same time"{{Cite web |title=Laraaji's new box set, Segue To Infinity, includes three discs of unreleased material · News ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/news/78122 |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Rob |date=2023-02-17 |title=Laraaji – Segue To Infinity |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/laraaji-segue-to-infinity-141732/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=Uncut |language=en-GB}}

=With others=

Automatic (Gyroscope, 1994) – as part of Channel Light Vessel
Excellent Spirits (All Saints Records, 1996) – as part of Channel Light Vessel
Medicine Singers (Stone Tapes & Joyful Noise Recordings, 2022)