Music

kiss the ground
Queen of your Heart
Water from your Spring
Hoax Tattoo
Kiss the Ground
Knitting Buddha
Holy Water
This Path
Love Comes with a Knife
The Glassblower’s Breath
Like This
The Golden Fan
Quietness
Play all sample tracks (~7min)

This first Kamile Kapel release is a colourful pastiche ranging from Persian sounds and gypsy cabaret styles to solo piano confessionals and ballads with strings. Kamile’s vocals are at once vulnerable and ballsy, poignant and rapturous. The album is truly a collaboration between Kamile Kapel and world class multi-instrumentalist Joseph "Pepe" Danza. Seven of the songs are based on poems by Persian mystics Jelaleudin Rumi and Hafiz. The title, "Kiss the Ground" comes from the Rumi lyric, "There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." In that poem Rumi says,

Today, like every other day we wake up empty and frightened. Don't open the door to the study and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument and kiss the ground.

Today, we might say, "Although you do wake up empty and frightened, don't just turn on the TV and go back to sleep.” Instead, create, play your instrument, whatever that is, pray in whatever way you do and be grateful for this life.

Kiss the Ground is a selection of Kamile’s most beautiful songs—as opposed to her more quirky, musical theatre type songs. The album contains the Hafiz poem, “Old Sweet Beggar" set to piano and a Persian ney flute that rises up out of a froggy swamp, and six Rumi poems from which Kamile has created verses and repeating choruses in a multitude of styles. The five songs with Kamile’s lyrics share Rumi’s theme of longing for union. Much of Rumi's writing is about the joy of union with the divine "Friend", “God” or “Beloved” and the pain at the loss of that “Friend.”

Rumi was a 13th Century Sufi ecstatic who composed his poems while whirling, a form of Sufi dancing, which took him into a heightened state where he would spontaneously speak the poems which his followers recorded. He has been described as having the spiritual genius of a Buddha, the literary genius of Shakespeare and the philosophical genius of Socrates. He has become one of the best-selling poets in America, largely due to Coleman Barks’ very musical and magical translations. Rumi is well known and loved in many circles today, particularly in the Persian community and in the New Age movement. However, he is still unknown by many people in the mainstream culture.

There have been several New Age recordings made of Rumi's poems put to song, and Deepak Chopra has produced "A Gift of Love" which features celebrities such as Martin Sheen, Goldie Hawn and Madonna speaking Rumi's poems over trancey grooves. Kiss the Ground, with its appeal to adult contemporary, pop and world music listeners, aims to expose new audiences to Rumi. Kamile Kapel is perhaps the first to present Rumi's poems in a style that has been compared to Tori Amos, Carole King, and Tom Waits.

Joseph "Pepe" Danza, producer/arranger, is a Vancouver treasure who is best known as a percussionist but was first a guitarist, then a sitar player and a bamboo flute player. He lived in Japan for several years, studying the Shakuhachi flute. Listen for the bansuri flute in "Quietness," the final track on the album. “Love Comes with a Knife”, co-written between Pepe and Kamile, features Pepe on Latin guitar and an outstanding multi-layered percussion solo.

The album contains performances by several of Vancouver’s finest musicians. Lache Cercel, the unique Roma violinist, plays on the cabaret songs "Queen of your Heart" and "The Glassblower's Breath." Also on violin is Mark Ferris who plays with the Vancouver Symphony, Finn Manniche on cello and Laurence Mollerup on bass. The string players collaborated with Pepe to create the dynamic and soaring string parts heard on "Kiss the Ground," "Holy Water", and "The Golden Fan." Randall Stoll played drums throughout the album, jazz pianist, Tilden Webb, played piano on several tracks and Neil Golden took the ferry over from Victoria to play tabla on “Knitting Buddha.”

The final result is an ambitious first album by Kamile Kapel as well as an eclectic adult contemporary/world music album that makes a significant contribution to the cause of exposing Rumi to a world that is hungry for his wisdom and his love.

Queen of your Heart

words by K. Kapel

When he found her she lay on a bed of thorns, dried up rose in her lips, waiting for his kiss.
Tell me I am the queen of your heart.
He poured her some words from his crystal throat. She basked in the sun that shined from his mind.
He passed her a valentine, held her fine.
Tell me I am the queen of your heart.
His pearls line her body, tears line her heart.
This loving would haunt her 'til death should they part.
Tell me I am the queen of your heart.

Kamile: vocals; Tilden Webb: piano; Lache Cercel: violin; Finn Manniche: cello; Laurence Mollerup: acoustic bass; Pepe: acoustic guitar, percussion

Water from your Spring

words from the poem by Rumi

There was a dawn I remember when my soul heard something from your soul.
I drank water from your spring and felt the current take me.
Nothing can help me now but that beauty.
What was in that candle's light that opened me and consumed me so quickly?
Come back my friend!

Kamile: vocals; Tilden Webb: piano; Pepe: electric and acoustic guitar;
Finn Manniche: cello; Laurence Mollerup: electric bass; Randall Stoll: drums

Hoax Tattoo

words by K. Kapel

It was a hoax, you tried to coax me into your lie. You had a bowl of ambrosia and you lured me one drop at a time. When my lips came too close you said “No!” You said, “Empty out your soul, now it's much too full.” You're like a tattoed, smiling buddha on my thigh. You smile so indelibly, you laugh while I cry. You're teasing you're writhing, you're under my skin I'm wondering why. Promises of rapture but you never get that high.
Divine, elixir of mine. You think you are blackwater, know you're love's sweet wine.
You call to tell me you've found love at long last. She is a goddess and you're sure you're from her caste. She's a yogini what's her bikini doing with him? Promises of rapture but she'll never let you in.
Divine, elixir of mine. You think you are blackwater, know you're love's sweet wine.

Kamile: vocals; Tilden Webb: piano

Kiss the Ground

words from “The Great Wagon” by Rumi

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and frightened.
Don't open the door to the study and begin reading. Today, like every other day we wake up empty and frightened. Take down a musical instrument and kiss the ground.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep. The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. In your presence I don't want what I thought I wanted, those three little hanging lamps.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, and even the phrase each other doesn't make any sense.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

Kamile: vocals and piano; Mark Ferris: violin; Finn Manniche: cello; Laurence Mollerup: acoustic bass; Pepe: acoustic guitar, shaker, cymbal, wooden partition, music stand

Knitting Buddha

words by K. Kapel

I left my home in the December rains ’cause I couldn't smell
flowers, I was going insane. So I packed my bags for India where the curries and spices might give me a new taste for life.
Landed in Bombay in the dead of the night. Hopped into a taxi so tired from my flight. Choking on poisons from the diesel and fires, in the pyres of garbage I saw the end of the world.
Where's the love? Sweet love. Sugar cane. Earth when it rains. On a sunny day. Where's the way for me?
Two days on the bus spicy stench steaming sweat. North to the mountains and I'll never forget the smell of the pines and the cool of the breeze. Bathed in the hotsprings, put rose essence on me.
I smelled love. Sweet love. Sugar cane. Earth when it rains
on a sunny day. There's a sign for me.
Dalai Lama, Daramsala. Wet woolen socks, we are knitting buddha. Nadabrahma, Osho and Shiva. Incense is burning the restless in me.
Flying home in spring, smelling everything from cherry blossoms to the asphalt in rain. It all smells so different and beautiful to me.
I found love. Sweet love. Sugar cane. Earth when it rains on a sunny day. It's all okay to me.

Kamile: vocals and piano; Niel Golden: tabla

Holy Water

words by K. Kapel

I don't know churches but I know sin. Please forgive me, I just let it all in. And it swallows me whole. I squander my joy with whims. And it swallows me whole. Innocence, teach me to swim in this holy water. Let me in. He's my Jesus, I am Magdalen. He keeps calling me home. He follows me through the fire and keeps calling me home. I'm burning in this desire.
I need holy water. Fill me up. Be my mother. I will lie in your cup. Swallow me whole. Don't want to be torn again. Swallow me whole. I want to be born again in this holy water.

Kamile: vocals; Tilden Webb: piano; Pepe: electric guitar; Mark Ferris: violin; Finn Manniche: cello; Laurence Mollerup: electric and upright bass; Randall Stoll: drums; Catherin McClellan: background vocals

This Path

words from “Old Sweet Beggar” by Hafiz

This Path to God
has made me such an old sweet beggar.
I was starving until one night
My love tricked God to fall into my bowl.
Now I'm infinitely rich
But all I ever want to do
Is keep emptying out
My emerald-filled pockets
Upon this tear-stained world.

Kamile: vocals and piano; Tilden Webb: piano; Pepe: ney, electric guitar, piano strings, dumbek; Laurence Mollerup: electric bass; Randall Stoll: drums; frogs from Bowen Island, recorded by Pepe on minidisc

Love Comes with a Knife

words from the poem by Rumi

Love comes with a knife, not some shy question. And not with fears for its reputation! Love is a madman working his wild schemes, tearing off his clothes, running through the mountains, drinking poison and quietly choosing annihilation.
You've been walking the ocean's edge, holding up your robes to keep them dry. You must dive naked under, and deeper under, a thousand times deeper and deeper under. Love flows down, love flows down. The ground submits to the sky and suffers what comes down, love flows. Tell me, is the earth worse for giving in like that?
Don't put blankets over the drum. Open completely.
Let the cords of your robe be untied. Shiver in this new love beyond all above and below.
The sun rises. But which way does the night go?
I have no more words.

Kamile: vocals and piano: Laurence Mollerup: bass; Pepe: vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion; Randall Stoll: drums

The Glassblower’s Breath

words from “The New Rule” by Rumi

It's the old rule that drunkards have to argue, get into fights.
The lover is just as bad, he falls into a hole. But down in that hole he finds something shining, worth more than any power or gold.
Last night the moon came dropping its clothes in the street. I took it as a sign to start singing. Falling up into the bowl of sky. The bowl breaks. Everywhere is falling everywhere. Nothing else to do, here is the new rule: break the wineglass and fall towards the glassblower's breath.

Kamile: vocals; Tilden Webb: piano; Lache Cercel: violin; Finn Manniche: cello; Laurence Mollerup: bass; Pepe: acoustic guitar, vocals; Randall Stoll: drums

Like This

words from the poem by Rumi

If anyone asks you how the perfect satisfaction of all our
sexual wanting will look, lift your face and say,
Like this.
When someone mentions the gracefulness of the night sky,
climb up on the roof and dance and say,
Like this.
If anyone wants to know what spirit is, or what God's fragrance means, lean your head toward him or her and keep your face there close.
Like this.
When someone quotes the old poetic image about clouds
gradually uncovering the moon, slowly loosen knot by knot the strings of your robe.
Like this.
If anyone wonders how Jesus raised the dead don't try to explain the miracle. Kiss me on the lips.
Like this.
When someone asks what it means, to die for love, point here.
I am a sky, where spirits live. Stare into the deepening blue.
Like this.

Kamile: vocals; Tilden Webb: piano; Mark Ferris: violin; Finn Manniche: cello; Laurence Mollerup: electric bass; Randall Stoll: drums; Pepe: acoustic guitar, penny whistle

The Golden Fan

words by K. Kapel

This is the story of a golden fan who was opening, spreading her paper hands. Lines and creases from folding away were softening under a loving gaze. This is the story of a golden man, whose wingtips were shattered by a careless hand. He soared with the freedom of a golden fan, opening, spreading her paper hands.
And the fan spread wide. She left nothing to hide. And she sang all her unsung songs, to the golden man and he sang along.
And their hearts were one, as they sang all their troubles away.
He kept telling her again that he loved her and the passion
unravelled her pain. He'd gone and her heart held on. Her sorrowful story frightened the man, who doubted the freedom of the golden fan. She turned to see that his glitter had gone. Can nothing stay golden in paper hands?
And her heart held on, and she'd given her treasure away. He stopped telling her again that he loved her and just sat there with nothing to say. And he'd gone and her heart held on.
This is the story of a frozen fan, whose wingtips were shattered by a careless hand. She soared with the freedom of a golden man. Can nothing stay golden in paper hands?
And her heart holds on. After another lonely day. And she
sings her forgotten songs And she holds her forgotten arms and her heart holds on and her heart holds on and her heart holds on.

Kamile: vocals and piano; Mark Ferris: violin; Finn Manniche: cello; Laurence Mollerup: acoustic bass; Pepe: acoustic guitar; Randall Stoll: drums

Quietness

words from the poem by Rumi

Inside this new love, die.
Your way begins on the other side.
Become the sky.
Take an axe to the prison wall.
Escape.
Walk out like someone suddenly born into color.
Do it now.
You're covered with thick cloud.
Slide out the side. Die,
and be quiet. Quietness is the surest sign
that you've died.
Your old life was a frantic running from silence.
The speechless full moon comes out now.

Kamile: vocals; Tilden Webb: piano; Finn Manniche: cello;
Pepe: bansuri flute.