Criminally underrated on a mass level yet revered by connoisseurs, Sheila Chandra might be known to the public today mainly as a writer, rather than a musician she used to be, but her back catalogue never ceases to amaze listeners, especially those who venture beyond the lady’s work with MONSOON. Still, while the chanteuse issued quite a few studio albums between 1984 and 1996 and added further entries to her catalogue by releasing platters with THE GANGES ORCHESTRA after the turn of the millennium, Sheila’s concert appearances have been rare – which hardly made it easier for her to run through each and every live document and compile “Echo” that, as Ms. Chandra states, can become her final offering.
To be out on September 25th – apparently, only on vinyl and digitally, with six extra cuts – the collection, its title alluding to a nymph who lost her voice, like this singer did, features the best performances of songs drawn mostly from 1992’s “Weaving My Ancestors’ Voices” and “The Zen Kiss” of the 1994 vintage, even though there are plenty of other precious surprises. Here’s the full list of them all.
Echo
1. Speaking In Tongues III
2. Ever So Lonely / Eyes / Ocean
3. Dhyana And Donalogue
4. The Enchantment
5. Waiting
6. Speaking In Tongues II
7. Lament Of McCrimmon / Song Of The Banshee
8. Mecca
9. Sacred Stones
10. The Blacksmith
11. Speaking In Tongues I
12. Nana / The Dreaming / Fine Horseman
13. Speaking In Tongues IV
14. Shehnai Song
15. Sailor’s Life
16. Shanti Shanti Shanti
