On Sunday, January 5, Kingston’s Old Dutch Church was the site of a singular spectacular for ears, eyes, and soul. That’s when Ambient Church produced its debut Hudson Valley event featuring Ambient music pioneer Laraaji.
Founded in 2016 by recent Hudson Valley arrival Brian Sweeny, Ambient Church stages transformative multimedia events with immersive soundscapes and site-specific visual art in architecturally rich spaces. The Old Dutch Church event featured Laraaji and his long-time musical collaborator, Arji OceAnanda, marking the four decades of his seminal album, Vision Songs, Vol. 1.
This watershed album blends celestial minimalism, spiritual affirmations, and soulful vocal stylings – all wrapped in Laraaji’s unmistakable cosmic touch. Initially self-released on cassette, it has become a cult classic beloved for its unfiltered sincerity and visionary sound. At The Old Dutch Church, Laraaji’s meditative music and messages were complemented by gently evolving color field projections by artist Zach Lieberman on the walls and ceiling of the stately circa-1859 church.
Laraaji has stood as one of New Age’s most distinctive, prolific, and charismatic artists for nearly a half-century. A master of multiple instruments, he primarily constructs his meditative soundscapes using an electronically altered zither, hammered dulcimer, kalimba, synthesizers, piano, and other instruments, along with samples of sounds found in nature.
Born Edward Larry Gordon in Philadelphia in 1943, Laraaji learned to play multiple instruments in his youth before earning a music scholarship to Howard University. He discovered Eastern mysticism after a move to New York, where he intended to pursue an acting career.
Laraaji first gained mainstream exposure in the early ’80s after meeting ambient innovator Brian Eno while busking in Washington Square Park. Eno produced Laraaji’s landmark release Ambient 3: Day of Radiance (1980). Since then, Laraaji has issued countless cassettes and albums ranging from the mantra-like synth-pop of Vision Songs, Vol. 1 (1984) to the extended drones of 1987’s Essence/Universe. Additionally, he has collaborated with several electronic, experimental, rock, and dub musicians, including Japanese dub crew Audio Active (The Way Out Is the Way In, 1995), Bill Laswell (Divination’s Sacrifice, 1998), and Blues Control (FRKWYS Vol. 8, 2011). In addition to his musical career, he is well known for his Laughter Meditation Workshops.
“Our journey with Laraaji began on the winter solstice of 2012 at Bushwick’s Body Actualized Center, where he performed as part of a 52-hour activation to welcome the New Age,” says Ambient Church’s Brian Sweeny. “He has remained a luminous presence in our world, bridging music and meditation with a joyful, transcendent energy that has inspired countless listeners.”
Sweeny continues: “The event in Kingston was another transformative evening as Laraaji brought one of his seminals works to life in this historic church, with hypnotic visuals. It was a celebration of sound and spirit, and Laraaji’s enduring legacy.”
The history of Kingston’s Old Dutch Church dates back to 1659, making it one of the oldest continuously existing congregations in the country. Currently, it serves as a focal point for many large and small events in the visual artist- and musician-rich Hudson Valley.
The evening began with a brief welcome by the church pastor, Robert Sweeney. He assured the packed house that this “will not be the last time the Ambient Church will be in ours.”
The performance started with the gentle striking of Buddhist tingsha bells by Laraaji and OceAnanda. A loop of night sounds that ran throughout (featuring crickets and buzzing insects) was complemented by projections that looked like slowly moving stars in the night sky. Laraaji then took the audience through a guided meditation designed to relax every part of their bodies to “be still and know.”
Throughout the performance, Laraaji moved from his station of instruments featuring hammered dulcimer, zither, midi-keyboard, kalimba, and percussion to the church’s grand piano. The latter instrument would serve as the rhythmic and melodic stage for several more conventional, gospel-infused vocal songs from Vision Songs like “Today is The Magic Quality” and “Great Bells in the Morning.” Laraaji also performed a variety of instrumentals on piano. They were peaceful minimalist pieces that provided a foundation for some gorgeous soloing on the cello by OceAnanda. There would be more excitement and energy when he took to the hammered dulcimer, banging out strong rhythms and chordal overtones to vocal tunes like “Hari Jaya Jaya Rama.” At one point in the concert, Laraaji humorously referred to himself as “a lightness hustler” before moving into a performance of “We Shall Be Lifted.” Ever the high-minded entertainer, he even seamlessly worked his taking a sip of water into a musical couplet celebrating “hydration.”
The most effective spiritual teachers often couch their lessons in lightness and humor, rather than puritanical seriousness and fear-mongering. And that may be the secret to the appeal of Laraaji. With music and metaphor and the help of his collaborators, he creates “a peace garden” of sound, sight, and imparted wisdom that marries the concert form with an uplifting religious ceremony. His performance at The Old Dutch Church was a 90-minute artistic oasis that brought a new kind of congregation and celebration to Kingston’s most venerable and vital structure.
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