Pasāda

Pasāda is comprised of a selection of percussion-based compositions that explore the essential sonic and healing properties of rhythmic repetition. The album features work by Peter Garland, Pauline Oliveros, John Luther Adams, Eleanor Hovda, and John Bergamo.

Pasāda is the Pali word for clarity and serene confidence. It is the quality of mind that allows one to move confidently towards the goal without restlessness and anxiety. Imagine a clear, calm lake…

This project began during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, when we were all searching for new ways to engage with music outside of the concert hall. I was inspired to use the time to go "inside" and explore the essential sounds of some of my instruments. I was interested in finding repertoire that fostered a sense of intimacy and was healing. I sought a mode of music-making where I could immerse myself in the sounds and examine their timeless aspects up close. This search naturally led me to pieces that were minimal in construction, relatively quiet, largely ambient, and possessed of a "floating" quality-compositions that allowed the instruments to tell their own story, or at least act as a significant collaborator in the creative process.

Justin DeHart, May 2025