Blake Tedder is a North Carolina native living in Hillsborough who has been writing and performing music for more than two decades. His songs draw on nature, place, and the old stories—exploring our relationship with the land and the mythic dimensions of life with a fundamentally spiritual orientation. Moving through a variety of styles, his performances blend poetry, humor, and reflection. His first EP Medicine Dogs will be released in 2026 with two albums hot on its heels.
BELLOW! (Live Kirtan 2010-2015)
BELLOW! was recorded live in various rooms in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, NC from 2010 to 2015 with different lineups of friends supporting. These were electrifying evenings that I happened to have recorded on a little mp3 stick at my side never intending to release. After I came back to them time and again for years, I finally recognized that they are worth sharing. From my studio, I added bass and worked on the audio as much as possible. While the sound on some tracks is is thin or distorted due to the device, I hope the energy conveys (I think it does!). The chants are lively and have some improvisational magic. I hope you enjoy the time travel.
All songs are traditional but arranged by me except for Jai Ganesha which I learned from David Durga Das Newman (RIP) in his “Kirtan College” in 2009. The first half of Raghupati Riders was built around a popular song by a popular artist, I have edited out the copyrighted material, leaving the chants.
If you are new to this music, the best way to think of kirtan is as a joyful, effortless sing-along or a meditative and immersive worship of the divine in community. Rooted in ancient India, it is a practice of call-and-response devotional chanting where a leader sings a simple mantra (often some of the many names of the Divine) and the room sings it right back. You don’t need to be a singer, and it doesn’t require a specific religious belief; the ancient Sanskrit words act as a tool to quiet the mind and pull you out of your head (and into your heart!). There is no real division between the performer and the audience here. Instead, as the rhythm picks up and all the voices merge, everyone in the room creates the experience together, turning the music into a shared journey and a living, breathing prayer.
Disc 1
1. Ganesha Sharanam
An invocation of Ganesha, the elephant-headed archetype traditionally called upon in India before any new endeavor to clear psychological and physical obstacles.
Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha | Om Gam Ganapataye Namo Namah
2. Sri Krishna Janmashtami
A collection of names celebrating the birth and playful, loving aspect of Krishna, traditionally sung to invoke a sense of sweet devotion and joy.
Sri Krishna Govinda Hare Murare, He Natha Narayana Vasudeva | He Govinda He Gopal |
Devakinandana Gopala
3. Kali Durge
Names dedicated to the fierce and protective forms of the Divine Mother, used in the Shakta tradition to cut through ego, fear, and personal illusions.
Kali Durge Namo Namah | Uma Paravati Anandamayi
4. Opening Up (Ya Fattah)
A tune popular in sing circles in the West. Ya Fattah is one of the beautiful names from the Sufi tradition meaning “The Opener” or “The Opener of Hearts”.
I’m opening up in sweet surrender, to the luminous lovelight of the One,
I’m opening, I’m Opening,
I’m rising up like a Phoenix from the fire, Brothers and Sisters spread your wings and fly higher,
I’m rising up, I’m rising up.
5. Narayana
A central mantra of the historical Vaishnava (Vishnu/Krishna-focused) devotional movements in India, traditionally chanted to center the mind on the infinite, all-pervading protector of life.
Narayana Narayana Jai Jai Govinda Hare |
Narayana Narayana Narayana Narayana Narayana
6. Sadie’s Mahamantra
Known as the “great mantra” from the Upanishads, these sixteen words are used across India as a universal tool to open the heart, build inner strength of devotion, quiet the mind and clean the subconscious.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
7. Shiva Shambho
An invocation of Shiva in his most auspicious, gentle, and peaceful form.
Jaya Jaya Shiva Shambho, Jaya Jaya Shiva Shambho |
Mahadeva Shambho, Mahadeva Shambho
Disc 2
1. Jai Ganesha (Durga Das version)
A prayer asking Ganesha for protection (pahimam) and guardianship (rakshamam), emphasizing the stabilizing, grounding presence of this archetype.
Jai Ganesha Jai Ganesha Jai Ganesha Pahimam
Sri Ganesha Sri Ganesha Sri Ganesha Rakshamam |
Gam Ganapataye Namo Namah
2. Raghupati Riders
Rama (Vishnu), his wife Sita, his brother Lakshman, and his servant the monkey god Hanuman are the main characters of the Ramayana. Raghupati Ram is a traditional Hindu devotional song popularized in modern history by Mahatma Gandhi during the Indian independence movement as a symbol of unity and peace.
Rama Lakshmana Sita Ram, Jai Jai Hanuman | Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram Patita Pavan Sitaram |
Sita Ram He Sita Ram | Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram
3. Shiva Omkara
A chant rooted in the Shiva Purana that honors Shiva as the personification of the cosmic sound Om, used to align individual awareness with the universe.
Jaya Shiva Omkara Hara Shiva Omkara | Hara Hara Mahadeva Hara Hara Mahadeva |
Om Namah Shivaya
4. Mahamantra Beat
Known as the “great mantra” from the Upanishads, these sixteen words are used across India as a universal tool to open the heart, build inner strength of devotion, quiet the mind and clean the subconscious.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare |
Merry Christmas Merry Christmas Christmas Christmas Merry Merry
Happy New Year Happy New Year New Year New Year Happy Happy
5. Ammataye
A traditional South Indian chant sung in Tamil to Akhilandeshwari (the goddess of “she who never breaks even when the world falls apart”) used to build inner resilience. Paired with Sri Ma Jai Ma, a universal praise to the nurturing, creative aspect of the Divine Mother.
Amma Amma Taye, Akhilandeshwari Niye
Annapurneshwari Taye, Adi Parashakti Niye |
Sri Ma Jai Ma Jai Jai Ma
6. Mahakala Shiva
An intense invocation of Shiva as Mahakala (the Lord of Great Time) and Bhairava (the fierce form). It includes Kashi Vishwanath Gange, which honors Shiva as the lord of Varanasi (Kashi), the ancient sacred city on the Ganges River where pilgrims historically go to transcend the fear of death.
Om Namah Shivaya | Om Rudraya Bhairavaya Mahakala Shiva |
Yogeshwara Mahakala Samba Sada Shiva |
Hara Hara Mahadeva Shambho Kashi Vishwanath Gange
7. Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum
The traditional Tibetan Buddhist compassion mantra
Friends:
Angela Blueskies: vocals and bells on 1, 4, 11, 12 ; flute 8, 13
Steve Cole: vocals on 2
Tain Collins: guitar and vocals on all songs except 2
Rangadevi Hernandez: vocals on 2,
Stephen Levitin: drums on 3, 7, 8, 9,
Courtney Long: upright bass on 5, 10 (inaudible because of the recorded. Sorry CL)
Austin McCall: drums on 4, 12
Drew Pilant: drums on 1, 2, 6, 11
Thank you to all the musicians and the chanters.
Available June 1, 2026 On all streaming platforms and for purchase.
I plan to add more information here soon. 2albums in the works… hang tight. In the meantime, here’s some live stuff.