On this 1999 release, composer Dale Zola has set to music 14 poems by Jelalludin Rumi, a 13th century Sufi mystic who lived in Turkey and recited his poems in Persian. Dale has been immersed in Rumi poetry for almost 20 years -- she and her husband Dan produce evenings of Rumi's poetry called The Great Night of Rumi in northern California. She has also conducted a women's singing circle for many years, which is where she found Kirsten, the vocalist heard here. Oud, accordion, pedal steel guitar, bass, cello, didgeridoo, flute and violin set the backdrops for Kirsten's expressive vocalizations, creating a compelling setting for these timeless words of joy, humor, wisdom, spirituality, and connection with the Divine.

Rumi/Dale Zola/Kirsten Falke