The Making of Dharmaland Podcast

A bonus episode! Listen in as "Dharmaland" producer Brian Chidester unveils some newly-discovered information that further confirms the song-suite as being accurate to Ahbez's original intentions back in 1963!

For this 15th and final episode of the "Making of Dharmaland" podcast, host and co-producer of the album, Brian Chidester, fields audience questions about "Dharmaland" as submitted through the Ahbez website (www.edenahbez.com).

Episode 14 of this podcast explores the "Dharmaland"-related bonus EP, "Eden's Themes: The Music of an Enchanted Garden," written by Eden Ahbez in December 1960, performed and released by Ìxtahuele in 2021.

This episode is about the final track on the "Dharmaland" album, entitled "Bwawto," which features a melody Eden Ahbez recycled several times between 1959 and '95 (when he died). This recording was arranged by Mattias Uneback of Ìxtahuele and features an organ solo and poetry recitation by Dale Ockerman.

In Episode 12 of "The Making of Dharmaland," Brian Chidester recounts the history of Eden Ahbez's mini-suite, "Scenes I-III," arranged for the album by Mattias Uneback and Henrik Magnusson of Ìxtahuele, with special guests Dave De La Vega and Anne Rainwater.

Episode 11 focuses on "The Sandal-Maker," composed by Eden Ahbez in 1961, arranged by Henrik Magnusson of Ìxtahuele, with guest vocals by John Harris and Eve Zanni.

For Episode 10, "Dharmaland" co-producer Brian Chidester discusses the Eden Ahbez song "The Lion and the Fox," written in 1961, recorded and released by Ìxtahuele in 2021.

Episode 9 recounts the writing, arranging, recording, and mixing of Eden Ahbez's "Dharma Man," the eighth song on the "Dharmaland" album, arranged by Henrik Magnusson of Ìxtahuele, with guest vocals by King Kukulele.

In Episode 8 of "The Making of Dharmaland," co-producer Brian Chidester discusses Eden Ahbez's "A Boy and a Melody," arranged by Mattias Uneback of Ìxtahuele, featuring poetry recitation by Youngbear Roth and guest clarinet by Mort Weiss.

Episode 7 is about the "Dharmaland" song entitled "Grapevine," arranged by Mattias Uneback of Ìxtahuele, with lead vocals by tiki novelty act King Kukulele. "Dharmaland" co-producer Brian Chidester once again leads the discussion of this middle track on the album.

For this episode, producer Brian Chidester recounts the background of Eden Ahbez's 1961 composition "Dharmaland Pts. 1 & 2," as well as the arrangement/recording of it for the "Dharmaland" LP by Ìxtahuele in 2021.

Episode 5 of "The Making of Dharmaland" is focused on the song "Fire of the Soul," arranged by Henrik Magnusson of Ìxtahuele, with lead vocals by former Eden Ahbez collaborator Joe Romersa. "Dharmaland" co-producer Brian Chidester discusses the background of this epic song and how it works as a centerpiece of sorts within the album's larger concept.

For Episode 4, our discussion turns to the album's third track, "Manna," arranged by Henrik Magnusson of Ìxtahuele, with guest vocals by Kadhja Bonet. Swedish artist Orange Crate Art (née Tobias Bernsand) also contributes to the recording.

In Episode 3, "Dharmaland" co-producer Brian Chidester recounts the story of the album's second track, "New Anthem." Topics include: Eden Ahbez's creation of the original melody in 1963 and its reuse in subsequent titles during the mid-1960s and '70s; the arrangement of it on "Dharmaland" by Íxtahuele's Mattias Uneback; and several happy accidents which went into the final recording.

Episode 2 of "The Making of Dharmaland" focuses on the album's opening track, "The King and Queen of Waters," with emphasis on the influences on composer Ahbez and the ideas used by Íxtahuele for its first-ever recording on "Dharmaland." Hosted by co-producer Brian Chidester.

In Episode 1 of this podcast, "Dharmaland” co-producer Brian Chidester takes listeners behind the scenes of Eden Ahbez's lost masterpiece, with a focus on the general concept and approach to the recording project.