Home: Where Everyone Is Welcome is an inspiring collaborative project by Deepak Chopra, Kabir Sehgal, Paul Avgerinos and an impressive group of supporting musicians. It has been released as a music download as well as a book and CD combination. This review is for the music release only.

Home: Where Everyone Is Welcome was created as a response to the changing policies and attitudes toward immigrants in the US as well as to people who are “different” in their skin color, culture, religion, or traditions. These words from the Introduction in the book summarize the project beautifully: “Now, in 2017, more than in recent memory, that lamp [in reference to the Statue of Liberty] is shining less brightly than it used to, and the door is closing. Too many of our friends and family members feel like strangers in their own homeland.”

Deepak Chopra, Kabir Sehgal, and Paul Avgerinos are either immigrants or the sons of immigrants, making this project even more personal. I’m sure that many of the guest musicians are immigrants as well. The three principal artists co-wrote the music, and the twelve tracks were inspired by specific people from different walks of life who came to America and contributed their gifts and talents to make this country better and stronger in their own unique ways. In addition to vocals by all three artists, Chopra plays tanpura drone, shaker, drums and percussion; Sehgal plays shaker, drums, percussion and bass; and Avgerinos plays synthesizers, piano, bass, bass violin, guitars, percussion, drums and did the sound design. All three are Grammy winners.

Much of the music has a strong Eastern influence, but it is truly a blending of many musical traditions and genres into a true world music. Most, but not all, of the vocals are spoken words taken from the corresponding poems in the book (also written by the three principal artists). Most of the album is instrumental, and the words often float in the background, making this a soothing and relaxing work of musical art as well as a very important statement and reminder that nearly all of us in the US originated from immigrants who came here seeking a better way of life whether it was on the Mayflower or a more recent and modern mode of transportation.

It is impossible to not be moved by Home: Where Everyone Is Welcome. The music-only version is available from Amazon and iTunes. Very highly recommended!