I was recently interviewed by Dan Cowan of the industry leader Music Design distributing company. When I shared the interview with some of my friends, they said, “We never knew that.. Why don’t you share it with your readers? I bet they’d be interested in knowing more about your history, especially since this year is your 30th anniversary of your record label.” So here it is—I hope you enjoy it.

 Dan Cowan: Give me a brief refresher on your background.

 Steven Halpern: In my first week at the University of Buffalo in September, 1965, I was invited to join a jam session with faculty jazz members. I had my first “peak experience”—where I became one with the music and tapped into “the zone” where the music played me. Part of the reason was that these were the best musicians in the area. And this opening resulted in my being invited into the inner circle, and started me on my path to the secret history and power of music.

     I paid my way through college playing guitar in R&B bands, and started my own jazz-rock band (in the early, glory days of fusion), which was the house band at political rallies on campus.

     I jammed with Rick Derringer and the McCoys, and jazz greats like Larry Coryell, Pharaoh Sanders, and even Frank Zappa.

     As for credentials, the only college music classes I took were auditing the jazz classes taught by Ron Carter, legendary jazz bassist. My credentials also include the company I keep. I’ve performed or recorded with Paul Horn, Paul McCandless, Georgia Kelly, Babtunde Olatunji, Al DiMeola, Moby Grape, and many others.

     I have a Masters in psychology, and a Ph.D. in the psychology of music—in fact, I created the curriculum! I also did research with the leading edge scientists involved with healing, consciousness and music from 1970–73.

     I had no business credentials. In response to many requests, I recorded my first album, Spectrum Suite (now Chakra Suite) in January, 1975. I quickly discovered that this album would sit in my living room unless I learned how to market it. I started my own record label, and learned by the seat of my pants.

 DC: I remember that before you started working with healing music, you had done some work as a rock guitarist. How would you say that life differed from your life as a meditative music pioneer?

 SH: A bit of perspective: When I was gigging, rock was still young and fairly innocent. We were part of the jam band scene, not what rock is now, corporate, “Play it like the record, man.”

     I abruptly changed my life direction as a direct result of the “initiation” into the ministry of healing music I received in November, 1969. It was like I suddenly remembered what my life’s mission was. I had received the vision. The hard part was learning about the world of business.

 DC: Over the last thirty years, have you been able to get in touch with your pop/rock side on any of your albums?

 SH: A few of my albums tap into my jazz-rock-R&B roots. I play some hot guitar on Deja-Blues, trumpet on Connections with Paul Horn, and feature a mind-blowing guitarist, Jim Surles on Cruise Control. And yes, I have a surprise in store in the next year or so.

 DC: How did it feel to have such success with Spectrum Suite? How did that impact you?

 SH: I’ve always had an attitude of gratitude. It is an honor and privilege to be able to touch people’s lives in such an intimate and healing manner. It has allowed me to pursue my karmic path, serving others, while creating a lifestyle where I can take time out to dig a sunset, travel all over the country, as well as Europe, Egypt, Japan, etc.

 DC: What inspired that album?

 SH: Spectrum Suite is the studio recorded version of what I heard during my peak experience meditating among huge redwood trees in 1969. I had been playing the chakra healing suite for five years for small groups and in concerts. The music made me feel so peaceful, blissful ... and I also had the encouragement of so many others who wanted a copy of the music for themselves. There was nothing like it available in 1975!

 DC: What is your definition of sound healing? Of relaxation?

 SH: The roots of sound healing go back over 25,000 years, and flourished in ancient Egypt, Tibet and Greece. The technology uses sound vibrations to assist the listener in healing him or herself; i.e., getting all vibratory systems in the bio-energy field, the aura, in a higher state of harmony and coherence. Healing music connects the listener to Source/Universal Pattern of Perfection, which is where real healing takes place. Sound healing may use instruments, voice, singing bowls, bells, tuning forks, etc., and usually expands the narrow conceptual horizons of Western classical music and is therefore often more effective for healing and relaxation.

     Relaxation is characterized by breathing deeper and more slowly, a heartbeat of sixty beats per minute or less, more alpha and theta brainwaves than ordinary waking consciousness beta waves,

a higher coherence of both brain hemispheres, and most importantly, feelings of peace, joy, love, oneness and inner peace.

 DC: In our current age, how would you describe the importance of healing music?

 SH: Healing music is more important than ever because we’re all facing more daily and planetary stress than ever before. Think about it: healing music works with our biological birthright and enhances our connection to Source. It’s energy efficient, effective, effortless and eminently enjoyable. It’s clearly a concept whose time has come.

 DC: Your albums seem to offer a range of styles and instruments—Tibetan bowls, electric piano, some ethnic, etc. When you start an album, what influences the direction you take?

 SH: That’s an important point; I’m happy you brought that up. I’m always seeking to explore new sonic territory. I often get a flash, and I’ll know the basic focus of each album. Some, like Chakra Suite, are part of the proven healing modality of resonating and tuning the chakras (by the way, this concept goes back many thousands of years).

     Sometimes, a sound on a new keyboard will catapult me into “the zone” where I’ll hear additional layers of melodies and textures. Sometimes it’ll be a certain rhythm, like on Deja-Blues, that triggers past life memories. Sometimes inspiration strikes when I’m making love or meditating by a lake or in my Smoky Mountain sanctuary ...

     Other times, I just show up, and see what inspiration flows through me in the studio.

 DC: Do you have any stories or things that you’ve learned over the thirty years that readers might find interesting?

 SH: During my very first session, and at least once in every album, there is a magical moment, when the room fills with light, and I can feel an angelic presence. My recording engineer used to joke, “Is that another one of those ‘voltage surges?’” until he accepted the multi-dimensional reality that accompanies my sessions.

 DC: What would you say your biggest challenge has been?

 SH: Being undercapitalized. I haven’t been able to implement all the promotion, marketing and media outreach, for example, a PBS special, that the music deserves.

 DC: With your albums, do you generally do all the producing, mixing, and so forth? Can you tell us a little about the creative process?

 SH: I have produced all my own albums; since I often hear the music in my head, I know what it should sound like. I just have to match the inner and outer reality. My engineers are like my co-producers, though. I’ve had only four engineers in my thirty years; there’s a telepathic connection between us.

     As for my creative process, in addition to the influences I discussed earlier in this interview, there are times with albums like Inner Peace, for example, where I’ll often dub a continuous hour of one song. Listening over and over accesses a portal for me, in which I “hear” the rest of the orchestration.

     Many times, I think an album is finished. But as I listen (at the ocean, while meditating, while making love) I may receive additional guidance. When my muse speaks, I listen! That’s always been the key for me.

 DC: When did you start your own record label? What has that been like for you?

 SH: I started my label on January 4, l975. Originally, I imagined that I would license the recording to an existing record label, but I quickly learned that there weren’t any that were interested in music that didn’t have a beat, or a melody you could hum, or lyrics, and that openly promoted the healing powers of music, relaxation, spiritual upliftment and inner peace. That is, of course, why my label is called Inner Peace Music. That’s what our customers told us they called it, because that’s the feeling it created for them.

     Having my own label has been a wild and wonderful trip. When I started, I never dreamed I be doing this thirty years later. But I can’t think of anything I’d rather do. The long hours and stressful exigencies of the present-day retailing reality are more than balanced by the letters and emails I have received over the years, testifying to the wonderful contribution my music has made to their lives.

 DC: How would you sum up your mission as an artist?

 SH: My mission as an artist is to empower, to create more peace on the planet by creating an experience of peace within each individual through music. In support of this mission, I have learned to be a keynote and workshop presenter as well as a media spokesperson and cheerleader for bringing the healing powers of music into everyone’s life. And for truth and justice and the American way...oops, sorry, that’s....a bird...it’s a plane...it’s getting very late.....

 DC: Of all your albums, which did you enjoy making most? which was most successful?

 S.H.: It’s impossible to say that only one album was my most enjoyable, but I can tell you there were super-blissful moments that made all the challenges I spoke of earlier all worthwhile: Recording with Paul Horn, trancing out during Deja-Blues, almost levitating recording Chakra Suite and Inner Peace. Chakra Suite has sold over half a million units worldwide. Music for Sound Healing, Gifts of the Angels, Inner Peace and Deja-Blues are tied for next best seller.

 DC: What does the future hold? Where do you see yourself in a few years?

 SH. On my next release, Tonal Alchemy, I make my debut chanting “OM” with my own voice, and then creating a harmonic choir of meditating monks. I’m exploring unique combinations of metal and quartz singing bowls with keyboards, as well as world rhythm/ambient soundscapes. I’m also completing my next book, producing a series of DVDs, and getting involved in doing more soundtracks for spiritual cinema.

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Steven Halpern is currently celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut release, Chakra Suite, with a re-mastered and expanded 30th Anniversary edition, available now.

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