Tibbetts’ Tibetan Reprise

            Local guitar whiz and musical venturist Steve Tibbetts recently put out a second CD based on his journeys to Nepal that’s the perfect Christmas gift for the Buddhist in the Family.

            Titled “Selwa,” which loosely means “clear” or “luminous,” the recording reunites him with Tibetan nun Chöying Drolma, with whom he recorded the well-received 1997 disc “Chö.”  Local drummer and world music specialist Marc Anderson accompanied Tibbetts to Nepal this time and also performs on the new CD, which was put out by San Francisco’s innovative Six Degrees Records.    

            “There are too many colorful stories to relate,” Tibbetts said of making the CD.

            He Sent a diary account of the trip to Nepal, where Drolma is famous, although she still runs a nun’s school/orphanage.  Amid the stories, Tibbetts struggles with Drolma’s less-than-professional approach to her chants but said that when she was on, “It seemed like she was singing with four lungs.”  It’s fascinating stuff to read and hear. See Tibbetts’ site, http://www.frammis.com.