It is entirely fitting that the Kentucky-based pianist Rachel Grimes would end up scoring the inspiring documentary detailing the work of legendary holistic medicine pioneer Dr. Vasant Lad. The Doctor from India is a biopic on the “Godfather of Ayurveda” and his quest to bring the ancient mind-body health system from India to the US, but it is also an uplifting story of boundless joy and contagious compassion. From her work with moody chamber outfit Rachel’s and atmospheric post-rock ensemble King’s Daughters & Sons, her extensive guest appearance and collaboration CV, and her singular solo playing and arranging; it’s obvious that Grimes has developed the range and compositional authority necessary to knock just this sort of thing out of the park.
The score for the Jeremy Frindel-directed The Doctor from India will be released on CD and download from Grimes’ own Mossgrove Music (distributed by Temporary Residence) on May 18. It contains 18 piano-led pieces by Grimes, with help from Jacob Duncan (saxophone, flute) and Scott Moore (violin).
A list of upcoming screenings and the official US trailer for The Doctor from India can be seen down below (more info on the film can also be found here), and digital pre-orders for the album are available now on Grimes’ Bandcamp (CD pre-order info is here). Meanwhile, check out the graceful meditation “Moving Into Light” and view the full tracklisting after the clip.
The Doctor from India tracklisting:
01. The Doctor Arrives
02. Humble Beginnings
03. The Flowering of Ayurveda
04. The City Breathes
05. The Vibrant Brain
06. Sacred Knowledge
07. Forces Gathering
08. Moving Into Light
09. The Art of Listening
10. Ancestral Home
11. First Flights
12. Please Stay
13. Quackery
14. I Do What I Love
15. The Ayurvedic Institute
16. Full Circle
17. Morning Fires
18. The World Is You
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