Kiva (1995 album) - Definition and Overview

Kiva (1995) is a collaborative album by the American ambient musicians Steve Roach, Michael Stearns and Ron Sunsinger. A kiva is an underground ceremonial chamber used by Native American cultures of the Southwest.

The album is a mixture of traditional Native American ceremonies and highly experimental ambient music.

“East Kiva, ‘Calling in the Midnight Water” is a Peyote ceremony. “South Kiva, ‘Mother Ayahuasca” is an Ayahuasca ceremony from the South American rainforest. “West Kiva, ‘Sacrifice, Prayer and Visions” is a Sundance. The Sundance is an elaborate ceremony used by the tribes of the central plains to seek visions and initiate holy men. “North Kiva, ‘Trust and Remember” is a non-traditional improvisation created by the three artists in a cave in Northern New Mexico.

Track listing

1. ”Passage One” (2:27)
2. ”East Kiva, ‘Calling in the Midnight Water” (13:42)
3. ”Passage Two” (1:59)
4. ”South Kiva, ‘Mother Ayahuasca” (15:13)
5. ”Passage Three” (2:12)
6. ”West Kiva, ‘Sacrifice, Prayer and Visions” (17:27)
7. ”Passage Four” (2:00)
8. ”North Kiva, ‘Trust and Remember” (9:42)
9. ”The Center” (2:33)

See also

• Steve Roach
• Michael Stearns
• Ron Sunsinger
• Ambient music
• Electronic music