The Johnny Introspective, a new CD by 13 Hands, has been placed on the 2007 Grammy Awards nomination ballot for the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).

      13 Hands is actually a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist named Dalien, who also doubles as an adjunct professor of yoga and meditation at Montclair State University, N.J. He is the author of How To Become A Rock N Roll Yoga Jedi Knight in Just 20 Years, a memoir detailing his involvement with natural and alternative medicines, which have helped him overcome physical ailments.

      "The Johnny Introspective took 14 months from start to finish," begins Dalien. "I recorded it on an Apple computer using their music-recording software called Garage Band. It's a user-friendly program that is super-efficient. Eric Carlinsky, a recording engineer noted for his work with legendary jazz group Spyro Gyra, assisted in the recording of several of the songs."

      He describes the songwriting process as something that varies, adding, "There's no set formula; each song writes itself. However it happens, it happens. I hear a melody, a rhythm; I think of a concept or I've got a guitar in my hand. The creative faucet opens or it doesn't. I've learned not to put pressure on the process."

      One song from The Johnny Introspective, titled "Deeper," was co-written by John Mayer. Dalien explains, "My sister told me about an ad in Esquire magazine about a year ago, which I answered. John Mayer had placed the ad, asking folks to write a song around the 12 lines of lyrics he provided, as it was an unfinished song idea. He offered the song out as a contest for folks to collaborate on. So I went for it, and my version has been very well received by many of my fans and folks in the industry. I wrote John to thank him for the opportunity and how amazing of him it was to put that opportunity out there. It was a great creative exercise and honor to write a song around his ideas. Though I didn't win the contest, the bottom line is I don't create music to compete with anyone. I'm extremely confident about my creative gifts and it was just a cool opportunity.

      "The contests are kind of similar to the Grammy Awards. You do the best work you can at the time, it gets some attention and then you move on. Of course, it would be an incredible feeling to win a Grammy, but I really look at it as being able to continue building a resume of accomplishments. I think the great thing about awards is that they also support everyone else who was directly or indirectly involved, as they also reap the benefits of whatever success occurs, which is great. It's about the win-win situation."

      According to Dalien, the CD "tackles themes and issues that deal with human nature, relationships, different elements in our lives that contribute drama and rejoicing in what one learns from tough situations. The song ‘Take the Blue Pill' is about being able to take a step back, be reflective and allow yourself to trust that it's OK to retreat from situations that aren't healthy in order to gain perspective on oneself: 'Raise a glass, say a toast to the person you love the most, and take the blue pill.' That chorus is a metaphor to remind us that the people who truly love and respect us will always be there to support and accept us, no matter what we may be going through. Each song delves deep into a particular life situation or idea in order to get to a point of clarity by the song's end. It's about facing problems, going through the pain, the discomfort, and most importantly, being able to positively embrace the experience so you can move on. It's very similar to the yoga practice on many levels: letting yourself feel when the muscles are tight or uncomfortable, while using the breathing to help release any discomfort or pain in order to move through to the next level of physical and emotional awareness in the body. The songwriting process, in and of itself, is a form of deep, emotional release."

      The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) Committee placed The Johnny Introspective on the 2007 Grammy nomination ballot. Dalien agrees that the nomination feels surreal, but adds, "I just see it as another opportunity to keep moving and building what I'm doing. The nomination acceptance feels great, and wherever it goes from there is awesome, no matter what the outcome. But I am really honored to have had so many wonderful people assist me in the process of making this record and who are gunning for its success. The album's A&R production was spearheaded by Al Gomes and A. Michelle of Big Noise, based in Rhode Island. They've worked with Christina Aguilera and Chicago. They are great people who really deliver amazing work with incredible care and respect to the artist's vision, especially in those ninth-inning moments when production deadlines are all around you. To give credit where credit is due, it was an A&R talent company, Alpha Music Group, that discovered me through a talent event and an earlier EP I'd done. Their hard work led to Big Noise ‘falling in love' with my music, songwriting and how I've been very successful in creatively integrating both my music and yoga/health backgrounds."

      Dalien began doing yoga two years out of college to help him deal with recurring health issues surrounding a neck injury that he sustained as a youngster. "Yoga has been one of the main tools in my journey," he says. "It saved my life. It comes from a pure and organic place and has helped me to live a happy and creatively fulfilled life. My dual career path of music and health study has me researching so much about yoga and the human body. It's amazing that the healing techniques I employed to get well draw upon thousands of years of wisdom about the mind, body and spirit. I've also studied the martial arts, specifically qigong, which was amazingly helpful."

      On becoming an adjunct professor, he says, "I had been doing yoga for many years when I received a phone call to step into teaching yoga at the university. It's always funny when you look back on where life has taken you. It's an exciting time, as more and more schools, universities and other institutions are implementing yoga. I sure wish I had it when I was a kid. I remember all the stress I had back then! I guess the cool thing about being a teacher at the college level is that my final exam is a rock concert. I've been told I'm a pretty cool 'professa,' which is nice to hear.

      "I always play instruments and sing relaxing chants at the end of yoga class. It's about being creative in the moment, like jazz improvisation. Everywhere I go, I always hear new melodies. Music is everywhere, in every sound and every movement. I'm constantly feeling inspired to create melody. When I lecture or do presentations about yoga and health, I will end with an acoustic performance. I have always integrated the music into the yoga. The two complement each other, they complement me as a person, and I love assisting and inspiring people."

      Dalien plays over 25 instruments quite competently. "I can thank my mom for clarinet lessons in the third grade," he says. "Then piano in the fourth grade and guitar in the seventh grade. I studied the euphonium through my marching-band years. I learned jazz bass and played in high school bands and ensembles. I received a Bachelor's degree in music from New York University and studied Bel Canto classical singing."

      As the yoga took over, Dalien found himself increasingly drawn to both studying and incorporating world instrumentation, "like tabla, hand drums, flutes and other very meditative, ethnic instruments." Teaching yoga, he says, has resulted in his use of "more live music and sound to support people dealing with health and stress problems. This work changes lives. I know my purpose is to have my music out there to inspire others and to get them on the yoga mat."

      For CD availability, as well as more information about How To Become A Rock N Roll, Yogi Jedi Knight in Just Twenty Years, visit www.13hands.com and www.myspace.com/13hands.