A white Rolls Royce pulled up to a chaotic sidewalk scene on Saville Row. People pushing and shoving, trying to get into the door. The paparazzi flashbulbs capture Yoko Ono, who sees Shyamasundar das in the crowd and says, “Oh you must be one of George’s friends come in.” And though they were yet to [...]
Venice West has been hosting Local’s Night for LA performers for some time. Last month, I watched Asa Anderson play a set to a packed house and I was blown away by his song “Help Me Breathe.” This song is an hypnotic meditation on returning to source, on surrendering. The lyrical phrasing has a lived-in warmth and [...]
Chanting brings me into the space of love within, which to me is my guru.-Neem Karoli Baba Mantra Artists Deva Premal and Miten Gather Community and Share Devotion "In the space of no-mind, truth descends like light." – Osho A flock of seekers gathers in front of the Wilshire Ebell Theatre as the [...]
A Bold New Recording of an Ancient Sacred Classic: the Hanuman Chalisa Jai Uttal’s majestic musical setting for the ancient Hindu prayer, the Hanuman Chalisa, is a tour-de-force of devotional musical artistry. The 16-minute composition moves dynamically through myriad moods, bringing to vivid life the epic story of the shape-shifting Hindu monkey deity Hanuman—avatar of [...]
Musician Duane Betts On His Wild and Precious Life It was an unassuming Tuesday Night in December. A 70-something at the will call window shrieks, “Oh darlin’ I had ta try, my girlfriends and I used ta see ‘em at the armory down the road for 50 cents.” A hipster at the merch table loads [...]
Lush Landscapes in an Evocative Album as a Rhythmic Journey in Opium Moon's Where We Are Gathered Rhythmic drumbeats open and anchor “Through the Ages,” the first track on Opium Moon’s third album Where We Are Gathered. Lush, layered percussive elements combined with melodic strings rising and falling in rhythm showcase what this award-winning supergroup [...]
The singer shouted to the heavens, “My Lord, My Lord, My Lord, show me all the things I need to know.” The crowd called out in response, “My Lord, My Lord, My Lord, take me to the place I need go….” And although many hundreds testified that the spirit had moved them that night, this [...]
Music and Mantra as a Source of Strength Sometimes life’s most challenging moments gift us insight into how our spiritual practices hold and heal us when we need them most. At a time when world-renowned, Grammy-nominated devotional singer, touring musician, and teacher Snatam Kaur is creatively flourishing, she is also helping to care for her [...]
The Tradition of SongKeepers Around the World In lore, they go by many names: the SongKeepers, Song Catchers, Songline carriers. They were considered the Memory Keepers of the Earth. From many different traditions, it is the SongKeepers who help hold the frequency of the planet by means of chanting and song. Through their voices, the [...]
Meeting of the Spirits to Create Yoga Soundtracks Singing yoga teacher and festival favorite Johanna Beekman first met Grammy-nominated producer and multi-instrumentalist Ben Leinbach a decade ago when they were introduced by fellow yogic musician Benjy Wertheimer. Each with a passion for integrating multicultural influences, the pair developed an artistic synergy that enriches their collaborations [...]