Shakti Fest 2013 Wrap-Up
After a festival like Shakti Fest, returning to the world takes a while. Always I feel as though the cells in my body have been shaken up & put back together in a different way, and it takes time to integrate this new way of being into the flow of daily life. This...
A Conversation With Donna De Lory
Donna De Lory loves to dance -- on stage she is a whirling dervish, literally dancing through her entire set. Her harmonium is on a stand, so she never has to sit down. It's also a kinesthetic activity for the listener, because it's impossible to watch her and not...
Shakti Fest 2013 Sampler
At long last, it's here. The time when those of us who hear Joshua Tree calling throughout the winter can pack our bags and go to the desert to reconnect with the Bhav we find there. Shakti Fest is happening next week, May 17-19, and it's a celebration of the Divine...
A Conversation With Larisa Stow
The first time I saw Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe perform at Bhakti Fest my eyebrows were about singed off with the energy. Larisa's unique blend of mantra-infused rock is designed to "wake, shift, shake and lift humanity" , and it certainly had that effect on the...
The One That’s All Deva Premal and Miten
Years ago I was doing Yoga to a CD by Shiva Rea, and the background music caught my attention. It was the the purity of the voice -- who was the artist and what was she singing? That was my first exposure to chant, and also to Deva Premal's Gayatri Mantra. Deva is now...
Calling Out To Hungry Hearts — Words & Music by Krishna Das
Lately I've been listening to a lot of Krishna Das. As a singer I appreciate the deep resonance of his voice -- it's an amazing instrument. But it's more than that. His voice is a mighty river, and when you enter the flow Krishna Das will take you to the place deep in...
C.C.White LIVE at the Denver Chant Fest
This week’s set brings us back to the magic of the Denver Chant Fest. C.C. White was the picture of grace & beauty that night -- she had just lost several people close to her -- Shyamdas & her father -- but called on her enormous strength & talent to touch...
Fresh Tracks 18
The Fresh Tracks sets are my opportunity to introduce you to new kirtan artists, and new offerings from established kirtan artists. This week's set has a bit of both -- please enjoy the offering. Namaste, dear ones. SONG ARTIST CD Om Mercury Max The Eternal Om Om...
Dr. Manoj Chalam On the Deities
Last month at the Denver Chant Fest, Dr. Manoj Chalam and his wife Jyothi captivated a roomful of attendees with their lecture on the symbolism of Hindu & Buddhist deities and their relevance in our lives today. I recorded this on the fly -- so my apologies if...
He Ma Durga
Durga. She is one powerful goddess. Later this week I'll be posting the talk on the deities given by Dr. Manoj Chalam last month at the Denver Chant Fest. His murti of Durga practically leaped off the table at me during that talk, and now here she sits, riding her...