Chiwoniso • Bhagavan Das • Shimshai • Dave Stringer • Stellamara • Sukhawat Ali Khan • Obo Addy & Okropong • Riffat Sultana • Fanna Fi Allah• Michael Meade • Baraka Moon • Stephen Kent • Geoffrey Gordon • Youssoupha Sidibe • Ubaka Hill • MJ Greenmountain • Sirenz • Isis Moon • Within • Wingin' It • Radio Devi • Prema Mayi • Ustad Dildar Hussain

Hamsa Lila Hamsa Lila bridges continents, cultures, and genres with their Live Hypnotic World Groove, blending an eclectic variety of organic world instrumentation, female and male lead vocals, ethnic percussion, and a seriously groove-oriented rhythm section that moves body and spirit, maintaining a tribal sound while never missing a dance beat. Hitting Number 2 on National and Canadian World Music charts in 2004 with their debut studio album Gathering One, this ensemble produces original material that defies classification, yet touches upon aspects of World Beat, Dub, Dance Club Electronica, House, Funk, Jungle, Afro-Beat, Jazz, Reggae, and Hip-Hop styles.

The band plays a combination of rare traditional and modern instruments and the vocalists create powerful harmonies, weave multiple melodies, as each of the lead singers (one male, two female) take turns leading songs. All of this gets laid over some heavy duty rhythmic and funky grooves. With the tasteful use of electronic effects, and the unique combination of sounds, textures and melodies, the band at once sounds familiar but totally fresh, ancient yet modern, mesmerizing yet actively engaging. Singing in 10 or more different languages, including English and Spanish, Hamsa Lila celebrates the cultures of the World, while paying homage to the ancestors and indigenous Earth tribes, with rich talent and unforgetable performances.

Members of Hamsa Lila have played with such notable artists such as: Sting, Paul Simon, Ozomatli, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Hassan Hakmoun, Delta Nove, SCI, STS9, Steve Kimmock, SCI, and many others. hamsalila.com | back to top

Banco de Gaia Toby Marks, the creative force behind Banco De Gaia is a free thinker. He is also one of the worlds leading exponents of globally inspired eclectic electronica. Mixing electronic and accoustic instruments and voices his work defies genre classification. He has worked with a variety of musicians ranging from legendary saxophonist Dick Parry who played on Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” to Anglo-Egyptian singer Natacha Atlas and cutting edge dance producers such as Jack Dangers and Fluke. Toby Marks cut his teeth as Banco de Gaia on the early 90’s Ambient Dub compilations (a precursor of the more recent “chill out” marketing phenomenon).

In 1994 he released his first studio album MAYA on Planet Dog records. MAYA was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize on its release, followed in 1995 by the critically acclaimed LAST TRAIN TO LHASA. Both albums reached number 1 in the UK independent charts as well as the national album chart top 40 and topped the CMJ RPM charts in the US.

In 2007 Toby took on the epic task of recreating a complete cover version of the classic Pink Floyd track ECHOES in his own inimitable style. The result will be released in the summer of 2009 alongside covers of tracks by King Crimson and Hawkwind, as well as original tracks and live recordings, on the new double-CD titled "Memories Dream Reflections". bancodegaia.co.uk | back to top

Beats Antique (ft Zoe Jakes) Beats Antique is an Oakland based group featuring ZOE JAKES, DAVID SATORI, AND SIDECAR TOMMY, which has stumbled down the rabbit hole and emerged anew on the other side. Consisting of Zoe Jakes, nominated as Zaghareet's "Best Interpretive Artist 2007", presents a unique take on Tribal bellydance, influenced by Art Nouveau, tango, Breakdance, and Indian classical dance; David Satori, who has toured the US in a bus converted to run on recycled vegetable oil, and played with Femi Kuti, son of Nigerian afrobeat legend Fela Kuti; and Tommy Chappel, whose musical reach touches everything from vaudeville rock to abstract hip-hop.

BEATS ANTIQUE forges a curious alliance between middle eastern traditions and potent west coast circus, underground hip hop, breakbeat brass band, downtempo, glitch and dubstep. The musical tree of their influences has branches that go as far as to touch the scholastic tradition of jazzy oldies while keeping a curious ear to the North African Gnawa music. BEATS ANTIQUE has brought the paradox of electro-acoustic music into the future. beatsantique.com | watch video | back to top

Chiwoniso “I am like a mirror,” declares Zimbabwe’s popular music star Chiwoniso Maraire. “I basically sing about what I see happening in the world. If someone comes up to me in the street to ask for money I’ll sing about that. If people are jumping borders because their economic situation is too difficult, I’ll sing about that. If the police are beating people up and intimidating them, I’ll sing about that.”

Based in the capital city of Harare, Chiwoniso lives in the center of Zimbabwe’s political and economic turmoil, observing firsthand as her beloved homeland struggles to overcome the enduring legacies of colonialism, war, social inequality and political oppression. A devoted advocate of free speech, human rights and social justice, Chiwoniso’s music gives voice to the voiceless and speaks to the problems and joys of the world around her. On Rebel Woman, Chiwoniso’s first internationally released album in over ten years, her soulful and deeply personal songs offer messages of hope, inspiration and resistance, serving notice that this gifted singer and songwriter merits recognition as one of Africa’s greatest talents.

Chiwoniso’s musical influences range from soul and R&B to reggae and rock, and the entrancing sounds of the mbira serve as a central underpinning for her songs. Originating in the ancient Shona civilization of southern Africa, the mbira is a musical instrument made of metal tines attached to a wooden board. The player plucks the tines with their thumbs to create captivating interlocking melodies, which have accompanied ceremonies and celebrations for countless generations. Mbira is an essential element of Zimbabwean music tradition and carries deep historical, cultural and spiritual symbolism. chiwoniso.com | watch video | back to top

Karsh Kale Described by Billboard Magazine as a “visionary composer and producer”, Karsh Kale (pronounced “Kursh Kah-lay”) is one of global electronic music’s brightest stars. While his peers view Kale as a force of nature on both tabla and drums, Kale is an equally innovative song writer, producer, composer and DJ.

Having brought his infectious global sound to almost every major city on four continents. Karsh is equally renown, by both fans and critics as the pioneer of a sound that captures a panorama of influences - the past and the future, analog and digital. By speaking fluently and skillfully both the language of raga and the language of cutting edge electronic music production techniques, Karsh Kale is among an elite group of musicians bringing classical Indian music into the Western mainstream rock and electronic vernacular.

In a span of less than seven years, Kale released four critically acclaimed solo albums on Six Degrees Records, became a founding member of the super groups Tabla Beat Science and Realize Live, recorded and remixed countless artists, and has collaborated with the likes of Zakir Hussain, Paul Oakenfold, Sting, Anoushka Shankar, Salim-Sulaiman, Bill Laswell, MIDIval Punditz, Norah Jones, Ustad Sultan Khan, Paula Cole, Susheela Raman and Herbie Hancock. karshkale.com | watch video

Mighty Dub Killaz (ft Karsh Kale) MDK partners seasoned musicians Papa Roads and Janaka Selekta. Papa delivers the words, Janaka sculpts the sound, and the combination is POWER. This crucial blend of hard hitting beats, deep bass sculptures and underlying conscious socio-political lyrics makes the MDK sound unique and timely. Papa Road's life and experience as front man for a number of successful bands, his reggae and soul roots finely blend with Janaka Selekta's studio wizardry, DJ and dance music roots forms the MDK sound.

Chicago's JC Stokes a.k.a. Papa Roads is a multi faceted vocalist, musician, lyricist and producer who combines the original soul of the West Side Chicago with the rooted island soul of Kingston, Jamaica. Raised on the south side of Chicago, JC was drawn into a career in music while attending Columbia College School of Music. With 8 years and over 1,100 shows under his belt JC opened for acts such as the Wailers Band, Toots and the Maytals and numerous others.

The conscious lyrics of Mighty Dub Killaz draw from JC's intense life with a positive message of overcoming adversity. Papa Roads writes lyrics that he calls “conscious dance music with heavy socio and political over tones.” With Janaka’s South Asian roots and powerful production techniques blended with Papa Roads’ soul rooted reggae the sound that is being created is fresh, new and long awaited. With Papa Roads delivering the words and Janaka Selekta creating the sound together they are the POWER! myspace.com/mightydubkillaz

Makyo formed in 1993 with the desire to incorporate Eastern philosophies of sound and spirituality into the whole spectrum of 90s electronica. The result: zen dub, an organic electro-acoustic sound of tablas, ethereal Indian/Arab vocals, and bass. The band's brief is to ignore the barriers that exist between 'live' and 'electronic', 'experimental' and 'pop', 'east' and 'west', 'traditional' and 'modern.'

The debut album, "Rasa Bhava", released in 1996, and its' follow-up two years later, "Yakshini" are both, to this day, ethno-psychedelic classics. GIO who writes all the music, and plays most of it-- went through a long musical evolution before arriving in Makyo. The early 80s were spent in Kyoto, studying zen by day and playing in hardcore punk bands by night. The late 80s were spent in Taipei and Boston, playing in psychedelic Branca-influenced guitar ensembles, releasing through the mail-art/cassette underground, and dj-ing a free-style radio show on WZBC.

Since 1993, Gio has been a regular dj on Tokyo's club scene, appearing mostly in chill-out rooms, and appearing with the likes of Mixmaster Morris, The Orb's Alex Patterson, Underworld, Solar Quest, Pitch Black, Adham Shaikh, Bombay Dub Orchestra, Cheb-i-Sabbah and more. Makyo's latest music is featured on Tribal Matrix: 2, the new compilation on his label Dakini Records, which has been releasing eastern fusion electronica for over a decade. Makyo's new full-length album is slated for release later in 2009. dakinirecords.com | back to top

Delhi 2 Dublin is a group of five musicians who mashup electronica with world music, keeping it heavy on the Bhangra and Celtic flavours. Fusing tabla, fiddle, dhol, electric sitar, and Punjabi and English vocals with scorching electronic beats, Delhi 2 Dublin takes listeners on a wild ride through global sounds and synchronicities.

Their unique style of live electronica is the ultimate transcultural music experience. It is the sound for today’s Globalista. Originally formed for a one-shot performance during Vancouver's Celtic Fest in March of 2006, word of the band’s foot stomping, high energy live set started to spread, and the project soon took on a life of its own. Since then, D2D has been busy playing in BC, Ontario, and the West Coast of the US. Their diligent touring ethic and their quest to take over the world one dance floor at a time has led to a cult following in many of the communities they’ve visited. Delhi 2 Dublin has played some of Canada's largest festivals, including the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Shambhala, and Salmon Arm Roots and Blues.

Maybe what D2D really represents is a universal shift, a movement away from cultural and religious boundaries and towards understanding, friendship and love. In these exciting yet trying times when many focus on differences and separations, Delhi 2 Dublin may be here to show us that we are now, and have always been, one and the same. delhi2dublin.com | watch video | back to top

Shimshai Whether singing the ancient Sanskrit mantras of India, the traditional folklore songs of South America, or performing his original works of divine inspiration, Shimshai’s music invokes a sentiment of ancestral devotion and a dedication to higher consciousness. Described by many as possessing the voice of an angel, Shimshai is gifted with the innate ability to deliver his message flawlessly in several languages; most profoundly the universal language of Love and Oneness.

Surrounded by music from birth and formally trained on piano in his native state of Washington, today Shimshai performs effortlessly on guitar, sitar, flute, and a variety of woodwinds. His most recent release, "Alianza" (2008), is a versatile world fusion studio CD that features multiple languages and ethnicities. He continues to offer his talents to various studio projects, including current collaborations with traditional healers and several undertakings with indigenous communities throughout south and Latin America. Shimshai’s live performances throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Europe, Australia, Mexico and The Americas have helped to create a devoted and ever-growing global fan base.

Shimshai's unique blend of reggae, jazz, kirtan, and folk, infused with a worldbeat influence, provides a diverse palette of musical expression and attracts a wide range of listeners. He has had the honor of opening for and sharing the stage with Michael Franti, David Grisman, Mickey Hart, Jai Uttal, Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, Bhagavan Das, Dezarie, and many other gifted musicians and visionaries. shimshai.com

Dave Stringer The Los Angeles Times has declared the experience of chanting with Dave Stringer to be “a departure from ancient kirtan. Stringer’s performance shaped the experience into a far more compelling musical encounter.” Stringer has been widely profiled as one of the most innovative artists of the new American kirtan movement in publications as diverse as Time, Billboard, Yoga Journal and In Style.

Stringer’s sound marries the transcendent mysticism of traditional Indian instruments with the exuberant, groove-oriented sensibility of American gospel, and he is regarded as one of the most gifted singers in the genre. Stringer, who is also an accomplished composer and multi-instrumentalist, has a special ability to bring people together and inspire them to sing. His work intends to create a modern and participatory theatrical experience out of the ancient traditions of kirtan and yoga, open to a multiplicity of interpretations, and accessible to all. Initially trained as a visual artist, filmmaker and jazz musician, Stringer had his formative experiences with chanting when film editing work brought him to the Siddha Yoga ashram in Ganeshpuri, India in 1990. A subsequent period of residence at the ashram laid the foundation for his continuing study of the ideas, practices and music of yoga.

Based in Los Angeles, Stringer has produced varied recordings with other celebrated World musicians including Azam Ali, Vas, Axiom of Choice, Rasa, Suzanne Teng, Shaman’s Dream and the Open Door Orchestra. His voice also appears on numerous soundtracks, including the film Matrix Revolutions and the video game Myst. The CDs he has produced under his own name, “Brink”, “Japa”, “Mala” and “Divas & Devas”, are heard in yoga studios throughout the world. davestringer.com | back to top

Stellamara Stellamara is a vehicle for the development of devotional music based in Near Eastern and medieval modal traditions. Extraordinary musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds have since come together within the vessel of Stellamara, creating music with a common intention: to celebrate love, beauty and unity through transcendent harmony, perfect dissonance and passionate rhythms. Rooted in Turkish, Arabic, Balkan, Medieval European and Persian musical traditions, Stellamara carries a deep devotion to the music of these cultures with a unique timeless expression.

Stellamara originated in 1994 creating evocative soundscapes that are now considered a new model in contemporary world music. At its core is vocalist/producer Sonja Drakulich and multi-instrumentalist Gari Hegedus. On stage and in the studio, Stellamara incorporates the talents of cellist Rufus Cappadocia and of percussionists Tobias Roberson and Faisal Zedan. Their music incorporates medieval European, Persian, Arabic, Indian, Turkish and Balkan with subtle electronic textures.

Sonja was introduced to Eastern European singing early and began performing Balkan, Medieval Music and her own compositions at the age of 18. Being of Serbian and Hungarian decent, discovering the songs of Eastern Europe was for her a homecoming. Gari began devoting his life to music 25 years ago. From early europe, he was led east into the intense practice and performance of Turkish classical and Mevlevi ceremonial music. Gari's repertoire and playing styles span outward from Turkey into Greece and the Arab lands as well as to Iran and India. As a composer and musician, Gari utilizes the various Eastern modal systems called Maqam and has developed the art of improvisation (Taqsim) to a soulful level for which he has become highly recognized. stellamara.com | back to top

Michael Meade Michael Meade is a renowned storyteller, author, and scholar of mythology, anthropology, and psychology. He combines hypnotic and fiery storytelling, street savvy perceptiveness, and spellbinding interpretations of ancient myths with a deep knowledge of cross-cultural rituals. He has an unusual ability to distill and synthesize these disciplines, tapping into ancestral sources of wisdom, while connecting them to the stories we are living today.

He is the author of The World Behind the World, The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul; editor, with James Hillman and Robert Bly, of Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart; and editor of Crossroads: A Quest for Contemporary Rites of Passage. Meade is founder of Mosaic Multicultural Foundation, a nonprofit network of artists, social activists, and community builders formed to organize, sponsor, and support programs and events that encourage greater understanding between diverse peoples: elders and youth, and those of various cultural and spiritual backgrounds. mosaicvoices.org | back to top

Sasha 'Butterfly' Rose Immersed in music since childhood, Sasha Butterfly Rose has been recording and touring extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and Europe.Graced with a voice of an angel and a soulful grit, Sasha performs on a wide variety of instruments including guitar, flute, piano, djembe and more. Her timeless original lyrics and melodic creations leave listeners visibly moved. She brings the feel of a gospel singer into her heartfelt music about love, creation, and the beauty of the earth.

Sasha has a diverse range of musical styles moving from her solo, acoustic performances, to a high energy funk groove with her full band. She has shared stages with Jefferson Starship, Spearhead, Lost at Last, David Grisman, Jai Uttal, Burning Spear, Hamsa Lila, Prezident Brown, and many others. Some of the events she has played include Earth Dance, Trinity Tribal Stomp, Oregon Country Fair, High Times Hemp Festival, Health and Harmony Festival, Tamarack Mt. Music Festival, and more. Sasha Butterfly and her richly talented ensemble create an unforgettable musical experience that always leaves audiences spellbound. sasha on myspace.com | back to top

Govinda fuses beautifully spooky melodies inspired from across the planet with sexy beats and crunchy, ambient atmosphere. Govinda has played with Thievery Corporation, DJ Spooky and Cheb I Sabbah and been featured in compilations such as Buddha Bar II, Asian Travels II, and Nirvana Lounge. The Govinda live show features professional dancers and live projections. The mix of freshly cut vinyl beats, hauntingly seductive violin melodies, emotive dance expression and visual video feast makes for a truly multi-sensory experience.

Govinda is the alter-ego of Austin, Texas born producer/composer Shane O Madden. He began studying violin and composition at the age of eight and went on to study at the University of Texas School fo Music. It was O Madden’s pursuit of his gypsy roots that opened his ears to the World Music scene. During his search, he found a particular affinity for the Middle-Eastern, Indian, Celtic and southern Spanish musical cultures. Inspired by his passion for urban psychedelia, he combines these diverse styles of music with the beats and sounds of modern electronic music. watch video | link to govindamusic.com

Obo Addy and Okropong Obo Addy, the son of a Wonche medicine man in Ghana West Africa, was designated a "master drummer" at the age of six. African musical history comes to life when master drummer Obo Addy steps on stage. As a prominent member of the first generation of African musicians to bring their traditional and popular music to Europe and America, this versatile magician of the drums embodies the past, present and future of Ghana's musical culture. His band, Okropong is dedicated to preserving and presenting the traditional tribal music and dance of Ghana. Shorlty before beloved last year, Obo fell sick and was unable to attend. His son led the band Okropong to a spellbinding Sunday afternoon performance. This year, Obo's full vitality has returned and he will ensure an even greater sunday afternoon.

Addy has a thirty-year presence on the international performing arts scene and, as one of the key originators of the musical movement now known as "Worldbeat," has become known for his ability to celebrate past traditions while expanding to embrace new ideas and foreign influences.

In 1996, Addy was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship Award by the National Endowment for the Arts. This is the highest honor a traditional artist can receive in this country. Obo is the first African artist to ever receive the award. oboaddy.com

Bhagavan Das Immortalized in the spiritual classic, "Be Here Now," the well-known “DIY guide to enlightenment.” The book documents Richard Alpert’s transformation into Ram Das through an initial encounter with Bhagavan Das, who ultimately brought him to Maharaji. This fateful sequence of events has affected millions of people as it has rippled through time. Teacher, performer, counter-cultural icon, lover of God: Bhagavan Das is as rich and manifold as Existence itself.

Today Bhagavan Das tours almost constantly, chanting the name of God and giving structured workshops on the mystic effects of sound. He visits all the major cities in North America and Europe yearly, and usually spends some time in the Caribbean or Mexico on winter retreats. Beloved by his many fans and devotees, Bhagavan Das, or “Baba” as he is called, continues to touch the hearts of all those who interact with him. His almost palpable love of the divine led Lex Hixon to remark, “Bhagavan Das truly lives the Ramakrishna reality.”
watch video | bhagavandas.com | back to top

Locura...one word: madness. Separated into two, lo cura: it cures it. Two words found within one, the cure within the madness. The idea that beauty and love can blossom from chaos, bringing dreams to life where another world is possible. A remedy found in the craziness of this life, allowing the possibility for change. Through their music LoCura hopes to provide a catalyst for transformation and healing.

LoCura experiments with fusing Flamenco, Salsa, Funk and Hip-Hop with Ude and Cello, and West Coast Reggae beats crafted from unexpected percussion instruments. Lyrics in Spanish and English, LoCura brings to the stage a vibrant collage of sound and movement, with a message of bridging cultures and transcending borders. Their debut album "Animas,"- meaning "the energy and inspiration of the soul" in Spanish- is a beautiful representation of how LoCura has mixed so many instruments and genres to create a soulful, dynamic sound. watch video | link to myspace page

LYNX & Janover LYNX and Jamie Janover create a diversified harmonic blend of all original hip-hop and down-tempo electronica grooves with folk style song writing, guitar playing, beat boxing, rhyming, amplified mini-kit percussion and the sounds of the hammered dulcimer.

Together they have achieved the elusive perfect balance between the acoustic and the electronic, using today’s most advanced technologies mixed with ancient live instrumentation to create a unified sound reflective of the polarized nature of our times. watch video | link to myspace page

Baraka Moon 'Baraka' is the Sufi word for 'blessing'. BARAKA MOON bears the gift to transcend boundaries and unite us in our common humanity. Leap into the fire of this magic music. Season your soul, open your heart, dance, sing, and let your ears absorb the passion of an emerging universal music full of love and respect for all peoples of the world.

Brought together in an attempt to find a fitting musical accomaniment for Coleman Barks' reading on the occaison of the 800th anniversary of the birth of the great Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi, Baraka Moon features what can only be called an 'All Star' lineup of world musicians. With Sukhawat Ali Khan on Vocals and Harmonium, Stephen Kent on Didgeridoo and Percussion, and Geoffrey Gordon on Drums, Percussion, and Vocals, this will not be the last time you hear of Baraka Moon. back to top

Sukhawat Ali Khan inherits the family lineage of the 600-year-old Sham Chorasi traditional school of music, which was established during the reign of Emperor Akbar of India. His training in both classical raga and Sufi Qawwali singing began at the age of seven under his father, legendary Pakistani/Indian vocalist Ustad Salamat Ali Khan. A San Francisco Bay Area resident, Sukhawat teaches this musical style and performs concerts for dance and world music lovers everywhere.

His live shows feature Sukhawat's incredible vocal and virtuoso harmonium skills along with his Shukriya Ensemble which includes Punjabi-style tabla drums, backup vocals, hand percussion, electric bass and jazz trap set drums. His latest solo CD, "Shukriya" - which means "Thanks" - is music so alive that it jumps right out at you. After many ensemble projects, "Shukriya" is Sukhawat's first recording made on his own terms: dancing with rhythm, passionate with feeling, and with a voice that comes straight from the heart.

Sukhawat has performed at the Montreal, Monterey and Prospect Park jazz festivals, the Fillmore in San Francisco, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and many other major venues and music festivals throughout the U.S. and Europe. back to top

Stephen Kent is acknowledged as one of the contemporary world's pioneer virtuosos on the Australian Aboriginal Didjeridu. Since joining Australia's Circus Oz as Music Director in 1981 he has celebrated the culture of "One Note" (Om) on this most ancient of instruments. This journey has taken him to perform all over the world both solo and in group projects including 'Trance Mission' and 'Lights in a Fat City.'

Playing internationally renowned festivals from Winnipeg Folk Festival, New York International Arts Festival and The World Sacred Music Festival to Le Reve De L'Aborigene, the Leipzig & Zurich Jazz Festivals, and with a catalog of over 20 CD releases, Stephen has redefined the way we view the 'Didge'. His collaborative work both live and on record builds bridges between cultures and he has played with Airto Moreira (Brazil), Zakir Hussain (India), Omar Sosa (Cuba), Leonard Eto (Japan), Terence McKenna (USA), Habib Koite (Mali), Mamadou Sidibe (Mali), Chirgilchin (Tuva) and Zap Mama (Belgium/Congo) among countless others. He has recently been invited to perform for His Holiness the the 14th Dalai Lama. He also produces the legendary 'Music of the World' weekly radio show. stephenkent.net | back to top

Geoffrey Gordon worked on and off Broadway and internationally with director Julie Taymor ('Across the Universe', 'Frida') and composer Elliot Goldenthal (Academy Award for Best Soundtrack). Geoffrey has worked on several Cohen Brothers movie soundtracks with composer Carter Burwell as well as on films with Elliot Goldenthal. Geoffrey's composition 'Inanna' with Diane Wolkstein was performed at Lincoln Center, The United Nations, and The British Museum.

In 1992 he became the full time percussionist for Jai Uttal. He recorded and toured for more than a dozen years with Jai Uttal in The Pagan Love Orchestra, and for all kirtans and workshops. He's also toured and worked internationally with Ram Dass at public talks and retreats as well as on recordings and the film "Fierce Grace". Geoffrey produced CDs for Rita Coolidge & Walela, Shiva Rea, Diana Rogers, Yuan Miao & Lama Norbu, and Swami Vishwananda. He's performed and recorded with Robbie Robertson, Coleman Barks, Krishna Das, Gabrielle Roth, Peter Kater, David Torn, Tulku and many others.

Geoffrey was initiated into yogic practices in 1971 and studied Ashtanga Yoga and Tantric meditation. He completed full time training and became a Hatha yoga teacher and meditation instructor in 1972. He has been practicing Buddhist meditation for 35. In 1976 he moved to New York City to perform world music, work in dance and theater and to study tabla with Ustad Allarakha (Ravi Shankar's accompanist for over 30 years). Geoffrey has played tabla for public kirtans with Bhagavan Das, Krishna Das and Jai Uttal beginning in 1975. geoffreygordon.com | back to top

Everyone Orchestra (Conducted by Matt Butler) Everyone Orchestra performances are designed to create space for each performer’s musical personality to shine, engage the audience as participants in the jam and to facilitate a massive celebratory coming together featuring a conductor directing both musicians and audience alike in interactive, lively, and highly danceable movements.

The EO has performed its shows nationally featuring members of The Grateful Dead, Phish, ALO, Disco Biscuits, The Derek Trucks Band, Fishbone, Poi Dog Pondering, String Cheese Incident, and Steve Kimock, G. Love, painters, dancers, hula hoopers, firespinners, stiltwalkers, activists, presidential candidates, storytellers and hundreds of others. watch video | everyoneorchestra.com | back to top

Fanna fi Allah As the torch-bearers of the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan lineage, Tahir Qawwal and Amena Qawwal are infinitely blessed to be the foremost disciples of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the greatest Qawwali master of Pakistan and only nephew-successor of the great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and of Dildar Hussein, the world renowned tabla master of the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan party.

Fanna Fi Allah masterfully and ecstatically sing the verses of the Sufi mystics in Urdu, Farsi, Hindi & Punjabi. Each song embodies the mood of the poetry through sophisticated ragas combined with passionate spontaneity. Their youthful mastery has been granted through devoted study with extraordinary teachers.

The booming Pakistani tablas, six voices, tampuras & harmoniums of Fanna Fi Allah have left audiences up and down the west coast and Pakistan, Bali and Hawaii in tears or ecstacy, or both. Fanna Fi Allah has recently returned from their fifth pilgrammage to study with their teachers in Pakistan. watch video | fanna-fi-allah.com

Manooghi Hi With visions of melding her classical Indian, Sufi, and mouth percussion (bols and solkattu) with a heavy rock sound, million-seller-pop-princess, Mehnaz, tripped all the way to Seattle on a whim to stay with friends of the family and work on a new sound--more rock, less schlock. "There's a lot of hybrid stuff in Bombay, but I was looking for something more heavy and real. To tell the truth: I wanted to play in a band."

Fate tossed Mehnaz a handful of Seattle's theatrical rock avant guard; and, over the course of a few Seattle visits, they created the band, Manooghi Hi (a dialectic word meaning roughly "stuff" as in "move your manooghi out of the hallway before I move it myself," or "that was some serious manooghi.") They also created a handful of manic and oft cartoony--though ceremoniously rampant--hybrid-Hindi-heavy classics like "Kismet", "Kali", "Om Baba", "Hum", "Bubbles", and their ultimate Bombaliscious deluge, "Manooghi Hi."

Both Mehnaz and the band may have staggered blindly into something that actually works. As a friend said it (best): "I feel like I've been baptized in another language by some people I've never met." Mouths agape, some suggest Kurt Cobain has come back from the dead as a yoga instructor. This is not the world music your mama used to meditate to. watch video | manooghihi.com

Anahata Sound Music producer, multi-voiced singer, celestial song healer, sound engineer, voice over talent, bells and whistles wig, transmission channel, performing fARTist, puppeteer, dancer and fun time maker... Anahata Sound creates soundscapes of heartfelt eclectica. Drawing from influences as diverse as jazz, gypsy, avant-garde, electro-acoustic, bosa nova, underground hip-hop, a’capella, opera and experimental. In addition to anahata sounds solo project she is also a member of The Funginears and has mixed FOH sound for the Yard Dogs Road Show and has extensive experience in live, theater and studio sound since the age of 15.

Ms. Sound is also very actively teaching, administrating and practicing Tian Gong, which is a Qi Gong practice & non-profit. Anahata sound began her Tian Gong practice in 2003 with lucid dream experiences before entering the classroom in 2007. With a strong background in Reiki, Qi Gong, yoga (Kundalini/ Ashtanga/ Iyengar/ Hatha), yoga mantra, Meditation, Shamanism, sound healing, intuitive healing and Ayurvedic, Western and Chinese herbs and whole foods healing, anahata quickly came to the fore as a Tian Gong Certified Instructor and core staff member in early 2008. anahatasound.com | back to top

Desert Dwellers (Full live show — ft Rara Avis, Imani Friend and Meghan ____) Desert Dwellers' roots lie in a thriving community of provocative artists, creative thinkers, and progressive-minded individuals based on the West Coast. Since the early 90s, our extended family has assembled regularly, forming a sacred space where people can relax, tune in and bliss out to chillout, ambient and downtempo music produced by a loosely-knit collective of DJs and producers. These gatherings have extended the frontier of electronic dance music and today form the epicenter of the techno-tribal renaissance movement.

DownTemple--in addition to being the title for this new music series--is also the theme for some of these downtempo events, where a vision of promoting a conscious way to walk peacefully in the world is shared by all. This is the intent written into their music: that it may contribute to the overall well being of the people living on this planet. Music is our key to healing. Music is our key to finding fellow travelers during these intense times, and it is our key to understanding the great depths of human emotion, and our potential to soar. desertdwellers.org | back to top

Youssoupha Sidibe The music of Youssoupha Sidibe is deeply infused with a longing for the full realization of divine love in this world. Youssoupha’s musical career began over twenty years ago in his home of Senegal, West Africa, where he was trained as a Kora player at the National Music Conservatory of Senegal. His music fuses traditional West African sounds on the Kora, with the Sufi devotional chanting of the Senegalese Baay Faal community. The angelic sounds of the Kora, an indigenous harp, soulfully carry Youssoupha’s devotional lyrics sung in Wolof, Arabic, French and English.

Since his arrival on the international music circuit, Youssoupha has recorded, performed, and/or collaborated with artists such as India Arie, Bela Fleck, Charles Neville, Future Man, Michael Franti, and Matisyahu. Youssoupha’s music has served to invoke the divine through Sufi sound in the presence of many large and diverse groups of people. Youssoupha has performed, recorded, and led healing music workshops throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa. youssoupha on myspace | back to top

Janaka Selekta (ft Riffat Sultana & Sukhawat Ali Khan) Born in Sri Lanka, raised in the UK and Kuwait, and now residing in San Francisco, Janaka is a rising talent on the global dance music scene. The music he produces brings together the classical and folk styling of India with the cutting edge sounds of electronic dance, topped off with a classic dub reggae aesthetic.

This instrumentalist, DJ/Producer performs internationally for many festivals, clubs, events and causes. Janaka has produced music for *'Project Gotham'* (X-Box game), remixes for Karsh Kale and Cheb I Sabbah of Six Degrees Records, and the mighty Asian Dub Foundation, who are all early supporters of his music. Pushing Air, his long-awaited full length debut, is the result of ten years of writing, traveling, collaborating and recording from San Francisco to Chicago to NYC to the UK to India to Sri Lanka and back again. His music is regularly played on BBC Radio 1 and the BBC Asian Network in the UK as well as various stations throughout the world and on the web. Janaka has built up a loyal legion of fans in many cities over his career and supporters including: MIDIval PunditZ, Bobby Friction, Dr. Das (Asian Dub Foundation), Karsh Kale, Cheb i Sabbah, and more.

Janaka was the co-founder of San Francisco's widely popular Dhamaal Sound system, a collective of artists which produced events championing the meeting point between Indian classical and electronic music. He has been awarded *San Francisco's Reader's Choice for 'Best DJ'* as well as regular 'Critics Picks' and praise from the press. His music appeals to fans of break beats, dub, reggae, dub step, Indian classical and anyone who wants to dance! janakaselecta.net | back to top

DJ Dragonfly As a global traveler who’s hitch-hiked, bicycled and train-hopped some six continents and 37 countries, DJ Dragonfly is Northern California’s most sought after purveyor of cutting edge global electronica. Bay Area dance enthusiasts place him in the top 10 percentile at the DJ polls for his unique sound: A trans-tempo fusion of exotic idioms, rhythms, melodies and indigenous voices. Bump this up with live electronic percussion, layer it over dub, hard downtempo, drum n bass, funky breaks, house and you have the perfect tone for dance floor mayhem. Using bass as the navigator he sets his decks on a course that weave its way from Gibraltar to the Ganges and beyond. In its wake the mix is a global shakedown that leaves no continent unturned in search of the perfect groove!

As a musician and performer, he is most often found in the underground conscious dance scene, and is a regular at events and festivals such as Earthdance, Shambala, SolFest, Techno Tribal, Bioneers, Anon Salon, Groove Garden, Symbiosis, Worldly Sights & Sounds, Burning Man, Yoga Journal Conference, ANDC, Harbin Hotsprings, the West Coast yoga circuit and more. back to top

Ubaka Hill is an authentic, energetic performer, composer, songwriter, recording artist, motivational speaker, conference weaver, teacher and facilitator of hand drumming workshops for more than 25 years throughout the United States. Her soul-vision and intention is to facilitate and inspire personal transformation, empowerment, healing and joy with music that moves you.

Ubaka plays her signature "Ube" drum, djembe drum and various other percussion instruments of different cultures including gongs, hand drums, rattles, didgeridoo and singing bowls. Her music is intentional and indefinable, inspired by her appreciation of celtic, jazz, latin, african, shamanic, folkloric, aboriginal and contemporary music, including the art of creative improvisation. She creatively weaves percussion, poetry and song to inspire a positive, energetic atmosphere for her diverse audiences to sing and dance with her in solo performances and with The ShapeShifters, her multi-instrumental and multi-cultural, professional ensemble of talented musicians.

Ubaka's workshops series Drumsong The Art and Spirit of Drumming is presented to people of all ages, various skill levels and physical abilities including deaf and hard of hearing throughout the US, including Hawaii, Alaska, and internationally in Canada, Australia and Japan; at local, national and international music festivals, community centers, healthcare facilities, holistic retreat centers, coffeehouses, conferences and concert halls. ubakahill.com | back to top

Phutureprimitive Live Band is the musical creation of Producer, DJ and Remixer Rain. As a live band, it consists of Rain on guitar/keyboards/computer, Alyssa Plamer on vocals (when available), Joel Crane on bass, and Thaddeus Moore on drums. Based in Portland OR, Rain first began DJing in ‘92 after discovering the new sound of Trance and Chillout in the underground music scene.

Phutureprimitive has since become a top artist in the Downtempo/Psy-chill/Phuture-dub/Ethnic Breaks music scene, performing in cities and countries throughout the United States, and Europe including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, England, Scotland, Portugal, Holland, Italy and Croatia. As a result of relationships that have blossomed with numerous labels and artists around the globe, we shall be hearing more original works, collaborations and remix projects in the near phuture.

There are many components to the Phutureprimitive sound which can be described as both diverse and eclectic. Musically ranging from atmospheric downbeat with bass ladened grooves, to Drum n Bass patterns, and ethnic breaks drenched with synthetic manipulations, organic sensability, and a cinematic quality. The music it’s self is less about a style and more about capturing a mood and giving it sonic shape and texture.

The fusion of organic and synthetic elements and sounds was the primary idea; the origins of Phutureprimitive. Today’s technology enables those two worlds to be fused in anyway your imagination can fathom, given you have the skill to get what’s in your head to find it’s way out of the speakers. phutureprimitive.com | watch video

MJ Greenmountain MJ Greenmountain embodies the essence of modern World Music, singing in multiple languages, organically fusing ancient and modern melodic and rhythmic roots elements with real instruments and vocal layering, all while syncronizing dub-style effects in a fresh, Medicinal Global sound. His original songs and adaptations include flavors primarily from Africa, Brasil, India, the Middle-East and the Caribbean.

Establishing himself now with 'MJ', his self-produced debut 2008 solo release, one can hear threads of traditional Yoruban, Gnawan, Native American and Rastafarian musics weaving through captivating, conscious vocals and polyrhythmic arrangements, revealing his years of World Music studies and colorfully reflecting his multi-continental travels and tribal connections. His new material has already begun to catch the attention of renowned DJs like Cheb-i-Sabbah, Andrew Interchill and Fabian Alsultany, and his original tracks have been receiving regular play time on raging, blissed-out dancefloors. mjgreenmountain.com

Sara Tone From the Heart of Hearts SaraTone offers her Channel and Music to the Collective in the fully Acoustic realms, Activating, Inviting and Calling in the Sacred Sound Source.

Through Deepest Soul Song, SaraTone promises to bring it and invites all to take part as the Celestial Choir is Invoked. Earth Gospel-Acoustic Mystical Soul-New Aeon Kirtan is a poetic sketch of this offering.

Accompanied by Guitar, Hand Drums, Rattle's, Flutes and Voice!! Special guests to honor this offering include Michael Garcia (Mike G., Moon Elf), Max Ribner and more. May we Unite as we Unify! ssearthcollective.org/saratone

Sirenz is a creative fusion of four powerful voices. Heather Houston, Samantha Keller, Molly Hartwell, and Amber Mendez will ignite your spirit with their dynamic harmonies, phunky beats and soul stirring lyrics. These talented young women, who have all been singing, making music and performing their whole lives, compose their own originals and arrange traditional songs from around the globe.

The Sirenz sound is influenced by Sweet Honey in the Rock, Zap Mama, and CopperWimmin, yet they bring a unique flair to 3 part harmony. Layering in percussion and beat boxing to their organic melodies and rhythms, they create music that is eclectic and fresh!

Their vision as artists is to bring people together; inspiring a movement in heart and consciousness. Their songs speak to the human condition, issues of our time, and evoke dreaming into the future as an act of creation. They have performed throughout Santa Cruz County, and the San Francisco Bay area, as well as The Oregon Country Fair, and The Whole Earth Festival in Davis, CA, and recently as support for Michael Franti in Bali. sirenz on myspace | back to top

Soul Union The primary creative forces of Soul Union are Johnny Dutro and Weston Thomson. These two talented and contrasting artists bring together deep and primitive energies through the use of electronic and traditional instrumentation, with purpose and intention. Thomson is rooted in the electronics providing beats, sounds and sequences while Dutro utters original lyrics that go straight to the medulla and beyond with a trance dub delivery in his vocals.

Thomson switches from keys, beats machine and various electronics while Dutro plays a collection of hand drums. Meanwhile, no less than three other musicians trade off a hure collection of western and traditional instruments from around the world.

African polyrhythm mingles with saxophones and violins. Latin and Asian influences compliment hypnotic trance hymns. Two constants weave throughout: a conscious message of growth and healing through love and Dutro’s reggae-influenced zen rap. His soft-spoken, but commanding voice exudes a powerful intention to better the world. soul-union-music.com | back to top

Isis Moon (ft Orixa Diamistic) Sommer has been singing, composing and channeling sacred music as an acolyte of the Santo Daime and the Umbanda traditions for most of the last decade. Sommer's journey with sacred sound, using plant spirit medicine as her guide, has been a constant evolution, incorporating the traditions of Brazil with the harmonic overtones of Tuva, and the devotional singing of India.

Sommer's intention is to transmist a small offering of vibrational healing, which she believes resonates and carries the healing work over from ceremony to musical service. This will be her second year at the Beloved Festival. She is very honored and excited to uphold and present the worth of the the music of the Amazon and beyond! Sommer has collobaroted recently with Michael Garcia, Samantha Black, David Starfire, Soriah, and Mesmer. back to top

Wingin' It is the duo of Robert Halim Friedman and Vakila ter Veld - partners for over twenty years - whose original sound defines the Northern California Sound: Folk-rock on a reggae foundation. Backed up in live concert by bass and percussion and including keyboards with additional guitar work on their studio debut, "Attunement", their original lyrics present Sufi mysticism, social justice themes, nature and love mixed with lively rhythms.

Halim has played various instruments in rock bands since his teens, and as a solo and ensemble guitarist since the 1970's. Vakila has been writing and singing throughout her life. Some years back, the two of them began to sing and play at regular private jam sessions with country and bluegrass musicians. Then their spiritual path of Sufism began to mature - and Bob Marley and his music tumbled into their lives. From that experience, many of the songs of "Attunement" came into being. Their performances at various Northern California venues over the past seven years began with open mic shows at various clubs. People wanted to hear more and they were invited to play at more extended venues which by now have included the Fillmore in San Francisco, Earth Dance Festival, Harmony Festival, Solfest, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival and other concerts, events, and radio programs.

Wingin It's name is derived from the image of the heart with wings soaring toward its true source of Being, which the Sufis call "Beloved." Wingin It is a name which signifies the spirit path of One Love, Harmony and Beauty. back to top

Medicine Drum (ft MC Wisdom) Fusing the latest cutting edge styles of progressive electronic dance music withfoundations of deep tribal rhythms and live vocals, MEDICINE DRUM are recognized as one of the early pioneers to cross the boundaries of electronica, where organic meets digital.

Founded in London in 1994 by percussionist and Earthdance founder Chris Deckker, their music is a rich hybrid of styles and textures. Not quite psy-trance, not quite techno and not quite future-dub, Medicine Drum blends all these styles while interlacing them with driving, earthy tribal percussion, diverse world music influences, and inspired poingnant lyrics. Medicine Drum are back with a new all star line up featuring Greg Ellis on drums (Juno Reactor, The Matrix), Rara Avis on electronics, Lisbeth Scott on vocals (Peter Gabriel's "Last Temptation", Narnia) and special guests MC Wisdom and MC Dakini Star (Goddess Alchemy Project).

The band has supported some of the biggest names in dance music including Moby, The Chemical Brothers, The Orb, Juno Reactor and STS9 - and has played all over the world including Japan, Morocco, South Africa, Canada, Glastonbury Festival, Australia, Israel, Mexico and Europe. medicinedrum.com | back to top

Within is a collaboration between Portland, Oregon sound healers, One Root and Shamanic Vibrations. Members Ryan Powell, Kristin Bowen, and Jon Reinschreiber draw listeners into an inner journey of shamanic sound meditation. With the intention of returning the spiritual energy back to the temple of the body, they provide a sonic space of inner listening and deep peace. Drawing upon their collective experience in the shamanic, Daoist qigong, and yoga lineages, they channel sound vibrations using world instruments including sacred voice toning, didjeridu, gongs, flutes, frame drums, harmonium, celtic low whistle, guitar, alchemy crystal bowls, bird quill pan pipes, Tibetan bowls, Hulusi, and more.

Jon Reinschreiber is a Shamanic Sound Healer, who has spent years traveling the planet in search of shamanic cultures and traditional healing modalities. Intuitive and guided by Spirit, Jon’s healing work is a carefully crafted blend of traditional healing styles learned while working with indigenous shamans and sound healers from 12 countries on 5 continents.

Ryan Powell is a multi-instrumentalist, Qi of Sound Healer and teacher of Emei Wu (Shamanic) Qigong, taiji, and Daoist healing arts. He has been working with sacred sound as a vehicle for awakening and healing since 1996, beginning his musical journey with the Celtic group Blind Rafferty. He has since shared his musical dao in the stone circles of Ireland, the Dragon Gate caves of China, and wherever his way takes him.

Kristin Bowen, a vocalist for most of her life, has opened to the sacred medicine of authentic voice, sharing what overflows naturally from her heart to help heal the heart of the listener and of the earth. A yoga instructor and Shamanic Qigong practitioner, she is inspired by the One of many names and her plant, animal, and elemental allies. Her music is infused with a sense of awe, deep respect, and compassion for the natural world and the inherent innocence of life. back to top

Prema Mayi was born in Chile. At the age of twelve, she entered an ashram of Bhakti Yoga in Europe. Now, thirty years later, her natural, gentle zeal for bhakti is embellished with a warm-hearted maturity and an inspiration to share with others what she has imbibed, through the medium of sweet and melodic kirtan.

The practice of bhakti develops transcendental devotional sentiments, and kirtan, its foremost process, is saturated with transcendental sound vibration. Under the guidance of her guru, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj, Prema Mayi’s absorption in the study and practice of bhakti blossoms. Each year she journeys from America, where she now lives, to perform pilgrimage of Braj in the holy land of India.

Prema has learned sacred chants and mantras that have been carefully passed down through a disciplic succession of pure-hearted saints over the centuries. The potency of these chants has been preserved. The source of these chants is divine, and therefore they resonate with our soul, the essence of our being.

It is not necessary to understand the language of the chant, as its potency is beyond our comprehension. With an open heart one may relish the bliss carried through this vibration.The soul’s inherent yearning for spiritual happiness is fulfilled in every possible way through the practice of Bhakti Yoga, which directly connects the soul with Divinity. Bhakti Yoga accesses the inner heart of every living entity, where the foundation of the craving for eternity and the bliss of real love is active. When it is humbly practised under the guidance of one whose heart is steeped in pure love for the Supreme Person, one receives a relish with which no happiness in this world can compare. Prema Mayi in her own natural way wishes to share what she has learned from such an acharya with you. premamayi.com | back to top

Radio Devi is an all original musical act from the San Francisco Bay Area formed in 2008. Radio Devi utilizes a combination of live and textured loops that create a rich and uplifting dance atmosphere. A unique fusion of ancient world instruments over funky grooves and dub basslines with soulfull RnB vocal stylings.

Descriptions can include “Progressive World Soul” or “Ambient Ethno Groove.” Radio Devi was formed out of the critically acclaimed and award winning world music group Hamsa Lila. Radio Devi features Ian "Inkx" Herman on drums and Samples (Hamsa Lila, Hugh Masakela, Paul Simon, Foxgluv, Post Junk Trio, Rain Maker, Shabaz) Vir McCoy (Hamsa Lila, Foxgluv, YOU, Kid Kaleidoscope) on Bass, Guitar, Sintir, Saz, Guimbri and other strings, Evan Fraser (Hamsa Lila, The Funnies) on Ngoni, Sanza, Jaw Harp, Synthesizers, Percussion, Lyra, Ney, Flutes, Lap Steel and others. Deja Solis (Hamsa Lila, Qawaalis, Sistah Kat) lays her soulfull diva vocals over the top.

Ustad Dildar Hussain was born in 1957 in Kasoor Pakistan. Ustad Dildar Hussain has remained the best ata wala tabla nawaz of the century. Remarkable success in his life has included 30 years with Khansab Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan– internationally renown legend of Qawwali music and holder of the Guiness Book of world Records for most recorded and released music.

Ustad Dildar Hussain has also succeeded with international fusion projects with various artist such as Michael Brooks, Peter Gabriel, and has performed for the soundtracks of Dead Man Walking, Bandit Queen, Last Temptation Of Christ. Ustad Dildarji learned tabla from Ustad Allah Rakha Khan—Father and teacher of Ustad Zakir Hussain and the greatest tablji of the last generation.

Ustad Dildar's first performance was in India in 1969 before he joined Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Qawwali party in 1971. Along with Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan, Nusrat's brother, Dildar had been a member of the party since its formation. Dildar does not play the traditional tabla that can be seen in Hindustani classical music but instead plays a combination of "jori" as the treble, and "dhamma" as the bass to create a deeper, warmer sound than the modern tabla set creates. Today, he can sometimes be seen accompanying Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He is also the tabla master of the renowned young western tabla wala Amana Chisty Qawwal. watch video

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