Blogs

By Akal Sahai Singh

The GuruGanesha Band is the latest project from the mind, heart and guitar of world devotional music pioneer GuruGanesha Singh. Renowned for his work with sublime vocalists like Snatam Kaur, Nirinjan Kaur and Tina Malia, GuruGanesha steps into the limelight with his latest musical venture, a multi-talented ensemble culled from the A-list of players and singers on today’s rapidly-expanding kirtan/chant/yoga music scene.

Long noted for the effortless grace and mellifluous lyricism of his acoustic guitar work, GuruGanesha has turned his talents to his first love, the electric guitar, to ignite the incandescent sound of The GuruGanesha Band. With shimmering, glassy tonalities and evocative textures, he takes the vast sonic potential of modern guitar electronics to a new and blissful place. Accompanying him on this musical journey are master cellist/multi-instrumentalist Hans Christian (RASA, Krishna Das, Robbie Robertson, Harry Manx, Jai Uttal and Donna De Lory), tabla/percussion stalwart Daniel Paul (Jai Uttal, Jaya Lakshmi, Donna De Lory, K. Sridhar), beguiling and unforgettable newcomer Michelle Hurtado on vocals, Spirit Voyage recording artist/ kundalini yoga teacher Sat Kartar Singh on acoustic guitar, and kundalini bass guitar magician Gurusangat Singh (recording artist and producer of the popular Miracle Mantra Series).

“This is a project that I’ve had in my heart for many years,” says GuruGanesha. “The idea behind The GuruGanesha Band is to bring to the world music scene a group that can musically hold its own with the great guitar bands of all time, but instead of conventional lyrics, singing mantras and divine poetry to transport audiences to a profoundly beautiful and transcendent place. All of the spiritual and musical work I’ve done for the past 39 years has been preparing me for this.”

GuruGanesha describes the GGB sound as “a unique blend of kirtan, raga, rock, and deeply meditative folk music. I will primarily be playing electric guitar and I’ve hand-picked the musicians not only for their musical virtuosity but also for their ability to channel the spiritual energy that the band will be serving. The vocals will be a group effort with plenty of rich two and three part harmonies though Michelle will regularly step out and blow people away with her amazing vocal improvisations. The audience will be encouraged to fully participate, whether it be singing along, dancing or just meditating deeply on the music.”

Come share a magical evening of music, stories, joy and inspiration with GuruGanesha and his incomparable band. All profits from the concerts will be donated to some of GuruGanesha’s favorite charities.



SAVE 15% on Concert Tickets

Purchase tickets online before January 31st and save 15%. Use coupon code TGGB2012 at checkout...


New Website

Visit the recently revamped GuruGanesha.com for videos, photos, interviews, band bios, a complete discography and much more.


East Coast Tour

The GuruGanesha Band will be touring the Northeastern United States and Canada from May 18th through June 10th. Complete tour schedule to be announced shortly. Stay tuned!


Sponsorship opportunities

Interested in becoming a tour sponsor? Click HERE for more information.


Join the On-line Community

Follow GuruGanesha on Facebook and Twitter for free downloads, tour updates and videos from the road.

By Happy Oasis, Raw Spirit Community News

Happy: Good Tidings, luminous Larisa! What lights up your life?

Larisa: Love. Pretty Simple. (She laughs) That's all it is. (Ponderous silence.) How to fill myself up.

H: How do you fill yourself up?

L: Listening. (She listens for the answer.) Moving energy through. 

H: Mmmm. How do you seem to so easily and continuously access the infinite wellspring of love & joy?

L: There are a lot of tools. 

H: For example?

L: For example, I shake my body to realign my nervous system to let loose of any undesirable energetics, including emotions emanating from people passing by. I literally shake them off. 

H: Intriguing. (Shaky, breathy, giggling) I'm trying it now. Anything else?

L: Rudra Breath… and Ponglin as taught by the Dalai Lama… [Larisa rapidly continued with a lengthy, luscious list of seemingly exotic means of experiencing a virtually continuous state of joyful lovingkindness.]

H: What are your subjects of enthusiasm? 

L: Creativity. Writing. Community. [Larisa would pause to ponder between each thought, hence the punctuation.] I live in community constantly. This is huge.  Music. Prayer. Meditation. Sunshine. Nature. I love being in nature. I my back yard [behind her fairy tale-esque home in Long Beach, CA] a butterfly just hung out on my hand for 40 minutes.

H: What is the greatest focus of your enthusiasm?

L: Being a Puppet of Love for Spirit. (We giggle.)
H: I can vouch for that. What is your Joy Of Being?

L: I'm having a love affair with myself right now. Listening to what moves through movement by movement.

H: Such as?

L: New poetry and songs.

H: Would you please share a few of your newest lyrics?

L: I'm just finishing a song about Tara, Goddess of Love and Forgiveness. This is the first time sharing these lyrics. "There's a ring of light in a beggar's gaze; a speaker of truth in the addict's haze; there's a free soul in every rusted cage… Om Tara Om" [lyrics ™ by Larisa Stow].

H: So beautiful. Sounds as if they were inspired by your work in prisons, yes? Would you update us about your soulful, heart-opening rock and healing kirtan concerts 'behind bars'?

L: Wishing to broaden our Shakti Tribe Peace Outreach to more prisons, we are now offering concerts under our friend's Wisdom Spring non-profit. If you know of any prisons or anyone who might have contacts, we'd like to expand. It's quite a process.

H: It can be almost as difficult getting into prisons as getting out. Larisa, You have a full, creative lifestyle, including leading retreats to Bali and Idyllwild, CA as well as being a fulltime loving mother, wife, beloved, life mentor, kundalini yoga teacher, phenomenal musician, and treasured friend to many. What inspires you to do all of this?

L: I get deeply touched by people having "Aha!" moments. (Larisa pauses one last time). It's fun! (She giggles). www.LarisaStow.com