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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

By Johnny Light

Been developing several blogs for "Being a True Human" and "Practices for Beloveds." I intend to create a book, audio/video course and seminar related to this topic next year. This is part of my work in emerging consciousness personally and in the world.

Let's explore beloved friendship without boundaries inspired by the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz, eternally connected to source. These two books have been a source of continual insight and revelation. Photo: Galaxy NGC

"It doesn't matter if you've broken your vow a thousand times. Still come, and yet again, come." - Rumi The Book of Love, Translated by Coleman Barks

"I am A hole in a flute That the Christ's breath moves through. Listen to this Music." - Hafiz from The Gift, Translated by Daniel Ladinsky

Thanks for being you and living life from the soul.

Loving you no matter what,
--John David Van Hove (aka Johnny Light/Liberty/Love/Wisdom)

By Johnny Light

Developing a musical social media network, network and blog for Fresh Wave Productions inspired by Hokusai's "Great Wave" decades ago. I intend this to become a powerful marketing and digital distribution website for music of all kinds including my own as Johnny Light.
Photo: The Great "Fresh" Wave by Hokusai

Here's a few links to music that I'm really enjoying these days.

• Wanting a Light by Johnny Light is an original song from my "Fresh Wave" album produced in 1987. Whew, that was a long time ago!
• One More Day is from one of my favorite performing arts groups "Gypsy Soul" who played a great outdoor concert two weeks ago and just released their new album "Wanderlust." Let's not take each other (or anybody in your life) for granted. Life is precious. If you had one more day...how would you be? Who would you spend it with?
• I Can Do Anything by Karl Anthony reminds us that we have the power to create whatever we want and need in our lives.
• Your Know the Way by Karl Anthony reminds us that we already have the answers within.
• By Thy Grace by Snatum Kaur is a beautiful song of praise and worship.
• Are You Brave by Larissa Stow is from her album "Reaching Out."

By Johnny Light

These days I live in the poetry of the moment, touching the lives of others with pure, loving presence. Is there any other way to be? I listen compassionately to people from all walks of life, whether I agree with them or not. God gave us two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak.

True friendship is an honest caring, a concern for each other, the ability to listen without judgment. ' Tis also the capacity to be there for each other in good times and bad. Beloved Friendship is the highest form of human relationship. I moved from the small town of Ashland into the country to my own retreat place on the Applegate river a year and a half ago after a two-year involuntary vacation.

Now I live on a wild river in nature with a private beach. This retreat is cultivating my own true nature. I enjoy sharing this experience with all my Beloved Friends. This summer will continue to be a celebration of life.

I spend hours upon hours on the shore or sitting on a rock in the midst of this rushing river, feeling, touching and sensing the infinite presence of Source. I lay on a hot rock like a lizard feeling the earth and letting the river rush through me. You and I are much bigger than we know. We couldn't be separate from Source if we wanted to be.

I offer these words as a gift, an invitation to each of you. Write poetry, create beautiful words that sing out from your soul. Write what you see and feel, then share your song with others, express your art as well in every form, shape and color. Photo: Cosmic Blue Monkey Jumpsuit with Guitar

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