Spirit Voyage

Back in 1973, a young man left an up-and-coming rock band called Cat's Cradle to walk the spiritual path, embracing the Sikh faith and the practice of Kundalini Yoga. It was a hard choice. But his spiritual guide, the world-renowned master of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, told the young man, "Whatever you leave behind to walk this path will re-manifest later, in a higher form."

Today the world knows that man as GuruGanesha Singh, a guitarist of exceptional grace and expressiveness, a singer, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur who has been a leading figure in establishing World Sacred Music as one of the fastest-rising and creatively fertile genres on the current scene. With a brand new album, Kundalini Surjhee, an exciting new live project with golden-voiced singer Tina Malia titled Song of the Soul, and an on-going musical collaboration with the incomparable Snatam Kaur (in its12th year and still thriving), GuruGanesha feels that he's now experiencing the complete realization of the prophecy Yogi Bhajan made all those years ago.

"What's happening now is a full manifestation," he says. "All the same pieces are there that were there in '73, but they've re-manifested in a higher form. All the spiritual and musical work I've done for the past 38 years has been preparing me for this."

GuruGanesha is one of those rare individuals who combine the heart and soul of an artist with the clear, quick mind of a seasoned and wise business leader. By the time he started Spirit Voyage Records in January, 2000 he had already made a substantial financial success as CEO of Sandler Training Institute of Virginia, a company dedicated to providing integrity based sales training for the high-tech industry. For many people, that would suffice as a life's achievement, but for GuruGanesha it was just a prelude.

The first year of the 21st Century proved a musical watershed for him. He released the album A Game of Chants with Guru Singh, Thomas Barquee and the Grammy-winning singer Seal and began to record as part of the Peace Family, a group featuring the extraordinary, angelic voice of Snatam Kaur. Becoming Snatam's manager as well as her guitarist and co-vocalist in 2000, GuruGanesha helped launch Snatam as a solo artist with the Spirit Voyage album release Prem. It was the first in a string of outstanding CDs, including Shanti, Grace, Anand and Liberation's Door that established the diminutive yet divinely guided singer as one of the preeminent voices in the growing world of mantra, kirtan and devotional music.

GuruGanesha's shimmering, evocative guitar melodies and supple chordal rhythms played an integral role in creating Snatam's signature sound. Their collaboration over the years has been extremely fruitful and always dedicated to the service of humanity and the cause of world peace. In a similar way, GuruGanesha has helped foster the careers of producer Thomas Barquee, the devotional duo Mirabai Ceiba, Nirinjan Kaur and now, Tina Malia.

In 2004 GuruGanesha made his debut as a solo artist with the album Grateful Ganesh, a title that pays playful tribute to the artist's all-time favorite band, the Grateful Dead. This was followed by Pure Ganesh in 2006 and Joy Is Now in 2008. All these releases are remarkable for their blend of heartfelt songcraft and sterling guitar work embracing a cornucopia of musical styles, from kirtan to jazz to raga to rock.

GuruGanesha has taken his unique musical vision to even greater heights on his new release Kundalini Surjhee, an album that includes several collaborations with Tina Malia, a gifted singer whose recordings span the devotional, pop and electronic fields and who has worked with such diverse artists as Carlos Santana, Jai Uttal, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins, India.Arie and Bassnectar. In addition to his usual robust touring schedule with Snatam Kaur, GuruGanesha will be hitting the road this year with Tina Malia on their Song of the Soul tour along with multi-instrumentalist Hans Christian, percussionist/remix master Craig Kohland and fast rising young bassist Jared May.

"I've been aware of Tina for a long time," says GuruGanesha. "I feel she's right up there with the best female devotional singers on the planet. And she has a beguiling pop side as well, which I love."

And so the young man who turned his back on rock and roll glory has become an icon and inspiration in another great musical genre-one with higher goals than fame or wealth.

"I'm 60 years old now and I've dedicated the past ten years of my life to sending healing sound currents out to the world," he says. "I'm not doing it for the money. I've already had success in business. It's been a labor of love and devotion, from starting Spirit Voyage, to my work with Snatam and now embarking on the Song of the Soul Tour with Tina. People on the planet are so stressed out now. They need the healing, soothing energy of the Divine Mother. When a Snatam Kaur or a Tina Malia sings, there is an innocence and purity to their voice that opens every heart in the room within seconds. Everyone in the audience will feel like a child again, in their mother's arms. For a time, they will forget all their troubles and cares, and rediscover their true identity as spiritual beings."

Nirinjan Kaur was born in Vancouver, B.C. to a Kundalini Yoga practicing, Sikh family. With two musical parents, shefound her love for singing at an early age. Her father still tells stories of how Nirinjan could be heard singing her heart out to her favorite songs, whether they were in the car going to school, or just playing around the house. As time went on, she became very interested in Kundalini Yoga and the Sikh faith, and became a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher at age 13. Sacred chanting goes hand in hand with both of these traditions, and Nirinjan quickly found a merging of two loves: spirituality and singing. She began singing among her family and community, at yoga gatherings and Sikh services.



In 2003, when she was 15, she began attending Miri Piri Academy in Amritsar, India. While in high school there, she studied Classical Indian Music with a focus on Gurbani Kirtan (sacred Sikh singing) with a master, Ustaad Narinder Singh Sandhu. After 3 years, she graduated from Miri Piri Academy with newfound experiences of life, as well as of music and singing.

In the summer of 2007 her first album Aquarian was released. Also, that summer Nirinjan Kaur and Siri Amrit Singh were happily married. Siri Amrit, as well as being born into a Sikh family, also grew up with a love of Gurbani Kirtan. They are now enjoying their new life together in Eugene, Oregon.

Satkirin Kaur Khalsa is one of the most beloved and prolific Shabd Kirtan singers of all time. Introduced to a holy life of Kundalini Yoga and Sikhism by her teacher Yogi Bhajan forty years ago, SatKirin now serves the sacred sound current with a spiritual passion rarely seen in today's world. Her music invites the listener to merge with the space of Shunia, the zero point of stillness where one can let go of the stress of the outer world and merge with divine love. Her voice reaches deep into the heart.

Having studied with many of the world's leading kirtan masters, SatKirin now sings for audiences and festivals across the United States and around the world with her group, Mantra Medicine Band. Her many albums have a global following and have become standards in the Kundalini yoga community. SatKirin shares her expertise with fans on her Kundalini Yoga TV show, aired internationally on Jus Punjabi.

In her role as Sikh Minister, Satkirin was the first Guru Granthi of Guru Ram Das Gurdwara Los Angeles (1976-1992) and now serves the Manhattan sangat. As part of her mission to disseminate peace and service through music, Satkirin is a representative to the United Nations Department of Public Information for the NGO of the 3HO Foundation. She has had the distinct privilege of singing the opening prayer for the Opening Ceremony of the 2009 United Nations General Assembly on Climate Change.

*Testimonials:*

"Something happens inside my heart while I listen to Satkirin Kaur. The latent power within me rises with her voice to greet my soul. She sings the naad in a loving, personal way. Playing her music during my yogic practice strengthens and uplifts me and it is a pleasure to share her albums with myyoga students."

*--Ramdesh Kaur, Kundalini Yogini and Teacher*

"Thank you for your celestial music! I use it all the time at my studio in both my Kundalini Yoga classes and in the Sacred Dance Classes. Many blessings!"

*--Laura Shakti aka Ragubir Kaur, Kundalini Yogini and Teacher*

Snatam Kaur was introduced to music and spiritual practice at an early age. Schooled in kirtan, meditation, and Gurmukhi, the Sanskrit-based language of Sikh scriptures from Northern India, the young Snatam Kaur began to develop the devotion and skills that have grown and blossomed into a compelling, profound talent.

Snatam Kaur's parents brought her up in the Sikh tradition as taught by Yogi Bhajan. From an early age, she practiced yoga and meditation daily and her mother taught her Gurmukhi. "My mother taught me the alphabet on my way to school every morning," recalls Snatam. Her Sikh community augmented these lessons with instruction in kirtan (devotional chanting). "Through these experiences, I learned the pronunciation," she says, "but also I learned the passion for what I was singing because these gatherings were so spiritual."

As a child, Snatam also had training in voice, violin, guitar, and percussion. She obtained a solid foundation in Western classical music while playing violin in an orchestra and giving solo performances. Her many opportunities to use and expand her musical talent in a spiritual setting emphasized for her the connection between her music and spirituality. "I learned about the importance of sound currents from Yogi Bhajan," she says, "but I also had the personal experience of how the energy of these sacred words can have a very real, positive effect."

Snatam further explored the power of sound in India. After high school, her love for the Indian musical tradition and for children took her to Miri Piri Academy, a boarding school for children in India. She spent time taking care of the young children, teaching physical education, and providing music for the children's morning and evening chanting. When she returned to the United States, she attended Mills College in Oakland, California, where she obtained a degree in biochemistry, taught yoga classes, and shared her chants with Western audiences. But India called her back. After touring and performing Kirtan in northern India, Snatam settled in Amritsar where she studied music with the accomplished ragi (Indian master of Sikh-style kirtan) Bhai Hari Singh. This was a great honor for her, and particularly meaningful because Singh was the same teacher who had taught her mother when she was just a little girl.

Snatam embraced everything that Singh taught her, from the technical aspects of the notes, to the ability to sing with presence and awareness. The lessons took place in Singh's home, where Snatam was welcomed by the entire family--daughters, sons, and grandchildren.

While in Amritsar, Snatam lived next door to the Golden Temple, considered the world's holiest Sikh temple. Sacred music resonates from inside the temple from about 2:30 in the morning to midnight every day-sounds created by world-class masters of Sikh kirtan. This enabled Snatam to continually soak in the essence of the Sound Current.

Upon returning to the US from India, Snatam began her career as a recording artist with a band called the Peace Family. She served as the band's lead singer and, with two skilled and accomplished musicians - Livtar Singh and GuruGanesha Singh, had her first opportunity to write songs. Two years later she began to develop her own sound and style and embarked on a very fruitful solo career.

Gurunam Singh LIVE on Tour! Don't miss your chance to book Gurunam as he travels world-wide on tour for the release of his new CD! Email Vyda at Vyda@independentyogi.com for more information.

When Gurunam Singh graduated high school he was given a guitar and began composing simple songs. At 22 he found Yogi Bhajan and Sikh Dharma. He sang and played along with others and over time began leading chants in the early morning hours, before the rising of the sun. He spent lots of time in the solitude of his own home, and in the Sikh temple late at night, chanting to God and writing devotional songs. Gurunam's influences range from gospel, folk and country to classical Indian raag and traditional Sikh hymns to many of the current artists who sing devotional Hindu chants. He occasionally studied with some great ragi's such as Bhai Avtar Singh, from India, and Dya Singh from Australia. But his music is very simple. Anyone can chant along.