International kirtan artist Dave Stringer will be making his fifth, most extensive Australian tour yet in February 2013.

Kirtan and other music associated with the Yoga movement has seen audiences expand rapidly in the last several years, with festivals in the USA and Europe such as Wanderlust, Bhaktifest, Omega, Blissbeat, and No Mind now attracting thousands of people.

Stringers 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.

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, and In Style, along with numerous yoga-oriented publications in Australia, Japan, the USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands and the UK. He is featured in Australia in upcoming issues of Focus magazine and Yoga Journal Australia.

The Los Angeles Times has declared the experience of chanting with Dave Stringer to be a departure from ancient kirtan. Stringers performance shaped the experience into a far more compelling musical encounter. Initially trained as a visual artist, filmmaker and jazz musician, Stringer had his formative experiences with chanting when film editing work brought him to an ashram in Ganeshpuri, India in 1990.

An articulate and engaging public speaker, he probes the dilemmas of the spirit with a wry and unorthodox sense of humor. Stringer frequently works in tandem with internationally celebrated yoga teachers, creating music for workshops led by John Friend, Shiva Rea, Bryan Kest, Ram Dass, and Gurmukh, among others. For more information see http://www.davestringeraustralia.com/

November 9, 2012 | Posted by: Laura Liszewski | Filed under: Tower Hamlets

The panel. Pic: Laura Liszewski

Tower Hamlets residents last night raised their concerns to police about drinking-related antisocial behavior at a public Q&A session.

Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer was among those fielding questions at George Green School, Isle of Dogs.

Brick Lane resident Mark Lancaster described an unsanitary environment: “There is urination, defecation and vomiting in people’s doorways and on their doorsteps – sometimes even as they are leaving to go to work”.

Local businesses offering free drinks to attract “already drunk” customers were partly to blame, he said.

John Shapiro, Deputy Chair of Spitalfields Community Group, said the police presence in Brick Lane did not reflect crime levels in the area.

Stringer responded by saying that not enough resources had been available as a result of the Olympics.

“It is something we are actively working on. It is the top hotspot of alcohol-related crime in the borough by a mile. It is our number one priority.”

He stressed the need for the police and council to work together with residents and businesses in order to combat crime in Brick Lane and throughout the borough.

“It is a beautiful and very historic residential area. It will take governance by the community and we need to think: ‘What do we want Brick Lane to look like?’”

via Poor police presence to blame for antisocial behavior | Eastlondonlines.

Inner Directions Gathering

The  Paradox  Of  Awakening

“I used to go to India to make ‘this’ happen. ” —Ram Dass

(about The Gathering)

http://www.innerdirections.org/gathering/

*All photos ©Gary Elliot and Ramani Greenblatt.

Here is a MP3 that I recently downloaded on Itunes… a little different than the chanting from Plum Village or from Lama Surya Das but am enjoying it nonetheless.

Here is C.C. White:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_62uT3pODHw

And here she is with Dave Stringer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkF9xibwVOw&feature=related

Here is CC’s website… http://www.soulkirtan.com/

So, enjoy!

~~Jennifer

Related articles

• Loss – Lama Surya Das (namasteconsultinginc.com)
• Empowering Quote By Lama Surya Das (txqueenlatina.wordpress.com)
• Following the Breath – Thich Nhat Hanh (namasteconsultinginc.com)
• An Interview with Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh (johnnysized.com)
• No Death, No Fear (namasteconsultinginc.com)
• Live yoga music and chanting at Shakti! (buffalorising.com)

I love this sunrise walk to yoga. There is Mt. Agung, all pastels in the morning stillness. The path is embellished with intricate stone mosaics and colorful flags mark the approach. What a privilege to be able to do a yoga practice in such meditative surroundings.

This morning I was the first to arrive. It is incredibly peaceful at this hour, but someone has already been here to place offerings. An hour and a half of breath and poses later, I’m energized and ready for the day.

Today its a trip to Ubud Palace. There are many palaces in Ubud. The families who ruled in the past now have no political power but their social status is still recognized by the Balinese people.

Puri Saren Palace

These intriguing moss covered doorways are everywhere and lead from one tranquil garden to the next.

Carved figures abound, big breasted beasts with horrid teeth, winged serpents…

and just plain scary monster types like this one!

This stage on the palace grounds is ready and waiting. The gongs and xylophone type instruments are used for the gamelan music heard everywhere in Bali.

The ceilings of the buildings are intricately carved.

The most important ones are painted gold.

And there is always another pair of beautiful doors.

Walking home I pass a school where the children are outside in their sweet uniforms.

My evening is a much different experience from the day’s activities. A kirtan performance led by world famous composer and kirtan leader, Dave Stringer is happening at the Yoga Barn. The group consists of musicians and instruments from all over the world. At least 100 of us walk the candlelight path through glades of bamboo and frangipani. Entering the open-air structure we climb the stairs. Yoga bolsters are spread in circular rows throughout the space and I choose one in the front toward the edge. For the next three hours we participate in call and response chanting in Sanskrit lead by Dave and accompanied by 10 incredible musicians. These things have to be experienced. A written account doesn’t do it. The sights, the sounds, the energy, the night, the fragrant air…come to Bali…just do it!

(for more photos click HERE!)

Here is a photo of  my magnificent band: Vijay, Rasika, Saraswati and Nitai from The Kirtaniyas, Philippo Franchini, Ben Kreisel and Spring Groove!

What a joy to join Jai Uttal for both of his amazing sets. Here is a picture from Saturday afternoon:

During my set on Friday night I was joined by the fabulous Spring Grove, Philippo Franchini, The Kirtaniyas and Ben Kreisel…then…The wonderful Dave Stringer joined us for some VERY energetic renditions of Sri Ram and the Maha Mantra

Join Dave (w/ special guest Brenda McMorrow) at one of the following events across Central Canada. Joining Dave and Brenda will be Morgan Doctor on percussion and Chris Gartner on bass. Swaha will join the festivities for the Toronto date!

MAY 5 ~ LONDON, ON (Kirtan)
www.yogashack.com

MAY 6 ~ TORONTO, ON (Teacher Training)
www.theyogasanctuary.net

MAY 6 ~ TORONTO, ON (Kirtan)
www.theyogasanctuary.net

MAY 7 ~ OTTAWA, ON (Kirtan)
www.pranashanti.com

MAY 8 ~ OTTAWA, ON (Inner Musician Workshop)
www.pranashanti.com

MAY 8 ~ MONTREAL, QC (Kirtan)
www.naada.ca

“A volcano of a voice! Stringer transported us to another time and place. His fiery, soulful voice gave the entire room a feeling of a down-home gospel jam and one could not help but sing along.” — LA Yoga Magazine

“Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.” Dave Stringer quotes those words from author Arundhati Roy to sum up the moment his life changed in an Indian ashram in 1990. Pre-India, Dave was a film editor living in Los Angeles. Post-India, he is a passionate kirtan wallah and world-travelling troubadour, singing Sanskrit love songs of and to the Divine.

He arrived in India not as a seeker, but as a hired hand. He went to the Siddha Yoga ashram in Ganeshpuri not for devotion, but to work on an editing project. In the process, he encountered kirtan for the first time. The experience was so powerful he left his former life behind.

After several months in India, Dave returned to L.A., but not to business as usual. Instead, he embarked on the spiritual path of kirtan, which became his career. His goal is nothing short of bringing this ecstatic, soulful experience to everyone on the globe.

“Dave Stringer has integrated his interest in Kirtan, an Indian tradition of devotional chanting, with his masterful grasp of Western popular music, creating an exciting style of psychedelic pop as informed by traditional Eastern music as the Beatles.” — All Music Guide

To this end, Dave tours the world incessantly, singing kirtan in small towns and large cities, in yoga centers and smoky rural bars. It’s all part of his philosophy that the sacred is in everyone, in every place. Therefore, he believes his role is to make kirtan as accessible as possible, both literally—by travelling a full third of the year to as many locations as humanly feasible, and artistically—by expanding the presentation of the practice beyond the form as we know it in the West. In that sense, he is a kirtan maverick, constantly pushing the envelope with the goal of inviting an ever-widening audience to experience the divine vibration. This audience includes even prison inmates, whom he has taught meditation and chanting.

Time, Billboard, In Style, and Yoga Journal have all recognized Dave Stringer as a top player in American kirtan. He has collaborated with numerous other artists including Rasa, Donna DeLory, Toni Childs and Girish, and has performed with Krishna Das and Jai Uttal. You can also hear his voice on the soundtracks of the blockbuster movie Matrix Revolutions and the video game Myst.

This upcoming summer, Dave will be around Europe participating in events, retreats, festivals, concerts and in the Barcelona Yoga Conference.

Friday 15^th of July 2011 at 20:00: Kirtan with Dave Stringer & Onenessound.

Dave Stringer

Dave Stringer’s Saturday night concert at the Old Arizona Theater will engage each and every person in the audience, and inspire every voice in the room to be heard. Kirtan’s call-and-response form, be beautifully accompanied by Stringer’s sound, which the event’s flier details as infusing “the mysticism of traditional Indian instruments with the exuberant intensity of American gospel and jazz.”

Buy your tickets online here ($20 in advance; $25 at the door). Let us know if you go — a few of us from Blooma will be there!

Love,

Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Sign up for Today’s classes here

View our online schedule here
View our workshops & events here
Pay for classes/purchase class packs here

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS & EVENTS
SUMMER 2010
MAY

MYC Men’s Circle with Lucius Wheeler & Dougal Haines
Wed May 26 | 7:30-9pm $10.
Register by clicking the above link to online class schedule.

Vasudeva at Asmi Yoga 1 Year Anniversary Celebration
Sat May 29 | 3-5pm FREE!

JUNE

Steve & Anne-Emilie Gold in Concert
playing live in a Fluid Vinyasa class taught by Kat Seltzer | 6-7:30pm drop-in + $5-$10 donation
Inspiring & beautiful Kirtan | 8-10pm $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Sat June 5
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/events.

Embodiment Practices – Living from Center in the Midst of Change
with Sandra Wheeler & Wren Breedlove
Core Embodiment: Midline Meditation & The Evolution of Consciousness | Sat Jun 12 | 3-5pm $35
The Alchemy of Stillness | Sun Jun 13 | 11am-5pm $100 5ceu’s
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/events.

Anusara Immersions with Ulla Lundgren
Immerison 1: Stepping into the Currents of Grace
Part 1: June 18-20 | Part 2: July 16-18
Immersion 2: Deepening the Journey into the Heart
Part 1: Sept 24-26 | Part 2: Oct 15-17
Immersion 3: A Never-Ending Path of Awakening
Part 1: Nov 19-21 | Part 2: Dec 3-5pm
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/events.

JULY

Temple Dance
July 3

Vasudeva
Fri Jul 9 | 7-9pm $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Register by clicking the above link to online class schedule.

Shaymdas
Sun July 18 | 6pm $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/events.

Immerison 1: Stepping into the Currents of Grace
Part 2: July 16-18
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/events.

AUGUST

Follow Your Heart (Tour) with Kersten Mueller
Resolve to Evolve | Fri Aug 20 7-9pm
Co-create with the Divine | Sat Aug 21 4-6pm
Celebrate your Divine Being! | Sun Aug 22 4-6pm
advance: $35 per/$105 series  door: $40 per
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/events.

FALL 2010
SEPTEMBER

Immersion 2: Deepening the Journey into the Heart
Part 1: Sept 24-26
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/event

OCTOBER

Immersion 2: Deepening the Journey into the Heart
Part 2: Oct 15-17
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/event

NOVEMBER

Immersion 3: A Never-Ending Path of Awakening
Part 1: Nov 19-21
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/event

DECEMBER

Immersion 3: A Never-Ending Path of Awakening
Part 2: Dec 3-5pm
Register by clicking the above link to workshops/events.

2011

Rhythm of Life Nicaragua Retreat
May 21-27, 2011