Geoffrey and I met in 1972, formed a fast friendship and spiritual connection and played countless parties for friends and family. This is the first time we are collaborating for a concert of original music, and our dedication of the evening to helping our sisters and brothers in Japan makes the concert even more meaningful.

Geoffrey has been writing and performing music in many genres for his entire life. Above all he plays from the heart and conveys a richness of spirit, wisdom and purpose that is rare. He has performed with musicians ranging from Buddy Miles, Stanley Jordan and Charlie Daniels to Paul Winter and Yo Yo Ma.  This evening will feature the premiere of a new suite of original compositions dedicated to the well-being of the Japanese people.

I’ll be doing tunes from “Sacred Love” along with some new compositions I’m excited to share. Plus Geoffrey and I will collaborate on our respective music and all in the context of compassion for and oneness with the Japanese people who are rebuilding their lives, their families, their homes, and their dreams.

BUY TICKETS: Seating capacity is limited. Pay at the door tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We expect this show to sell out quickly.

Please join us!

Saturday, April 16 at 6:30 pm

Klavierhaus
211 West 58th Street
(between Broadway and 7th Ave)
New York, NY 10019

We are also forever delighted that East-West hosted Shambhu’s sold-out performance last November with David DiLullo and friends…and we hope to set up a new concert date soon.

“Shambhu has created a CD that is peaceful, evocative, pleasantly listenable and gracefully musical.”

~Paul Liberatore

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Shambhu
Sacred Love: Feel the Journey
www.ShambhuMusic.com

While there are many musicians in this genre hunched over computers recording in home studios (myself included), there are very few who have taken the music-making process to the heights that Shambhu has on his “Sacred Love” CD. Sparing no expense to work with some of the top people in the music industry, Shambhu set out from California for the bucolic splendor of Vermont to record at the studio of Windham Hill Records founder and Grammy winner Will Ackerman.

To say that the supporting musicians are an all-star cast would be an understatement, and includes bassist Tony Levin, who plays with Peter Gabriel, Eugene Friesen on cello, and a host of other top-notch musicians who tour with the likes of Santana, Pat Metheny, Ravi Shankar, Yanni, and more.

But at the center of this luminous universe is acoustic guitarist and composer Shambhu. In his own words, “My compositions reflect a diversity of musical influences from across the globe, from contemplative to Indian-jazz fusion to contemporary instrumental.” All radiating a “heartfelt feeling throughout.” This is simply some of the finest music of this type that I have ever heard.

One of the outstanding features of this project is that it is actually a multi-media experience. Shambhu thoughtfully filmed the entire recording process, and in the beautiful accompanying booklet, entitled “A Guide To The Journey,” as well as on his website are links for the videos on YouTube, which I found absolutely fascinating. “Sacred Love” is a journey well worth taking.

Excerpts below.

I actually hear something more profound when I open my heart to Shambhu’s tone and resonance. I arrive at a place of renewal and spiritual awakening when I listen to Sacred Love. Shambhu’s music is the essence of the morning light unfolding the soft petals of a rose, revealing the fragrance of the flower to the joy of our senses. …

You’re in for a rare treat. So unplug yourself from all the electronic trappings that prevent us from floating downstream and listen to Shambhu’s gift of spiritual, healing music. The happiness you have long been seeking will truly become your natural reward.

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The photos above and below are part of a transformation that I’m helping promote. I work with ThingLink but I’m also a musician. And a lucky one that I get to pioneer something I feel is truly new, innovative and important.

Like lots of indie musicians, I’m always looking for new ways to promote and share information about my music. In this case, I’m promoting my debut CD, Sacred Love.

Now this is a post about images but I get to be the star too — so check out the photo below. I’m bronzed like Hans Solo in Star Trek.

You’ll notice small dots inside the image. They are called ThingLinks: in-image links from inside this photo to any place I choose. The tags act like channels to information I want to share. The tags are easy to set up with a description (250 characters) and URL. In this case, I set up ThingLinks to my blog, my latest press release, my Twitter and Facebook pages, to my photographer’s website, and there’s a surprise.

There is a Sound Player embedded in this image. Click on the play button and my song, Edge of Eternal, plays.

That is cool!

So for musicians like me, that photo – which I was only able to observe before – has become something more than a beautiful composite by photographer Mario Covic. It’s now an information wallet I can share throughout my social network.

Here are some things I can do with Thinglinked images that help me socialize me images:

• Announce my ThingLinked photo to friends and fans on Facebook and Twitter, and email a link. Fans can do the same. If ‘m lucky, I made a new fan. Thanks to this ThingLinked photo.
• Embed a photo with ThingLinks… in my other blogs and websites. The links stay in the image. And fans can share it, too.
• Allow readers to add their OWN ThingLinks to the image. I wonder where fans would place links.
• Receive stats from ThingLink (as part of a free account) on how many people are interacting with my images with views, hovers and clicks.

Try hovering your mouse over the image and I put links into – and see what comes up.

After you sign up at ThingLink.com, you add three lines of code to your blog or website page. ThingLink works on websites and blogging platforms. If you’re hosting a WordPress site, there is a beta ThingLink plug-in that you can download via WordPress.

Have fun and share your stories.

It is the highest joy
To feel the taste of life

Shambhu’s music is very expressive. It easily plunges you into an exciting world. In general, Shambhu’s guitar solo is weightless and deeply meditative. It is free from pain and suffering. His music inspires you to open your heart and to hear the vibrations of love and compassion. It gives a rest for your soul and helps to achieve clearness for your mind.

“Sacred Love” is the debut album by Shambhu. It was produced by legendary Windham Hill Records founder and Grammy winner Will Ackerman. Many first class musicians have participated on the recording of this release. As a result “Sacred Love” is a multicolored carpet which imbues with the aromas of various cultures and musical traditions.

The debut album by Shambhu has the unique, mesmeric flavor of the music of India. And at the same time it is a really western born project. Cello, violin and other parts of traditional instruments bring tenderness and a classical charm to “Sacred Love”.

One wants to listen to these fine tunes very attentively in order to not to miss each nuance. Shambhu’s music is penetrated by many subtle details and when you listen to the composition “Imagine” you, without effort, are able to recognize the thoughtful and slightly ringing guitar of Will Ackerman. His touching soul manner of performing cannot be confused with anybody else.

In conclusion I’d like to say that “Sacred Love” has a perfect sound design. Its sounding is pure and exquisite. When I listened to the album of Shambhu one thought appeared in my mind again and again: how could I live without this wonderful music all the time before?

Serge Kozlovsky
http://sergekozlovsky.com

The debut of composer and guitarist Shambhu is entitled Sacred Love. It is an award-winning work in which the artist features his guitar through different genres on the same CD, from the soft sound of jazz rhythm merging into perfect music for healing and suitable for mantra. Enjoying the sound of different instruments, Shambhu is accompanied by fantastic musicians who are featured  prominently in different parts accompanying his guitar. Great artists such as Will Ackerman himself, who also co-produced Sacred Love, accompanying on guitar, Tony Levin on bass, George Brooks on sax, Jeff Haynes on percussion, Eugene Friesen on cello, Charlie Bisharat on violin, Ravichandra Kulur on flute, Celso Alberti on drums, and many other talents who enhance the already fascinating compositions of Shambhu.

It starts with the best.  The CD opens with “Together”, a seductive and interesting piece with a rhythmic sound and melody. Shambhu plays guitar and introduces the melody that slowly evolves over the gentle rhythm of kalimba, bass, sarod, and percussion. Other instruments, like violin, play some amazing solos. What a beauty! My favorite.

“Edge of Eternal” is an intimate and very delicate composition featuring soft guitar strums and notes, slow and fragile, and these are followed with great tenderness by the voice of Noah Wilding, Eugene Friesen’s cello and English horn by Jill Haley. It’s another of Shambhu’s amazing and exciting compositions. I like it!

He displays a deep innocense in “Eyes of a Child.” This touching and kind work is like the sweet notes of a lullaby written for guitar and Shambhu’s instrument is infused with a superhuman passion, achieving a vivid and really emotional feeling. Another wonder of Sacred Love!

“Natural Moment” rules with a mysterious and haunting Eastern rhythm. This piece reveals surprises, like the piano of the great Rocky Fretz, who adds life to the composition born into a magical dance of the guitar, violin, sitar and other instruments.

In “Revelation”, Shambhu’s guitar arpeggios convey an amazing sweetness and accompaniment for the other instruments. One of the most exciting songs of the entire album, “Revelation” has a deep, nostalgic tone that reveals great depth. The cello and English horn describe a passionate and most beautiful music. I like it!

Three great artists are featured on the composition “Imagine.” Shambhu and Will Ackerman on guitar and bassist Michael Manring give life to this serene work, a piece in which the guitars come together to offer a loving and thoughtful music, creator of wonderful dreams.

Shambhu’s solo guitar opens “Maui Breeze.” He creates a subtle rhythm with the beat of percussion and voice of singer Claytoven Richardson. Radiant and optimistic with a nice, quiet feel, “Maui Breeze” is mesmerizing.

“Nirab Amare” lets us go deep within and feel illumination. So sweet, so slow, the music is created by Shambhu’s arpeggios that accompany the soothing flute of Premik Russell Tubbs and bird calls and natural sounds of Windham County, in Vermont. A great way to say: “Restful”. Another of my favorites!

The amazing beauty of “Hide and Seek” lies not only in composition, but also in the two voices of the main melody of this impressive work, the voices of Claytoven and Michael Denten. Shambhu just follows the voices with arpeggios, percussion and bass to maintain the flow of this very catchy music. It’s peaceful composition and I love it.

Guitar, flute and sax give life to “Shiva Grove”, a track where two instruments maintain a relaxed conversation, while the guitar creates a musical background. George Brooks on sax and Ravichandra Kulur on flute create a most interesting fusion, as if the jazz and Eastern music were united in a new genre. A perfect, relaxing music for meditation.

“Call to Spirit.”  The feeling of the East winds again in another piece by Shambhu, but this time with great force. Another perfect music for meditation and relaxation, as mysterious Indian chants emerge to the passage of sound of the guitar, cello, flute, percussion and some bells.

As a finale to Sacred Love, Shambhu opts for a bonus track titled “Humility.” This is the larger theme of the album, more than seven minutes of great peace and harmony, where alternating guitar and flute melodies on Asian instrument sound are maintained from start to finish. I like it!

Sacred Love is the launch of the new award-winning composer and guitarist Shambhu. A great job with rich melodies and fascinating compositions where no one piece goes unnoticed to the listener. The different rhythms and nuances in these twelve interesting songs create a power of seduction difficult to explain. Sacred Love is a very highly recommended album. Check it out!

5 Stars of out 5

Calm all thought and quiet sound and stop movement

and just breathe slowly and close your eyes

and feel Love Love Love of Love itself.

And just be. Be grateful ….for having been …..

a Happy start of 2011.

~Shambhu

Photo by Mario Covic