"Seriously good musicianship, some cool jazz, blues, and just enough new age for a kick back and relaxing time, with a definitive groove though.” (New Age Music Reviews)
Jazz guitarist Shambhu with special guest Indo/jazz saxophonist George Brooks is returning to East West Bookshop, 324 Castro Street, Mountain View on April 12th (7pm) to perform his relaxing music and celebrate the release of his new album, “Lilac Skies”. Tickets are $15 advance and $20 at the door. Visit East West Bookshop for tickets. Call 1-650-988-9800.
Shambhu recently announced the release of his 4th new album, “Lilac Skies” and it’s first single of the same title, currently available for pre-sale at Bandcamp. His guitar is featured on 10 new songs in a contemporary instrumental album with jazz, blues and new age roots. Shambhu's music eases the busy minds of students, yogis, moms and workers. He worked with Grammy winning record producer Will Ackerman on his 2010 debut album, Sacred Love, which reached #1 on the ZMR (Zone Music Reporter) New Age music chart. Shambhu's second album, Dreaming of Now, also produced with Ackerman, reached #2 on ZMR, and won Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the ZMR Music Awards (2014). His third release, Soothe, reached #11 on ZMR and saw two songs move into rotation on Sirius XM.
George Brooks is a prolific and diverse saxophonist and composer, acclaimed for successfully bridging the worlds of jazz and Indian classical music. He is the founder of Indian fusion groups Summit with Zakir Hussain, Steve Smith, Kai Eckhardt and Fareed Haque; Bombay Jazz with Larry Coryell and Ronu Majumdar; the Raga Bop Trio with Steve Smith and Carnatic guitarist Prasanna and Elements with Indian violinist Kala Ramnath and Dutch harpist Gwyneth Wentink. Shambhu and George attended the same high school, played music together on Long Island, and lost touch thereafter. They both pursued training from Indian gurus; Shambhu learned meditation in Jamaica, NY from Indian guru Sri Chinmoy; George learned music in India from master vocalist Pandit Pran Nath, the giant of north Indian music. They reunited 40+ years later in Berkeley after George reached out on Facebook. Having studied meditation for 30+ years, Shambhu works to balance his lifelong love of music and a successful corporate technology career. His early days found him playing music with Carlos Santana and working with Grammy-winning record producer Narada Michael Walden on Whitney Houston’s debut album. Shambhu sees a need to balance our lives with heartfelt connection, personal reflection, and the experience of being in Nature. Those feelings are crafted into the relaxing stillness and expansiveness of Lilac Skies. Of the album, Shambhu says: “Lilac Skies” is dedicated to lifting us up inside wherever we are -- at home, at work, at school or outside. It’s music for the foreground and background. Relax, groove, dance, enjoy and love.” The Huffington Post has called Shambhu’s music “a pathway of sound into the ocean of love that each of has within.” The Marin Independent-Journal calls Shambhu “a consummate guitarist.” MainlyPiano.com writes, “it’s a vibrant palette that Shambhu uses, telling colorful stories that come from the heart of the composer to the heart of the listener.” The San Diego Reader describes Shambhu’s music as “meditative and slightly proggy Indian-jazz fusion.”