Living Waters

Living Waters is a beautiful blend of gentle mantras with currents of Indian music to carry the listener into the depths of yoga practice, chanting, and relaxation. The music creates a sense of calmness, centering, and peace. Shantala is accompanied by extraordinary musicians including Alam Khan, Steve Gorn, Tina Malia, Jami Sieber, Sean Frenette, Ben Leinbach and more. These pieces were conceived, arranged and recorded over a period of five years, and Shantala finished Living Waters in the wake of their pilgrimage to India in 2014, where they were able to experience the deepest part of the river.

This recording emerged from over a decade in which Shantala accompanied yoga workshops, often composing new material in the moment to provide an exquisite musical environment for deep relaxation at the end of practice. A number of Shantala’s teachers and friends, including Paul Muller-Ortega, Douglas Brooks, and Manorama, provided special mantras which were then set to music. Alam Khan, the son of the late Ali Akbar Khan (Benjy’s guru in Indian classical music), created a special solo piece on sarode entitled Homage for the opening track. Alam continues in a duet with Benjy’s esraj, answering Heather’s singing of the first chant Brahmanandam.

Shantala’s first world fusion piece inspired by music from east Africa is a magical arrangement of the song Kothbiro by Kenyan artist Ayub Ogada. It features the vocals and guitar work of virtuoso musician Sean Frenette and the soulful cello of Jami Sieber.

The artists offer Living Waters as a prayer for a more tranquil world and in support of spiritual practice.

“Voted #6 Conscious Album of 2015”
-Soul Traveler Radio

“Masterfully performed, captured, and mixed… Living Waters is blissful soul diving. Each track flows gently into the next and generates a sweet, sacred sound current perfect for life’s daily activities.”
-LA Yoga Magazine, July 2015
Click here for the full review

“Living Waters is a flowing meditation of sound and chant, featuring the always illuminating work of Shantala… a radiant exploration of spirituality through music.”
-Music Design In Review, July 2015