Johannes Linstead – Midnight Rhumba – Guitar and Kundalini – Yes!
So last week I instituted a new item into my daily routine, The Music and Reading Hour. The idea is to set aside an hour a day to listen to music from musicians that I don’t know and read the books that I am currently reading. The first Music and Reading Hour featured five jazz artists, while the second featured four New Age artists. One of those artists was Johannes Linstead, I listened to a few tracks from Linstead’s latest release Midnight Rhumba.
About Johannes
Johannes is a Canadian guitarist and instrumentalist. His music fuses Spanish-style guitar with Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern, and Latin American percussion and instrumentation. From his website…..
Chances are even if you don’t know the name you’ve heard his music. Johannes’ songs have been used in some of the most popular TV shows, such as Californication with David Duchovny, The Following with Kevin Bacon, Burn Notice and Person of Interest. World champion figure skater Stephane Lambiel used Johannes’ song “Zabuca” as part of his choreography during the Winter Olympics, and recently “Cafe Tropical” was featured in the hugely popular video game Tropical 4
….His group consists of congas, bongos, accordion, bass and Spanish guitars, with each band member lending his own unique charisma, creating a rare on-stage chemistry that moves audiences to their feet, clapping along with the music and occasionally shouting out “ole!”
Sounds good to me! And as I listen to the album again, as I write this I can see why Johannes Linstead has won so many awards in his career. Those awards include……Linstead being named “World Artist of the Year” in 2010, the T.O.M.A Awards (The Ontario Music Awards), Johannes also received awards for the “Best World Album” and “Best Instrumental Album – Acoustic” in the ZMR Awards! He was also named “Guitarist of the Year” in the prestigious Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards in 2007, to go with his two NAR Lifestyle Music Awards, and a nomination for a Juno Award!
Johannes and Kundalini Yoga
So it’s been established that Johannes is good and Midnight Rhumba should definitely be checked out. However, Johannes Linstead is more than just a musician and it’s that MORE that is really interesting to me! Johannes Linstead also records under the name bestowed on him by Kundalini leader Yogi Bhajan – Sevaji. Johannes/Sevaji had a profound Kundalini awakening when he was 24 and since then he has lived with certain “spiritual gifts” as the result of this awakening. Since then Sevaji has become….
a KRI certified Kundalini Yoga instructor, Reiki healer, Martial Artist, Qi Gong practitioner, certified Sensory Healer, and Sant Mat initiate. Once a week (when his touring schedule allows) Sevaji teaches his own unique form of yoga that infuses the various spiritual practices he has learned of the last 20 years, with a magical connection to music. Read More
Music and Yoga what a wonderful thing. I practiced self-taught Kundalini yoga for maybe two years or more and a a result I discovered the Sikh religion. Through the practice I found that I agree with many of the core beliefs of the religion. Maybe it’s time to restart my Kundalini practice!!
Anyway check out, Midnight Rhumba! I’m listening to Savaji’s 2014 release Everlasting Joy check it out, too!
Links for Further Explorations of the Music of Johannes Linstead / Savaji
Artist Website
DevineEarth
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Here’s Johannes Linstead performing at the Oakville Center