Mirabai Ceiba - Sevati (2015)

Sevati, which means both silence and white rose in Sanskrit, is an album that explores the celebration of life in the experience of death. These explorations are beautifully presented in Gurmukhi mantras, Spanish and English songs, and ancient Native chants. As accomplished musicians that integrate music into every aspect of their life, this album is a reflection of their own inner process of discovery. Over the course of the last year, Markus and Gely of Mirabai Ceiba found themselves immersed in the exploration of life through many encounters with loss. This journey reinforced deeply within them that we must celebrate every moment we are given. Markus explains that 'realizing the fragility of life infuses us with a recognition of the importance of living with exuberance as we reach for a true understanding of the deathlessness of our spirit.' Sevati carries the vibration of Mirabai Ceiba's profound exploration. Accompanying their beautifully interwoven vocals, Angelika plays her harp and Markus, his guitar. But on this album, the duo also explores new textures of sound. While traveling to South America they discovered an instrument called a ronroco, which is a baritone charango - a small stringed instrument that Markus fell in love with and learned to play for this album. They incorporate some electronic beats on Har Ji, which feels like a heartbeat taking you on a journey. They also brought an incredible four-string quartet to accompany them on this album. Sevati is truly an album to experience. Allow your heart to be born again into the silence and wholeness of Sevati.

About the Artist
Mirabai Ceiba are Angelika Baumbach (Sat Hari Kaur) who provides vocals, and plays harp and piano while Markus Sieber (Harimandir Singh) provides vocals and plays guitars. A gentle yet expansive spirit pervades all the music of Mirabai Ceiba. The delicate sounds of harp, piano, and guitar blend with lovingly intertwined voices amid lush celestial soundscapes. Their concerts are group celebrations for peace-joyous and loving occasions that embody the duo's profound belief in music as a universal language uniting all the world's peoples, cultures and traditions. Mirabai Ceiba is a duo consisting of guitarist/singer Markus Sieber and singer/harpist/pianist Angelika Baumbach. They come from different parts of the world. Markus is East German. Angelika was born in Tucson, Arizona, and grew up in a small village near Mexico City, the daughter of a Mexican mother and German father. Together, Angelika and Markus have forged engaging new style of world devotional music blending Gurmukhi mantras from the Kundalini Yoga tradition with original songs in English and Spanish that reflect a Native American influence and also draw words of wisdom from Rumi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Guru Nanak and Yogi Bhajan. Through exquisitely crafted recordings like their CD A Hundred Blessings, Mirabai Ceiba weave a beguiling tapestry from these diverse influence and sources. And that's what the music feels like: a beneficent and abundant gift from the universe. In concert, they inspire all present to chant together in a spirit of compassionate love and Oneness. Even the name Mirabai Ceiba embodies the influences of both India and Native Latin America. Mirabai (1498-1547) was a Hindu mystical singer. Her songs express the longing of the individual self to be one with the universal self, represented by Krishna. For Angelika and Markus, the name Mirabai 'is the exploration, the devotion, the inspiration in all the different aspects of divinity.' And the Ceiba is a sacred tree of Latin America which is never cut and grows very tall. 'We wish our music could be like the Ceiba tree,' say Markus and Angelica, 'with roots deep in Mother Earth and branches extending far and wide into Father Sky.'

Tracklist:
01. Mirabai Ceiba - Har Ji (6:30)
02. Mirabai Ceiba - Gobinda Hari (9:09)
03. Mirabai Ceiba - Rakhe Rakhan Har (7:05)
04. Mirabai Ceiba - Tindu (5:08)
05. Mirabai Ceiba - Chattr Chakkr (8:50)
06. Mirabai Ceiba - Akal Mahakal Kal (10:33)
07. Mirabai Ceiba - Song Of The Stars (6:24)
08. Mirabai Ceiba - Waheguru Wahejio (6:51)
09. Mirabai Ceiba - Oh Niebla (5:25)