Guest musicians such as percussionists John Hudson & Chad Cornell
Influences
The Mysterious Universe, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox, Krishna Das, Wah!, Michelle Shocked, Prem Joshua, ancient Sanskrit wisdom and poetry, Peter Gabriel
Sounds Like
Krishna Das, Wah!, Swaha, Dave Stringer, Wade Morissette, Deva Premal, David Newman a.k.a. Durga Das, Jai Uttal
Yoga Music Rules
Born and raised in Winnipeg, kirtan singer/songwriter, yoga teacher, Beth Martens, grew up on a diet of international musical influences. A lifelong singer, more than ten years ago she took up guitar and began to write, perform and record her own world music.
In her 20's, studies in cultural anthropology took her to the Indian subcontinent where she began writing music and poetry. Performing as Vijaya for ten years, she played concerts and performed workshops echoing eastern themes.
Among her accomplishments are second place in Winnipeg radio, Q-94 FM’s songwriting contest for her original music to "Om Poornam"; opening for nearly 2,000 people at Winnipeg’s Centennial Concert Hall for speakers Deepak Chopra and peace activist/widow, Jehan Sadat; and performing live-to-air on CBC's Open House broadcast in 1996 with a full ensemble.
“I write and sing to live,” especially during the four years she battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “It’s the thread that keeps me going. It challenges me to make every situation meaningful, and find something to appreciate under all circumstances,” says Beth.
Driven by a passion for beauty, creativity and innovation, her 2003 recording, Where There’s Beauty, is an original eleven-song collection of hopeful and soul moving songs, spanning her adventures of the past ten years. Powerful performances by award winning producer, Dan Donahue, suspend the music in a richly textured landscape, in the traditions of the likes of Annie Lennox, Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell and the Beatles. The effect is music without boundaries that crosses wide lines of style and mood, and appeals to a large adult contemporary world.
Martens' latest recording, The Yoga Lullabies, is a back-to-her-Sanskrit-roots, stripped down, naked offering of mantras and vocal harmonies. This 87 minute CD is perfect for a yoga or meditation practice, or for keeping one's head above water during politically weird and spiritually corrupt times.
“Beth speaks to both the creative and reflective sides of our being, and in doing so, taps into an essential aspect of the human condition. The audience drawn towards her knows neither age, religion, colour nor creed,” says Dan Donahue.
For more information:
www.bethmartens.com
(204) 775-1100
Go online for Open Flow Yoga TV on Winnipeg Shaw with Beth Martens (scroll down to Thursday highlights for the pose of the week):
http://start.shaw.ca/Start/enCA/Local+Content/Manitoba/Winnipeg/default.htm
