Jivamukti Music Releases Debut of 'Holo Voyage'

Jivamukti Music has release the first album in the Holo Voyage project, a new series of spiritual music that fuses Sanskrit devotional hymns with Indian and Western classical technique, and modern pop production.

The first release in the series, Holo Voyage - Inception was released on 4/30, and features the voice of singer/Sanskrit scholar Gaiea Sanskrit (a.k.a. Gabriella Burnel) and music by award-winning composer John McDowell. Holo Voyage is conceived by executive producer Hari Mulukutla, CEO, Jivamukti Yoga Global.

The project was inspired by the devotional chants of Shyam Das, and sacred Yoga music developed by Sharon Gannon, founder of Jivamukti Yoga. As much of the world is grappling with the pandemic, we could all use some spiritual uplift, healing, and nurturing. Holo Voyage offers just that.

Inception is the first of the series, a collection of Sanskrit hymns and songs set to contemporary music with haunting melodies, dance grooves and soothing chants. The album is sung mainly in Sanskrit - a timeless language of vibration - by Gaiea, with her amazing voice and impeccable pronunciation; and brought to life by John McDowell, whose gorgeous compositions cast these devotional texts in a new light.

Animated by McDowell's piano and percussion - with help from Noah Hoffeld on cello, Neal Rosenthal on guitar, Jeff Venho on trumpet, Johnathan Roth on trombone, and Walker Adams on drums - the arrangements are subtle and infused with a quiet stillness that puts Gaiea's stunning vocals in the foreground. The result is a perfectly balanced meeting of the ancient and the contemporary that's accessible to any audience.

Gaiea, a.k.a. Gabriella Burnel, attended St James School in London where she learned Sanskrit from the age of 4 and went on to read Sanskrit at University of Oxford. She has taught Sanskrit for Yoga London, The Ayurveda Institute, Jivamukti Yoga and East London School of Yoga. Her life is dedicated to further exploring the depth and power of the sounds of Sanskrit. She has combined a love of Sanskrit with exploration of the voice knowing that through connecting with your voice and expression there is a key to connect more deeply with yourself. Gaiea visits India yearly to study with voice and Sanskrit teachers.

She performs, writes and records songs, leads regular Kirtan (chanting) and Sanskrit, Philosophy & Meditation workshops in London and around the world, and has released two albums of her compositions so far. She is currently working on new recordings, making new films, and delving into the power of sound and music to transform society. Musician and film composer John McDowell achieved worldwide recognition with his soundtrack to the Academy Award winning documentary Born Into Brothels.

Winner of Best Musical Score at the Bend Film Festival, McDowell's compositions blend Western and Indian music in a mesmerizing mix. Subsequent film scores by McDowell include Higher Love, Holy (Un)Holy River, Who Does She Think She Is?, org*smic Birth, Salam, Stolen and Sold, produced by Emma Thompson, Ganga (Holy Unholy River), and Salam- the definitive story of Abdus Salam, the first Pakistani scientist to win the Nobel prize. Known for much more than just his film scores, McDowell served as founder, artistic director and leader of several musical projects including The Born into Brothels Ensemble and world music band Mamma Tongue.

He has toured and recorded with Rusted Root and Krishna Das, co-producing Pilgrim Heart and Live on Earth, and has produced several albums including his solo CD Speaking the Mamma Tongue. McDowell is the music director and arranger for Tibetan singer Ani Choying. McDowell's formal education and subsequent informal global training has made him a largely self-taught ethnomusicologist of widely-ranging scope. Hari Mulukutla is executive producer of Holo Voyage and a student of yoga, sanskrit and music. Hari dedicates this album to the late Shyamdas, a rare bhakti scholar and close friend who lived with devotion in every waking breath. Holo Voyage sprung from a spiritual and musical friendship with Gaiea and John McDowell. Hari's Indian background and the chants he learnt as a kid from his father shaped some of the song selection of Holo Voyage. Hari is grateful to Sharon Gannon and David Life, the founders of Jivamukti Yoga and to the teachers at Ananda Ashram where he studied a number of yoga philosophy texts in the original Sanskrit. Holo Voyage Official Website: http://holovoyage.space